The Word of Our God Endures Forever JW Broadcasting...

The Word of Our God Endures Forever

JW Broadcasting January 2017


Contents 1. Introduction ......................................................................... 1

2. The Word of Our God Endures Forever ............................ 1

2.1 Isaiah 40:8 – Word of god endures forever ..................... 2

2.2 - 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 – All scripture inspired of God ......... 2

2.3 Language barriers ........................................................... 3

2.3.1 Greek replaced Hebrew ............................................ 3

2.3.2 Greek Septuagint ...................................................... 4

2.4 Latin replaced Greek ....................................................... 4

2.5 Commoners couldn’t understand Latin ............................ 5

2.6 Direct opposition from religious leaders .......................... 5

2.7 John Wycliffe ................................................................... 6

2.8 Development of printing ................................................... 7

2.9 Original language text availability .................................... 7

2.10 New World Translation .................................................. 8

2.11 Psalms 12:6, 7 sayings like refined silver ...................... 8

2.12 Overcoming Scepticism ................................................. 9

2.13 Psalms 119:97-100 how I do love your law ................. 10

3. William Tyndale ................................................................. 11

3.1 Tyndale’s Life ................................................................. 12

3.2 Dangerous work ............................................................ 13

3.3 Smuggling bibles to England ......................................... 14

3.4 Extended version of documentary ................................. 15

4. David Sibrey - England ..................................................... 15

5. Two former enemies unite ................................................ 18

5.1 Heb 4:12 word of God alive & exerts power .................. 18

5.2 Vladimir Olkhov – gang leader ...................................... 19

5.3 Valery Zaporozhsky - police .......................................... 19

5.4 Vladimir Olkhov – spiritual awakening ........................... 20


5.5 Valery Zaporozhsky – spiritual awakening .................... 21

5.6 Vladimir Olkhov - reunion .............................................. 21

6. Improving zeal in our Ministry ......................................... 23

6.1 Challenges ..................................................................... 23

6.1.1 Rom 15:19 thoroughly preached good news .......... 24

6.2 Learn from Paul’s ministry ............................................. 24

6.2.1 Ephesians 6:19 pray for boldness ........................... 24

6.2.2 - 2 Timothy - Paul handled bible aright ................... 24

7. Arne Matson - Greenland .................................................. 25

7.1 First publishers .............................................................. 26

7.2 Today ............................................................................. 28

8. Conclusion ......................................................................... 29

8.1 Reaching the Most distant part ...................................... 29

8.2 Interview with Faithful sisters ......................................... 29

8.3 Review ........................................................................... 30

8.4 Warwick musuems to open ............................................ 30

9. Your Word Endures Forever music video ....................... 31

10. Greetings from Mali ........................................................ 32


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1. Introduction Welcome, brothers and sisters. This is a historic moment! Our studio has moved and is now located only minutes from the new world headquarters complex at Warwick, New York. And this first program from our new studio will bring you many spiritual gems. First, what obstacles have been overcome so that common people can read God’s Word? In this exciting documentary, we will see the courage shown by William Tyndale of England. What helped two fierce enemies to become close friends? The uniting power of the Bible is evident in this account. And what can we learn from the apostle Paul that will improve our ministry? We will find out as we join this family during their Family Worship evening. This is the January program of JW Broadcasting!

2. The Word of Our God Endures Forever As Jehovah’s Witnesses, we truly love the Bible. Why? Because we know it is God’s Word. That’s why we love reading it, we love studying it, and we love learning about its history. When we pause for a moment and reflect on the many efforts that have been made through the centuries to hinder and even stop the distribution of the Bible, it becomes obvious that its Author, Jehovah, has been personally involved in preserving and making known his precious Word.


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2.1 Isaiah 40:8 – Word of god endures forever

This is very much in harmony with the thought in Isaiah 40:8: “The green grass dries up, “the blossom withers, but the word of our God endures forever.” With that in mind, I’m happy to speak with you this month on a theme that’s very close to my heart: “The Word of Our God Endures Forever.” The more we come to appreciate the value of God’s Word, the more we’ll be moved to read it and, even more important, to apply it in our lives. Jehovah gave us an outstanding gift when he inspired faithful men to record his precious Word. It’s through the pages of God’s Word that we learn just how much God loves us. Thus, his Word contains guidance on how to live. It outlines his purpose in creating us. It gives us his precious promises for life everlasting in peace and happiness.

