"Once for all Time" and Hebrews 9 in the New World Translation

From Cult Watch By John Ankerberg, John Weldon: "Another verse the Society mistranslates to support its rejection of the biblical doctrine of eternal punishment is Hebrews 9:27. The standard way this is understood can be seen from the NIV's translation which reads: 'Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment....' Next, please notice how the NWT adds words not in the original to justify the Watchtower's own biased doctrine: 'And as it is reserved for men to die once for all time [i.e., be annihilated], but after this a judgment.' The words 'for all time' are not in the Greek text, as their own interlinear shows (p. 988). Dr. Mantey observes, 'No honest scholar would attempt to so pervert the word of God." In the Bible, God Himself warns all translators, 'Do not add to His words, or He will rebuke you and prove you a liar' (Proverbs 30:6)."

Reply: First, all Bible translations "add to His words" as translating word-for-word from the originals would make the text unreadable and certainly not understandable.

The NWT also uses "once for all time" at Jude 3 (amongst other places) for the same Greek word hAPAX. Now the NIV Bible at Jude 3 has "once for all" as does the ESV, NASB HCSB, ASV etc. The New Living Bible and the God's Word Translation has "once for all time."

The reason they do so is supported by lexicons and dictionaries for the Greek word here used (hAPAX). W.E. Vine's An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words states that hAPAX denotes "a. once, one time.... b. once for all, of what is of perpetual validity, not requiring repetition." The Abbott-Smith Manual Greek Lexicon gives "once for all" with Hebrews 9:28, as does Baxter's Greek Lexicon, adding "once for ever" for Jude 3. Edward Robinson's Lexicon has "once and no more" for Hebrews 9. See also Bible Key Words by John Rider Coates 1958, p. 54.

"Christ's death was once for all. His sacrifice was sufficient. No one else had to die for people's sins; Christ will not have to die again. The words 'for all' do not refer to people but rather are a translation of the Greek word hapax (once) and thus mean that Christ died 'once for all time.'" Life Application Bible Commentary by Bruce B. Barton 1995

"Jude asserts that the faith was 'once for all' delivered to the saints. The Greek term is hapax, and it means 'once for all time.'"
https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/40-contend-earnestly-for-the-faith

Barclay Newman's Greek Dictionary (page 18) published by the United Bible Society, says that hAPAX means "once, one time, once for all time."

The Greek Lexicon by E. W. Bullinger, on page 552, defines hAPAX as "once, one time, once for all."

The Jerusalem Bible reads "once and for all," William Barclay reads "once and for all," and The New Century Version 1993 reads "only once and for all time" at Hebrews 9:28.

"Here attention is called to the Greek word used by the Holy Spirit. It is 'hapax' and means: 1) once, one time, 2) once for all (time, frw). It is the same word used in Hebrews: 'So Christ was once (hapax: once, one time; once for all time) offered to bear the sins of man...'" Barnes Church of Christ - Home of the Oklahoma City School of Biblical Studies
http://okcsbs.com/what-is-truth-2/#.WunXCZKumJ8

"...the Greek word apax and its cognate epaphax, both of which mean 'once' or 'once for all [time],' that is, something that happens one time and never needs to be repeated, being fully effective thereafter forever (Rom. 6:10; Heb. 7:27, 9:12, 9:26, 10:10; 1 Pet. 3:18)." Such a Great Salvation: An Overview of the Christian Faith, p. 128 By Henry Summerall

So Julius Mantey and his minions have embarrassed themselves again. Hebrews 9 in the New World Translation is not mistranslated, and it actually appears to be a better translation than most other Bibles.