Saturday, February 28, 2015

THE GOSPEL IN THE NEW WORLD TRANSLATION


The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT) is the Bible that was translated and published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York Inc., and is the preferred Bible of use for the Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW’s).

One of the things the translators of the NWT had to do to make the NWT fit with the theology of the JW’s was make every attempt to remove the Gospel of grace from its pages and replace it with their works based theology. In many places they did in fact succeed in doing this. John 1:12 and John 3:16 are two examples where the New World Translation takes the takes the beautiful word ‘believe’ and renders it as ‘exercising faith’ even though the Greek word used in bother verses is pisteuo and means: to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by implication, to entrust (especially one’s spiritual well-being to Christ):–believe(-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with.

Yet in spite of their best efforts, I fully believe that God Almighty allowed the true Gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone to be found in the pages of the NWT.

To begin with, both JW’s and Christians believe that all of us have sinned and that due to this sin condition we destined for eternity separated from God. No, I am not going to get into other topics here, I want to just focus on the Gospel.

I will be posting the first passage we look at from the NWT, and the one below it will the same passage from the King James Bible (KJV).
First let’s look at Romans 3:23:

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God – NWT
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God – KJV

We agree on this, and the wage that sin pays as we see by looking next at Romans 6:23a:

For the wages sin pays is death – NWT
         For the wages of sin is death – KJV

A key point to keep in mind here is that wages are something earned, not something given to us as a gift. Thus, we have all earned death since we have all sinned.

Then, without getting into the issue of the denial of a literal hellfire by the JW’s, I want to point out that both translations say that those who are not found written in the book of life will be sent into the lake of fire. We see this at Revelation 20:14-15:

And death and Ha´des were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire. – NWT
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. – KJV

So, we have established so far that the NWT says that we have all sinned and that death is the wage sin pays. The NWT also tells us that those not found written in the book of life will hurled into the lake of fire.

As with all true Gospel presentation this is the bad news. It would continue to be bad news if we had to do anything to earn our salvation. However, the NWT does in fact contain some very good news. Let’s look at the true Gospel in the NWT, and not the false gospel of salvation by works the JW’s believe and have inserted many times into the NWT.

The NWT does say that salvation is a gift. One place it does this is in the second half of Romans 6:23. Let’s look at Romans 6:23b:

but the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord. – NWT
but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. – KJV

A church has never died for us, thus a church can never save us. A religion has never died for us thus a religion cannot save us. An organization has never died for us, thus an organization cannot save us. We have not died for our own sins, thus we cannot save us. We simply must have a Saviour, and Jesus Christ IS that Saviour.

Let’s also look at another passage in Romans that mentions salvation being a gift, but also mentions something else about it. Romans 5:15-16:

But it is not with the gift as it was with the trespass. For if by one man’s trespass many died, the undeserved kindness of God and his free gift with the undeserved kindness by the one man Jesus Christ abounded much more to many. Also, it is not with the free gift as it was with the way things worked through the one [man] that sinned. For the judgment resulted from one trespass in condemnation, but the gift resulted from many trespasses in a declaration of righteousness. – NWT
But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. – KJV

Did you notice the words in bold? Yes, salvation is not just a gift, but a free gift. There is nothing we can do to earn it; otherwise it would be a wage and not a gift. If we have to earn it, then it’s of works, and Paul refutes this false teaching at Romans 11:6:

Now if it is by undeserved kindness, it is no longer due to works; otherwise, the undeserved kindness no longer proves to be undeserved kindness. – NWT
And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work – KJV

Romans 3:24 says:

and it is as a free gift that they are being declared righteous by his undeserved kindness through the release by the ransom [paid] by Christ Jesus. – NWT
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus – KJV

Friends, I love grace. God’s grace is so wonderful, and I am thankful that it’s by His grace we are saved and that it’s not because we have to earn it.
Our next three passages help bring this point home. First, we have Ephesians 2:4-5:

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, made us alive together with the Christ, even when we were dead in trespasses—by undeserved kindness YOU have been saved— – NWT
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) – KJV

Then a passage that I am sure most Christians have memorized, Ephesians 2:8-9:

By this undeserved kindness, indeed, YOU have been saved through faith; and this not owing to YOU, it is God’s gift. No, it is not owing to works, in order that no man should have ground for boasting. – NWT
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. – KJV

Our third passage makes it abundantly clear that we are not saved, nor will any ever be saved by the works they do. Let’s look at Titus 3:5:

owing to no works in righteousness that we had performed, but according to his mercy he saved us through the bath that brought us to life and through the making of us new by holy spirit. – NWT
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; – KJV

Earlier, I made reference to John 1:12 and John 3:16 and how the NWT translators used the words ‘exercising faith’ (aka: good works) in place of ‘believe’ or as the KJV says ‘believeth’. So, if salvation is in fact a free gift that we cannot earn, is there any place else we can look at in the NWT to find out how to get saved God’s way? Is there anywhere else we can look to see how to be saved by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone?

