When Does a Bible Translation Stop Being a Translation?

[David]

The controversy around The Passion Translation raises a much bigger issue than Brian Simmons, Bethel Church, or any one ministry. The real question is whether a translator has the right to put ideas into God's Word that the Hebrew and Greek text does not actually say.

There are serious allegations involving plagiarism, credentials, and the translation process behind TPT. Damon Thompson, who had recommended it for years, has publicly withdrawn his endorsement. YouVersion has also placed TPT under an expanded review. Those matters should be examined carefully, and allegations should not be treated as proven facts simply because they are serious.

But even if every personal controversy disappeared tomorrow, the translation question would still remain.

Proverbs 30:5-6 says, “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.”

That is not complicated. God's words are pure. They do not need a translator to improve them, make them more spiritual, make them more emotional, or add ideas that are not actually there.

Of course, every translation involves choices. Hebrew and Greek do not always move into English word for word in a simple way, and sometimes more than one English rendering can faithfully express the text. That is not the issue.

The issue is what happens when interpretation is inserted into the translation and then presented as though it were part of the inspired text.

That is where Christians need to be careful.

Deuteronomy 4:2 says, “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it.” In context, Moses was speaking to Israel about the commandments God had given them. We should not ignore that context. But the principle is still clear. Man does not have authority to enlarge God's revelation.

Revelation 22:18-19 gives another severe warning about adding to or taking away from “the words of the book of this prophecy.” Again, the immediate context is the book of Revelation. We do not need to misuse that passage to make the point. Scripture repeatedly shows that God takes His own words seriously.

So should we.

That is why this discussion should not come down to whether someone likes the way TPT sounds. A translation can sound beautiful and still be inaccurate. It can sound powerful and still contain ideas that are not in the original text.

If a translation says more than the Hebrew or Greek says, then we need to ask where those extra ideas came from.

And if those ideas came from the translator, then we should stop saying, “The Bible says,” when the Bible does not actually say it.

That distinction matters.

The standard is not whether a translation feels fresh, devotional, emotional, or easy to read. The standard is whether it faithfully communicates what God actually gave.

This is why the current TPT controversy deserves more than gossip about personalities or ministries. It should cause Christians to ask a basic question about every Bible they read.

Are we reading God's Word faithfully translated, or are we reading God's Word mixed with someone's interpretation?

That is the issue I think is worth discussing.

 

[HeldByGrace]

I think when you hear readings from these translations, they don’t sit right with you. I listened to a sermon where scripture was quoted from The Message Translation, and it made me feel uncomfortable. When I was a young Christian I bought a devotional for my kids called Jesus Calling. But when I started reading it, it was written as if the author was Jesus speaking, speaking new messages over our kids. Didn’t get very far, didn’t even want to donate it, so ripped it up.

 

[Yesua888]

The controversy around The Passion Translation raises a much bigger issue than Brian Simmons, Bethel Church, or any one ministry. The real question is whether a translator has the right to put ideas into God's Word that the Hebrew and Greek text does not actually say.

There are serious allegations involving plagiarism, credentials, and the translation process behind TPT. Damon Thompson, who had recommended it for years, has publicly withdrawn his endorsement. YouVersion has also placed TPT under an expanded review. Those matters should be examined carefully, and allegations should not be treated as proven facts simply because they are serious.

But even if every personal controversy disappeared tomorrow, the translation question would still remain.

Proverbs 30:5-6 says, “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.”

That is not complicated. God's words are pure. They do not need a translator to improve them, make them more spiritual, make them more emotional, or add ideas that are not actually there.

Of course, every translation involves choices. Hebrew and Greek do not always move into English word for word in a simple way, and sometimes more than one English rendering can faithfully express the text. That is not the issue.

The issue is what happens when interpretation is inserted into the translation and then presented as though it were part of the inspired text.

That is where Christians need to be careful.

Deuteronomy 4:2 says, “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it.” In context, Moses was speaking to Israel about the commandments God had given them. We should not ignore that context. But the principle is still clear. Man does not have authority to enlarge God's revelation.

Revelation 22:18-19 gives another severe warning about adding to or taking away from “the words of the book of this prophecy.” Again, the immediate context is the book of Revelation. We do not need to misuse that passage to make the point. Scripture repeatedly shows that God takes His own words seriously.

So should we.

That is why this discussion should not come down to whether someone likes the way TPT sounds. A translation can sound beautiful and still be inaccurate. It can sound powerful and still contain ideas that are not in the original text.

If a translation says more than the Hebrew or Greek says, then we need to ask where those extra ideas came from.

And if those ideas came from the translator, then we should stop saying, “The Bible says,” when the Bible does not actually say it.

