In this matter, then, we must look to the Scriptures for guidance and not let emotions, or a background of unscriptural beliefs, confuse our thinking. Those who receive heavenly life are not persons who choose it for themselves; God is the one who does the choosing. (2 Thess. 2:13, 14) They are called on to leave behind close family members and friends and all earthly things for the privilege of sharing as assistant kings and underpriests with Christ and as part of his “bride.” (Rev. 21:2) That is what God has set before them, and they show deep appreciation for it.

However, it is not necessary to be of that heavenly group to gain relief from the troubles of this life. God loves his earthly “other sheep” too. He promises that he is going to make this earth a paradise, where pain and sorrow will be no more and where it will be possible to enjoy life to the full. The facts show that it is principally to such an earthly hope of life that God has been pointing persons in recent years.

Truly, Jehovah God has made marvelous arrangements for blessing obedient mankind. How grand is His purpose to take from among humankind 144,000 tried and faithful persons to share with his Son Jesus Christ in ruling over the earth! And what a wonderful prospect God has provided for the rest of obedient mankind to live forever in happiness on earth under the rule of His heavenly kingdom!

Tampering with the Bible Text

◇ The Watchtower has previously said that the text of the Greek Septuagint Version of the Hebrew Scriptures was tampered with from about the third century of the Common Era, resulting in the removal of the divine name. Further evidence that the name was being tampered with at an early date has now come to light in the Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered during the years 1947-1953. These scrolls take us back earlier than the time of Christ, and the Isaiah Scroll shows that scribes were making substitutions for Jehovah’s name (YHWH, יהוה in the Hebrew) even at that time. As an example, the text of Isaiah 3:16-20, illustrated on page 1256 of Douglas’ New Bible Dictionary, shows scribal alterations of ’adonay (אדוני) to YHWH (יהוה), and of YHWH to ’adonay. Evidently the text had already been tampered with, and the scribe was in doubt as to whether the divine name should be used in these places. The bulk of testimony of the ancient manuscripts is that Jehovah’s name rightly appears in both instances.

Questions From Readers

● Why, after his resurrection, did Jesus tell Mary Magdalene not to touch him? He later told Thomas to touch him.—P. P., Haiti.

The extent to which John 20:17 creates a problem in correct understanding depends largely on the Bible translation one uses. Both the Catholic Douay and the King James Version represent Jesus as telling Mary not to “touch” him. The Douay reads: “Jesus saith to her: Do not touch me, for I am not yet ascended to my Father.” (John 20:17) Yet, according to this translation, Jesus later said to Thomas: “Put in thy finger hither, and see my hands; and bring hither thy hand, and put it into my side.”—John 20:27.

This same problem, Jesus’ telling Mary not to touch his materialized body and later urging Thomas to touch him, occurs in translations in various languages. In German the Elberfelder and Luther translations carry the