Taken in part from: http://www.av1611.org/jmelton/JehovahsWitnesses.html ~ ~ ~ Newly Updated as of Sunday, 15 April 2012

JESUS: God or not? Click: --> HERE <-- for a 'Full-Colour' version (it's prettier)

FACT: Matt. 1:21-23 shows Jesus fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14, and these passages, both Old and New Testaments, indicate that Jesus is “God with us.”

Query: Is this a reality or merely a title?

Query: Did Jesus' critics understand Him correctly, when they thought He was "making himself equal with God" in John 5:18 of the Bible?

Query: Does the King James Version of Philippians 2:6 correctly translate Jesus' claim that He "thought it not robbery to be equal with God," or, rather, is the Amplified Bible more correct in its claim that Philippians 2:6 really says that Jesus was "did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained?"

Query: "What does Colossians 2:8-9 (Holy Bible, KJV) mean when it says '8Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.'??"

ANSWER: Jesus does many God-like things, which hint at His Deity.

* NEW: GOD'S GLORY - Hear what God says: "I will not give my glory unto another." Isaiah 48:11b; Cf: Isaiah 42:8 (KJV, emphasis added for clarity, here and elsewhere) Yet, guess what we find happening with JESUS?? "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels" (Matt. 16:27a, KJV; Cf.: Mark 8:38) But, it gets better! "For whosoever shall be ashamed of me [JESUS] and of my words, of him shall the Son of man [JESUS] be ashamed, when he [JESUS] shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels." (Luke 9:26, KJV) Did you catch that? God (The Father) said in Isaiah 48:11 & Isaiah 42:8 that He would not give His glory to another, but we find Him giving it to Jesus -along with Jesus' own glory and that of the angels. Wow! That's a lot of glory, but the main point here is this: If God, The Father gave Jesus His glory, something that The Father could not give to someone who is not God ("I will not give my glory unto another." Is. 48:11b), then only one logical conclusion remains: JESUS IS GOD! Additionally, when Jesus' disciples said of Jesus "glory in the highest" in Luke 19:38, and the some of the Pharisees objected, saying "Master, rebuke thy disciples," (Luke 19:39), guess what Jesus said?? Jesus said it was OK for the disciples to give Him the highest glory, i.e., that which only belongs to The Father, as we've seen above: "And he [JESUS] answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." (Luke 19:40, KJV)
To verify regarding Jesus' glory:
John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
John 5:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
If you're brave, see also: John 1:14; John 17:22-24; Hebrews 1:1-3; and, 2nd Peter 1:16-17.

** In John 8:58, Jesus told the Pharisees, "Before Abraham was, I am." He claimed to be the "I AM" of Exodus 3:14, that is, God Almighty! (The Pharisees understood that Jesus was claiming to be God; Otherwise, they wouldn't have gotten so mad!)

