At Acts 20:28 the New World Translation's rendering “with the blood of his own Son” is identical to that of the New Revised Standard Version and the NET Bible, and the Kingdom Interlinear appendix openly concedes that “with his own blood” is grammatically possible.
Claim ID claim-bible-acts-20-28-defensibleConcerns 2013Context
The organisation’s position or later explanation: The organisation's appendix quotes F. J. A. Hort's suggestion that ΥΙΟΥ may have dropped out of the text at an early stage, and J. H. Moulton on the papyrus usage of ὁ ἴδιος.
19 September 2026 · Bible Hub (reproducing the named copyright translations)
“New Revised Standard Version: “the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.” NET Bible: “the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.” Good News Translation: “which he made his own through the blood of his Son.” Contemporary English Version: “It is the flock he bought with the blood of his own Son.” English Standard Version: “which he obtained with his own blood.” King James Bible: “which he hath purchased with his own blood.””
The New Revised Standard Version and the NET Bible render Acts 20:28 in words identical to the 2013 New World Translation.
1985 · p.1141 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“Grammatically, this passage could be translated as in the King James Version and Douay Version, “with his own blood.” That has been a difficult thought for many. … A noun in the singular number would be understood after “his own,” most likely God’s closest relative, his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ.”
The organisation's defence. It quotes J. H. Moulton's Prolegomena (1930 ed., p. 90) on ὁ ἴδιος used absolutely as a term of endearment for near relations, and F. J. A. Hort's remark in the Westcott and Hort appendix that 'it is by no means impossible that ΥΙΟΥ dropped out after ΤΟΥΙΔΙΟΥ at some very early transcription'. It also lists six translations from 1903 onwards that supply 'Son'.
Provenance and verification note for The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures, Appendix 2C: With the Blood of God’s Own Son
Confidence note. Appendix opened in full on wol.jw.org on 19 September 2026; page marker 1141 read from the page-number span. I have not opened Moulton's Prolegomena or the Westcott and Hort appendix to verify those quotations against the printed originals.
2013 · study note, Acts 20:28 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“with the blood of his own Son: Lit., “through the blood of the own (one).” Grammatically, the Greek expression could be translated “with the blood of his own” or “with his own blood,” so the context has to be taken into consideration. In Greek, the expression ho iʹdi·os (“his own”) could stand alone without a clarifying noun or pronoun … In non-Biblical Greek papyri, the phrase is used as a term of endearment to refer to close relatives.”
The current note repeats the 1985 appendix's argument and again concedes the alternative rendering.
Provenance and verification note for New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition), Study note on Acts 20:28, 'with the blood of his own Son'
Confidence note. Study note read in full on the nwtsty Acts chapter 20 page on wol.jw.org, 19 September 2026.
Notes. The same page carries a separate note: 'God: Some ancient manuscripts read “the Lord” here, but the main text reading “God” has strong manuscript support and is viewed by many scholars as the original reading.'
Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID.src-nwtv-nwtsty-note-acts-20-28
1985 · Acts 20:28 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“τὴν the ἐκκλησίαν ecclesia τοῦ of the θεοῦ, God, ἣν which περιεποιήσατο he reserved for self διὰ through τοῦ the αἵματος blood τοῦ of the ἰδίου. own (one).”
The Greek ends with τοῦ ἰδίου, 'of the own (one)'. There is no word for 'Son' in the Greek; the question is whether one is to be understood.
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