2.2 - 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 – All scripture inspired of God

No wonder the apostle Paul was inspired to write at 2 Timothy 3:16, 17: “All Scripture is inspired of God “and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, “for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, “so that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.”


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Of course, Satan the Devil does not want people to have access to these precious truths from our heavenly Father, Jehovah. It’s no surprise that there have been many obstacles to making the Bible available. While Satan may not have been directly behind all of these, he certainly has made use of them.

2.3 Language barriers

What are some of these obstacles, and how have they been overcome? Let’s consider the first obstacle: language barriers. The first 39 books of the Bible, which are often called the Old Testament, were written primarily in the Hebrew language. These books were known by Hebrew-speaking servants of Jehovah. However, as time went on, particularly after the destruction of Babylon, many Jews established communities in other nations of the earth.

2.3.1 Greek replaced Hebrew Many of these Jews spoke Greek. They no longer used Hebrew. That meant that many Jews no longer had access to the Scriptures in a language they could understand. Consider what had happened. As Alexander the Great conquered more and more of the then-known world, Greek gradually became the common language of commerce and government throughout his empire.


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If the Bible was to be understood by the Jews and by Jewish proselytes who were scattered throughout this vast Greek-speaking territory, it needed to be translated into Greek.

2.3.2 Greek Septuagint Beginning in about the year 250 B.C.E., the Hebrew Scriptures began to be translated into Greek. In time, that Greek translation came to be known as the Septuagint. It was widely and frequently used by the Christians in the first century who spoke Greek. In fact, the writers of the Christian Greek Scriptures, which is often called the New Testament, frequently quoted directly from that translation. So that obstacle had been overcome. But there were many more language obstacles ahead.

2.4 Latin replaced Greek

As the Roman Empire began to flourish, Latin replaced Greek as a common language. Now it was necessary to translate the Bible into Latin. Some Latin translations of the Bible books began to appear. But it was in the year 405 C.E. that Jerome completed the definitive Latin translation of the Bible. It came to be known as the Latin Vulgate.


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Jerome’s translation would become the standard Bible used by Christendom for the next nearly 1,000 years.

2.5 Commoners couldn’t understand Latin

However, Latin soon became the language of the learned and the elite, so the common people could no longer understand the Bible’s message. During that long period, there were sincere men that translated portions of the Bible into some additional languages, but these translations were, of course, all made by hand. Such handwritten copies of the Bible were rare and expensive. Therefore, access to the Bible in vernacular, or common languages, was very limited. But language was not the only obstacle that threatened to prevent the distribution of God’s Word.

2.6 Direct opposition from religious leaders

Consider a second factor: direct opposition to Bible translation and distribution from religious leaders. That opposition started to increase in 1229 when the local church Council of Toulouse decreed: “We prohibit also that the laity should be permitted to have the books of the Old or the New Testament.” In 1234, the Council of Tarragona decreed: “No one should possess the books of the Old or the New Testament “in the vernacular [language], “and if anyone possesses them, “let him deliver them, within eight days “from the promulgation of this decree, to the local bishop, so that they may be burned.”


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Thus, during a very long period in history, there was limited access to the Bible in the languages spoken by common people. But did that mean that the Word of God would not continue to endure? Neither language barriers nor opposition from religious leaders could stop God’s Word from being made known. Even in those dark times, there were individuals who loved God’s Word and who worked hard to translate it and to make it available to others.

2.7 John Wycliffe

Consider John Wycliffe and his followers who were called the Lollards. John Wycliffe and his associates completed the translation of the Bible into English about the year 1382. They eagerly hand copied the translation and then travelled from village to village reading the Bible to the common people. Despite tremendous opposition from the church, Wycliffe and his followers made the Bible available to many honest hearted people in the English language. After Wycliffe died in 1384, great opposition came to his followers. Many had land and property confiscated. Others were burned at the stake. In response to the work of Wycliffe and the Lollards, in 1408, Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury, declared: “We therefore decree and ordain “that no man shall, hereafter, by his own authority, “translate any text of the Scripture “into


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English, or any other tongue, . . . upon pain of greater excommunication.” Did such opposition wipe out efforts to translate and make the Bible available? Absolutely not! The work of Wycliffe and his associates stimulated interest in the Bible throughout England and even as far as central Europe. Religious leaders were not able to silence the Word of God. In fact, within just a few decades after Wycliffe’s death, two factors led to a tremendous increase in the availability of the Bible.

