At Matthew 24:3 the New World Translation renders παρουσία as “presence”, where nearly all modern English versions read “coming”. Liddell, Scott and Jones give “presence” as the first sense of the word and “arrival” as the second, so the rendering is lexically defensible; Young's Literal Translation of 1862 also reads “presence”.
Claim ID claim-bible-parousia-presenceConcerns 2013Context
The organisation’s position or later explanation: The organisation argues that παρουσία “refers to a presence covering a period of time rather than simply a coming or an arrival”, citing the comparison with the days of Noah at Matthew 24:37-39 and Paul's contrast between presence and absence at Philippians 2:12.
2013 · Matthew 24:3 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?”
The 2013 rendering. The 1984 Reference Bible is identical in this phrase: 'what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?'
1940 · entry παρουσία · Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, revised by Sir Henry Stuart Jones · Clarendon Press, Oxford; digital text hosted by the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University
“παρουσ-ία, ἡ, (πάρειμι) A. presence, of persons, δεσπότου, etc., A. Pers. 169 … 2. arrival, ἡμῶν κοινόπουν π. S. El. 1104, cf. E. Alc. 209, Th.1.128 … 5. in NT, the Advent, Ev.Matt.24.27, al.”
Liddell, Scott and Jones give ‘presence’ as sense A.1 and ‘arrival’ as sense A.2, so ‘presence’ is a well-attested classical sense. The same entry also gives, as sense A.5, ‘in NT, the Advent’, citing Matthew 24:27 — the New Testament sense the lexicon itself distinguishes from the classical ones.
Provenance and verification note for A Greek-English Lexicon (Liddell, Scott and Jones), παρουσία
Confidence note. The Perseus entry page was opened on 19 September 2026 and the entry text read directly from the page HTML. I did not consult a printed copy of LSJ, so no page number of the printed lexicon is recorded. Independent audit, 19 September 2026: the earlier version of this record quoted only senses A.1 and A.2 and omitted sense A.5, ‘in NT, the Advent, Ev.Matt.24.27’, which bears directly on the passage at issue. Sense A.5 has been added so that the record does not present the lexicon as more favourable to one side than it is.
Scan provenance. Perseus Digital Library's digitisation of the 1940 ninth edition.
Notes. This confirms the Kingdom Interlinear appendix's citation of Liddell and Scott, and also shows what that appendix does not mention: that the same entry gives 'arrival' as a second sense.
Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID.src-nwtv-lsj-parousia
19 September 2026 · Bible Hub (reproducing the named copyright translations)
“New International Version, English Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Christian Standard Bible, NET Bible and New American Bible all read “your coming”; the King James Bible reads “the sign of thy coming”. Young’s Literal Translation reads “the sign of thy presence”.”
Every major modern version consulted reads 'coming'; Young's Literal Translation of 1862 reads 'presence', showing that the NWT's choice is a recognised literal option rather than an invention.
Provenance and verification note for Bible Hub parallel translations, Matthew 24:3 in the parallel English versions
Confidence note. Page opened and every rendering read on 19 September 2026 on Bible Hub's reproduction. Independent audit, 19 September 2026: the earlier wording attributed “your coming” to the King James Bible, which reads “thy coming”. Corrected.
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-matt-24-3
2013 · study note, Matthew 24:3 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“presence: The Greek word pa·rou·siʹa (in many translations rendered “coming”) literally means “being alongside.” It refers to a presence covering a period of time rather than simply a coming or an arrival. This meaning of pa·rou·siʹa is indicated at Mt 24:37-39, where “the days of Noah . . . before the Flood” are compared to “the presence of the Son of man.” At Php 2:12, Paul used this Greek word to describe his “presence” in contrast to his “absence.””
The current study note. Its two supporting arguments — the comparison with Noah's days and Paul's contrast between presence and absence — are both drawn from the New Testament's own usage and are reasonable as far as they go.
Provenance and verification note for New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition), Study note on Matthew 24:3, 'presence'
Confidence note. Study note read in full on the nwtsty Matthew chapter 24 page on wol.jw.org, 19 September 2026. 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.
1985 · pp.1147-1149 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“The word pa·rou·siʹa occurs 24 times in the Christian Greek Scriptures … In these 24 places the New World Translation renders pa·rou·siʹa as “presence.” … Liddell and Scott’s A Greek-English Lexicon, 1968, p. 1343, gives as the first definition of pa·rou·siʹa the English word presence. … In Matthew 24:3, as well as in other texts such as 1 Thessalonians 3:13 and 2 Thessalonians 2:1, the word pa·rou·siʹa refers to the royal presence of Jesus Christ since his enthronement as King in the last days of this system of things.”
The organisation's defence of 'presence', and the doctrinal conclusion drawn from it. The appendix also quotes Israel P. Warren's 1879 book The Parousia at length and Bauer-Arndt-Gingrich-Danker on parousia as 'the official term for a visit of a person of high rank'.
Provenance and verification note for The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures, Appendix 3B: Christ’s Presence (Parousia)
Confidence note. Appendix opened in full on wol.jw.org on 19 September 2026; page markers 1147, 1148 and 1149 read from the page-number spans. I confirmed from Liddell, Scott and Jones directly that 'presence' is indeed sense A; I have not opened Warren (1879) or the printed BAGD.
Notes. The final sentence is the load-bearing one for the 1914 doctrine: the lexical claim ('presence') and the doctrinal claim ('since his enthronement as King') are placed side by side, but the second does not follow from the first.
Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID.src-nwtv-int-app3b
A direct link to this claim is https://jwtruth.org/evidence/claim-bible-parousia-presence/. Every source above opens the original document or the best available copy. If you believe the wording, date or context is wrong, report an error.