* Jesus forgave sins (Matt. 9:2; Mark 2:5; Luke 5:20; Luke 7:48), which only God can do (Jer. 31:34; Cf: Matt. 9:3; Mark 2:5-7; Luke 5:21; Luke 7:49). Note: Anyone can forgive sins against himself; Only GOD, however, can forgive ALL your sins: "And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." Jeremiah 31:34 Jesus forgave sins, thus He was God, worthy of all worship.)
* The Lord Jesus Christ is omnipresent: "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I [JESUS] in the midst of them." (Matt. 18:20) "...lo, I [JESUS] am with you always, even unto the end of the world..." (Matt. 28:20) "The Revelation of Jesus Christ...Behold, I [Jesus] stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Rev. 1:1; Rev. 3:20) We know He is God because He is capable of being everywhere at once.
* Jesus is omniscient: “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” (Mark 13:32, KJV, emphasis added; See also Matt. 24:36, NIV, subnote 'a') Commentary: Jesus may or may not have known then, but that was then, and this is now; Jesus, as ascended and having regained the privileges he laid down, does know everything. Here is proof: Jesus knew things about the Father that no one else knew (Matt. 11:27). Which mere mortal knows the future about his own death? But, Jesus did! (Matt. 12:40; Matt. 16:21; Matt. 20:19) Jesus knew the future about the owner of a colt -that he would allow the disciple to have it (Mark 11:2-6). Jesus knew private things about Nathanael (that he had no guile: John 1:47-49). Jesus knew the private details of a Samaritan woman's marital woes (John 4:16-19). Jesus did not rebuke His disciples when they said He knew all things (John 16:30; John 21:17). Jesus is God because He knows all things.
* The Lord Jesus is also omnipotent: "...the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." (Rev. 19:6) Jesus is all powerful too: "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." (Matt. 28:18) Cf: 1st Timothy 6:14-15 Re: "our Lord Jesus Christ:...who is the blessed and only Potentate". ~ "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." (Rev. 3:21) Jesus has the power to grant promote and demote who sits in which throne in Heaven?! Wow! That's real power! Jesus has all power.
* The Lord Jesus is also omni-existent: Jesus has always, is currently, and will forever exist in all time -Jesus "omnipresent" in all places and "omni-existent" in all time! Past (Exodus 3:14; Micah 5:2), Present (Heb. 13:8), and future (Heb. 6:20; Heb. 13:8; 1st Timothy 6:14,16; Revelation 11:15; Cf: Revelation 22:5, which allows us to reign forever with Him). Jesus is the root (ancestor) AND offspring of David -Jesus is both the beginning AND the end, the alpha AND the omega. (Revelations 22:13-16: SEE Table at BOTTOM of page for more details) Therefore, He is very God.
* The Lord Jesus is also immutable: He changes not: Hebrews 13:8. This is an attribute of God: "For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." (Mal. 3:6) "...the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (James 1:17) What mere mortal can 'change not'? Therefore, Jesus is God.
* NEW: It is indeed scriptural to pray to Jesus. Yes! You CAN pray to Jesus ~à FIRST, we see Stephen praying TO Jesus as follows in Acts 7:59 "...calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." (This implies that Jesus is God, but it SAYS by example that we CAN pray to Jesus.) Now, to those who suggest that this was an exception, merely because Stephen was freaking out at the vision, let me point you to 1st Timothy 1:12, which clearly shows Paul praying a prayer of thanks: "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me..." In case you think Paul was merely making a play on words -and speaking ABOUT Jesus, not to Him, see also: Revelation 22:20, in which the writer specifically prays to Jesus THIS prayer: "...Even so, come, Lord Jesus." Also, see the 1st Epistle of John 5:14b-15, which says "...if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." ~~~ "He" who, you ask? See the prior verse, which refers ONLY to "Son of God," that is, Jesus. (1st Jn 5:13) Oh, did you know that JESUS ANSWERS PRAYERS also? Yep! Hear Jesus' own words: "13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." (The Gospel According to John 14:13-14) It is clear: You can't pray to someone, for example, your neighbor, friend, or boss. Why? Such person is not God. Thus, anyone to Whom scripture allows us to pray must of necessity be God. Therefore, once again, we see Jesus must be Very God.
* NEW: Jesus indwells us ("I in them": John 17:23a; John 17:26b; Cf.: Rev. 3:20) like the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 63:11; Luke 11:13; Acts 2:4). Although demons (fallen angels) occasionally indwell the possessed lost person, this is not God's will but rather man's "free will," allowed by God for a season. However, no Holy Angel will indwell a believer, so Jesus is not just some angel, but very God!
* IMPORTANT: According to Isaiah 44:24, God Almighty ALONE is Creator: "Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;" (Isaiah 44:24, KJV) -- HOWEVER, according to The Gospel of John 1, The 1st Epistle of John 1, Colossians 1, and Hebrews 1, Jesus Christ is the Creator of Genesis 1! ~ ALL things were made by JESUS, not all other things, as the New World Translation would have you believe: “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:3, KJV; cf: Colossians 1:16) Therefore, Jesus must be God!
*** IMPORTANT: According to Isaiah 41:4, God Almighty is First and Last: "Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he." (Isaiah 41:4, KJV) -- HOWEVER, according to Revelation 1:17, JESUS is the First and the Last: "And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:" -- See also: Revelation 1:8, 1:11; 21:6; and, 22:13: "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." (Rev 22:13, KJV: SEE Table at BOTTOM of page for more details) Therefore, Jesus must be God!

