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00:00:01 Hello, everyone. 00:00:03 We’re so happy to have you with us for this month’s broadcast. 00:00:07 As you can see, I have a friend with me as cohost. 00:00:10 We are friends, aren’t we? 00:00:12 Yes, we are, David. 00:00:14 Oh, that’s so good to hear. 00:00:15 This is Herman van Selm. 00:00:17 He’s a helper to the Writing Committee, 00:00:19 and we work together every day in the Writing Department. 00:00:22 Herman has quite a background. 00:00:24 He was born in the Netherlands 00:00:26 and spent a number of years as a missionary in South America. 00:00:30 What was that like, Herman? 00:00:31 Thank you, David, for asking. 00:00:33 My wife, Kay, and I served in three different lands. 00:00:36 Now, to sum up that part of our life, 00:00:39 three words come to mind: challenging, 00:00:42 amazing, rewarding. 00:00:44 In one challenging assignment, 00:00:46 we lived in a remote area in the rain forest 00:00:48 where there were no other Witnesses. 00:00:51 We wondered: ‘Will we be able 00:00:53 ‘to find people who want to serve Jehovah? 00:00:55 Where do we start?’ 00:00:57 We got on our bikes and visited all the villagers. 00:01:01 In time, we conducted about 25 Bible studies. 00:01:04 Wow! 00:01:05 Now, despite fierce opposition from neighbors, 00:01:08 the Bible students made amazing progress. 00:01:10 For example, one woman, with her children, 00:01:13 worked hard to build this beautiful hut, 00:01:16 and it brought us to tears when she told us: 00:01:19 “This hut, we made it for our meetings. 00:01:22 It is for Jehovah.” 00:01:23 Amazing! 00:01:25 One day, a group of courageous Bible students 00:01:27 showed us the letters they had written 00:01:29 to resign as members of their church. 00:01:31 Now, that week, the church’s pastor 00:01:34 in that tiny village received 00:01:36 a lot of mail! 00:01:38 I guess, mail he didn’t want to receive. 00:01:40 It was no fan mail. 00:01:42 It was such a rewarding experience for Kay and me 00:01:46 to see close up how Jehovah made that little group 00:01:48 grow into a congregation. 00:01:50 In fact, it strengthens the faith 00:01:52 of all of us, wherever we may live, 00:01:54 to see how Jehovah cares for people 00:01:57 who are often viewed as insignificant by the world 00:02:00 but who are precious in God’s eyes. 00:02:03 Great pictures—I love it! 00:02:05 Now, what can the friends look forward to this month? 00:02:09 Well, David, this month 00:02:11 we’ll meet Andrey Nesmachniy, a retired professional 00:02:15 soccer player whose story 00:02:17 may help us to analyze our own priorities in life. 00:02:22 Later, we’ll see how Thomas learns to balance 00:02:24 his secular work with his spiritual needs. 00:02:28 And we’ll enjoy an upbeat music video 00:02:32 that reminds us all of the wonderful “family” 00:02:34 we enjoy in Jehovah’s organization. 00:02:37 Sounds exciting, let’s get started! 00:02:39 This is the September 2019 program 00:02:43 of JW Broadcasting. 00:03:05 This month, I’m going to talk about two different subjects. 00:03:09 First, I’d like to talk about the translation 00:03:12 of our publications, 00:03:14 and there’s a particular aspect 00:03:16 of translation I’d like to comment on. 00:03:19 Now, I know that quite a number of you have moved 00:03:22 to a country where your mother tongue isn’t spoken 00:03:24 —either to find work or to serve where the need is greater. 00:03:28 And others are serving right at home 00:03:30 but in foreign-language congregations. 00:03:35 At times, you may have compared an article in your mother tongue 00:03:38 with the same article in your second language 00:03:41 and found differences in the translation, 00:03:44 and you might wonder why that is. 00:03:47 Well, we’d never conclude that the translators 00:03:49 had been unfaithful or careless 00:03:52 or that they were running ahead of the organization. 00:03:54 No. 00:03:56 We trust our hardworking brothers and sisters. 00:03:58 So we know there must be good reasons for the differences, 00:04:02 and the purpose of this brief discussion 00:04:05 is to suggest what some of those reasons might be. 00:04:08 First, a word about one of the principles our translators follow. 00:04:13 They’re expected not only to render the thought in the English text accurately 00:04:18 but also to keep in mind the way people speak. 00:04:21 So accuracy, clarity, 00:04:25 and naturalness are needed 00:04:27 while maintaining the dignity of our message. 00:04:30 Now, what’s involved in preparing a translation 00:04:34 that’s both accurate and natural? 00:04:37 It’s not as if the translators are like the Jewish scribes 00:04:41 who made copies of the Hebrew Scriptures. 00:04:44 To make sure that the copies they made 00:04:46 were accurate in every detail, 00:04:48 they would count not only every word 00:04:51 but also every letter they copied from the source text. 00:04:55 Translation is not like that. 00:04:57 It’s not as if there must be seven words in the target language 00:05:01 if there are seven words in English. 00:05:03 Every word in English may not be translated, 00:05:06 but the complete thought of the English has to be there. 00:05:10 English makes effective use of repetition. 00:05:15 What do we mean by that? 00:05:17 Well, you can write one sentence in English and then repeat the same thought 00:05:22 in slightly different words in the next sentence, 00:05:24 and it sounds fine. 00:05:25 But in some languages, 00:05:27 to repeat a thought would be viewed as poor writing, 00:05:30 and that wouldn’t reflect well on our publications. 00:05:34 So in such cases, 00:05:36 the translators are allowed to combine 00:05:38 two sentences into just one sentence 00:05:41 as long as the thought is completely conveyed. 00:05:45 Or they might make two sentences out of one long English sentence 00:05:49 if that’s more natural in the language. 00:05:52 So you can’t always compare the length of an English paragraph 00:05:56 with the length of the paragraph 00:05:59 in the target language and say, 00:06:01 “Hey, this paragraph is shorter than that paragraph.” 00:06:05 Sometimes we hear brothers who have learned a second language say: 00:06:09 “I don’t see why the translators didn’t follow the English word for word. 00:06:13 After all, you can say that in the language.” 00:06:17 Well, you may have the words. 00:06:19 It may be possible to “say” that, 00:06:22 but would a literal translation sound strange to native speakers? 00:06:27 No matter how well a foreigner has learned a language, 00:06:31 native speakers who speak the language well 00:06:34 are usually the best judge of what is natural. 00:06:38 Modesty will help foreign speakers to recognize that. 00:06:43 There’s another thing that foreign speakers need to be aware of. 00:06:47 If they’re vocal in their criticism of a certain translation, 00:06:52 how would that affect the confidence of native speakers 00:06:55 who have to rely on the translation for their spiritual food? 00:06:59 Of course, nobody is perfect, 00:07:02 and as long as translation is done by imperfect people, 00:07:06 it won’t be perfect. 00:07:08 But rest assured that our translators 00:07:10 take their work very seriously. 00:07:14 The subject of translation is complex. 00:07:17 And I’m surely no expert. 00:07:19 Let’s hear from some brothers who have worked in the field for many years 00:07:23 and see what we can learn. 00:07:25 Meet Nick Ahladis, 00:07:28 Nick Exarcheas, 00:07:30 and Saki Marais. 00:07:33 As we have just heard, 00:07:36 the goal of translators is to convey ideas 00:07:39 accurately, naturally, and clearly. 00:07:43 This isn’t an easy thing to do. 00:07:46 Let’s discuss a few of the challenges of translation. 00:07:49 We will focus on three areas 00:07:52 and see why translators make the choices they do: 00:07:57 Bible expressions, 00:07:59 illustrations, 00:08:00 and vocabulary. 00:08:03 So our first point is Bible expressions. 00:08:07 Nick, could you please tell us 00:08:09 why translating some expressions in the Bible 00:08:13 can be very challenging? 00:08:15 Well, before our brothers and sisters 00:08:18 receive the New World Translation in their language, 00:08:21 they have to use Bibles produced by Christendom. 00:08:25 Often, these Bibles contain false religious ideas 00:08:29 and terms that reflect those ideas. 00:08:32 So when we produce the New World Translation, 00:08:35 great care has to be taken 00:08:37 not to allow such terms to distort our translation. 00:08:41 Can you give us an example of an expression 00:08:45 that was translated the wrong way 00:08:48 in the Bibles produced by Christendom? 00:08:51 Well, one example is the term “holy spirit.” 00:08:55 In many Bibles produced by Christendom, 00:08:58 the term gives the idea of a spirit creature in heaven, 00:09:03 even a “holy ghost,” sometimes even a “holy demon.” 00:09:08 That must be very confusing to the readers. 00:09:11 But what can the translators do about that? 00:09:15 In many languages, our translators have found 00:09:17 that the closest way to translate “holy spirit” 00:09:19 is to say “holy power” or “holy force.” 00:09:23 This may sound very different, 00:09:25 but it conveys the same idea. 00:09:27 And even the English New World Translation 00:09:29 describes the term “holy spirit” 00:09:31 as “God’s active force” at Genesis 1:2, 00:09:35 while other English translations say “God’s holy spirit.” 00:09:38 Good. 00:09:39 So now the brothers can use an expression 00:09:42 that is understood by the field and the audience. 00:09:47 But it must be a wonderful thing to have the New World Translation. 00:09:51 Yes, it’s a wonderful thing. 00:09:53 But still, the brothers have to get used to the new terms. 00:09:57 Remember that they’ve been using 00:09:59 the original terms in their local Bibles for years 00:10:03 to teach people the truth. 00:10:05 But as they get used to the new terminology 00:10:08 in their personal study, at meetings, and in the ministry, 00:10:12 they begin to see the benefits of the new terms, 00:10:15 and afterward they really embrace the New World Translation. 00:10:18 Thank you. 00:10:20 Now let us go to the second challenge, 00:10:22 illustrations. 00:10:24 Why are illustrations 00:10:26 particularly difficult to translate? 00:10:29 An illustration that works in one culture might not work in another. 00:10:33 Illustrations are only effective if the reader can relate to them. 00:10:37 And that’s why Jesus used illustrations 00:10:39 based on everyday things that his audience was familiar with, 00:10:42 such as farming, building, fishing. 00:10:45 And today, our publications 00:10:47 also use illustrations that people can relate to. 00:10:49 I remember an article that discussed the need 00:10:52 for us to be patient in difficult situations. 00:10:55 And it used the illustration of a driver who is stuck in traffic. 00:10:59 Now, one translation team wrote to the Translator Help Desk, 00:11:02 and they explained that most of their readers 00:11:04 were not familiar with traffic jams. 00:11:06 For someone who lives in a big city, 00:11:08 that sounds unbelievable, but it’s true. 00:11:10 So the team wanted to use a different illustration. 00:11:13 They are familiar with the idea of people standing in long lines, 00:11:17 waiting for their maize, or corn, to be ground at the milling machine. 00:11:21 And this illustration was approved 00:11:23 because it would help their readers to get the point: 00:11:26 They need to be patient. 00:11:28 Now, these are completely different illustrations, 00:11:31 but the point —or the message— 00:11:33 is the same, for example, then, about being patient. 