(1825-1901) A British Bible scholar who in collaboration with Fenton J. A. Hort published The New Testament in the Original Greek in 1881. (See HORT, FENTON JOHN ANTHONY.) This work was one of the scholarly editions of the Greek text that the New World Bible Translation Committee consulted during the preparation of the original New World Translation. This text was also consulted in preparing the 2013 revision.

Westcott was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, England, and in time, he became a distinguished lecturer and scholar. He and Hort worked together for nearly 30 years, comparing existing Bible manuscripts and fragments to prepare the Greek text that they felt most closely reflected the original writings. They refined a method of textual research that included grouping ancient manuscripts into families. This method allowed for more effective comparison of the various manuscript readings. Since the time Westcott and Hort published their work, additional papyri have become available, as have other scholarly editions of the Greek text.​—See study note on Mt 27:49; see also App. A3.