Matthew 26:26 in the New World Translation: "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.'"
About this, one website states: The NWT translates the Greek word "esti" as "is" every time it appears in the New Testament (eg, Mt 26:18, 38, Mk 14:44, Lk 22:38, etc), except in Mt 26:26-28, Mk 14:22-24, and Lk 22:19 where it is rendered as “means”, even though this word is translated as “is” in the Kingdom Interlinear. Why the inconsistency in the translation of the word "esti" in these verses? If the NWT were consistent and translated the Greek word "esti" as "is" in these verses, what would these verses say?
Reply: That's not true. The Greek word ESTIN (in its various forms) occurs almost 1000 times in the NT, and it is rendered as "means" about 49% of the time in the NWT, not just in the few isolated cases as mentioned above.
For instance, from the New World Translation:
"Go, then, and learn what this means/ESTIN, 'I want mercy, and not sacrifice.'" Matt 9:13
"So they brought him to the place Gol'go·tha, which means/ESTIN, when translated, Skull Place." Mark 15:22
And at the ninth hour Jesus called out with a loud voice: "E'li, E'li, la'ma sa·bach·tha'ni?" which means/ESTIN, when translated: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Mark 15:34
"We have found the Mes·si'ah" (which means/ESTIN, when translated, Christ)." John 1:41
"This means/ESTIN everlasting life" John 17:3
"So Joseph, who was surnamed Bar'na·bas by the apostles, which means/ESTIN, when translated, Son of Comfort" Acts 4:36
"no fornicator or unclean person or greedy person-which means/ESTIN being an idolater-has any inheritance in the kingdom of the Christ and of God." Ephesians 5:5
"Here is where it means/ESTIN endurance for the holy ones" Rev 14:12
"And the woman whom you saw means/ESTIN the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth." Rev 17:18
"This means/ESTIN the second death." Rev 21:8
"Means" falls within the allowable lexical range of meaning for this word, as is evident in Matthew 1:23 in most versions: "and his name shall be called Emmanuel (which means/ESTIN, God with us)." RSV
Other Bible versions have also translated and expounded similarly to the NWT
"The broken bread is a symbol of Christ's body." NASB Zondervan Study Bible, 1Cor 1:24 ftn.
"this means my blood, the new covenant-blood, shed for many, to win the remission of their sins." Moffatt Bible
"for this represents my blood, the blood of the new covenant which is shed for mankind for the remission of sins." Daniel Mace New Testament
"This means my body." William Barclay NT
"Take, eat; this SIGNIFIES my body." Authentic New Testament by Hugh J. Schonfield (See also The Simple English Bible footnote)
"This represents my body." The Eonian Life Bible: New Testament (Christopher Sparkes)
The Translator's New Testament adds in a note:
"This saying is interpreted in different ways in different parts of the Church. In the original context the word "is" can only mean 'stand for', 'represents', as Jesus' actual body was there in it's physical form."
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