00:11:36 Now, when we read in our language edition 00:11:40 of The Watchtower or other publication 00:11:42 a different illustration than the one we read in English, 00:11:46 we can be confident that the translators received approval 00:11:49 to make this adjustment so that the right message is conveyed. 00:11:53 Well, that was very helpful. Thank you. 00:11:56 Now let us go to our third challenge 00:11:58 —that of vocabulary, 00:12:00 that is, the words that are used in a language. 00:12:04 Now, we might assume that for every important word 00:12:07 in our language 00:12:09 there will be an exact equivalent 00:12:11 in another language. 00:12:14 Well, translation is much more complicated than that. 00:12:17 Take, for example, the word “peace.” 00:12:19 Some years back, 00:12:21 we had a convention about godly peace. 00:12:25 And one might think, ‘Well, that’s an easy word to translate.’ 00:12:28 But that word was used about 350 times 00:12:32 in talks on the convention 00:12:34 —sometimes referring to peace between God and man, 00:12:38 sometimes referring to peace in family or with our neighbors, 00:12:42 and other times referring to peace of mind. 00:12:45 Now, in some languages, there’s simply no way 00:12:48 to use just one word to convey all those aspects of peace 00:12:52 because they have one word for the kind of peace that God gives, 00:12:56 a different word for when there’s no war in a country (that kind of peace), 00:13:01 and a different word to indicate that people 00:13:03 are getting along with one another. 00:13:05 So those translators need to understand the point 00:13:09 of each usage in the context 00:13:12 and then convey the right translation accordingly. 00:13:16 Now it opens our minds to how wonderfully Jehovah made us, 00:13:19 with the capacity to think and feel 00:13:22 and have many concepts and ideas 00:13:24 and to have the ability to express them in our language 00:13:29 —in words— to use words for that. 00:13:31 But we express them in so many different ways. 00:13:34 Yes, it’s so true. 00:13:36 Every language has its own vocabulary and way of expressing things. 00:13:39 What I find very interesting is how other languages 00:13:42 render standard expressions that we use as Jehovah’s Witnesses. 00:13:46 For example, “field service,” “circuit overseer,” 00:13:49 “Kingdom Hall,” “special pioneer” 00:13:52 —those expressions were first used in English, 00:13:54 and then translators had to come up with equivalents 00:13:57 in their languages so that it would make sense. 00:13:59 But that wouldn’t be difficult —would it?— 00:14:02 because for the word “kingdom” 00:14:04 surely we have another word in another language, 00:14:06 and for the word “hall” we have an equivalent word. 00:14:10 And all you have to do is put the two words together 00:14:12 to translate “Kingdom Hall.” 00:14:14 They may have the words, 00:14:16 but a literal translation of “Kingdom Hall” 00:14:18 could mean something totally different. 00:14:20 Now, some countries still have a king. 00:14:23 In those places, this “Kingdom Hall” could mean 00:14:26 “government office,” or it could mean 00:14:29 “hall belonging to the kingdom of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” 00:14:32 So that would be totally misleading. 00:14:34 And that’s why the Governing Body has given approval to say 00:14:37 the “Meeting Place of Jehovah’s Witnesses” 00:14:40 or the “Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” 00:14:43 Even though the expressions sound a little bit different, 00:14:46 the basic intent is the same, and people get the right idea. 00:14:50 So it is obvious that the challenges of translation are huge. 00:14:55 But now the question is, 00:14:57 How can a newly formed translation team 00:15:00 or one in a very remote location 00:15:03 have the confidence and have the assurance 00:15:06 that they produce the highest standard possible? 00:15:10 Well, all translation teams, regardless of size or location, 00:15:15 benefit from regular communication 00:15:17 with the Writing Committee of the Governing Body. 00:15:19 Well, we understand that the Governing Body 00:15:22 directs matters from headquarters, 00:15:24 but do they really know what the translators are doing? 00:15:28 Well, the Writing Committee trusts the translators, 00:15:31 but at the same time, they don’t try to micromanage their work. 00:15:35 What they have done is set in place training programs 00:15:39 to teach translators basic translation principles 00:15:43 to help them to understand how to apply those principles 00:15:47 when translating the publications. 00:15:49 And this ensures that the same message 00:15:52 is being conveyed regardless of language. 00:15:55 And when they’re not sure that their solution 00:15:59 is exactly right on target, 00:16:02 they can write to the Writing Committee 00:16:04 and ask for direction to inquire whether this solution 00:16:08 conveys the right idea in the context. 00:16:11 Also, the Writing Committee answers 00:16:13 hundreds of translation questions every week 00:16:16 as part of the ongoing training of the teams. 00:16:18 All of the translators have access to these answers 00:16:21 so that they can learn from one another 00:16:23 how to solve problems that are delicate and difficult. 00:16:26 This effective communication system 00:16:29 really helps to unify the thinking of all the translators 00:16:33 and to make sure that they all produce the same message. 00:16:35 And that unifies the thinking of the worldwide field. 00:16:39 Well, thank you very much for explaining those factors 00:16:43 affecting translation, 00:16:45 and it is impressive 00:16:47 that Jehovah has an arrangement in place 00:16:50 that reverses the effect of Babel. 00:16:55 And it is also so wonderful that by means of his holy spirit, 00:17:00 Jehovah unifies his people around the earth 00:17:04 regardless of what language they use. 00:17:07 Thanks, brothers. 00:17:09 You’ve given us an even deeper appreciation 00:17:11 for all of the work involved in making a quality translation. 00:17:15 I learned a lot. 00:17:17 I’m sure our audience did too. 00:17:21 Now, the following video 00:17:23 relates an experience that is very dear to my heart. 00:17:27 You see, in the 1970’s, 00:17:30 my wife and I were in the circuit work in Montreal, Canada. 00:17:34 Now, one Tuesday evening after the meeting, 00:17:36 I was approached by a ministerial servant. 00:17:39 He was very excited! 00:17:41 He said: “David, I work with a man who is the head of a small church. 00:17:45 He has invited me to his home!” 00:17:48 “That’s nice,” I said. 00:17:51 He said: “No, no, no, you don’t understand! 00:17:54 “They never invite anyone to their home unless they are members of the church. 00:17:58 I think this is going to be big.” 00:18:01 “Well,” I said, “if he’s interested, 00:18:03 “invite him to come to the meeting this weekend. 00:18:05 I’d love to meet him.” 00:18:07 Well, that weekend I was on the lookout for the man, 00:18:10 but he didn’t show up. 00:18:12 But neither did the ministerial servant. 00:18:16 Soon after, on a Monday morning 00:18:19 —fairly early— 00:18:21 I received a phone call from Brother Laurier Saumur, 00:18:24 who was well-known in Montreal and was a special pioneer at the time. 00:18:29 Laurier said: “We have a problem. 00:18:32 “A thousand people want Bible studies, 00:18:35 and many of them are going to be attending our meetings this week.” 00:18:39 They were the members of that church. 00:18:42 I asked Brother Saumur to take the lead in organizing the studies. 00:18:47 Now, here’s what happened: 00:18:49 The ministerial servant had been to the man’s home 00:18:52 and he’d given a good witness. 00:18:54 Then, 00:18:55 the brother met with the other responsible men of the church. 00:18:58 They were interested in what the Bible says, 00:19:01 and they wanted other members of the church to learn about the Bible too. 00:19:05 So about half the members of the church, 00:19:09 around 1,000 people, 00:19:11 accepted the invitation to have a Bible study. 00:19:16 But what moved the leader of the church 00:19:18 to invite the brother to his home in the first place? 00:19:21 Watch the following video, and I’ll answer that question at the end. 00:19:33 In the mid-1970’s, several brothers from the Montréal area 00:19:37 were approached to help with a unique situation that was unfolding. 00:19:41 A special pioneer, who was taking the lead at the time, 00:19:44 said that about a thousand people —all from the same church— 00:19:48 wanted to study the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. 00:19:51 And it was all because of an informal witness. 00:19:56 The story began this way: 00:20:00 A brother in the local congregation 00:20:02 approached me one day 00:20:03 to tell me about an experience 00:20:04 he had with one of his workmates. 00:20:07 This man was responsible for a small local church, 00:20:10 and the brother had been able to give him an informal witness. 00:20:13 The man indicated 00:20:15 that he would like a Bible study, 00:20:17 and he wanted to convince the other members of his church 00:20:20 to also study the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. 00:20:25 The fact was that this person 00:20:27 had a certain influence in the church. 00:20:30 So he talked to the church members 00:20:32 about the message he had heard from the brother, 00:20:35 and he convinced them that what they were missing 00:20:38 was a better understanding of the Bible. 00:20:40 Many people heard about it 00:20:42 because it was an exceptional event. 00:20:45 From what I heard, there were around a thousand people 00:20:48 who wanted to study the Bible at that time. 00:20:51 We didn’t have the brothers and sisters 00:20:53 that were needed to conduct all these Bible studies. 00:20:56 So they formed groups of 10, 12, 15 people. 00:21:00 And once or twice a week in Kingdom Halls, they conducted Bible studies. 00:21:06 It was questions, questions. 00:21:08 Everyone was asking questions. 00:21:13 But the Bible could always answer all these questions in a logical way 00:21:17 —one verse would explain another. 00:21:19 And we came to see 00:21:21 that the Bible in its entirety could explain every subject. 00:21:25 At the beginning, 00:21:27 groups of two or three families studied together. 00:21:32 And, yeah, they answered with the Bible. 00:21:34 That amazed me because 00:21:37 I didn’t know the Bible at all. 00:21:38 But I thought, ‘The Bible talks about this; 00:21:41 the Bible talks about that.’ 00:21:42 It was like a discovery for me. 00:21:45 That was the parents. 00:21:47 The children weren’t there. 00:21:48 So when we accepted it, then we’d teach it to our children. 00:21:54 Everyone was disciplined while sitting at the table. 00:21:57 The children were very quiet 00:22:00 with their Truth book in front of them and their Bible. 00:22:03 When these families came to the Kingdom Hall, 00:22:05 the children were sitting beside their parents, 00:22:08 not moving, paying attention to what was being said. 00:22:11 I was young when they started coming. 00:22:13 I remember it very well. 00:22:15 A lot of them were my age. 00:22:17 I saw them like future potential friends. 00:22:21 It was really touching. 00:22:25 The first meeting I attended was here in Laval. 00:22:29 It really contributed to me one day taking a stand 00:22:34 and Jehovah becoming my God 00:22:37 and the truth becoming my way of life. 00:22:44 When I was young, 00:22:46 I was very afraid of death. 00:22:48 It was such a relief to learn that we don’t suffer when we die. 00:22:53 It’s like a sleep. 00:22:56 The ambitions I had before, 00:22:58 that may have been attainable, 00:23:00 became second place. 00:23:03 Now it was to have a simple life, 00:23:05 to walk with the organization, 00:23:07 and to raise my children in the truth. 