2.8 Development of printing

The first, about the year 1454, was the development of printing with movable type. This invention would in time allow for the printing of large quantities of Bibles in many languages.

2.9 Original language text availability

The second factor was the compiling and printing of the Hebrew and Greek original language text of the Holy Scriptures. This allowed many translators to have access to the original language texts so that they then could produce high-quality translations in their own languages. What was the result? In the 1500’s across Europe, fresh translations were made and printed in vernacular, or common languages, including German, English, Italian, French, Dutch, Czech, Danish, Swedish, Spanish, Slovenian, and many others.


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However, opposition continued. Bible translators were frequently hounded by the Inquisition, and some translators like William Tyndale and John Rogers were even put to death for their work. Nonetheless, the Word of God continued to endure and be made available to more and more language groups. By the early 1800’s, Bible translation began to speed up. Bible societies and intrepid translators began to work in many parts of the earth so that the Bible began to appear in languages of Asia, Africa, the Pacific islands, as well as in indigenous languages of the Americas. From 1800 to 1899, some portions of the Bible were translated into some 400 languages, and from 1900 to 1950, more than 500 languages were added.

2.10 New World Translation

Consider what has been accomplished with the New World Translation. As of this month, the New World Translation has been produced in whole or in part in 149 languages, with an additional it’s obvious that neither language barriers nor opposition from religious leaders was able to stop the distribution of God’s Word. Jehovah has protected it through the ages.

2.11 Psalms 12:6, 7 sayings like refined silver

It’s just as Psalm 12:6, 7 says: “The sayings of Jehovah are pure; “they are like silver refined in an earthen furnace, “purified


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seven times. “You will guard them, O Jehovah; “you will protect each one of them from this generation forever.” Yes, Jehovah has protected each one of his precious sayings down through the ages.

2.12 Overcoming Scepticism

But consider a third obstacle. Although the Bible is now available in whole or in part in almost 3,000 languages, many people are no longer interested in reading it. In our modern age, people have become increasingly sceptical and irreligious. Scientists have extolled the theory of evolution and have made it appear intelligent to doubt the existence of God. At the same time, secular philosophy has encouraged people to make life decisions according to what feels right to them. What is the result? A world where people are often guided by their own selfish, fleshly desires. Instead of leading to happiness, many people are left feeling empty and dissatisfied. How is this third obstacle overcome? Around the world, people are opening God’s Word, the Bible, and reading it for themselves. They’re recognizing that its thoughts are not simply human wisdom. As they apply its principles in their lives, they find contentment and joy.


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They develop self-respect and dignity from living according to the upright moral standards outlined by our Creator.

2.13 Psalms 119:97-100 how I do love your law

As Psalm 119:97-100 states: “How I do love your law! “I ponder over it all day long. “Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, “because it is with me forever. “I have more insight than all my teachers, “because I ponder over your reminders. “I act with more understanding than older men, because I observe your orders. ”What a powerful proof that the Word of God endures forever. While the advice of human philosophers is frequently flawed, the Bible’s counsel works. If we apply it, it can help us either to overcome or to cope with any problem or situation that we may face. What is more, by explaining God’s purpose for the future, it gives us a solid hope this earth will be restored to the Paradise that it was when it was first created. It will be filled with peace and righteousness. What a wonderful gift Jehovah gave us through the Bible! Yes, languages barriers, opposition from religious leaders, and even an increasingly irreligious world cannot stop God’s Word. How can you be part of the evidence that the Word of God endures forever? Read it every day, study it, meditate on the


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deep thoughts that it contains, and then apply those priceless teachings in your life. In this way, not just on the printed page, not just on the library shelf, but in our minds, in our own hearts, in our own lives the Word of God will truly endure forever. Now, let’s get better acquainted with one of the individuals we just mentioned who truly loved God’s Word.