* ALSO Consider: While there are many 'shepherds' (cf: Jeremiah 23:4; Ezekiel 34:9-10), Psalm 23:1 says "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." HOWEVER, John 10:11 quotes Jesus as saying: "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep," and Hebrews 13:20 agrees. Therefore, Jesus must be God!

*** ALSO Consider: According to Isaiah 63:16b says, in pertinent part: "thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting," however, in Titus 2:13-14, JESUS is described as such:
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he [JESUS!] might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Therefore, Jesus must be God!

* ALSO Consider: Deuteronomy 6:4 says: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:" (And Mark 12:29 & Galatians 3:20 agree with Deut. 6:4)
HOWEVER, in John 10:30, Jesus is quoted as saying "I and my Father are one," which agrees with John 1:1 about Jesus, The Word, BEING very God.
(CAVEAT: John 17:11, 21-22 has Jesus praying to The Father "that they [his disciples] may be one, as we [Jesus and The Father] are one," which implies that this is not a sure-fire way to prove that Jesus is God -since the disciples sure are not God; however, most scripture is undeniable: Jesus is not only the Son of God, but very God, the Son.)

******* IMPORTANT: Exodus 3:14 says: "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." HOWEVER, notice Jesus' quote in John 8:24, which reads: "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins."
Did you see that? The phrase 'I am he' has the word 'he' in italics, which means it was NOT in the original Greek text. It should read: "...for if ye believe not that I am, ye shall die in your sins." -- See also John 18;6, which says the same thing: "As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground." Remember: The word 'he' was not in the original Greek text.
LASTLY, John 8:58 says this: "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." Therefore, Jesus must be God!

NEW - This just in: Only God is the Saviour:

* I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.-Isaiah 43:11 * Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.-Hosea 13:4 * And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.-Luke 1:47 * Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;-1st Timothy 1:1 * But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;-Titus 1:3 * To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.-Jude 1:25

HOWEVER - JESUS is also called Saviour:

* For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.-Luke 2:11 * And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.-John 4:42 * For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:-Philippians 3:20 * But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:-2nd Timothy 1:10 * To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.-Titus 1:4 * 1Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:...11For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.-2nd Peter 1:1,11

THEREFORE, we know that - JESUS must be very GOD. Passages taken from (HOLY BIBLE, King James Version)

* Jesus never sinned! Romans 3:23 says that ALL HAVE SINNED and come short of the glory of God. Yes! "Even in His [heavenly] servants He puts no trust or confidence, and His angels He charges with folly and error--" (Job 4:18, Amplified Version, HOLY BIBLE; Cf: Job 5:1, 15:15) Yet, Jesus did not sin (2nd Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; Heb. 9:28; 1st Peter 3:18). So Jesus had to be God.

* "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn." (Zech. 12:10) God is speaking about being pierced -and Jesus fulfilled it (Rev. 1:7). Jesus is therefore God: “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” (Rev. 1:7)
* Jesus walked on water (Matt. 14:25), and He rebuked the wind -and the wind and seas obey Him (Luke 8:24-25). Yes, prophets can do miracles, but check THIS out: Jesus didn't merely "pray" to God to calm the sea; As Rev. Melton rightly points out, Jesus calmed the sea Himself!

NEW - This just in: Only God is JUDGE: Psalm 94 1 O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself. 2 Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud.