Well, we can look at Ephesians 2:8-9 again. We see there we are saved by grace through faith. Romans 6:23b is clear that we get this gift by Jesus Christ our Lord. We can look again at Titus 3:5 and be reminded that we are saved by God’s mercy and not our works of righteousness.
Let’s look at some more verses that show us the Biblical plan of salvation.

First, we have John3:14-15:

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of man must be lifted up, that everyone believing in him may have everlasting life. – NWT
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. – KJV


I want to point out, that the Greek word here in verse 15 that the NWT renders as believing, is the word pisteuothat we saw used at John 1:12 and John 3:16. Here we see an instance where the translators got it right.

Next we have another verse that uses the Greek word pisteuo, let’s see how John 20:31 reads:

But these have been written down that YOU may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and that, because of believing, YOU may have life by means of his name. – NWT
But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. – KJV

Again, we see where the translators of the NWT got the meaning correct, and again we see that we are not saved by our works.

Lastly, let’s go and take a look at the one passage in the entire Bible where someone asks the million dollar question. The one and only place where we see asked, “What must I do to be saved?” Let’s look at Acts 16:30-31:

And he brought them outside and said: “Sirs, what must I do to get saved?” They said: “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will get saved, you and your household.” – NWT
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. – KJV

So, here when Paul and Silas were asked what to do to be saved, they had the perfect opportunity to share either a salvation by works message, or a Biblical, God based salvation message. What did they say to do? The said to “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved…” Could anything be any clearer?

It is my prayer that through this article, whether on a blog, a web page, through e-mail, or through you just keeping this handy, that we can see many JW’s set free from the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society and come into a relationship with Jesus Christ by realizing they are lost in their sin, and turning to God and calling on Him to save them from hell as they put their complete and total trust, not in a manmade system of works, but in the person of Jesus Christ and what He did for them by dying on the cross and shedding His blood for the remission of their sins.

May God richly bless you and you go forth bearing precious seed.



His for Souls,
Jim Ward

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Who Or What Are We Following?




This is liable to be a very controversial post and trust me it has not been easy in preparation as I have been under conviction and rebuke from God in the areas where I am not following like I should, or am not following Him at all. So please keep in mind that this is being preached to me first and foremost. This may also be a series of posts, as there are several issues I feel led to touch on and a few I want to touch on and hope that I am able to.

As you can see from the above image we will be looking at what it means to deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Jesus, who we know is not only the Son of God, but Got manifest in the flesh and thus is also God. At Matthew 16:24 our Saviour says:

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

When we "come after" Jesus, we are going to be following Him, and here we are given very clear instructions. In fact, you can rightly say that Jesus commanded this. How though does Jesus feel about what He has commanded and what our responsibility is to His commands? He tells us at John 14:23:

If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 

 WOW! That's a pretty strong statement, and honestly, I find it very clear and direct, very black and white with no gray area. John added to this at  1 John 2:3-5 where he said:


And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

That's some strong stuff too. All of it truth. Most of it ignored by many who claim to be Christians. In these three verses we see a good definition of what a Christian is. It is a follower of Jesus Christ, who denies themselves and who keeps the words of Jesus. Another term would be a disciple. Just because someone responds to a Gospel invitation and is saved by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, does not make that person a Christian. A person can be saved and not be a Christian.

Acts 11:26 is the first place in the Bible where the disciples of Jesus Christ were first called Christians. Although you and I use the word as a synonym for a believer, the word, "Christian," is not necessarily a designation for every saved person, as no one was called a Christian before Acts 11:26, and these in Acts as we see were disciples.

What then is a disciple? Simply, it's a student, one who is learning. In this case, one who is learning about Jesus Christ and what He has commanded. At Matthew 28:18-20, commonly referred to as the Great Commission, Jesus said to 11 remaining apostles and to us:


And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.