00:23:10 Today, these brothers are really doing a lot in the organization, 00:23:14 helping in different areas, shouldering great responsibilities. 00:23:18 My father always strived 00:23:20 to set the example for all his children, 00:23:23 and it made an impression on me. 00:23:25 Now my wife and I have the privilege of serving here at the Canada branch. 00:23:28 I was eight years old 00:23:30 when my family started attending meetings. 00:23:32 I have really good memories of how 00:23:35 the local congregation at the time 00:23:37 took care of us and looked after us. 00:23:39 At the age of 15, 00:23:41 I started reading my Bible every day and studying it too. 00:23:44 From that point on, 00:23:46 I knew what I wanted to do with my life 00:23:48 —serve Jehovah full-time. 00:23:55 I really think Jehovah could see us on the inside. 00:24:03 Jehovah helped us a lot. 00:24:05 You can’t have anything better than that. 00:24:13 On our own, we never would have got out of that situation. 00:24:19 But Jehovah found a way to find “rightly disposed” ones. 00:24:23 A simple informal witness led to Bible studies that touched so many. 00:24:34 The brother was able to give a good witness, 00:24:37 but what motivated the church leader to listen to him in the first place? 00:24:41 It was the brother’s conduct. 00:24:44 He was a very loving brother, 00:24:46 and the way he dealt with others in the workplace really impressed the man. 00:24:52 The poet said: “I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day.” 00:24:57 Those words certainly proved true in this exciting experience! 00:25:02 That’s an excellent transition into the next part of our program. 00:25:06 In this dramatization, 00:25:09 we’ll see for ourselves how a Christian’s conduct, even at work, 00:25:13 can have a powerful effect on those around them. 00:25:19 Sometimes I really hate my job. 00:25:24 I don’t know how Jason stays so positive. 00:25:43 I asked Jason why he refused the money, 00:25:46 and I found out that he’s one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. 00:25:49 My wife is too, 00:25:50 so I know a lot about them. 00:25:53 But what Jason did really surprised me. 00:25:59 I wondered why he didn’t feel like 00:26:02 he was entitled to the extra money. 00:26:04 He’s such a hard worker, 00:26:06 and most of our supervisors accept bribes. 00:26:09 Jason showed me a Bible verse: 00:26:12 “Whatever you are doing, work at it whole-souled 00:26:16 as for Jehovah, and not for men.” 00:26:20 Jason’s relationship with God influences 00:26:23 every aspect of his life, 00:26:25 even his attitude toward work. 00:26:28 He couldn’t participate 00:26:30 in something dishonest, even if others did. 00:26:36 I could see that Jason really lived by his beliefs. 00:26:59 Jason invited me to see the construction project 00:27:03 he’s been volunteering at. 00:27:05 I felt like I had entered another world. 00:27:08 People of different races 00:27:10 worked alongside each other 00:27:12 without prejudice, and they were all volunteers. 00:27:19 Jason offered to study the Bible with me. 00:27:23 Emma has asked me to study in the past, 00:27:26 and I’ve always refused. 00:27:39 But this time, I accepted. 00:27:51 I liked my study 00:27:54 and even enjoyed going to the Kingdom Hall occasionally. 00:27:59 But I had to work overtime 00:28:02 to support my family. 00:28:05 I couldn’t go to meetings every week. 00:28:18 Hey, Jason, 00:28:19 how do you do it all 00:28:22 —work, family, meetings, even volunteer work? 00:28:27 I try to keep in mind Jesus’ words at Matthew 6:22. 00:28:35 Jesus compared our eyes to a lamp. 00:28:39 He said that if ‘our eye was focused, our whole body would be bright.’ 00:28:45 It’s impossible 00:28:47 to focus on more than one thing at a time. 00:28:52 Jesus wanted his followers to focus on a single purpose: 00:28:56 that of doing God’s will. 00:28:58 Rather than being distracted by material things, 00:29:02 my wife and I lead a simple life, 00:29:04 avoiding unnecessary debt 00:29:06 or acquiring possessions that consume a lot of time and attention. 00:29:11 This way of life allows us to have time for what’s truly important. 00:29:15 If you asked Emma, which do you think she would prefer: 00:29:18 that you made more money or spent more time with her at the Kingdom Hall? 00:29:27 Jason’s example really impressed me. 00:29:29 He was an honest and diligent worker, 00:29:34 but he also kept secular work in its proper place. 00:29:38 It made me think about the choices I make, 00:29:41 and I decided that I too 00:29:44 wanted to ‘work whole-souled for Jehovah.’ 00:29:48 James 2:17, 18, in part, states: 00:29:53 “Faith by itself, without works, is dead. . . . 00:29:58 “Show me your faith without the works, 00:30:00 and I will show you my faith by my works.” 00:30:05 Now, the faith that Jason displayed “by works” at his secular job 00:30:09 motivated Thomas to accept a Bible study and to continue to make spiritual progress 00:30:14 despite setbacks. 00:30:16 Seeing this and hearing of real-life examples, 00:30:20 such as in our previous video, 00:30:22 are excellent reminders of what a powerful witness 00:30:26 our actions can be. 00:30:29 But what if we’re in a situation where displaying faith 00:30:33 calls for us to give up something we previously loved or enjoyed? 00:30:39 The story of soccer player Andrey Nesmachniy 00:30:43 may help us to see what action to take. 00:30:50 Soccer was my reason for living. 00:30:53 I always dreamed of becoming a professional soccer player. 00:31:02 I thought that happiness came from fame, 00:31:07 a good career, 00:31:12 money. 00:31:14 When I was six, my parents signed me up for soccer. 00:31:20 I really loved playing soccer. 00:31:22 I spent all my time at the stadium, even late into the night. 00:31:26 When I was 12, I learned about Jehovah from my mom. 00:31:29 At that time, 00:31:31 she started studying the Bible. 00:31:32 And after about a year, 00:31:33 I began to preach from door to door. 00:31:37 When I was 17 years old, I finished school 00:31:39 and I received an invitation from the Dynamo Soccer Club in Kiev. 00:31:44 Oh, that was unforgettable! 00:31:47 Yes, my emotions were running high 00:31:49 because since childhood I had always dreamed of playing for Dynamo. 00:31:59 From that moment on, all my energy and all my time 00:32:02 were devoted to my career. 00:32:11 Every day we either trained or there was a game. 00:32:20 There was no time left for spiritual things. 00:32:27 Of course, being around people like that, I became just like them. 00:32:34 I led an immoral lifestyle 00:32:36 because huge amounts of money opened up many opportunities. 00:32:44 Going to nightclubs, the nightlife 00:32:47 —it was so immoral. 00:32:50 Everyone wants to be your friend and to meet you. 00:32:53 And, of course, this was tempting. 00:33:05 I also invested huge sums of money in real estate. 00:33:08 I wanted to create a foundation for the future and wealth for myself, 00:33:12 my family, and my relatives so that no one would be in need. 00:33:17 Yes, I was sure that this really was happiness. 00:33:21 This continued for nine years. 00:33:24 The turning point 00:33:26 was a conversation with management when an issue came up, 00:33:31 and they hurled insults at me. 00:33:33 At that moment, I felt worthless, 00:33:36 like a disposable cup 00:33:38 that you use and then crush 00:33:41 and throw away. 00:33:44 Besides, a new generation of soccer players was arriving 00:33:48 —many young guys. 00:33:50 I stopped being included in the starting lineup. 00:33:54 Also, the financial crisis began, 00:33:57 and real estate prices fell drastically. 00:34:00 I panicked; I didn’t know what to do. 00:34:04 And I started to think about the meaning of life: 00:34:07 ‘What really is the meaning of life? 00:34:09 ‘If it’s not a career, not money 00:34:12 —then what is it?’ 00:34:15 And then I remembered everything that I learned 00:34:17 about Jehovah when I was a teenager. 00:34:19 I began to study the Bible again along with my wife. 00:34:24 After a year, I started preaching again, and in 2009, 00:34:27 I was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. 00:34:32 And this brought me so much joy and satisfaction. 00:34:37 These feelings can’t be compared to winning any medal or cup. 00:34:44 I realized that I couldn’t slave for two masters, 00:34:48 but I still had to play two more years for Dynamo Kyiv. 00:34:53 Although it was a difficult time, 00:34:55 I took advantage of this opportunity, 00:34:58 and I am thankful to Jehovah that a good witness 00:35:00 was given about his name. 00:35:03 There were some soccer players 00:35:06 who showed interest in the truth. 00:35:08 In 2011 when my contract ended, 00:35:12 I finished my professional career. 00:35:16 First Timothy chapter 6 00:35:18 encourages us “to place [our] hope, not on uncertain riches, 00:35:22 but on God,” and “to be rich in fine works.” 00:35:26 People ask me: “Do you regret it?” 00:35:29 “Maybe you’d like to come back; do you miss soccer?” 00:35:33 And I honestly and sincerely say no. 00:35:36 I don’t miss it, and I don’t want to go back 00:35:38 because my relationship with Jehovah— 00:35:42 Well, it can’t be compared to anything. 00:35:46 Everything that this world offers is all short-lived, 00:35:49 and it’s only an illusion. 00:35:52 People see only one side of the picture —the fame and the money. 00:35:56 The other side are the injuries and disappointments. 00:35:59 It’s very hard psychologically and emotionally; 00:36:03 you have no freedom. 00:36:07 That’s why it’s better to give the very best to the One 00:36:10 who appreciates it. 00:36:12 What you do for Jehovah will always bring you happiness, 00:36:15 joy, and satisfaction. 00:36:23 Did you notice how Andrey mentioned that he couldn’t “slave for two masters,” 00:36:27 and this led him to eventually abandon the world of professional sports? 00:36:32 Yes, often our faith moves us to leave behind 00:36:37 careers and activities we once loved. 00:36:40 But to quote Paul’s words at Philippians 3:8: 00:36:45 “I have taken the loss of all things 00:36:48 “and I consider them as a lot of refuse 00:36:51 “[or as the footnote states, “garbage; rubbish.”], 00:36:55 that I may gain Christ.” 00:36:58 We can have confidence that anything we throw away 00:37:00 for the sake of our spirituality 00:37:03 has no real value when we compare it to the blessings 00:37:07 we enjoy as Jehovah’s friends. 00:37:09 Back to you, David. 00:37:11 Thanks, Herman. That was great. 00:37:16 For my second discussion on this broadcast, 00:37:18 I’d like to talk to you on the theme “Do the Math.” 00:37:23 Yes, you heard right: “Do the Math.” 00:37:28 Now, math may not be your favorite subject, 00:37:31 but as we’re going to see, someone has to do it. 00:37:35 Sometimes doing the math is the only way we can make a time line 00:37:39 or get interesting background information 00:37:41 that makes our Bible reading more enjoyable. 00:37:44 And you do want to make your Bible reading more enjoyable, don’t you? 00:37:48 Of course you do! 00:37:50 Well, let’s start with a number 00:37:52 we might quickly skip over in our Bible reading. 00:37:55 Let’s turn to Matthew 19:28, 00:37:59 and let’s see how a number 00:38:02 can sometimes tell us more than what’s written on the page. 00:38:06 Matthew 19:28: 00:38:09 “Jesus said to them: ‘Truly I say to you, 00:38:13 “‘in the re-creation, 00:38:16 “‘when the Son of man sits down on his glorious throne, 00:38:19 “‘you who have followed me will sit on 12 thrones, 00:38:24 judging the 12 tribes of Israel.’” 00:38:28 Did you see anything interesting there? 00:38:32 I’ll give you a hint: 00:38:34 These words were spoken near the end 00:38:37 of Jesus’ earthly ministry. 