HOWEVER - JESUS is also called JUDGE: John 5:22 "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:" John 9:39a "And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world"

THEREFORE, we know that - JESUS must be very GOD. Passages taken from (HOLY BIBLE, King James Version)

New section - common questions Jehovah's Witnesses ask -and how to address them: (1) If the Father is greater than the Son, how can Jesus be Very God worthy of worship? (2) If God (the Father) is 'head of' the Son (Jesus), how can Jesus be Very God worthy of worship? (3) If no one (not even Jesus, the Son) knew the hour of His return, then how can Jesus be Very God worthy of worship? (4) If there is only 'one' God, the Father, then how can Jesus be Very God worthy of worship? BONUS: Here's a question YOU can ask JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES: (5) Who is 'Alpha and Omega'? Jehovah God -or, rather, Jesus? ANSWER: Both! -see below... (1) QUESTION: If the Father is 'greater than' the Son, how can Jesus be Very God worthy of worship? Scriptures they might cite: John 14:28Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. * Response: This passage speaks of position in the family, not nature of Divineness; Jesus was Very God from the beginning, but He voluntarily emptied Himself of His Divine prerogatives and privileges (Phil 2:5-8) -and voluntarily made Himself 'a little lower than the angels' (Heb 2:9), but this in no wise made Jesus any less God -it simply was one of the ramifications and results of His action of taking on human form. When the scripture says the Father is greater than the Son, it denotes position in the family, such as when a child is under his father, but when (for example: Isaac) the child grows up -and becomes an adult, he is equal to authority of (for example: Abraham) his father -both are adults -and have the same level of worship: as mere humans, neither Abraham nor Isaac are worthy of worship, but the son (Isaac) is no less than the Father, when he is an adult. Likewise, when Jesus ascended to the father, he was no less in rank, but when He became human, he put aside many privleges. (Surprisingly, even while in human form, Jesus never scolded his disciples or followers for worshiping him.) Philippians 2:5-8 (KJV) 5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation (or: "emptied Himself" in the NASB), and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Hebrews 2:9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. ((See also: Psalm 8:5; Hebrews 2:7)) (2) QUESTION: If God (the Father) is 'head of' the Son (Jesus), how can Jesus be Very God worthy of worship? Scriptures they might cite: 1st Corinthians 3:23And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. 1st Corinthians 11:3But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. 1st Corinthians 15:27-28 27For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. * Response: See response to question 1, above: The Father was head in position, not nature of Divineness. John 20:17Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. * Response: It is important to simply read the scripture here: Just because the Father was 'God' to the Son, that does not make the Son any less 'God' worthy of worship. In fact, if Jesus is the perfect Son, then this is a compelling argument that the Son, like the Father, is worthy of worship. We must not go beyond scripture and read into it something that it doesn't say. (3) QUESTION: If no one (not even Jesus, the Son) knew the hour of His return, then how can Jesus be Very God worthy of worship? Scriptures they might cite: Mark 13:32But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. * Response: Jesus was telling the truth: He did not know the day or hour -then -but He does now -now that He's ascended. Jesus gave up a lot when he became a human. (Think about Jesus as a baby, for example.) Matthew 19:17 (KJV) Cf: Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19 17And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. * Response: See answer immediately above. Matthew 20:23b: "...but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father." * Response: Since Jesus created *EVERYTHING* that exists -and nothing that was created was done without Him, it only stands to reason that scripture is saying that all that was 'prepared' was done by Jesus, on behalf of the Father -thus it WAS His to give before He became human -and will be after Hius ascension: John 1:3, KJV: "3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made," which refers to 'The Word' -see John 1:1, "1In the beginning was the Word," and this means Jesus, see John 1:14: "14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)..." In other words, Jesus, The Word, created EVERYTHING -and thus Jesus could not be a created being, or else HE would have had to create himself. Besides, John 1:1 calls Jesus VERY GOD, both with God the Father and very God, Himself: "1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Not