3. William Tyndale In the 16th century, English scholar William Tyndale had to endure harsh persecution in order to translate the Bible. But he was convinced that the Bible had to be translated. You will notice that this brief documentary has been designed also to appeal to people who are not Jehovah’s Witnesses, as it will later be made available on our official website, jw.org. In the autumn of 1536, William Tyndale was led from his prison cell, in the castle of Vilvoorde, to the site of his impending execution. There a post had been prepared for him. Tyndale was chained to the post, strangled to death, and then his body burned before the onlooking crowd. His crime? Tyndale struggled to reconcile the teachings of the church with his own studies of the Bible. William Tyndale died with his faith intact that the Bible is the Word of God. William Tyndale was the first person to seek to translate the Bible from the original languages into English.


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3.1 Tyndale’s Life

Tyndale was born in the late 15th century. He was born in the area of Gloucestershire but had a chance to go to Oxford and became a priest. In the 15th century, there was a lot of resistance—the idea that the Word of God could just simply be accessible by the general people. People knew the Latin Bible from church, which was interpreted by the priest for them. They never had direct access to the Bible themselves. Tyndale was not allowed to do this translation in England. He went to the Bishop of London asking for his permission to translate the New Testament from the Greek—the original text—into English but was not given that permission. Such was the opposition to Bible translation that Tyndale later wrote that there was no place to do it in all England. And so with the help of merchants sympathetic to his cause, Tyndale fled to Germany where he could more easily work on his English translation of the New Testament. By 1525, his translation was complete and ready to be printed. The British Library in London holds the answer to what happened next. Dr. Karen Limper-Herz, a lead curator at the library, is going to help us find out.


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So we are looking at a unique copy of the first edition of Tyndale’s New Testament, printed in Cologne in 1525. The Cologne Fragment is the only known copy of what exists of Tyndale’s first edition of the New Testament.

3.2 Dangerous work

The fact that it is a fragment shows that it was a dangerous thing to do. The printer had too much to drink and mentioned that he was printing this pro-Lutheran English New Testament for somebody called William Tyndale. The authorities found out about it, and the print shop was raided. Tyndale and his partners ran—and this is all that survives today—and they went down the Rhine a bit further to Worms. So the fact that they didn’t get much further than part way through Matthew is quite indicative of how dangerous it was. The first complete copies of Tyndale’s translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures were finally printed in the city of Worms in Germany in 1526. Around 3,000 or more of these books were produced. After leaving Germany, Tyndale moved to Antwerp. This bustling city was ideal for Tyndale. It had a thriving printing industry and its busy port made it easy for his books to reach readers in England.


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Professor Guido Latré has kindly offered to show me around the very streets that Tyndale would have walked himself some 500 years ago. What he saw around him here were ordinary people having access to the Bible in Dutch. He wanted the same for his own folk in England.

3.3 Smuggling bibles to England

If you wanted to smuggle Bibles on a large scale into England, this was Northern Europe’s biggest seaport. You can’t easily smuggle a big volume and a big format. So tiny loose leaves that were taken to places like this—these underground cellars, the warehouses—and between the leaves of larger books that were not forbidden, the tiny leaves of Tyndale’s translation would have been hidden. In London, someone would have recognized: ‘Aha! These are the stacks that are marked.‘ I must have a look at these and find the loose leaves of Tyndale’s Bible.’ There were about 30,000 copies of Tyndale’s Bible available by the end of his life. This was a brave man and a big man in terms of courage and in terms of investment of time. And the risks he took are not to be underestimated. William Tyndale was imprisoned here in Vilvoorde, just north of Brussels.


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As he languished in prison for over a year, he no doubt contemplated the cruel death that inevitably awaited him. Tyndale is often renowned for his influence on the English language, but his work was more than that of just scholarly ambition. Tyndale loved the Bible. Maybe it can be said of him that he shared the feelings of the psalmist who spoke of God’s Word and said: “How I do love your law!” Despite intense opposition, the Bible and the wisdom in it survives to this day, a faithful transmission of the original writers’ words. No wonder so many have placed such value on the Bible.

3.4 Extended version of documentary

You’ll be happy to know that later this month an extended version of this documentary will be made available. It contains additional examples of individuals who risked their lives to spread God’s Word. The video is called They Valued the Bible and will be released on Video on Demand under the heading “The Bible.” Knowing that Jehovah is personally involved in preserving and making known his Word, we can be confident that the Bible is the only true means of drawing close to him.

4. David Sibrey - England As a child, David Sibrey, from England, had not read the Bible. Instead, he had been taught traditions of men.