That distinction matters.

The standard is not whether a translation feels fresh, devotional, emotional, or easy to read. The standard is whether it faithfully communicates what God actually gave.

This is why the current TPT controversy deserves more than gossip about personalities or ministries. It should cause Christians to ask a basic question about every Bible they read.

Are we reading God's Word faithfully translated, or are we reading God's Word mixed with someone's interpretation?

That is the issue I think is worth discussing.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention ... some, ike myself may not know anything about "TPT"

I had to find out more:

"The Passion Translation (TPT) reflects a primary criticism levelled by biblical scholars and theologians regarding TPT. The core issue is that Dr. Brian Simmons, acting as a single author, has inserted theological concepts, emotional descriptors, and entire phrases that do not exist in the original Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic manuscripts.

TPT is a modern English rendering of the Bible, which aims to capture the emotional and devotional "heart" of Scripture. Published by Broad Street Publishing, it is described by its creators as a thought-for-thought translation derived from Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic manuscripts, intended to merge biblical truth with contemporary emotional resonance.

Audience: It is most popular among Charismatic and Pentecostal believers, though it is used across various denominations.

Controversy: The translation has faced significant backlash regarding its accuracy and theological bias, leading to its removal from major platforms like Bible Gateway in 2022.

Institutional Response​

The concern over one man altering the text was significant enough to prompt major platforms to distance themselves from the work:

Bible Gateway Removal: In 2022, Bible Gateway removed TPT from its library. While the company cited "business goals," the move coincided with mounting evidence and scholarly consensus that the work was an inaccurate paraphrase masquerading as a translation.

Church and Leader Withdrawal: As of 2026, various charismatic leaders and organizations, including Bethel Church, have quietly removed TPT from their bookstores and recommendations following allegations of plagiarism and misrepresented credentials by Simmons.

Pretty interesting, and concerning!

 

[bobinfaith]

I think when you hear readings from these translations, they don’t sit right with you. I listened to a sermon where scripture was quoted from The Message Translation, and it made me feel uncomfortable.

When I was a young Christian I bought a devotional for my kids called Jesus Calling. But when I started reading it, it was written as if the author was Jesus speaking, speaking new messages over our kids. Didn’t get very far, didn’t even want to donate it, so ripped it up.

Good morning, everyone;

After reading David's OP I never heard of The Passion Translation by Brian Simmons and perhaps that's why I never heard of it. Speaking for my family and myself, when a Bible translation is "by an individual author" who has sole control over the book as well as the publisher is a flag for me.

TPT is not an acceptable translation and I would regard this book as a "personal devotional reading" for the individual and in most countries an author has the freedom to publish their own book, as well as the reader having the freedom to choose what they read.

My personal problem (and I have prayed about this) is there are way too many "Christian" authors, it's overwhelming, encouraging us that their book will guide us on a better path with Christ. To be fair I will agree there are notable authors whose book has ministered to the believer.

This is why it's very important that we pray for wisdom and discernment regarding what we read.

Regarding the Bible, HeldByGrace is constructive with the Message. On one hand this Bible translation is actually an acceptable translation and categorized as the Free Bible, meaning, the language is furthest from the original Hebrew and Greek, paraphrasing in (layman's English) while staying faithful to the original text. The flip side is this translation was authored by an individual Eugene H. Peterson, but it was reviewed by a team of scholars and theologians and managed in full by the publisher NavPress.

Getting back to the TPT, I'll give the Lord glory for Simmons' personal ministry but have no interest in his book.

God bless you all.

Bob

 

[Yesua888]

Good morning, everyone;

After reading David's OP I never heard of The Passion Translation by Brian Simmons and perhaps that's why I never heard of it. Speaking for my family and myself, when a Bible translation is "by an individual author" who has sole control over the book as well as the publisher is a flag for me.

TPT is not an acceptable translation and I would regard this book as a "personal devotional reading" for the individual and in most countries an author has the freedom to publish their own book, as well as the reader having the freedom to choose what they read.

My personal problem (and I have prayed about this) is there are way too many "Christian" authors, it's overwhelming, encouraging us that their book will guide us on a better path with Christ. To be fair I will agree there are notable authors whose book has ministered to the believer.

This is why it's very important that we pray for wisdom and discernment regarding what we read.

Regarding the Bible, HeldByGrace is constructive with the Message. On one hand this Bible translation is actually an acceptable translation and categorized as the Free Bible, meaning, the language is furthest from the original Hebrew and Greek, paraphrasing in (layman's English) while staying faithful to the original text. The flip side is this translation was authored by an individual Eugene H. Peterson, but it was reviewed by a team of scholars and theologians and managed in full by the publisher NavPress.

