JULY 19, 2019
SPAIN
A Historic Event: Jehovah’s Witnesses Release Revised New World Translation in Spanish
On Friday, July 19, 2019, the opening day of the “Love Never Fails”! International Convention in Madrid, Spain, Jehovah’s Witnesses released the much-anticipated revised New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures in Spanish. The revised Bible is now available on jw.org® to read and download by the over 2.5 million Spanish-speaking brothers and sisters worldwide, the largest language group among Jehovah’s Witnesses. a
Brother Gerrit Lösch, a member of the Governing Body, released the Bible in a prerecorded video presented at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, the site of the international convention. The video was simultaneously streamed to 11 other venues throughout Spain. Shortly after the release, the video was posted on JW Broadcasting®.
At the international convention venue, special arrangements were made so that attendees could download the Bible—as an EPUB, a JWPUB, or a PDF—by navigating to a webpage on jw.org. Brothers and sisters tied in at the other 11 venues in Spain were also able to download electronic copies of the Bible by connecting their devices to JW Box, a customized Wi-Fi hot spot created by Jehovah’s Witnesses. Over 1,200 volunteers were on hand at the international convention venue and satellite locations to help the audience download the revised Bible.
The translation of the Bible into Spanish presented a unique challenge, since there is a diverse field of Spanish-speaking Witnesses throughout the world. Brother Pedro Gil, a member of the Spain Branch Committee, explains: “Globally, there are an estimated 577 million Spanish speakers, and from country to country individual words, as well as expressions, vary in meaning. Additionally, the Spanish language has changed significantly in recent decades.”
In order to assist the translation team in producing an accurate and easy-to-read text, some 100 brothers and sisters in various countries were consulted. The entire project took about four and a half years to complete.
Brother Gil states: “The updated language used in this revised Spanish New World Translation employs a vocabulary that everyone will understand. As a result, publishers will find it easy to use in the field service or at the meetings. We are very happy that this revision will also help Spanish-speaking brothers and sisters draw closer to Jehovah.”
We thank Jehovah for the recent translation that honors his name. We trust that this revised Bible will help Jehovah’s Witnesses continue preaching “to the most distant part of the earth.”—Acts 1:8.
a Because of the unprecedented volume of Bibles required for this release, no printed copies were distributed at the venues. However, Spanish congregations worldwide will receive printed copies as soon as they are available. The Spanish revised Bible will also be available in JW Library® after Monday, July 22.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is the New World Translation Accurate?
Why does the New World Translation differ from many other translations?
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Have Their Own Bible?
Using a variety of Bible translations can enhance your study of the Bible. Three points in particular make the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures worthy to include in your studies.