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What helped him see the truth? I was born in 1930. We lived in Littlehampton, which was a seaside town, a very pleasant little place, quiet place. I would like to walk in the countryside. Nature intrigued me. My interest was in what I saw rather than what I read. Well, in 1939, war broke out, and our road became the second line of defence. And then, of course, you get the aircraft. Well, there was a young boy (younger than myself), and one Sunday morning an air raid took place, and the house where he was living was destroyed, and he was killed. But I remember saying to my mother, “Why did he have to die?” And her answer was: “Well, he’s in a better place. He’s with God in heaven,” which didn’t quite add up to me. I couldn’t understand how God could be responsible for his death, which meant He was responsible for war. So it was—The whole thing was depressing; perhaps put it that way. As far as religion was concerned, I accepted it was there, but I couldn’t understand how it fit in with what was going on. There was a gap somewhere, and I couldn’t, I couldn’t, plug it. Every time you went to church, you had a hymnbook and a prayer book, but a Bible was something you had personally.


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And the only time I ever opened it was when I began to study with Jehovah’s Witnesses. I was 17 or 18 years of age when I started. A brother named Joe Gladwin called upon me. I knew nothing about the Bible. The fact that he said it, fair enough. He said it was in the Bible, OK. But what do other people say? I decided to look for myself. I realized that what Joe was telling me was right. He showed me that the Bible was true. I began to see that the Bible told me things that I had never known. Over the years, I’ve been privileged to collect so many different translations of the Bible. Reading through the different translations, it’s clear that God’s Word never changes. I got baptized at the age of 20 in 1950. Over the years, I’ve served first of all as a pioneer. From then I came to Bethel. Moving from Bethel to the circuit and district work, and then finally, coming back to Bethel for the Writing Desk. The assignments I’ve had have strengthened my conviction not only that Jehovah is giving direction and his spirit can enable us


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to do whatever he wants us to do but that the organization has grown and, with the development of the Governing Body’s direction, is an organization which is second to none. And, therefore, staying with it is the logical thing to do. In my life, I looked in many places for answers to life’s questions, but only the Bible has provided answers. I am so thankful that Jehovah continues to teach us. Brother Sibrey’s appreciation for the Bible is heart warming.

5. Two former enemies unite Do you remember how we can personally demonstrate our appreciation for the Word of God? By reading, studying, and meditating on the deep thoughts that it contains and then by applying those inspired teachings in our lives. When we do that, we allow the holy spirit to affect our inner being, to shape our desires and objectives in life.

5.1 Heb 4:12 word of God alive & exerts power

However, what if someone has harboured resentment against his fellow man for years, perhaps to the point of wanting to kill that person? What can God’s Word do in such a serious circumstance? Remember the words of Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is alive and exerts power . . . and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Yes, Jehovah has preserved the Bible so that we can benefit from the power of his Word.


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Vladimir Olkhov and Valery Zaporozhsky, who are from Russia, were the fiercest of enemies, yet they experienced that power firsthand.

5.2 Vladimir Olkhov – gang leader

I was the ringleader of a criminal gang. We extorted money, put people out of business, threatened them, dragged them away. And they would hand over everything. People were afraid of me, and I liked it that way. I never forgave anybody. If someone wronged me, I would say: “Throw one stone at me! I’ll bury you in a mountain of rocks!”

5.3 Valery Zaporozhsky - police

In 1993, I was working for the police. They assigned me to gather information about a gang whose leader was Vladimir Olkhov. One time, when committing a crime, they caught me at the scene. I swore revenge on everybody involved with my arrest. During interrogations, I did everything to humiliate Vladimir and tried to break him. We just hated each other! I told Valery, “Just remember: “Sooner or later I’m getting out of prison and then you’re a dead


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man!” I thought to myself: ‘For a start, ‘I’m going to blow up his car. If he doesn’t understand, then I’ll just eliminate him.’ His threats sounded so serious that I started to fear for my life. I decided to have my friends and acquaintances make his life behind bars unbearable and to make sure that he would never get out.