Getting back to the TPT, I'll give the Lord glory for Simmons' personal ministry but have no interest in his book.

God bless you all.

Bob

"Free Bible" that reminds me of the "millions of free bible" that were distributed in USA, where nearly every household had one of these bibles - the Scofield Reference Bible (also known as the KJV Scofield Study Bible) ... yes, I know Bob, this is not what you were meaning : )

 

[bobinfaith]

"Free Bible" that reminds me of the "millions of free bible" that were distributed in USA, where nearly every household had one of these bibles - the Scofield Reference Bible (also known as the KJV Scofield Study Bible) ... yes, I know Bob, this is not what you were meaning : )

Hello Yesua888;

I appreciate your thoughts of the free bible that are widely distributed in the US. I can't keep up.

I'm not familiar with the Scofield Reference or Study Bibles. I'm only familiar with my KJV text only, a hard copy that I own without study notes or a concordance.

I know of believers that own their translation of a "free bible," only, for a deeper grasp of understanding for the reader.

I feel It's good to keep a cross reference formal equivalence - KJV, ESV, and/or a functional equivalence - NIV, NASB for a deeper understanding closer to the Hebrew and Greek.

God bless you.

Bob

 

[Yesua888]

Hello Yesua888;

I appreciate your thoughts of the free bible that are widely distributed in the US. I can't keep up.

I'm not familiar with the Scofield Reference or Study Bibles. I'm only familiar with my KJV text only, a hard copy that I own without study notes or a concordance.

I know of believers that own their translation of a "free bible," only, for a deeper grasp of understanding for the reader.

I feel It's good to keep a cross reference formal equivalence - KJV, ESV, and/or a functional equivalence - NIV, NASB for a deeper understanding closer to the Hebrew and Greek.

God bless you.

Bobhen I committed to being

Three and a Half years ago, when I committed to being a Christian (and got baptised), I went into a Christian Book Store and asked the young lady there, what was the best bible, that would give me more explanations of the text. I had always associated the bible as "difficult to read and understand, and thought it was "full of parabels". She recommended a study Bible ... in retrospect, I wish I had not settled for the Amplified Study Bible. However, I do not consult with the study notes, and prefer to persevere with the text on my own. Now I understand so much more, and it is funny that I considered the bible as "difficult to read). I actually cannot get enough now : ) I must say that David's answers, corrections, and sharing of text, brings the Bible to Life : )

 

[David]

Brian Simmons is neither a biblically faithful nor reliable teacher of the Bible. He likely affirms many important truths of Christianity. So please understand that I am not saying he says nothing true. But that also does not make his teaching harmless. His claims of supernatural inspiration regarding his translation work, his questionable handling of the biblical languages, and most concerningly his addition of his own interpretation and “devotional expansion” of Scripture are serious mistakes when it comes to handling the authority of God’s Word.

I would not recommend TPT for anything. I would never suggest someone read it for Bible reading, devotional reading, Bible study, teaching, preaching, witnessing, or establishing doctrine. I would not recommend it to a new Christian or tell a mature Christian they can use it along with a reliable translation. This is because the problem reaches down to the very heart of how the text is constructed.

Trying to soften it by calling it devotional does not solve the problem. Devotional use may actually worsen the problem since many times people will read devotionally slow, personal, and with their guard down. They will think they are reading God’s Word directly to them. If Simmons inserts his own thoughts, emotional devotional language, or theological spin into that verse, a reader will have no problem reading it and thinking that is what God said.

This is why I am making such a big deal over this. It is NOT a matter of translation preference.

“A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump…” (Galatians 5:9 KJV). Just because error does not infect every verse does not mean it’s harmless. One lie mixed with truth can leaven the whole lump. It can spread because the surrounding truth makes detecting the lie difficult.

TPT’s problem is not that it is “too passionate.” The problem is you can no longer know for certain where the inspired Word of God ends and Brian Simmons’ personal interpretation of Scripture begins. Far too often Simmons will go from translating “what the text says” to interpreting “what he thinks it means” and then inserting that interpretation into the text of Scripture.

He crosses a line that Christians should never tolerate. God said, “Every word of God is pure… Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:5-6 KJV). When Scripture is involved, compromising is not an option. Beautiful doesn’t cut it. Spiritual doesn’t cut it. Having emotional impact doesn’t cut it.

The standard is: did God say it?

When you mix a man’s words with God’s words and try to sell it to people as Scripture, I would not debate people over it. I would not suggest they read it and try to pick out the true parts. I would warn them to stay away from it.

There are plenty of Bible translations that are faithful to the text. Use one of those.