00:38:40 Does that give you a hint? 00:38:43 I’ll give you another hint: the number 12. 00:38:48 At this point, Jesus knew 00:38:50 that only 11 of his apostles were going to be faithful. 00:38:54 Yet, he said there would be 12 thrones in the Kingdom, not 11. 00:38:59 What did it mean? 00:39:01 It meant that Judas would have to be replaced as an apostle. 00:39:05 And sure enough, he was. 00:39:08 Well, that was easy, wasn’t it? 00:39:10 There was no math involved. 00:39:12 It was just a number. 00:39:13 But, let’s see how doing the math can help us to answer a few questions. 00:39:20 During family worship, one of the kids asks 00:39:23 whether Noah and Abraham knew each other. 00:39:27 How are you going to handle that? 00:39:29 Do you know? 00:39:31 You might just say, 00:39:33 “The Bible doesn’t say” and leave it at that. 00:39:35 But you could figure it out 00:39:37 if you did the math. 00:39:40 Now, here’s what we know: 00:39:43 The Flood occurred in 2370 B.C.E. 00:39:47 Now, that date is absolutely solid. 00:39:50 And if you’d like to figure it out for yourself, 00:39:52 you can look it up under “Chronology” 00:39:55 in the Insight book—2370 B.C.E. 00:39:59 That’s the Flood. 00:40:00 And Noah lived for 350 years after the Flood. 00:40:05 So by subtracting 350 from 2370, 00:40:10 we learn that Noah died in 2020 B.C.E. 00:40:15 But remember the question? 00:40:17 The question is, Did Noah and Abram know each other? 00:40:23 Abram entered the land of Canaan 00:40:26 in 1943 B.C.E. 00:40:29 Now, once again, if you want to prove that to yourself, 00:40:32 look in Insight under “Chronology.” 00:40:34 You’ll find everything you need to prove it to yourself. 00:40:37 So in 1943 B.C.E., Abraham 00:40:40 (Abram in that case) 00:40:42 enters the land of Canaan 00:40:45 and he’s 75 years old at the time. 00:40:48 So Abram must have been born 00:40:51 75 years before 1943 B.C.E. 00:40:54 Add 75 to 1943, 00:40:58 and you find that Abram was born 00:41:00 in 2018 B.C.E. 00:41:03 So Noah died in 2020 B.C.E., 00:41:06 and Abram was born two years later, in 2018 B.C.E. 00:41:10 They never knew each other, but it was close. 00:41:16 Our publications have often said 00:41:18 that Jonathan was at least 30 years older than David. 00:41:23 But the Bible doesn’t say that. 00:41:25 Your progressive Bible student 00:41:27 (you know, the one who makes you prove everything) 00:41:30 asks you about that. 00:41:32 Can you prove it? 00:41:34 Can you? 00:41:36 You can if you do the math. 00:41:39 King Saul ruled Israel for 40 years. 00:41:43 Then David became king. 00:41:45 Now, how old was David when he became king? 00:41:48 The Bible says that he “was 30 years old.” 00:41:51 That means that when David was born, 00:41:54 Saul had already been ruling Israel for ten years. 00:41:58 But when Saul became king, Jonathan was a grown man. 00:42:02 He was probably already in the army. 00:42:05 You had to be at least 20 years old to be in the army. 00:42:08 So if Jonathan was at least 20 00:42:12 when Saul began to rule and David was born 10 years after that, 00:42:17 what difference in age would there have been 00:42:19 between Jonathan and David? 00:42:22 About a 30-year difference 00:42:25 —20 plus 10 equals 30. 00:42:29 Now, the next one 00:42:31 is a bit more complicated; it’s the last one. 00:42:35 And we can do this. 00:42:37 Insight on the Scriptures says 00:42:39 that Moses and Job lived at the same time. 00:42:43 But the Bible doesn’t say that. 00:42:45 How can we be so sure? 00:42:48 Once again, what do we do? 00:42:51 Do I hear it? 00:42:53 You’re right; we do the math. 00:42:56 Job’s test must have occurred 00:42:59 sometime after the death of Joseph. 00:43:02 We know that because in Job chapter 1, 00:43:05 Jehovah told Satan: 00:43:06 “There is no one like [Job] on the earth.” 00:43:09 “No one.” 00:43:11 Now, if Joseph had still been alive, 00:43:13 Jehovah would have said that there was no one like Joseph and Job on the earth. 00:43:18 And if the test had occurred earlier, 00:43:20 Jehovah would have said that there was no one like Jacob and Job, 00:43:25 Isaac and Job, Abraham and Job. 00:43:28 And remember, there were only two years between Noah and Abraham, 00:43:33 so we can conclude that the test of Job 00:43:36 occurred after the death of Joseph. 00:43:40 When did Joseph die? 00:43:42 The date is solid. 00:43:45 It’s 1657 B.C.E. 00:43:48 How do we figure that? 00:43:51 If you don’t like math, trust me, you don’t want to know! 00:43:56 But Insight and the Bible will give you 00:43:59 all the information you need to figure it out for yourself. 00:44:01 But let’s keep it simple. 00:44:03 Let’s go with 1657 B.C.E. 00:44:07 That’s 144 years before Israel left Egypt 00:44:12 under the direction of Moses in 1513 B.C.E. 00:44:17 So Job’s test must have occurred 00:44:21 sometime within that 144-year period. 00:44:26 Now this is a big hint: 00:44:28 144 years before Israel left Egypt. 00:44:33 Are you beginning to put it together? 00:44:37 Here is the clincher: 00:44:39 Job lived for 140 years 00:44:43 after he passed the test, 00:44:45 so he was probably still alive in the land of Uz 00:44:48 when Israel left Egypt. 00:44:50 Conclusion: Job and Moses 00:44:53 definitely lived at the same time. 00:44:58 So, what have we learned by doing the math? 00:45:01 Superficially, we might say: 00:45:03 “Well, we’ve learned that Abraham was born two years after Noah. 00:45:08 “And we’ve proved that Jonathan was at least 30 years older than David 00:45:13 and that Moses and Job definitely lived at the same time.” 00:45:17 Superficially, we got the answers to those questions, yes. 00:45:21 But the fact is 00:45:23 that probably none of those questions ever kept you up at night. 00:45:27 There’s a broader picture here. 00:45:29 What we’d like you to take away 00:45:31 is the fact that sometimes a number is more than just a number. 00:45:35 It can provide information that we couldn’t get any other way, 00:45:39 and if we can understand that, 00:45:42 this discussion will have been well worth having. 00:45:46 So when you see a number in the Bible, 00:45:48 don’t run the other way. 00:45:50 Embrace it; stop and think about it. 00:45:53 You may be glad you did. 00:45:56 Well, after all that math, how about a little music? 00:46:02 This month’s music video will let us experience some of the joy 00:46:06 of traveling to an international convention 00:46:09 and meeting our spiritual family members from around the globe. 00:46:27 Touching down in a foreign land With a thousand miles behind us— 00:46:34 Since we left our home, 00:46:37 It’s Jehovah’s hand That is blessing ev’ry move. 00:46:42 And the work that we do isn’t easy, But it’s all for Jehovah. 00:46:49 And the love that we feel for this fam’ly is real, 00:46:53 So this we say to you: 00:46:57 “We’re all Jehovah’s people; United, we are family. 00:47:05 “And though your land is far away, We love you. 00:47:10 We’re your family.” 00:47:15 Waiting there as our plane came in, You were reaching out to greet us. 00:47:23 Then the music starts, and the day begins, And our love grows even more. 00:47:30 But we know that it’s only Jehovah Who can cause this to happen. 00:47:37 So we’ll praise him together and love him forever 00:47:41 On ev’ry distant shore. 00:47:45 “We’re all Jehovah’s people; United, we are family. 00:47:53 “And though your land is far away, We love you. 00:47:58 We’re your family.” 00:48:03 Silver wings fly across the sea To a land so unfamiliar. 00:48:10 But we bring good news, and the ones we meet Are so gentle, kind, and good. 00:48:18 And the love we receive from our brothers Makes us feel we belong here. 00:48:25 So wherever we are and no matter how far, We love our brotherhood! 00:48:48 It’s good to know That we have family ev’rywhere we go— 00:48:56 From Mali to Mexico, From Japan to Jamaica. 00:49:05 “We’re all Jehovah’s people; United, we are family. 00:49:12 “And though your land is far away, We love you. 00:49:18 “We’re your family. 00:49:20 “From ev’ry tribe and nation— United, we are family. 00:49:27 “These bonds of love are plain to see Because we’re Jehovah’s family! 00:49:49 “Fiji, Tahiti, and New Caledonia— Navajo, Blackfoot, and Cherokee— 00:49:56 “Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Estonia— We love you. 00:50:02 We’re your family.” 00:50:08 That song really captures the excitement that we feel 00:50:11 when we meet new members of our family. 00:50:14 I certainly agree. It was great. 00:50:17 Well, this month we saw how our actions 00:50:20 can help motivate right-hearted ones to accept the truth. 00:50:24 We peeked behind the scenes to learn how translation work is done. 00:50:28 And we even did a little math. 00:50:32 Herman, I love working with you in the Writing Department, 00:50:35 and I loved working with you on this project this month. 00:50:38 Thank you, David. 00:50:40 Well, thank you. 00:50:41 I really appreciate your help. 00:50:43 Now, I’ve been informed that many of you will be notified 00:50:47 of the dates for your regional convention this month. 00:50:50 Would you like to know the theme for the 2020 convention program? 00:50:54 I’ll lower my voice, and I’ll let you in on it. 00:50:58 The program is based on Philippians 4:4 00:51:02 and the theme “Always Rejoice”! 00:51:06 Isn’t that a great theme? 00:51:08 We’re going to have a great time advertising this convention theme. 00:51:11 Can you imagine having that on your convention badge? 00:51:14 And people will look at that badge and they’ll say, 00:51:17 “What do you have to be so happy about?” 00:51:19 And then we’ll tell them. 00:51:21 But before we end the program, 00:51:23 let’s join Herman 00:51:25 on a short visit to the country of Botswana in the southern part of Africa. 00:51:31 Botswana is home to many natural wonders. 00:51:36 Among them is the Okavango Delta, 00:51:38 a natural haven for wildlife. 00:51:41 This country is also the home of the highest concentration 00:51:44 of elephants in the world. 00:51:46 However, when it comes to people, 00:51:49 there are only about two and a half million residents 00:51:52 spread out over this very large country. 00:51:56 And with only 2,316 publishers, 00:51:59 the ratio of Witnesses to residents 00:52:02 is about 1 to 1,000. 00:52:05 So they always enjoy it 00:52:07 when need-greaters offer to come 00:52:10 and assist them as they cover hundreds 00:52:12 of kilometers of unassigned territory on preaching trips that can 00:52:16 last for days or even for weeks 00:52:18 in order to reach the most remote villages. 00:52:22 Currently, there are 45 congregations and 2 isolated groups. 00:52:26 The Etsha Congregation, located in the Okavango Moremi area, 00:52:31 is small with only seven publishers and no elders. 00:52:36 But the zeal of these publishers 00:52:38 is amazing as they travel long distances, 00:52:42 often on foot, just to attend meetings. 00:52:45 This travel isn’t only difficult because of the distance 00:52:49 but also because wild animals roam freely in the area. 00:52:53 Regardless of the challenges, 00:52:55 the brothers and sisters enjoy coming together 00:52:57 to serve Jehovah and to share in the ministry. 00:53:00 This congregation is just 00:53:02 one of many examples of the faithful brothers and sisters 00:53:06 throughout Botswana 00:53:09 who are spreading the truth into even the most remote locations. 00:53:13 And they want to share their love and greetings with all of you. 00:53:18 We send our love to all of our brothers and sisters in Botswana 00:53:22 and to all of you wherever you might be. 00:53:25 We love you all very much. 00:53:28 Until next time, 00:53:30 this is JW Broadcasting 00:53:33 from the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