Jesus commanded us to do more than just see people get saved. We are to also see them get baptized and discipled so that they can go and see others get saved, baptized and discipled and on and on it is to go.

As we go on from here, we will be looking at what all Jesus commanded in Matthew through John, and what the Holy Spirit inspired the rest of the writers of the New Testament to write down as commands for how we are to live.

This promises to be en exciting and challenging journey. Let's see where we are when it end........

Friday, November 26, 2010

Great Quote

I am taking these quotes from my friend Greg Stier as I find them 100% applicable to the state of Christianity and soul winning today. All emphasis and italics are from me.


So what are the lessons for us as followers of Christ? In a 21st Century quest for Hipster Christianity we must remember that the call of Christ is the call to be uncool. It’s the call to pick up our cross and carry a radical and sometimes unpopular message to a broken world. It’s the call to embrace Jesus’ as the narrow gate, though it may appear narrow-minded and exclusive, but to be open-hearted and handed when it comes to the hurting and hopeless.
We need to present the full Jesus to a lost and dying world. We let His life flow through our lives and our lips. Through our lives will pour out a passion for the poor and downtrodden. Through our lips will pour the radical message of hope and life, that can also be highly controversial, since Jesus said His way is the only way of salvation.

Christian, is your Gospel one that seeks to be hip? Is your Christianity so well adjusted to your culture that fit in more with that culture rather then having your life transformed by the message of the cross? Are you willing to risk souls just to be hip and popular?

I'm not.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Dare 2 Share: The UN tour

This weekend I was honored to serve at the Dare 2 Share UN  tour event here in Denver.

Friday night many teens responded to the Gospel and put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior. We had a powerful drama that left many eyes wet and you could tell had everyone thinking about how quickly people are dying and headed into eternity.

Saturday was a full day of preaching, teaching, and worship. We had the group Shane and Shane leading in worship all weekend. DJ Promote was there keeping things moving during the breaks. Propaganda was there and was one of the speakers. Both of these men were on last years tour, but this was the first time I got to talk to them and we enjoyed sweet fellowship while sharing what God was doing over the weekend.

Also speaking was crowd favorite Zane Black who is very passionate the life and purpose Jesus Christ has given him. Zane was on the wrong road of drugs and women when Jesus found him and transformed him. It was time at a Torchbearers Bible School in Winter Park Colorado where God realy begun this transformation on Zane. Today Zane serves at this same school as a director.

The main speaker was the founder and president of Dare 2 Share Greg Stier. Greg was pastoring and doing Dare 2 Share until April 1999 and the terrible tragedy at Columbine High School. After that day, he went full time with Dare 2 Share and God has been using this ministry to mobilize teenagers to relationally and relentlessly reach their generation for Christ.

The purpose of the UN tour, as every with every Dare 2 Share tour is to get teens equipped to live  THE Cause, to make disciples who make disciples who make disciples, and on and on until the return of Jesus Christ.

Here is the list of the rest of the tour stops on this years tour. Adults, they can always use Volunteers, and if you have any teens, you need to get them to this conference.


Columbus, OHFeb 04-05 2011
Washington, DCFeb 11-12 2011
Lincoln, NEFeb 25-26 2011
Twin Cities, MNMar 11-12 2011
St. Louis, MOMar 25-26 2011
Chicago, ILApr 01-02 2011

Friday, November 19, 2010

Keep The Gospel Clear

In a chapel sermon at Dare 2 Share, Greg Stier clearly explains why you whould avoid using 4 very popular and common statements when sharing the Gospel. He explains why they are not Biblical, and also shares how to explain this Gospel.


Free Youth Ministry Resources

Monday, April 19, 2010

What Is Wrong With This Picture?



The above picture is from page 31 of the March 2010 issue of the Awake magazine.

Look at the picture, do you see anything wrong with it? Read the verses supplied and you will see two things wrong with the picture but not three things even though there are three lines. On page 14 of this issue the writers of this section list the answers. Yes they list three, but the truth is, there are only two.

On page 14 they list the following:

1. There should be only 11 apostles, not 12.
2. The bread should be unleavened and therefore flat, not raised.
3. The meat was lamb, not pork.
While I no doubt believe we will agree that #'s 2 & 3 are in error in the picture, I wonder how many of us would agree with the WTBTS that # 1 is an error? Should there be only 11 apostles and not 12?

