Q2. Does the New World Translation give accurate translations of Bible verses which explain the requirements for salvation?
John 17:3-"This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you [Gr. that they may know you], the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ."
Answer: Is "that they may know you" really that different from "their taking in knowledge of you"? No!
A quick look at Strong's numbers will clear this up(1097 GINOSKO) = "to know, in a great variety of applications and with many implications(as follow, with others not thus clearly expressed): -allow, be aware(of) feel, (have) know(ledge), perceive, be resolved, can speak, be sure, understand". In fact, Vine's Expository Dictionary gives "to be taking in knowledge" as the first definition of GINOSKO.
Expository Dictionary of Bible Words by Stephen D. Renn uses the word "knowledge" five times under GINOSKO (see also Abingdon New Testament Commentaries; 1, 2, and 3 John By Karen H. Jobes)
"The prophet envisioned the day when 'the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea' (Isaiah 11:9); and Jesus said that knowledge of God is eternal life John 17:3)."
The Faith of the Church: A Reformed Perspective on Its Historical Development By Maurice Eugene Osterhaven, p. 3
Albert Barnes links John 17:3 to 2 Peter 1:3 in his Notes: "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue."
"Is not the knowledge of God a great privilege? Yes: for this is life eternal, to know thee the only truc God, John xvii. 3. Is it not the best knowledge? Yes: for the knowledge of the Holy is understanding, Prov. ix. 10." Matthew Henry [The Miscellaneous Works of the Rev. Matthew Henry, Volume 2, p.868]
However, the newer edition of the New World Translation now translates GINOSKO as "their coming to know you" with the older reading as a footnote.
Rom 10:9-10-For if you publicly declare [Gr. confess] that word in your own mouth, that Jesus
is Lord, and exercise faith in your heart that God raised him up from the dead, you will be saved.
For with the heart one exercises faith for righteousness, but with the mouth one makes public declaration [Gr. one confesses] for salvation.
Answer: The Same Greek word for confess(HOMOLOGEO) is also used at Matt 7:23 as declare. NKJV
Vine's Expository Dictionary gives "to declare openly by way of speaking out freely, such confession
being the effect of deep conviction of facts" as one definition. Smith&Goodspeed, Schonfield, 20th
Century NT, J.B. Phillips, Jewish NT, Living Bible, New Life NT, CEV, Williams NT, etc also do not
use "confesses" and read similarly to the NWT.
John Brown's An Exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans (1766) on page 408 uses "openly declare."
"'that, if thou shalt confess, with thy mouth, the Lord Jesus,'—if thou openly and publicly declare" [Lectures doctrinal and practical on the Epistle of Paul to the Romans 1838 https://tinyurl.com/yymkmvuj [See also Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans By Frédéric Louis Godet, page 383]
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