At John 14:14 the New World Translation reads “If you ask anything in my name, I will do it”, omitting the word “me”. The Greek text printed in the Watch Tower Society's own Kingdom Interlinear contains με, and the Society's own word-for-word line renders it “me”.
Claim ID claim-bible-john-14-14-me-omittedConcerns 2013Explicit statement
The organisation’s position or later explanation: The organisation's entire published note reads: “ask: This reading is supported by some ancient manuscripts and agrees with the wording at Joh 15:16 and 16:23. Other ancient manuscripts read: ‘ask me.’”.
1985 · John 14:14 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“14 ἐάν if ever τι anything αἰτήσητέ YOU should ask με me ἐν in τῷ the ὀνόματί name μου of me τοῦτο this ποιήσω. I shall do.”
The Greek text printed in the Society's own interlinear — the Westcott and Hort text — contains με, 'me', and the Society's own word-for-word line renders it. The New World Translation column beside it does not.
19 September 2026 · Bible Hub (reproducing the named copyright translations)
“With 'me': New International Version “You may ask me for anything in my name”; English Standard Version “If you ask me anything in my name”; New American Standard Bible “If you ask Me anything in My name”; New Revised Standard Version “If in my name you ask me for anything”. Without 'me': King James Bible “If ye shall ask any thing in my name”; American Standard Version “If ye shall ask anything in my name”; New King James Version “If you ask anything in My name”; Young’s Literal Translation “if ye ask anything in my name”.”
The variant divides English versions along textual lines: those following the Textus Receptus or the Byzantine text omit 'me', those following the Alexandrian text include it. The NWT's omission is shared with the King James and American Standard Versions.
Provenance and verification note for Bible Hub parallel translations, John 14:14 in the parallel English versions
Confidence note. Page opened and every rendering read on 19 September 2026 on Bible Hub's reproduction. The characterisation of which text-types support which reading is my own inference from the pattern of versions and reflects the parallel versions shown on the page opened, not a critical apparatus of the manuscripts.
Notes. This quote field compiles renderings quoted separately from one Bible Hub parallel page; it is not a continuous passage. Each rendering was checked word for word against the page, which carries over forty versions.
Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID.src-nwtv-bh-john-14-14
2013 · study note, John 14:14 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“ask: This reading is supported by some ancient manuscripts and agrees with the wording at Joh 15:16 and 16:23. Other ancient manuscripts read: “ask me.””
The whole of the organisation's published explanation for omitting 'me' — a two-sentence textual note. The omission is a real manuscript variant, not an invention, but the note does not say which reading the principal critical editions prefer.
Provenance and verification note for New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition), Study note on John 14:14, 'ask'
Confidence note. Study note read in full on the nwtsty John chapter 14 page on wol.jw.org, 19 September 2026; I confirmed that there is no longer note attached to this verse. Independent audit, 19 September 2026: the quotation had silently expanded the Watchtower Online Library's own Bible-book abbreviations (and, at Hebrews 1:6, dropped a parenthetical cross-reference). Restored to the wording on the page.
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