Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Believe in the Old Testament?

Yes. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that the entire Bible is “inspired of God and beneficial.” (2 Timothy 3:​16) That includes both the Old Testament and the New Testament, as they are commonly called. Generally, Jehovah’s Witnesses refer to these sections of the Bible as the Hebrew Scriptures and the Christian Greek Scriptures. In this way, we avoid giving the impression that some parts of the Bible are outdated or irrelevant.

Why do Christians need both the Old Testament and the New Testament?

Under divine inspiration, the Christian apostle Paul wrote: “All the things that were written aforetime were written for our instruction.” (Romans 15:4) Thus, there is valuable information for us in the Hebrew Scriptures. Among other things, they provide relevant history and practical advice.

• Relevant history. The Hebrew Scriptures include a detailed record of creation and mankind’s fall into sin. Without that information, we would lack satisfying answers to such questions as: Where did we come from? Why do humans die? (Genesis 2:7, 17) Moreover, the Hebrew Scriptures record Jehovah God’s dealings with people who experienced joys and challenges similar to our own.​—James 5:​17.

• Practical advice. The Bible books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, which are part of the Hebrew Scriptures, contain timeless wisdom for living. They offer advice on how to enjoy happy family life (Proverbs 15:17), how to have a balanced view of work (Proverbs 10:4; Ecclesiastes 4:6), and how young people can get the best out of their youth (Ecclesiastes 11:9–​12:1).

Furthermore, we can benefit from studying the Mosaic Law as recorded in the Torah (the first five books of the Bible). Although that Law is not binding on Christians, it does contain valuable principles that can help us to lead a happy life.​—Leviticus 19:18; Deuteronomy 6:​5-7.