only that, it might not have been Jesus' to give while He was in human form, but ALL power did, indeed, belong to Jesus; therefore Jesus is VERY GOD: Matthew 28:18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Commentary: Jesus was Very God from the beginning, but He voluntarily emptied Himself of His Divine prerogatives and privileges (Phil 2:5-8) -and voluntarily made Himself 'a little lower than the angels' (Heb 2:9), but this in no wise made Jesus any less God -it simply was one of the ramifications and results of His action of taking on human form. Philippians 2:5-8 (KJV) 5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation (or: "emptied Himself" in the NASB), and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Hebrews 2:9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. ((See also: Psalm 8:5; Hebrews 2:7)) (4) QUESTION: If there is only 'one' God, the Father, then how can Jesus be Very God worthy of worship? Scriptures they might cite: John 17:3And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 1st Timothy 2:5For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 1st Corinthians 8:6But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. * Response: In Divine math, 3 are 1: Jesus and His Father are one: "I and my Father are one." (John 10:30, KJV, which accords with Deut. 6:4; Mark 12:29, and Galatians 3:20) BONUS: Here's a question YOU can ask JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES: (5) QUESTION: Who is 'Alpha and Omega'? Jehovah God -or, rather, Jesus? ANSWER: Both! -see below... -X- Selected BIBLE verses addressing: First & Last – Alpha & Omega – Beginning & End Abbreviations: 'NWT' = 'New World Translation' of Bible - accepted by Jehovah's Witnesses Source: http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm Copyright © 2010 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. All rights reserved. Used under Fair Use 'KJV' = 'King James Version' of Bible - accepted by Protestants and other non-Catholic Christians as genuine 'Canon' Holy Bible (and accepted by some, but not all, Catholics as genuine 'Canon' Holy Bible, albeit incomplete, as their 'Catholic' Bible has additional books in it, namely the additional books of the Deuterocanonical Apocrypha: The translators for the original KJV text used, as a basis for the KJV Bible, the manuscript compiled by Desiderius Erasmus, a Roman Catholic priest and scholar) Source: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage Copyright Information: The KJV is public domain in the United States. Passage NWT KJV Commentary Isaiah 41:4 4-Who has been active and has done [this], calling out the generations from the start? “I, Jehovah, the First One; and with the last ones I am the same.” 4-Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he Question: Who is the First & Last? Answer: Jehovah GOD (e.g., The LORD God Almighty) Isaiah 44:6 6-“This is what Jehovah has said, the King of Israel and the Repurchaser of him, Jehovah of armies, ‘I am the first and I am the last, and besides me there is no God. 6-Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. Question: Who is the First & Last? Answer: Jehovah GOD (e.g., The LORD God Almighty) Isaiah 48:12 12-“Listen to me, O Jacob, and you Israel my called one. I am the same One. I am the first. Moreover, I am the last. 12-Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last. Question: Who is the First & Last? Answer: Jehovah GOD (e.g., The LORD God Almighty) Revelation 1:7-8 7-Look! He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, and those who pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief because of him. Yes, Amen. 8-“I am the Al´pha and the O·me´ga,” says Jehovah God, “the One who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty.” 7-Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. 8-I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. Question: Who is the 'Alpha & Omega'? Answer: Jehovah GOD (e.g., The LORD God Almighty) Furthermore: Notice here that JESUS, who was pierced on the cross, is coming with the clouds: Jehovah God is Omnipresent, and He has no NEED to 'return,' OK? Revelation 1:11 11-saying: “What you see write in a scroll and send it to the seven congregations, in Eph´e·sus and in Smyr´na and in Per´ga·mum and in Thy·a·ti´ra and in Sar´dis and in Philadelphia and in La·o·di·ce´a.” 11-Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea Question: Who is the 'Alpha & Omega'? Answer: Protestants & Catholics disagree with Jehovah's Witnesses on this point -see below... Furthermore: The NWT doesn't address this point, but looking at the KJV at verse 10, we see it says the following: "10-I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 11-Saying, I am Alpha and Omega...," so this does not answer the questions of Jehovah's Witnesses regarding whether it's Jehovah God (as JW claim) or Jesus (as Protestants & Catholics claim), but I'm including this verse to "be complete" and intellectually and morally honest, OK? Revelation 21:5-6 5-And the One seated on the throne said: “Look! I am making all things new.” Also, he says: “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” 6-And he said to me: “They have come to pass! I am the Al´pha and the O·me´ga, the beginning and the end. To anyone thirsting I will give from the fountain of the water of life free. 5-And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6-And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. Question: Who is the 'Alpha & Omega'? Answer: Jehovah GOD (e.g., The LORD God Almighty) Revelation 22:7, 12-13, 16, 20 7-And, look! I am coming quickly. Happy is anyone observing the words of the prophecy of this scroll.” 