First, let's look at the passages used with the picture to see if they support this belief or not.

Now on the first day of unfermented cakes, when they customarily sacrificed the passover [victim], his disciples said to him: “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the passover?” (Mark 14:12 NWT)

And as they continued eating, he took a loaf, said a blessing, broke it and gave it to them, and said: “Take it, this means my body.” And taking a cup, he offered thanks and gave it to them, and they all drank out of it.  And he said to them: “This means my ‘blood of the covenant,’ which is to be poured out in behalf of many.  Truly I say to YOU, I shall by no means drink anymore of the product of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” Finally, after singing praises, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (Mark 14:22-26 NWT)
So far, we don't have anything telling us how many apostles were there. Let's look further:

Now, because he knew before the festival of the passover that his hour had come for him to move out of this world to the Father, Jesus, having loved his own that were in the world, loved them to the end. (John 13:1 NWT)

After saying these things, Jesus became troubled in spirit, and he bore witness and said: “Most truly I say to YOU, One of YOU will betray me.” The disciples began to look at one another, being at a loss as to which one he was saying [it] about. There was reclining in front of Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, and Jesus loved him. Therefore Simon Peter nodded to this one and said to him: “Tell who it is about whom he is saying [it].” So the latter leaned back upon the breast of Jesus and said to him: “Lord, who is it?” Therefore Jesus answered: “It is that one to whom I shall give the morsel that I dip.” And so, having dipped the morsel, he took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Is·car´i·ot. And after the morsel then Satan entered into the latter. Jesus, therefore, said to him: “What you are doing get done more quickly.” However, none of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose he said this to him. Some, in fact, were imagining, since Judas was holding the money box, that Jesus was telling him: “Buy what things we need for the festival,” or that he should give something to the poor. Therefore, after he received the morsel, he went out immediately. And it was night. (John 13:21-30 NWT)

This is interesting. Did you notice the parts in bold and blue? According to this proof text, Judas WAS there, so the picture is in fact correct.

In all four Gospel accounts there is reference to this supper that Jesus shared with His disciples. In all four it's clearly shown and seen that all 12 were present.

Let's read from the New World Translation (NWT):

First is Matthew 26:17-30:

17 On the first day of the unfermented cakes the disciples came up to Jesus, saying: “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the passover?” 18 He said: “Go into the city to So-and-so and say to him, The Teacher says, ‘My appointed time is near; I will celebrate the passover with my disciples at your home.’” 19 And the disciples did as Jesus ordered them, and they got things ready for the passover.

20 When, now, it had become evening, he was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples. 21 While they were eating, he said: “Truly I say to YOU, One of YOU will betray me.” 22 Being very much grieved at this, they commenced each and every one to say to him: “Lord, it is not I, is it?” 23 In reply he said: “He that dips his hand with me in the bowl is the one that will betray me. 24 True, the Son of man is going away, just as it is written concerning him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been finer for him if that man had not been born.” 25 By way of reply Judas, who was about to betray him, said: “It is not I, is it, Rabbi?” He said to him: “You yourself said [it].”
26 As they continued eating, Jesus took a loaf and, after saying a blessing, he broke it and, giving it to the disciples, he said: “TAKE, eat. This means my body.” 27 Also, he took a cup and, having given thanks, he gave it to them, saying: “Drink out of it, all of YOU; 28 for this means my ‘blood of the covenant,’ which is to be poured out in behalf of many for forgiveness of sins. 29 But I tell YOU, I will by no means drink henceforth any of this product of the vine until that day when I drink it new with YOU in the kingdom of my Father.” 30 Finally, after singing praises, they went out to the Mount of Olives.


Now let's look at Mark 14:12-26:

12 Now on the first day of unfermented cakes, when they customarily sacrificed the passover [victim], his disciples said to him: “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the passover?” 13 With that he sent forth two of his disciples and said to them: “Go into the city, and a man carrying an earthenware vessel of water will encounter YOU. Follow him, 14 and wherever he goes inside say to the householder, ‘The Teacher says: “Where is the guest room for me where I may eat the passover with my disciples?”’ 15 And he will show YOU a large upper room, furnished in preparation; and there prepare for us.” 16 So the disciples went out, and they entered the city and found it just as he said to them; and they prepared for the passover.