00:00:01 Hello, everyone. 00:00:03 We’re so happy to have you with us for this month’s broadcast. 00:00:07 As you can see, I have a friend with me as cohost. 00:00:10 We are friends, aren’t we? 00:00:12 Yes, we are, David. 00:00:14 Oh, that’s so good to hear. 00:00:15 This is Herman van Selm. 00:00:17 He’s a helper to the Writing Committee, 00:00:19 and we work together every day in the Writing Department. 00:00:22 Herman has quite a background. 00:00:24 He was born in the Netherlands 00:00:26 and spent a number of years as a missionary in South America. 00:00:30 What was that like, Herman? 00:00:31 Thank you, David, for asking. 00:00:33 My wife, Kay, and I served in three different lands. 00:00:36 Now, to sum up that part of our life, 00:00:39 three words come to mind: challenging, 00:00:42 amazing, rewarding. 00:00:44 In one challenging assignment, 00:00:46 we lived in a remote area in the rain forest 00:00:48 where there were no other Witnesses. 00:00:51 We wondered: ‘Will we be able 00:00:53 ‘to find people who want to serve Jehovah? 00:00:55 Where do we start?’ 00:00:57 We got on our bikes and visited all the villagers. 00:01:01 In time, we conducted about 25 Bible studies. 00:01:04 Wow! 00:01:05 Now, despite fierce opposition from neighbors, 00:01:08 the Bible students made amazing progress. 00:01:10 For example, one woman, with her children, 00:01:13 worked hard to build this beautiful hut, 00:01:16 and it brought us to tears when she told us: 00:01:19 “This hut, we made it for our meetings. 00:01:22 It is for Jehovah.” 00:01:23 Amazing! 00:01:25 One day, a group of courageous Bible students 00:01:27 showed us the letters they had written 00:01:29 to resign as members of their church. 00:01:31 Now, that week, the church’s pastor 00:01:34 in that tiny village received 00:01:36 a lot of mail! 00:01:38 I guess, mail he didn’t want to receive. 00:01:40 It was no fan mail. 00:01:42 It was such a rewarding experience for Kay and me 00:01:46 to see close up how Jehovah made that little group 00:01:48 grow into a congregation. 00:01:50 In fact, it strengthens the faith 00:01:52 of all of us, wherever we may live, 00:01:54 to see how Jehovah cares for people 00:01:57 who are often viewed as insignificant by the world 00:02:00 but who are precious in God’s eyes. 00:02:03 Great pictures—I love it! 00:02:05 Now, what can the friends look forward to this month? 00:02:09 Well, David, this month 00:02:11 we’ll meet Andrey Nesmachniy, a retired professional 00:02:15 soccer player whose story 00:02:17 may help us to analyze our own priorities in life. 00:02:22 Later, we’ll see how Thomas learns to balance 00:02:24 his secular work with his spiritual needs. 00:02:28 And we’ll enjoy an upbeat music video 00:02:32 that reminds us all of the wonderful “family” 00:02:34 we enjoy in Jehovah’s organization. 00:02:37 Sounds exciting, let’s get started! 00:02:39 This is the September 2019 program 00:02:43 of JW Broadcasting. 00:03:05 This month, I’m going to talk about two different subjects. 00:03:09 First, I’d like to talk about the translation 00:03:12 of our publications, 00:03:14 and there’s a particular aspect 00:03:16 of translation I’d like to comment on. 00:03:19 Now, I know that quite a number of you have moved 00:03:22 to a country where your mother tongue isn’t spoken 00:03:24 —either to find work or to serve where the need is greater. 00:03:28 And others are serving right at home 00:03:30 but in foreign-language congregations. 00:03:35 At times, you may have compared an article in your mother tongue 00:03:38 with the same article in your second language 00:03:41 and found differences in the translation, 00:03:44 and you might wonder why that is. 00:03:47 Well, we’d never conclude that the translators 00:03:49 had been unfaithful or careless 00:03:52 or that they were running ahead of the organization. 00:03:54 No. 00:03:56 We trust our hardworking brothers and sisters. 00:03:58 So we know there must be good reasons for the differences, 00:04:02 and the purpose of this brief discussion 00:04:05 is to suggest what some of those reasons might be. 00:04:08 First, a word about one of the principles our translators follow. 00:04:13 They’re expected not only to render the thought in the English text accurately 00:04:18 but also to keep in mind the way people speak. 00:04:21 So accuracy, clarity, 00:04:25 and naturalness are needed 00:04:27 while maintaining the dignity of our message. 00:04:30 Now, what’s involved in preparing a translation 00:04:34 that’s both accurate and natural? 00:04:37 It’s not as if the translators are like the Jewish scribes 00:04:41 who made copies of the Hebrew Scriptures. 00:04:44 To make sure that the copies they made 00:04:46 were accurate in every detail, 00:04:48 they would count not only every word 00:04:51 but also every letter they copied from the source text. 00:04:55 Translation is not like that. 00:04:57 It’s not as if there must be seven words in the target language 00:05:01 if there are seven words in English. 00:05:03 Every word in English may not be translated, 00:05:06 but the complete thought of the English has to be there. 00:05:10 English makes effective use of repetition. 00:05:15 What do we mean by that? 00:05:17 Well, you can write one sentence in English and then repeat the same thought 00:05:22 in slightly different words in the next sentence, 00:05:24 and it sounds fine. 00:05:25 But in some languages, 00:05:27 to repeat a thought would be viewed as poor writing, 00:05:30 and that wouldn’t reflect well on our publications. 00:05:34 So in such cases, 00:05:36 the translators are allowed to combine 00:05:38 two sentences into just one sentence 00:05:41 as long as the thought is completely conveyed. 00:05:45 Or they might make two sentences out of one long English sentence 00:05:49 if that’s more natural in the language. 00:05:52 So you can’t always compare the length of an English paragraph 00:05:56 with the length of the paragraph 00:05:59 in the target language and say, 00:06:01 “Hey, this paragraph is shorter than that paragraph.” 00:06:05 Sometimes we hear brothers who have learned a second language say: 00:06:09 “I don’t see why the translators didn’t follow the English word for word. 00:06:13 After all, you can say that in the language.” 00:06:17 Well, you may have the words. 00:06:19 It may be possible to “say” that, 00:06:22 but would a literal translation sound strange to native speakers? 00:06:27 No matter how well a foreigner has learned a language, 00:06:31 native speakers who speak the language well 00:06:34 are usually the best judge of what is natural. 00:06:38 Modesty will help foreign speakers to recognize that. 00:06:43 There’s another thing that foreign speakers need to be aware of. 00:06:47 If they’re vocal in their criticism of a certain translation, 00:06:52 how would that affect the confidence of native speakers 00:06:55 who have to rely on the translation for their spiritual food? 00:06:59 Of course, nobody is perfect, 00:07:02 and as long as translation is done by imperfect people, 00:07:06 it won’t be perfect. 00:07:08 But rest assured that our translators 00:07:10 take their work very seriously. 00:07:14 The subject of translation is complex. 00:07:17 And I’m surely no expert. 00:07:19 Let’s hear from some brothers who have worked in the field for many years 00:07:23 and see what we can learn. 00:07:25 Meet Nick Ahladis, 00:07:28 Nick Exarcheas, 00:07:30 and Saki Marais. 00:07:33 As we have just heard, 00:07:36 the goal of translators is to convey ideas 00:07:39 accurately, naturally, and clearly. 00:07:43 This isn’t an easy thing to do. 00:07:46 Let’s discuss a few of the challenges of translation. 00:07:49 We will focus on three areas 00:07:52 and see why translators make the choices they do: 00:07:57 Bible expressions, 00:07:59 illustrations, 00:08:00 and vocabulary. 00:08:03 So our first point is Bible expressions. 00:08:07 Nick, could you please tell us 00:08:09 why translating some expressions in the Bible 00:08:13 can be very challenging? 00:08:15 Well, before our brothers and sisters 00:08:18 receive the New World Translation in their language, 00:08:21 they have to use Bibles produced by Christendom. 00:08:25 Often, these Bibles contain false religious ideas 00:08:29 and terms that reflect those ideas. 00:08:32 So when we produce the New World Translation, 00:08:35 great care has to be taken 00:08:37 not to allow such terms to distort our translation. 00:08:41 Can you give us an example of an expression 00:08:45 that was translated the wrong way 00:08:48 in the Bibles produced by Christendom? 00:08:51 Well, one example is the term “holy spirit.” 00:08:55 In many Bibles produced by Christendom, 00:08:58 the term gives the idea of a spirit creature in heaven, 00:09:03 even a “holy ghost,” sometimes even a “holy demon.” 00:09:08 That must be very confusing to the readers. 00:09:11 But what can the translators do about that? 00:09:15 In many languages, our translators have found 00:09:17 that the closest way to translate “holy spirit” 00:09:19 is to say “holy power” or “holy force.” 00:09:23 This may sound very different, 00:09:25 but it conveys the same idea. 00:09:27 And even the English New World Translation 00:09:29 describes the term “holy spirit” 00:09:31 as “God’s active force” at Genesis 1:2, 00:09:35 while other English translations say “God’s holy spirit.” 00:09:38 Good. 00:09:39 So now the brothers can use an expression 00:09:42 that is understood by the field and the audience. 00:09:47 But it must be a wonderful thing to have the New World Translation. 00:09:51 Yes, it’s a wonderful thing. 00:09:53 But still, the brothers have to get used to the new terms. 00:09:57 Remember that they’ve been using 00:09:59 the original terms in their local Bibles for years 00:10:03 to teach people the truth. 00:10:05 But as they get used to the new terminology 00:10:08 in their personal study, at meetings, and in the ministry, 00:10:12 they begin to see the benefits of the new terms, 00:10:15 and afterward they really embrace the New World Translation. 00:10:18 Thank you. 00:10:20 Now let us go to the second challenge, 00:10:22 illustrations. 00:10:24 Why are illustrations 00:10:26 particularly difficult to translate? 00:10:29 An illustration that works in one culture might not work in another. 00:10:33 Illustrations are only effective if the reader can relate to them. 00:10:37 And that’s why Jesus used illustrations 00:10:39 based on everyday things that his audience was familiar with, 00:10:42 such as farming, building, fishing. 00:10:45 And today, our publications 00:10:47 also use illustrations that people can relate to. 00:10:49 I remember an article that discussed the need 00:10:52 for us to be patient in difficult situations. 00:10:55 And it used the illustration of a driver who is stuck in traffic. 00:10:59 Now, one translation team wrote to the Translator Help Desk, 00:11:02 and they explained that most of their readers 00:11:04 were not familiar with traffic jams. 00:11:06 For someone who lives in a big city, 00:11:08 that sounds unbelievable, but it’s true. 00:11:10 So the team wanted to use a different illustration. 00:11:13 They are familiar with the idea of people standing in long lines, 00:11:17 waiting for their maize, or corn, to be ground at the milling machine. 00:11:21 And this illustration was approved 00:11:23 because it would help their readers to get the point: 00:11:26 They need to be patient. 00:11:28 Now, these are completely different illustrations, 00:11:31 but the point —or the message— 00:11:33 is the same, for example, then, about being patient. 