5.4 Vladimir Olkhov – spiritual awakening

I saw that one of my cell mates had a pocket New Testament. I asked him if I could read it. Seeing my interest in spiritual things, someone gave me a Watchtower magazine. When I started reading the magazine, I realized that there are other people out there—real people. There’s a totally different way of life to be had, even now, and with such prospects. I was just stunned. Then I found another five magazines around the prison. I devoured them as well. And I became thoroughly convinced that I had found the truth. When my wife was first allowed to visit me, I told her right away, “I’ve found the truth!” My wife made pretty fast progress and was baptized two years later. Her support was invaluable.


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She would visit me, constantly encouraging me to be faithful and remain loyal to God.

5.5 Valery Zaporozhsky – spiritual awakening

In 1993, Jehovah’s Witnesses visited me. I agreed to a Bible study, but the truth didn’t touch my heart. One time, Jehovah’s Witnesses invited me to a gathering, and there they told me that Vladimir Olkhov—that criminal—was about to get baptized and become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I was cut to the heart! When I got home, I burst into tears. I realized that I had to make spiritual progress. Because if he, in his circumstances, could do it, then I could do it. That very moment, I prayed for the first time in my life.

5.6 Vladimir Olkhov - reunion

I was released in October of 1997. After I was released, the brothers organized a gathering. They invited me to this gathering. I remember that as I was approaching the place, I suddenly realized this is where I once conducted a search! And then Valery walked into the room. We just hugged each other and burst into tears. And I saw in his eyes a completely different look, not like before—it was a kind look.


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It brought tears to my eyes. It was like a big weight was lifted from my chest. ‘My brother!’ We begged one another for forgiveness. On the 23rd of November 1997, I was baptized together in the same pool as my new friend Valery. We really became the best of friends. And now we serve as elders in the same congregation. My wife and I often talk about what would have happened to us if we had not started to study the Bible. Probably we wouldn’t even be alive now. We’ve kept our family together. Even better, we now have a spiritual family in the Christian congregation. And my former enemy is now my brother and best friend. More importantly, we’ve developed a close relationship with Jehovah. Only God is able to change the thinking of such bitter enemies as Vlad and I were. And I eagerly look forward to the day when everything that divides people will be gone forever. Do you see one reason why Jehovah did not allow his Word to be obliterated? He knew the benefits you and I would reap from having access to the Bible.


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Its message is so powerful, it could help Vladimir and Valery to change their lives and even become close friends. While very few of us have taken part in the translation of the Bible, all of us can share it with our neighbors and help them to gain accurate knowledge of Jehovah.

6. Improving zeal in our Ministry In the following dramatization, note some of the theocratic activities that this family enjoys and what they had to do to become so zealous. OK, OK. We already know how this story is going to end. No real surprises there. So the real question is, How did we get here? For the record, I never thought our ministry really needed help. My wife and daughter were both regular pioneers. My son was a solid publisher. And while my schedule didn’t let me pioneer yet, I was trying to do all I could to support them. I always assumed the best support I could provide was just being out with them as much as possible, but I quickly realized more was needed.

6.1 Challenges

Our Field Service Group Overseer had been making a real effort to work in the ministry with us regularly the last few weeks, and he kindly mentioned he’d noticed a few challenges.


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While our service time was great, he pointed out that our return visits were slowly dwindling. And other than the studies I had with the children, no one in the family was conducting a Bible study. I asked him what we could do to try and improve the quality of our ministry.

6.1.1 Rom 15:19 thoroughly preached good news He showed me Romans 15:19, highlighting Paul’s words: “I have thoroughly preached the good news about the Christ.”

6.2 Learn from Paul’s ministry

He suggested on our next Family Worship night studying Paul’s ministry and seeing what we could learn from his example. As we looked at Paul’s ministry, we realized to be more productive we needed boldness.

6.2.1 Ephesians 6:19 pray for boldness Ephesians 6:19 says: “Pray also for me, “that the words may be given to me when I open my mouth, “so that I may be able to speak boldly in making known the sacred secret of the good news.” Rina also noticed how Paul reasoned persuasively with people. And Keiko liked how he found common ground with those he talked to—even referring to a pagan altar to an unknown god as a way to direct the conversation to Jehovah.

