'Privilege' NWT Reference Bible - six times, NWT 2013 excludes 2 Peter. Parenthesis – BSB.
* Luke 1:43 this [privilege] of mine (why am I so honoured…)
* Luke 1:74 the privilege of fearlessly rendering sacred service (that we may serve Him without fear)
* Acts 7:46 asked for [the privilege of] providing (asked to provide a dwelling place)
* 2 Corinthians 8:4 for the [privilege of] kindly giving (for the privilege of sharing in this service)
* Philippians 1:29 to you the privilege was given (it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ…)
* 2 Peter 1:1 held in equal privilege with ours (a faith as precious as ours)
* privilege – n. 1. a benefit, immunity, etc. granted under certain conditions. 2. The advantages and immunities enjoyed by a small usually powerful group or class esp. to the disadvantage of others: one of the obstacles to social harmony is privilege. (The New Collins Dictionary)
* privilege – n. advantage, immunity, permission, right or benefit granted. Prerogative of status or rank, exercised to the exclusion or detriment of others. Protection from being forced to disclose confidential information, being sued for libel or slander. (Internet definition)
* Catholic canon law – legal concept whereby someone is exempt from the ordinary operation of the law over time for some specific purpose. Papal privileges (lasting, positive) resembled dispensations (one-off, avoidance of negative) since both involved exceptions to the ordinary operations of the law. (Wikipedia)
* Etymology Latin privilegium from privus – private individual and lex – law. Initially referring to special laws and exemptions. Eventually – advantages and rights enjoyed by certain people often at the expense of others. Now – special rights and advantages unearned and often unacknowledged.
Watchtower Article 31 (July 2025) used the word ‘privilege’ nine times in discussing the topic of learning contentment. Whilst the subject of being grateful for what we have and counting our blessings certainly featured, the focus was on those who are discontent through their failure to gain certain privileges of service in the organisation.
The WTS has a hierarchic management structure. This creates positions of power, with authority to grant and deny privileges. This creates ambition. Ambition fulfilled leads to arrogance and intolerance. Ambition unfulfilled leads to discontent and disenchantment. Ambition stirs up competition, envy, backbiting, and other works of the flesh. Salvation is the gift of God. It cannot be earned. Any number of privileges do not change that. What does the WTS mean by its use of the word ‘privilege’? That is hard to say. They reportedly invoke the clergy-penitent privilege when deciding not to co-operate, usually by refusing to disclose confidential information, with the legal authorities in court cases. Having never risen above (indeed resisted) the rank of Ministerial Servant, I cannot state what other immunities and exemptions are enjoyed by senior management – the vow of obedience and poverty required from all full-time employees provides certain dispensations. However, at a grass-roots level it seems to be a euphemism for unpaid labour. It is said to be a privilege to clean the Kingdom Hall; weeding the garden and cutting the grass; to be involved in hall maintenance under the auspices of the revered LDC. The halls that were mostly funded and built by the local congregation, are now centrally owned so by labelling this work as a privilege of service, WTS gets free labour for essential work that would otherwise incur substantial costs. At each meeting brothers are required to provide a security presence, be an attendant, operate equipment, and so on. These are so-called privileges. Having an active part of the meeting by being allowed to comment, read scriptures, read the study material from the platform are also privileges. These are all tasks that have to be performed if the meeting is to proceed exactly as dictated by the GB. And nobody dare question whether it should! This also means that these putative privileges can be withdrawn as an act of punishment or discipline.
Returning to the scriptures quoted at the outset, what is the linguistic authority for the presence of this word in the NWTR? Three of those passages has the word in square brackets, which is in itself an admission that it does not exist in the original Greek. It has been added for interpretative reasons. Alas, all those square brackets have melted away in the NWT, leaving the reader unaware, and therefore unlikely to investigate. The instance in 2 Peter has disappeared in NWT. So this leaves us with two – Luke 1:74 and Philippians 1:29. Heading for the interlinear we find no corresponding word for privilege in the either verse. They ought to have been bracketed similarly. At Philippians the Greek word is echaristhe – graciously given. To receive salvation through faith and suffering may be viewed as a privilege in the wider, generic sense, but if we consider the definition of the word and its overtones of exclusion and detriment of others, then it is most certainly not a privilege. God’s grace is available to everyone who exercises faith, repents and gets baptised.
The question that nobody asks is – should privileges exist amongst Christ’s brothers? Surely we are all one in Christ. Should brothers be arguing over who is the greater, or seeking to be greater, more prominent, more privileged? I think Jesus has already had quite a lot to say on that subject. Why would WTS promote such an idea, inserting the word into their own Bible interpretation? Something to ponder!
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