00:11:36 Now, when we read in our language edition 00:11:40 of The Watchtower or other publication 00:11:42 a different illustration than the one we read in English, 00:11:46 we can be confident that the translators received approval 00:11:49 to make this adjustment so that the right message is conveyed. 00:11:53 Well, that was very helpful. Thank you. 00:11:56 Now let us go to our third challenge 00:11:58 —that of vocabulary, 00:12:00 that is, the words that are used in a language. 00:12:04 Now, we might assume that for every important word 00:12:07 in our language 00:12:09 there will be an exact equivalent 00:12:11 in another language. 00:12:14 Well, translation is much more complicated than that. 00:12:17 Take, for example, the word “peace.” 00:12:19 Some years back, 00:12:21 we had a convention about godly peace. 00:12:25 And one might think, ‘Well, that’s an easy word to translate.’ 00:12:28 But that word was used about 350 times 00:12:32 in talks on the convention 00:12:34 —sometimes referring to peace between God and man, 00:12:38 sometimes referring to peace in family or with our neighbors, 00:12:42 and other times referring to peace of mind. 00:12:45 Now, in some languages, there’s simply no way 00:12:48 to use just one word to convey all those aspects of peace 00:12:52 because they have one word for the kind of peace that God gives, 00:12:56 a different word for when there’s no war in a country (that kind of peace), 00:13:01 and a different word to indicate that people 00:13:03 are getting along with one another. 00:13:05 So those translators need to understand the point 00:13:09 of each usage in the context 00:13:12 and then convey the right translation accordingly. 00:13:16 Now it opens our minds to how wonderfully Jehovah made us, 00:13:19 with the capacity to think and feel 00:13:22 and have many concepts and ideas 00:13:24 and to have the ability to express them in our language 00:13:29 —in words— to use words for that. 00:13:31 But we express them in so many different ways. 00:13:34 Yes, it’s so true. 00:13:36 Every language has its own vocabulary and way of expressing things. 00:13:39 What I find very interesting is how other languages 00:13:42 render standard expressions that we use as Jehovah’s Witnesses. 00:13:46 For example, “field service,” “circuit overseer,” 00:13:49 “Kingdom Hall,” “special pioneer” 00:13:52 —those expressions were first used in English, 00:13:54 and then translators had to come up with equivalents 00:13:57 in their languages so that it would make sense. 00:13:59 But that wouldn’t be difficult —would it?— 00:14:02 because for the word “kingdom” 00:14:04 surely we have another word in another language, 00:14:06 and for the word “hall” we have an equivalent word. 00:14:10 And all you have to do is put the two words together 00:14:12 to translate “Kingdom Hall.” 00:14:14 They may have the words, 00:14:16 but a literal translation of “Kingdom Hall” 00:14:18 could mean something totally different. 00:14:20 Now, some countries still have a king. 00:14:23 In those places, this “Kingdom Hall” could mean 00:14:26 “government office,” or it could mean 00:14:29 “hall belonging to the kingdom of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” 00:14:32 So that would be totally misleading. 00:14:34 And that’s why the Governing Body has given approval to say 00:14:37 the “Meeting Place of Jehovah’s Witnesses” 00:14:40 or the “Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” 00:14:43 Even though the expressions sound a little bit different, 00:14:46 the basic intent is the same, and people get the right idea. 00:14:50 So it is obvious that the challenges of translation are huge. 00:14:55 But now the question is, 00:14:57 How can a newly formed translation team 00:15:00 or one in a very remote location 00:15:03 have the confidence and have the assurance 00:15:06 that they produce the highest standard possible? 00:15:10 Well, all translation teams, regardless of size or location, 00:15:15 benefit from regular communication 00:15:17 with the Writing Committee of the Governing Body. 00:15:19 Well, we understand that the Governing Body 00:15:22 directs matters from headquarters, 00:15:24 but do they really know what the translators are doing? 00:15:28 Well, the Writing Committee trusts the translators, 00:15:31 but at the same time, they don’t try to micromanage their work. 00:15:35 What they have done is set in place training programs 00:15:39 to teach translators basic translation principles 00:15:43 to help them to understand how to apply those principles 00:15:47 when translating the publications. 00:15:49 And this ensures that the same message 00:15:52 is being conveyed regardless of language. 00:15:55 And when they’re not sure that their solution 00:15:59 is exactly right on target, 00:16:02 they can write to the Writing Committee 00:16:04 and ask for direction to inquire whether this solution 00:16:08 conveys the right idea in the context. 00:16:11 Also, the Writing Committee answers 00:16:13 hundreds of translation questions every week 00:16:16 as part of the ongoing training of the teams. 00:16:18 All of the translators have access to these answers 00:16:21 so that they can learn from one another 00:16:23 how to solve problems that are delicate and difficult. 00:16:26 This effective communication system 00:16:29 really helps to unify the thinking of all the translators 00:16:33 and to make sure that they all produce the same message. 00:16:35 And that unifies the thinking of the worldwide field. 00:16:39 Well, thank you very much for explaining those factors 00:16:43 affecting translation, 00:16:45 and it is impressive 00:16:47 that Jehovah has an arrangement in place 00:16:50 that reverses the effect of Babel. 00:16:55 And it is also so wonderful that by means of his holy spirit, 00:17:00 Jehovah unifies his people around the earth 00:17:04 regardless of what language they use. 00:17:07 Thanks, brothers. 00:17:09 You’ve given us an even deeper appreciation 00:17:11 for all of the work involved in making a quality translation. 00:17:15 I learned a lot. 00:17:17 I’m sure our audience did too. 00:17:21 Now, the following video 00:17:23 relates an experience that is very dear to my heart. 00:17:27 You see, in the 1970’s, 00:17:30 my wife and I were in the circuit work in Montreal, Canada. 00:17:34 Now, one Tuesday evening after the meeting, 00:17:36 I was approached by a ministerial servant. 00:17:39 He was very excited! 00:17:41 He said: “David, I work with a man who is the head of a small church. 00:17:45 He has invited me to his home!” 00:17:48 “That’s nice,” I said. 00:17:51 He said: “No, no, no, you don’t understand! 00:17:54 “They never invite anyone to their home unless they are members of the church. 00:17:58 I think this is going to be big.” 00:18:01 “Well,” I said, “if he’s interested, 00:18:03 “invite him to come to the meeting this weekend. 00:18:05 I’d love to meet him.” 00:18:07 Well, that weekend I was on the lookout for the man, 00:18:10 but he didn’t show up. 00:18:12 But neither did the ministerial servant. 00:18:16 Soon after, on a Monday morning 00:18:19 —fairly early— 00:18:21 I received a phone call from Brother Laurier Saumur, 00:18:24 who was well-known in Montreal and was a special pioneer at the time. 00:18:29 Laurier said: “We have a problem. 00:18:32 “A thousand people want Bible studies, 00:18:35 and many of them are going to be attending our meetings this week.” 00:18:39 They were the members of that church. 00:18:42 I asked Brother Saumur to take the lead in organizing the studies. 00:18:47 Now, here’s what happened: 00:18:49 The ministerial servant had been to the man’s home 00:18:52 and he’d given a good witness. 00:18:54 Then, 00:18:55 the brother met with the other responsible men of the church. 00:18:58 They were interested in what the Bible says, 00:19:01 and they wanted other members of the church to learn about the Bible too. 00:19:05 So about half the members of the church, 00:19:09 around 1,000 people, 00:19:11 accepted the invitation to have a Bible study. 00:19:16 But what moved the leader of the church 00:19:18 to invite the brother to his home in the first place? 00:19:21 Watch the following video, and I’ll answer that question at the end. 00:19:33 In the mid-1970’s, several brothers from the Montréal area 00:19:37 were approached to help with a unique situation that was unfolding. 00:19:41 A special pioneer, who was taking the lead at the time, 00:19:44 said that about a thousand people —all from the same church— 00:19:48 wanted to study the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. 00:19:51 And it was all because of an informal witness. 00:19:56 The story began this way: 00:20:00 A brother in the local congregation 00:20:02 approached me one day 00:20:03 to tell me about an experience 00:20:04 he had with one of his workmates. 00:20:07 This man was responsible for a small local church, 00:20:10 and the brother had been able to give him an informal witness. 00:20:13 The man indicated 00:20:15 that he would like a Bible study, 00:20:17 and he wanted to convince the other members of his church 00:20:20 to also study the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. 00:20:25 The fact was that this person 00:20:27 had a certain influence in the church. 00:20:30 So he talked to the church members 00:20:32 about the message he had heard from the brother, 00:20:35 and he convinced them that what they were missing 00:20:38 was a better understanding of the Bible. 00:20:40 Many people heard about it 00:20:42 because it was an exceptional event. 00:20:45 From what I heard, there were around a thousand people 00:20:48 who wanted to study the Bible at that time. 00:20:51 We didn’t have the brothers and sisters 00:20:53 that were needed to conduct all these Bible studies. 00:20:56 So they formed groups of 10, 12, 15 people. 00:21:00 And once or twice a week in Kingdom Halls, they conducted Bible studies. 00:21:06 It was questions, questions. 00:21:08 Everyone was asking questions. 00:21:13 But the Bible could always answer all these questions in a logical way 00:21:17 —one verse would explain another. 00:21:19 And we came to see 00:21:21 that the Bible in its entirety could explain every subject. 00:21:25 At the beginning, 00:21:27 groups of two or three families studied together. 00:21:32 And, yeah, they answered with the Bible. 00:21:34 That amazed me because 00:21:37 I didn’t know the Bible at all. 00:21:38 But I thought, ‘The Bible talks about this; 00:21:41 the Bible talks about that.’ 00:21:42 It was like a discovery for me. 00:21:45 That was the parents. 00:21:47 The children weren’t there. 00:21:48 So when we accepted it, then we’d teach it to our children. 00:21:54 Everyone was disciplined while sitting at the table. 00:21:57 The children were very quiet 00:22:00 with their Truth book in front of them and their Bible. 00:22:03 When these families came to the Kingdom Hall, 00:22:05 the children were sitting beside their parents, 00:22:08 not moving, paying attention to what was being said. 00:22:11 I was young when they started coming. 00:22:13 I remember it very well. 00:22:15 A lot of them were my age. 00:22:17 I saw them like future potential friends. 00:22:21 It was really touching. 00:22:25 The first meeting I attended was here in Laval. 00:22:29 It really contributed to me one day taking a stand 00:22:34 and Jehovah becoming my God 00:22:37 and the truth becoming my way of life. 00:22:44 When I was young, 00:22:46 I was very afraid of death. 00:22:48 It was such a relief to learn that we don’t suffer when we die. 00:22:53 It’s like a sleep. 00:22:56 The ambitions I had before, 00:22:58 that may have been attainable, 00:23:00 became second place. 00:23:03 Now it was to have a simple life, 00:23:05 to walk with the organization, 00:23:07 and to raise my children in the truth. 