6.2.2 - 2 Timothy - Paul handled bible aright Finally, Haruto noted how 2 Timothy said Paul was “a workman with nothing to be ashamed of, handling the word of the truth


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aright.” So he was skilled in using the Scriptures with those he witnessed to. See, I told you. You already knew how this was going to end. I started auxiliary pioneering. We now have a number of return visits and a few progressive Bible studies. But how did we get here? We learned from the example of Paul and how he “thoroughly preached the good news.” The group overseer could’ve simply listed what changes were needed to improve the family’s ministry. Instead, he directed the father to a specific principle found in the Scriptures. After all, it is only God’s Word that “is inspired . . . for teaching.”

7. Arne Matson - Greenland Bible translations in common languages started to spread across Europe in the 1500’s, but it took much longer for more remote places to receive the Bible. It was in 1766 that the complete Greek Scriptures, or New Testament, was first published in Greenlandic—a language spoken today by about 50,000 people. In August of last year, I had the privilege of serving a regional convention in Greenland, which is overseen by the Scandinavia branch. Greenland is the neighbour to the north of Newfoundland, where I pioneered for 11 years.


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So it was a wonderful experience to go there and meet our brothers. Some 400 brothers and sisters travelled at their own expense from all over Scandinavia to support the convention in Greenland. Although Greenland is a land covered by large ice caps, there are many warm hearts yearning for the truth. I think that Jesus had Greenland in mind when he spoke about preaching to the most distant part of the earth. My name is Arne Mattsson. My wife, Karin, and I have lived in Greenland for more than 34 years. We have travelled all over the country preaching about God’s Kingdom, and we have had some fantastic experiences.

7.1 First publishers

In the 1950’s, two young special pioneers came to Greenland as the first publishers. They travelled by boat from town to town carrying just tents and simple equipment. They had to endure the cold weather, face resistance from the local ministers, and even fight with sledge dogs that took their food. But they laid the groundwork for the great effort that has been made to preach to all in this country.


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In the 1960’s and ’70’s, many families moved here from Denmark to help with the preaching work. I remember how I, as a teenager in 1971, moved from Denmark to Greenland with my family. It was not easy to learn the language, but the brothers and sisters from Denmark did their best, and it had a good effect on the territory. In 1973, The Watchtower began to be published in Greenlandic. Just to pronounce the name, Napassuliak’ Alapernaerssuivfik, was a challenge. But it has been a popular magazine in Greenland ever since. Once, we met a couple who for many years had received copies of The Watchtower when publishers visited their settlement. They told us that they often felt depressed when they woke up in the morning, but when they read the magazine, they felt better. And they would read the same copies over and over again. When the temperature drops and the snow falls, the landscape gets covered by a beautiful white blanket for half a year, so the publishers make good use of the summer. Some towns and settlements only seldom receive a witness. There are no roads between the towns, but we reach isolated areas by boat.


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When someone shows interest in our message, the contact is maintained by phone. Many have great respect for the Bible, and so My Book of Bible Stories has found its way into many, many homes. Over a period of 24 years, Karin and I have sailed so much that it equals a trip twice around the globe. This has cost a lot of effort and money, but with Jehovah’s blessing, we have been able to continue year after year preaching to the distant parts of Greenland. The preaching work here is a great experience. People are attentive and kind. But it took a long time before the first native Greenlander was baptized—actually 18 years of zealous preaching.

7.2 Today

Today, there are more than 150 publishers in 5 congregations. Jehovah has really blessed the work that has been done here for more than 60 years. In August 2016, a very special convention was held in the capital of Nuuk. Brothers and sisters from all over Scandinavia travelled all the way to attend the convention. We were very encouraged by the visit of a member of the Governing Body, Brother Mark Sanderson, who gave us some faith-strengthening talks. I think it’s a great privilege to be able to understand the truth.


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It’s amazing that Jehovah gave his attention to an insignificant human like me. When I started to follow the Bible’s unique teachings and principles, I clearly understood how it would benefit my own life. After this convention, even though we live in small towns far away from the rest of the world, we feel closer than ever before to the worldwide brotherhood. The peak attendance at the convention was 614—the largest ever in Greenland. Our brothers from other parts of Scandinavia who attended the convention also took part in a campaign inviting interested ones. In only two hours, the whole capital city of Nuuk was covered.

8. Conclusion

8.1 Reaching the Most distant part

It was a wonderful witness! And speaking of witnessing in “the most distant part of the earth,” you’ll be happy to know that Brother Geoffrey Jackson of the Governing Body recently explained in a morning worship how the Bible was translated into numerous languages in the 19th century. That segment is now available on Video on Demand. It is entitled Reaching “the Most Distant Part.”