12-“‘Look! I am coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me, to render to each one as his work is. 13-I am the Al´pha and the O·me´ga, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. 16-“‘I, Jesus, sent my angel to bear witness to YOU people of these things for the congregations. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright morning star.’” 20-“He that bears witness of these things says, ‘Yes; I am coming quickly.’” 7-Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. 12-And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 13-I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 16-I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 20-He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Question: Who is the 'Alpha & Omega' -the Beginning & the End -the First & the Last? Answer: Uh oh... Jehovah's Witnesses are WRONG here: It's JESUS! *FIRST* Note the speaker up in v.16 ("I, Jesus...") *SECOND* Note the context: He is both the root and offspring of David (i.e., it's Jesus: Revelation 5:5; Romans 15:12; Isaiah 11:1; Isaiah 11:10; Matthew 22:45 -see footnotes) *LASTLY* Note verses 7, 12, and 20: He is coming quickly: The speaker here is JESUS. I.e., JESUS is & Omega' -the Beginning & the End -the First & the Last. CONCLUSION: Note that in the NTW, that Revelation 1:7-8 names JEHOVAH GOD as the Alpha & Omega, but here in the Jehovah's Witnesses' own NWT of the Holy Bible, in Revelation 22:7, 12-13, 16, 20, we see that JESUS is the Alpha & Omega, and so, by their own Bible, Jesus MUST be Jehovah God, as claimed by Protestants & Catholics. Hebrews 7:3 3-In being fatherless, motherless, without genealogy, having neither a beginning of days nor an end of life, but having been made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually. 3-Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. BONUS: We see here that Jesus, who made a cameo preincarnate appearance to Abraham as Melchizedek, the priest to whom Abraham gave a tithe, being both priest and King of Salem, in fact has neither beginning nor end -in other words, HE is the Beginning & the End, eternally existent. Since we've already proven that Jesus is Alpha & Omega, this is anti-climatic and unnecessary if you believe the book of Revelation, but I'm including it to be complete.-Editor FOOTNOTES: Revelation 5:5 NWT: 5-But one of the elders says to me: “Stop weeping. Look! The Lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered so as to open the scroll and its seven seals.” KJV: 5-And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. Romans 15:12 NWT: 12-And again Isaiah says: “There will be the root of Jes´se, and there will be one arising to rule nations; on him nations will rest their hope.” KJV: 12-And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. Isaiah 11:1 NWT: 1-And there must go forth a twig out of the stump of Jes´se; and out of his roots a sprout will be fruitful. KJV: 1-And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: Isaiah 11:10 NWT: 10-And it must occur in that day that there will be the root of Jes´se that will be standing up as a signal for the peoples. To him even the nations will turn inquiringly, and his resting-place must become glorious. KJV: 10-And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. Matthew 22:45 NWT: 45-If, therefore, David calls him ‘Lord,’ how is he his son?” KJV: 45-If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? Final thoughts -- This page is deep: Read it through very slowly, and then re-read it, preferably offline, printed out, with a nice cup of hot chocolate and relaxing in a bed -or a recliner chair.

* "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." (1st Epistle of John 5:7)
* "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." (1st Timothy 3:16, KJV)
* "And great and important and weighty, we confess, is the hidden truth (the mystic secret) of godliness. He [God] was made visible in human flesh, justified and vindicated in the [Holy] Spirit, was seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, [and] taken up in glory." (1st Timothy 3:16, AMP)
* "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen." (2nd Corinthians 13:14)

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