00:23:10 Today, these brothers are really doing a lot in the organization, 00:23:14 helping in different areas, shouldering great responsibilities. 00:23:18 My father always strived 00:23:20 to set the example for all his children, 00:23:23 and it made an impression on me. 00:23:25 Now my wife and I have the privilege of serving here at the Canada branch. 00:23:28 I was eight years old 00:23:30 when my family started attending meetings. 00:23:32 I have really good memories of how 00:23:35 the local congregation at the time 00:23:37 took care of us and looked after us. 00:23:39 At the age of 15, 00:23:41 I started reading my Bible every day and studying it too. 00:23:44 From that point on, 00:23:46 I knew what I wanted to do with my life 00:23:48 —serve Jehovah full-time. 00:23:55 I really think Jehovah could see us on the inside. 00:24:03 Jehovah helped us a lot. 00:24:05 You can’t have anything better than that. 00:24:13 On our own, we never would have got out of that situation. 00:24:19 But Jehovah found a way to find “rightly disposed” ones. 00:24:23 A simple informal witness led to Bible studies that touched so many. 00:24:34 The brother was able to give a good witness, 00:24:37 but what motivated the church leader to listen to him in the first place? 00:24:41 It was the brother’s conduct. 00:24:44 He was a very loving brother, 00:24:46 and the way he dealt with others in the workplace really impressed the man. 00:24:52 The poet said: “I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day.” 00:24:57 Those words certainly proved true in this exciting experience! 00:25:02 That’s an excellent transition into the next part of our program. 00:25:06 In this dramatization, 00:25:09 we’ll see for ourselves how a Christian’s conduct, even at work, 00:25:13 can have a powerful effect on those around them. 00:25:19 Sometimes I really hate my job. 00:25:24 I don’t know how Jason stays so positive. 00:25:43 I asked Jason why he refused the money, 00:25:46 and I found out that he’s one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. 00:25:49 My wife is too, 00:25:50 so I know a lot about them. 00:25:53 But what Jason did really surprised me. 00:25:59 I wondered why he didn’t feel like 00:26:02 he was entitled to the extra money. 00:26:04 He’s such a hard worker, 00:26:06 and most of our supervisors accept bribes. 00:26:09 Jason showed me a Bible verse: 00:26:12 “Whatever you are doing, work at it whole-souled 00:26:16 as for Jehovah, and not for men.” 00:26:20 Jason’s relationship with God influences 00:26:23 every aspect of his life, 00:26:25 even his attitude toward work. 00:26:28 He couldn’t participate 00:26:30 in something dishonest, even if others did. 00:26:36 I could see that Jason really lived by his beliefs. 00:26:59 Jason invited me to see the construction project 00:27:03 he’s been volunteering at. 00:27:05 I felt like I had entered another world. 00:27:08 People of different races 00:27:10 worked alongside each other 00:27:12 without prejudice, and they were all volunteers. 00:27:19 Jason offered to study the Bible with me. 00:27:23 Emma has asked me to study in the past, 00:27:26 and I’ve always refused. 00:27:39 But this time, I accepted. 00:27:51 I liked my study 00:27:54 and even enjoyed going to the Kingdom Hall occasionally. 00:27:59 But I had to work overtime 00:28:02 to support my family. 00:28:05 I couldn’t go to meetings every week. 00:28:18 Hey, Jason, 00:28:19 how do you do it all 00:28:22 —work, family, meetings, even volunteer work? 00:28:27 I try to keep in mind Jesus’ words at Matthew 6:22. 00:28:35 Jesus compared our eyes to a lamp. 00:28:39 He said that if ‘our eye was focused, our whole body would be bright.’ 00:28:45 It’s impossible 00:28:47 to focus on more than one thing at a time. 00:28:52 Jesus wanted his followers to focus on a single purpose: 00:28:56 that of doing God’s will. 00:28:58 Rather than being distracted by material things, 00:29:02 my wife and I lead a simple life, 00:29:04 avoiding unnecessary debt 00:29:06 or acquiring possessions that consume a lot of time and attention. 00:29:11 This way of life allows us to have time for what’s truly important. 00:29:15 If you asked Emma, which do you think she would prefer: 00:29:18 that you made more money or spent more time with her at the Kingdom Hall? 00:29:27 Jason’s example really impressed me. 00:29:29 He was an honest and diligent worker, 00:29:34 but he also kept secular work in its proper place. 00:29:38 It made me think about the choices I make, 00:29:41 and I decided that I too 00:29:44 wanted to ‘work whole-souled for Jehovah.’ 00:29:48 James 2:17, 18, in part, states: 00:29:53 “Faith by itself, without works, is dead. . . . 00:29:58 “Show me your faith without the works, 00:30:00 and I will show you my faith by my works.” 00:30:05 Now, the faith that Jason displayed “by works” at his secular job 00:30:09 motivated Thomas to accept a Bible study and to continue to make spiritual progress 00:30:14 despite setbacks. 00:30:16 Seeing this and hearing of real-life examples, 00:30:20 such as in our previous video, 00:30:22 are excellent reminders of what a powerful witness 00:30:26 our actions can be. 00:30:29 But what if we’re in a situation where displaying faith 00:30:33 calls for us to give up something we previously loved or enjoyed? 00:30:39 The story of soccer player Andrey Nesmachniy 00:30:43 may help us to see what action to take. 00:30:50 Soccer was my reason for living. 00:30:53 I always dreamed of becoming a professional soccer player. 00:31:02 I thought that happiness came from fame, 00:31:07 a good career, 00:31:12 money. 00:31:14 When I was six, my parents signed me up for soccer. 00:31:20 I really loved playing soccer. 00:31:22 I spent all my time at the stadium, even late into the night. 00:31:26 When I was 12, I learned about Jehovah from my mom. 00:31:29 At that time, 00:31:31 she started studying the Bible. 00:31:32 And after about a year, 00:31:33 I began to preach from door to door. 00:31:37 When I was 17 years old, I finished school 00:31:39 and I received an invitation from the Dynamo Soccer Club in Kiev. 00:31:44 Oh, that was unforgettable! 00:31:47 Yes, my emotions were running high 00:31:49 because since childhood I had always dreamed of playing for Dynamo. 00:31:59 From that moment on, all my energy and all my time 00:32:02 were devoted to my career. 00:32:11 Every day we either trained or there was a game. 00:32:20 There was no time left for spiritual things. 00:32:27 Of course, being around people like that, I became just like them. 00:32:34 I led an immoral lifestyle 00:32:36 because huge amounts of money opened up many opportunities. 00:32:44 Going to nightclubs, the nightlife 00:32:47 —it was so immoral. 00:32:50 Everyone wants to be your friend and to meet you. 00:32:53 And, of course, this was tempting. 00:33:05 I also invested huge sums of money in real estate. 00:33:08 I wanted to create a foundation for the future and wealth for myself, 00:33:12 my family, and my relatives so that no one would be in need. 00:33:17 Yes, I was sure that this really was happiness. 00:33:21 This continued for nine years. 00:33:24 The turning point 00:33:26 was a conversation with management when an issue came up, 00:33:31 and they hurled insults at me. 00:33:33 At that moment, I felt worthless, 00:33:36 like a disposable cup 00:33:38 that you use and then crush 00:33:41 and throw away. 00:33:44 Besides, a new generation of soccer players was arriving 00:33:48 —many young guys. 00:33:50 I stopped being included in the starting lineup. 00:33:54 Also, the financial crisis began, 00:33:57 and real estate prices fell drastically. 00:34:00 I panicked; I didn’t know what to do. 00:34:04 And I started to think about the meaning of life: 00:34:07 ‘What really is the meaning of life? 00:34:09 ‘If it’s not a career, not money 00:34:12 —then what is it?’ 00:34:15 And then I remembered everything that I learned 00:34:17 about Jehovah when I was a teenager. 00:34:19 I began to study the Bible again along with my wife. 00:34:24 After a year, I started preaching again, and in 2009, 00:34:27 I was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. 00:34:32 And this brought me so much joy and satisfaction. 00:34:37 These feelings can’t be compared to winning any medal or cup. 00:34:44 I realized that I couldn’t slave for two masters, 00:34:48 but I still had to play two more years for Dynamo Kyiv. 00:34:53 Although it was a difficult time, 00:34:55 I took advantage of this opportunity, 00:34:58 and I am thankful to Jehovah that a good witness 00:35:00 was given about his name. 00:35:03 There were some soccer players 00:35:06 who showed interest in the truth. 00:35:08 In 2011 when my contract ended, 00:35:12 I finished my professional career. 00:35:16 First Timothy chapter 6 00:35:18 encourages us “to place [our] hope, not on uncertain riches, 00:35:22 but on God,” and “to be rich in fine works.” 00:35:26 People ask me: “Do you regret it?” 00:35:29 “Maybe you’d like to come back; do you miss soccer?” 00:35:33 And I honestly and sincerely say no. 00:35:36 I don’t miss it, and I don’t want to go back 00:35:38 because my relationship with Jehovah— 00:35:42 Well, it can’t be compared to anything. 00:35:46 Everything that this world offers is all short-lived, 00:35:49 and it’s only an illusion. 00:35:52 People see only one side of the picture —the fame and the money. 00:35:56 The other side are the injuries and disappointments. 00:35:59 It’s very hard psychologically and emotionally; 00:36:03 you have no freedom. 00:36:07 That’s why it’s better to give the very best to the One 00:36:10 who appreciates it. 00:36:12 What you do for Jehovah will always bring you happiness, 00:36:15 joy, and satisfaction. 00:36:23 Did you notice how Andrey mentioned that he couldn’t “slave for two masters,” 00:36:27 and this led him to eventually abandon the world of professional sports? 00:36:32 Yes, often our faith moves us to leave behind 00:36:37 careers and activities we once loved. 00:36:40 But to quote Paul’s words at Philippians 3:8: 00:36:45 “I have taken the loss of all things 00:36:48 “and I consider them as a lot of refuse 00:36:51 “[or as the footnote states, “garbage; rubbish.”], 00:36:55 that I may gain Christ.” 00:36:58 We can have confidence that anything we throw away 00:37:00 for the sake of our spirituality 00:37:03 has no real value when we compare it to the blessings 00:37:07 we enjoy as Jehovah’s friends. 00:37:09 Back to you, David. 00:37:11 Thanks, Herman. That was great. 00:37:16 For my second discussion on this broadcast, 00:37:18 I’d like to talk to you on the theme “Do the Math.” 00:37:23 Yes, you heard right: “Do the Math.” 00:37:28 Now, math may not be your favorite subject, 00:37:31 but as we’re going to see, someone has to do it. 00:37:35 Sometimes doing the math is the only way we can make a time line 00:37:39 or get interesting background information 00:37:41 that makes our Bible reading more enjoyable. 00:37:44 And you do want to make your Bible reading more enjoyable, don’t you? 00:37:48 Of course you do! 00:37:50 Well, let’s start with a number 00:37:52 we might quickly skip over in our Bible reading. 00:37:55 Let’s turn to Matthew 19:28, 00:37:59 and let’s see how a number 00:38:02 can sometimes tell us more than what’s written on the page. 00:38:06 Matthew 19:28: 00:38:09 “Jesus said to them: ‘Truly I say to you, 00:38:13 “‘in the re-creation, 00:38:16 “‘when the Son of man sits down on his glorious throne, 00:38:19 “‘you who have followed me will sit on 12 thrones, 00:38:24 judging the 12 tribes of Israel.’” 00:38:28 Did you see anything interesting there? 00:38:32 I’ll give you a hint: 00:38:34 These words were spoken near the end 00:38:37 of Jesus’ earthly ministry. 