8.2 Interview with Faithful sisters

And later this month, a beautiful segment from the 2011 annual meeting will be posted for your enjoyment.


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It is an interview with five widows of Governing Body members. The sisters relate how they learned the truth and share treasured memories from their many years of faithful service. This segment is entitled Interview With Faithful Sisters—Widows of Governing Body Members and will be available on Video on Demand under the “Interviews and Experiences” category.

8.3 Review

Do you agree that Jehovah gave us an outstanding gift in his Word? He not only gave us the gift but also made sure time and time again that it was preserved for our benefit. Individuals we met earlier in the program, such as Brothers David Sibrey, Vladimir Olkhov, and Valery Zaporozhsky, have all seen the effects of the power that God’s Word exerts and the guidance it provides. We also saw that the Bible is “beneficial for teaching” and “for setting things straight,” as we watched a family learn how to improve their ministry by following the example of the apostle Paul. Yes, God’s Word has endured and will continue to endure forever.

8.4 Warwick musuems to open

As you know, on April 3, 2017, our museums in Warwick will open to the public. In addition to our enlarged gallery entitled “The Bible and the Divine Name,” we will also have a new gallery on the theme “The Word of God Endures Forever.”


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Please come and visit. You’ll be happy to see a wonderful collection of Bibles that illustrates the points we have discussed in this broadcast. The psalmist was inspired to write: “How I do love your law!” And we agree. We love Jehovah and we love the Bible and so have millions throughout the centuries, including those who were used by Jehovah to preserve his Word.

9. Your Word Endures Forever music video With these thoughts in mind, let’s enjoy this month’s music video entitled Your Word Endures Forever. They looked up at the stars With godly fear in their hearts. They thanked their God up above For revealing to them His love. So You gave them your name, A Kingdom hope to proclaim. They’re words preserved for our day. They’re faithful words to show us the way. They loved you from their heart, And they were proud to play their part—Approved by you to preserve your Word, Wrote it down so you would be heard. Your Word endures forever, And your sayings are, oh, so deep. The good news you declare is a breath of fresh air, And your sayings I just want to keep.


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Oh, whatever Your enemies tried, They could not silence You. Your loyal ones who loved your Word Kept their faith, integrity too. And when they tried to ban their Bibles, They were prepared to give their lives. For so strong was their faith and the witness they gave, Not one of your words was erased. And so your Word endures forever, And your sayings are, oh, so deep. The good news you declare is a breath of fresh air, And your sayings I just want to keep. And you told us your name is Jehovah. In your Word it’s plain to see. So your name will endure, All your words will come true, And we’ll praise you all of our days. So your Word endures forever, And your sayings are, oh, so deep. The good news you declare is a breath of fresh air, And your sayings I just want to keep, All of my days.

10. Greetings from Mali A beautiful song, indeed! We would like to conclude this program by sharing these greetings from our brothers and sisters in Mali. Mali is located in western Africa, reaching well into the Sahara Desert.


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The northern part of the country is hot and covered with sand, but the southern region, which is watered by the Niger River, is green with forests and vegetation. The Witnesses in the country have a huge task, as the ratio of Jehovah’s Witnesses to population is about one publisher to 59,000 residents. Also, the distances are tremendous. The approximately 300 publishers cover an area more than twice the size of the country of France. Mali is one of the hottest countries in the world, so some groups and congregations hold their meetings outdoors under the cool shade of a tree. Although the official language of the country is French, most people better understand the local language Bambara. Thus, most meetings are either held or interpreted in Bambara. Recently, language classes were held in Bomu, which is another local language. Also, the seven publishers of the American Sign Language group have been assigned to witness to the more than who have a hearing impairment. Last year, the total attendance for the Memorial was over 1,100 people. One man who received an invitation walked three kilometers, or almost two miles, to attend the Memorial despite having a physical challenge with his foot.


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He is now regular at the meetings and is making good progress. Recently, a new Kingdom Hall was built in the capital city. Municipal and state authorities, neighbours, and many passers-by have been amazed at what they have seen, and they have praised the brothers working on the project. Our brothers and sisters in Mali send us their love. We love them, and we love all of you. This is JW Broadcasting from the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

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