17 After evening had fallen he came with the twelve. 18 And as they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said: “Truly I say to YOU, One of YOU, who is eating with me, will betray me.” 19 They started to be grieved and to say to him one by one: “It is not I, is it?” 20 He said to them: “It is one of the twelve, who is dipping with me into the common bowl. 21 True, the Son of man is going away, just as it is written concerning him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been finer for that man if he had not been born.”
22 And as they continued eating, he took a loaf, said a blessing, broke it and gave it to them, and said: “Take it, this means my body.” 23 And taking a cup, he offered thanks and gave it to them, and they all drank out of it. 24 And he said to them: “This means my ‘blood of the covenant,’ which is to be poured out in behalf of many. 25 Truly I say to YOU, I shall by no means drink anymore of the product of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” 26 Finally, after singing praises, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Now let's read Luke 22:7-30:

7 The day of the unfermented cakes now arrived, on which the passover [victim] must be sacrificed; 8 and he dispatched Peter and John, saying: “Go and get the passover ready for us to eat.” 9 They said to him: “Where do you want us to get [it] ready?” 10 He said to them: “Look! When YOU enter into the city a man carrying an earthenware vessel of water will meet YOU. Follow him into the house into which he enters. 11 And YOU must say to the landlord of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you: “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the passover with my disciples?”’ 12 And that [man] will show YOU a large upper room furnished. Get [it] ready there.” 13 So they departed and found it just as he had said to them, and they got the passover ready.

14 At length when the hour came, he reclined at the table, and the apostles with him. 15 And he said to them: “I have greatly desired to eat this passover with YOU before I suffer; 16 for I tell YOU, I will not eat it again until it becomes fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 And, accepting a cup, he gave thanks and said: “Take this and pass it from one to the other among yourselves; 18 for I tell YOU, From now on I will not drink again from the product of the vine until the kingdom of God arrives.”
19 Also, he took a loaf, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying: “This means my body which is to be given in YOUR behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” 20 Also, the cup in the same way after they had the evening meal, he saying: “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in YOUR behalf.
21 “But, look! the hand of my betrayer is with me at the table. 22 Because the Son of man is going his way according to what is marked out; all the same, woe to that man through whom he is betrayed!” 23 So they started to discuss among themselves the question of which of them would really be the one that was about to do this.
24 However, there also arose a heated dispute among them over which one of them seemed to be greatest. 25 But he said to them: “The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those having authority over them are called Benefactors. 26 YOU, though, are not to be that way. But let him that is the greatest among YOU become as the youngest, and the one acting as chief as the one ministering. 27 For which one is greater, the one reclining at the table or the one ministering? Is it not the one reclining at the table? But I am in YOUR midst as the one ministering.
28 “However, YOU are the ones that have stuck with me in my trials; 29 and I make a covenant with YOU, just as my Father has made a covenant with me, for a kingdom, 30 that YOU may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.


Lastly, let's see what John 13:18-30 says:

I am not talking about all of YOU; I know the ones I have chosen. But it is in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, ‘He that used to feed on my bread has lifted up his heel against me.’ 19 From this moment on I am telling YOU before it occurs, in order that when it does occur YOU may believe that I am [he]. 20 Most truly I say to YOU, He that receives anyone I send receives me [also]. In turn he that receives me, receives [also] him that sent me.”

21 After saying these things, Jesus became troubled in spirit, and he bore witness and said: “Most truly I say to YOU, One of YOU will betray me.” 22 The disciples began to look at one another, being at a loss as to which one he was saying [it] about. 23 There was reclining in front of Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, and Jesus loved him. 24 Therefore Simon Peter nodded to this one and said to him: “Tell who it is about whom he is saying [it].” 25 So the latter leaned back upon the breast of Jesus and said to him: “Lord, who is it?” 26 Therefore Jesus answered: “It is that one to whom I shall give the morsel that I dip.” And so, having dipped the morsel, he took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Is·car´i·ot. 27 And after the morsel then Satan entered into the latter. Jesus, therefore, said to him: “What you are doing get done more quickly.” 28 However, none of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose he said this to him. 29 Some, in fact, were imagining, since Judas was holding the money box, that Jesus was telling him: “Buy what things we need for the festival,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 Therefore, after he received the morsel, he went out immediately. And it was night.
Dear reader, you be the judge. According to the Bible, were there 11 or 12 apostles present at the last Supper?