JW.ORG likes to remove Jesus’ name from the bible as they try to take the spotlight off him. Why would they want to do that? Well, they are standing in the place where Jesus is supposed to be, by claiming that they are the only channel to God.
Jesus is meant to be our one and only mediator to God. Read: 1 Timothy 2:5
John 14:14 is a perfect example of this. Here, by removing the key word “Me”, the entire context of the sentence is changed.
“If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.”
John 14:14 New World Translation
Let’s look at the Greek interlinear text.
Clearly we can see the context was intentionally changed by the removal of the word “Me”
I don’t like to offer my personal interpretation of the original passage, however, I do think it speaks for itself.
Is it possible that prayers to Jesus are not necessarily forbidden, as long as we are not praying about things that are meant to be directed to Jehovah God?
For example, we do not ask for Jesus’name to be sanctified or that he provides us for our daily needs or the forgiveness of our sins, and always acknowledge Jehovah as supreme and the source of the Kingdom.
Prayer is part of worship, but not all prayer is worship…
I am not saying that we should worship Jesus, and prayer is not necessarily a form of worship! We know very well that Stephen called out to Jesus while he was being stoned. Read Acts 7:59
The 1984 NWT reference edition contains a footnote including the “me” manuscript in P66. https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/bi12/books/john/14/#fn81427028
John 14:14 is a disputed text, the ancient Sahidic for instance excludes the “me” as does many modern translations produced by Trinitarians:
“If ye shall ask anything in my name, that will I do.” (ASV)
“If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” (KJV)
https://www.stepbible.org/?q=version=CopSahidica|version=ASV-TH|version=KJVA|version=AKJV|reference=John.14&options=VNCGUHV&display=INTERLEAVED
The references to prayer later in John 16:23 talk about asking the Father in Jesus’ name. There’s the argument that “me” is an error as asking Jesus something in Jesus’ name makes no sense and is unnecessary. For instance asking the King something in the name of the King, is a nonsensical statement.
That is a good example of the word “name” equals “authority” in many places in the Bible. There is no way a person can say to a mountain to be cast into the sea without being IN GOD’S AUTHORITY.. There is no such thing as magic or magic words; walk in His authority and be amazed at what HE wants accomplished; none of it is show boating.