00:38:40 Does that give you a hint? 00:38:43 I’ll give you another hint: the number 12. 00:38:48 At this point, Jesus knew 00:38:50 that only 11 of his apostles were going to be faithful. 00:38:54 Yet, he said there would be 12 thrones in the Kingdom, not 11. 00:38:59 What did it mean? 00:39:01 It meant that Judas would have to be replaced as an apostle. 00:39:05 And sure enough, he was. 00:39:08 Well, that was easy, wasn’t it? 00:39:10 There was no math involved. 00:39:12 It was just a number. 00:39:13 But, let’s see how doing the math can help us to answer a few questions. 00:39:20 During family worship, one of the kids asks 00:39:23 whether Noah and Abraham knew each other. 00:39:27 How are you going to handle that? 00:39:29 Do you know? 00:39:31 You might just say, 00:39:33 “The Bible doesn’t say” and leave it at that. 00:39:35 But you could figure it out 00:39:37 if you did the math. 00:39:40 Now, here’s what we know: 00:39:43 The Flood occurred in 2370 B.C.E. 00:39:47 Now, that date is absolutely solid. 00:39:50 And if you’d like to figure it out for yourself, 00:39:52 you can look it up under “Chronology” 00:39:55 in the Insight book—2370 B.C.E. 00:39:59 That’s the Flood. 00:40:00 And Noah lived for 350 years after the Flood. 00:40:05 So by subtracting 350 from 2370, 00:40:10 we learn that Noah died in 2020 B.C.E. 00:40:15 But remember the question? 00:40:17 The question is, Did Noah and Abram know each other? 00:40:23 Abram entered the land of Canaan 00:40:26 in 1943 B.C.E. 00:40:29 Now, once again, if you want to prove that to yourself, 00:40:32 look in Insight under “Chronology.” 00:40:34 You’ll find everything you need to prove it to yourself. 00:40:37 So in 1943 B.C.E., Abraham 00:40:40 (Abram in that case) 00:40:42 enters the land of Canaan 00:40:45 and he’s 75 years old at the time. 00:40:48 So Abram must have been born 00:40:51 75 years before 1943 B.C.E. 00:40:54 Add 75 to 1943, 00:40:58 and you find that Abram was born 00:41:00 in 2018 B.C.E. 00:41:03 So Noah died in 2020 B.C.E., 00:41:06 and Abram was born two years later, in 2018 B.C.E. 00:41:10 They never knew each other, but it was close. 00:41:16 Our publications have often said 00:41:18 that Jonathan was at least 30 years older than David. 00:41:23 But the Bible doesn’t say that. 00:41:25 Your progressive Bible student 00:41:27 (you know, the one who makes you prove everything) 00:41:30 asks you about that. 00:41:32 Can you prove it? 00:41:34 Can you? 00:41:36 You can if you do the math. 00:41:39 King Saul ruled Israel for 40 years. 00:41:43 Then David became king. 00:41:45 Now, how old was David when he became king? 00:41:48 The Bible says that he “was 30 years old.” 00:41:51 That means that when David was born, 00:41:54 Saul had already been ruling Israel for ten years. 00:41:58 But when Saul became king, Jonathan was a grown man. 00:42:02 He was probably already in the army. 00:42:05 You had to be at least 20 years old to be in the army. 00:42:08 So if Jonathan was at least 20 00:42:12 when Saul began to rule and David was born 10 years after that, 00:42:17 what difference in age would there have been 00:42:19 between Jonathan and David? 00:42:22 About a 30-year difference 00:42:25 —20 plus 10 equals 30. 00:42:29 Now, the next one 00:42:31 is a bit more complicated; it’s the last one. 00:42:35 And we can do this. 00:42:37 Insight on the Scriptures says 00:42:39 that Moses and Job lived at the same time. 00:42:43 But the Bible doesn’t say that. 00:42:45 How can we be so sure? 00:42:48 Once again, what do we do? 00:42:51 Do I hear it? 00:42:53 You’re right; we do the math. 00:42:56 Job’s test must have occurred 00:42:59 sometime after the death of Joseph. 00:43:02 We know that because in Job chapter 1, 00:43:05 Jehovah told Satan: 00:43:06 “There is no one like [Job] on the earth.” 00:43:09 “No one.” 00:43:11 Now, if Joseph had still been alive, 00:43:13 Jehovah would have said that there was no one like Joseph and Job on the earth. 00:43:18 And if the test had occurred earlier, 00:43:20 Jehovah would have said that there was no one like Jacob and Job, 00:43:25 Isaac and Job, Abraham and Job. 00:43:28 And remember, there were only two years between Noah and Abraham, 00:43:33 so we can conclude that the test of Job 00:43:36 occurred after the death of Joseph. 00:43:40 When did Joseph die? 00:43:42 The date is solid. 00:43:45 It’s 1657 B.C.E. 00:43:48 How do we figure that? 00:43:51 If you don’t like math, trust me, you don’t want to know! 00:43:56 But Insight and the Bible will give you 00:43:59 all the information you need to figure it out for yourself. 00:44:01 But let’s keep it simple. 00:44:03 Let’s go with 1657 B.C.E. 00:44:07 That’s 144 years before Israel left Egypt 00:44:12 under the direction of Moses in 1513 B.C.E. 00:44:17 So Job’s test must have occurred 00:44:21 sometime within that 144-year period. 00:44:26 Now this is a big hint: 00:44:28 144 years before Israel left Egypt. 00:44:33 Are you beginning to put it together? 00:44:37 Here is the clincher: 00:44:39 Job lived for 140 years 00:44:43 after he passed the test, 00:44:45 so he was probably still alive in the land of Uz 00:44:48 when Israel left Egypt. 00:44:50 Conclusion: Job and Moses 00:44:53 definitely lived at the same time. 00:44:58 So, what have we learned by doing the math? 00:45:01 Superficially, we might say: 00:45:03 “Well, we’ve learned that Abraham was born two years after Noah. 00:45:08 “And we’ve proved that Jonathan was at least 30 years older than David 00:45:13 and that Moses and Job definitely lived at the same time.” 00:45:17 Superficially, we got the answers to those questions, yes. 00:45:21 But the fact is 00:45:23 that probably none of those questions ever kept you up at night. 00:45:27 There’s a broader picture here. 00:45:29 What we’d like you to take away 00:45:31 is the fact that sometimes a number is more than just a number. 00:45:35 It can provide information that we couldn’t get any other way, 00:45:39 and if we can understand that, 00:45:42 this discussion will have been well worth having. 00:45:46 So when you see a number in the Bible, 00:45:48 don’t run the other way. 00:45:50 Embrace it; stop and think about it. 00:45:53 You may be glad you did. 00:45:56 Well, after all that math, how about a little music? 00:46:02 This month’s music video will let us experience some of the joy 00:46:06 of traveling to an international convention 00:46:09 and meeting our spiritual family members from around the globe. 00:46:27 Touching down in a foreign land With a thousand miles behind us— 00:46:34 Since we left our home, 00:46:37 It’s Jehovah’s hand That is blessing ev’ry move. 00:46:42 And the work that we do isn’t easy, But it’s all for Jehovah. 00:46:49 And the love that we feel for this fam’ly is real, 00:46:53 So this we say to you: 00:46:57 “We’re all Jehovah’s people; United, we are family. 00:47:05 “And though your land is far away, We love you. 00:47:10 We’re your family.” 00:47:15 Waiting there as our plane came in, You were reaching out to greet us. 00:47:23 Then the music starts, and the day begins, And our love grows even more. 00:47:30 But we know that it’s only Jehovah Who can cause this to happen. 00:47:37 So we’ll praise him together and love him forever 00:47:41 On ev’ry distant shore. 00:47:45 “We’re all Jehovah’s people; United, we are family. 00:47:53 “And though your land is far away, We love you. 00:47:58 We’re your family.” 00:48:03 Silver wings fly across the sea To a land so unfamiliar. 00:48:10 But we bring good news, and the ones we meet Are so gentle, kind, and good. 00:48:18 And the love we receive from our brothers Makes us feel we belong here. 00:48:25 So wherever we are and no matter how far, We love our brotherhood! 00:48:48 It’s good to know That we have family ev’rywhere we go— 00:48:56 From Mali to Mexico, From Japan to Jamaica. 00:49:05 “We’re all Jehovah’s people; United, we are family. 00:49:12 “And though your land is far away, We love you. 00:49:18 “We’re your family. 00:49:20 “From ev’ry tribe and nation— United, we are family. 00:49:27 “These bonds of love are plain to see Because we’re Jehovah’s family! 00:49:49 “Fiji, Tahiti, and New Caledonia— Navajo, Blackfoot, and Cherokee— 00:49:56 “Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Estonia— We love you. 00:50:02 We’re your family.” 00:50:08 That song really captures the excitement that we feel 00:50:11 when we meet new members of our family. 00:50:14 I certainly agree. It was great. 00:50:17 Well, this month we saw how our actions 00:50:20 can help motivate right-hearted ones to accept the truth. 00:50:24 We peeked behind the scenes to learn how translation work is done. 00:50:28 And we even did a little math. 00:50:32 Herman, I love working with you in the Writing Department, 00:50:35 and I loved working with you on this project this month. 00:50:38 Thank you, David. 00:50:40 Well, thank you. 00:50:41 I really appreciate your help. 00:50:43 Now, I’ve been informed that many of you will be notified 00:50:47 of the dates for your regional convention this month. 00:50:50 Would you like to know the theme for the 2020 convention program? 00:50:54 I’ll lower my voice, and I’ll let you in on it. 00:50:58 The program is based on Philippians 4:4 00:51:02 and the theme “Always Rejoice”! 00:51:06 Isn’t that a great theme? 00:51:08 We’re going to have a great time advertising this convention theme. 00:51:11 Can you imagine having that on your convention badge? 00:51:14 And people will look at that badge and they’ll say, 00:51:17 “What do you have to be so happy about?” 00:51:19 And then we’ll tell them. 00:51:21 But before we end the program, 00:51:23 let’s join Herman 00:51:25 on a short visit to the country of Botswana in the southern part of Africa. 00:51:31 Botswana is home to many natural wonders. 00:51:36 Among them is the Okavango Delta, 00:51:38 a natural haven for wildlife. 00:51:41 This country is also the home of the highest concentration 00:51:44 of elephants in the world. 00:51:46 However, when it comes to people, 00:51:49 there are only about two and a half million residents 00:51:52 spread out over this very large country. 00:51:56 And with only 2,316 publishers, 00:51:59 the ratio of Witnesses to residents 00:52:02 is about 1 to 1,000. 00:52:05 So they always enjoy it 00:52:07 when need-greaters offer to come 00:52:10 and assist them as they cover hundreds 00:52:12 of kilometers of unassigned territory on preaching trips that can 00:52:16 last for days or even for weeks 00:52:18 in order to reach the most remote villages. 00:52:22 Currently, there are 45 congregations and 2 isolated groups. 00:52:26 The Etsha Congregation, located in the Okavango Moremi area, 00:52:31 is small with only seven publishers and no elders. 00:52:36 But the zeal of these publishers 00:52:38 is amazing as they travel long distances, 00:52:42 often on foot, just to attend meetings. 00:52:45 This travel isn’t only difficult because of the distance 00:52:49 but also because wild animals roam freely in the area. 00:52:53 Regardless of the challenges, 00:52:55 the brothers and sisters enjoy coming together 00:52:57 to serve Jehovah and to share in the ministry. 00:53:00 This congregation is just 00:53:02 one of many examples of the faithful brothers and sisters 00:53:06 throughout Botswana 00:53:09 who are spreading the truth into even the most remote locations. 00:53:13 And they want to share their love and greetings with all of you. 00:53:18 We send our love to all of our brothers and sisters in Botswana 00:53:22 and to all of you wherever you might be. 00:53:25 We love you all very much. 00:53:28 Until next time, 00:53:30 this is JW Broadcasting 00:53:33 from the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
