Bible Gateway Pulls Controversial “Passion Translation”  🔗 **Source:** [Bible Gateway Pulls Controversial “Passion Translation”](https://roysreport.com/bible-gateway-pulls-controversial-passion-translation/) > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: [bible-translation, charismatic-christianity, religious-controversy] > author: Josh Shepherd > source: The Roys Report > reference: https://roysreport.com/bible-gateway-pulls-controversial-passion-translation/ > date created: {{date:YYYY-MM-DD}} {{time:HH:mm}} > > # 🏷️ Title: Bible Gateway Pulls Controversial "Passion Translation" > <!-- deep-read:sections start --> ## 🧭 Table of Contents - [📝 Summary](#-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#️-notes) - [📚 References](#-references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#️-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#-action-items) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) - [❓ Questions](#-questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) - [💡 Implications](#-implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#-deib-assessment) - [✅ Logical Validity](#-logical-validity) - [🛡️ DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis) - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) ## 📝 Summary - Bible Gateway removed The Passion Translation (TPT) from its platform as of February 1, 2022, without explanation. - TPT is a controversial Bible version led by translator Brian Simmons that claims to "recapture the emotion of God's Word." - Biblical scholars widely criticize TPT as a paraphrase mislabeled as a translation, with some calling it "not a Bible" but rather a new text. - Key stakeholders include charismatic/Pentecostal churches that use TPT, Bible Gateway/HarperCollins, and the broader evangelical community. - The removal highlights tensions between accessibility and accuracy in Bible translation, as well as authority questions in biblical interpretation. ## 📖 Main Content The Passion Translation represents a significant controversy in contemporary Bible translation work. Created by Brian Simmons of Passion and Fire Ministries and first released in 2017, TPT markets itself as recapturing "the emotion of God's Word" but faces sustained criticism from biblical scholars across Protestant traditions. **Translation Methodology Concerns**: Scholars argue TPT goes beyond translation into creating new text. Andrew Shead of the NIV Committee wrote a 7,600-word critique stating "TPT is not a Bible, and any church that treats it as such and receives it as canon will, by that very action, turn itself into an unorthodox sect." The translation adds words and phrases not present in original languages. **Translator Qualifications**: Simmons claims divine calling as his primary qualification, stating "My qualifications are that I was told to do this from the Lord." While supporters note his background with New Tribes Mission, ethnos360 (formerly NTM) officially stated Simmons had no involvement in actual translation work during his time there. **Textual Examples**: Comparing Luke 1:37 across translations reveals TPT's expansive approach: - ESV: "For nothing will be impossible with God" - NIV: "For no word from God will ever fail" - TPT: "No promise of God is empty of power, for with God there is no such thing as impossibility" **Ecclesiastical Impact**: Unlike Eugene Peterson's The Message (which remains on Bible Gateway and was explicitly labeled a paraphrase), TPT encourages use as primary sermon text. This creates theological concerns as churches potentially attribute Simmons' additions to divine authority. ## 🗒️ Notes - Bible Gateway's removal followed business realignment according to HarperCollins, not scholarly concerns - Simmons initially blamed "cancel culture" but later deleted social media posts about the removal - TPT remains available on YouVersion, OliveTree, and other platforms - About 20 Christian ministers endorse TPT, including Bill Johnson (Bethel Church) and John Bevere - Reformed charismatic pastor Andrew Wilson and Calvary Chapel's Mike Winger produced extensive critiques - TPT's FAQ mentions "respected scholars and editors" but doesn't name them - Simmons continues work on remaining Old Testament books - The controversy reflects broader tensions within charismatic Christianity about revelation and biblical authority ## 📚 References - [The Passion Translation official website](https://www.thepassiontranslation.com/) - [Got Questions analysis of TPT](https://www.gotquestions.org/Passion-Translation.html) - [Andrew Shead's critique in Themelios journal](https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/) - [Mike Winger's Bible Thinker channel](https://biblethinker.org/) - [Church Watch Central reporting](https://churchwatchcentral.com/) ## 🗣️ Paraphrase Bible Gateway recently removed The Passion Translation from its platform, escalating an ongoing controversy about this Bible version. Created by Brian Simmons, TPT claims to restore emotional depth to Scripture but faces widespread academic criticism for adding content not found in original texts. While Simmons attributes his work to divine calling, biblical scholars argue TPT functions more as commentary than translation, raising concerns about churches treating it as authoritative Scripture. The removal highlights fundamental questions about translation philosophy, ecclesiastical authority, and the balance between accessibility and accuracy in biblical interpretation. ## 📰 Newsletter **WordPress and Faith Communities: When Platforms Make Editorial Decisions** The recent removal of The Passion Translation from Bible Gateway offers valuable lessons for WordPress developers and site owners serving religious communities. When Bible Gateway (owned by HarperCollins) quietly removed TPT citing "business realignment," it highlighted how platform decisions can significantly impact content accessibility and community trust. For WordPress developers building faith-based sites, consider implementing multiple content distribution strategies rather than relying solely on third-party platforms. Tools like the WordPress REST API enable content syndication across multiple channels, while plugins like WP RSS Aggregator help maintain content availability even when primary platforms change policies. The controversy also demonstrates the importance of transparent content policies. Whether you're building a church website, theological resource site, or religious community platform, clearly communicate your editorial standards and version control practices. Consider implementing content archival systems and providing multiple translation options to serve diverse theological perspectives within your community. ## ✅ Action Items #### DevRel - Developer advocacy: Create case studies on content distribution strategies for religious organizations - Education: Develop workshops on building resilient multi-platform content systems - Developer experience: Design templates for faith-based websites with built-in redundancy - Community management: Establish guidelines for handling controversial content in religious tech spaces #### Community - Maintainers: Develop best practices for version control and content authenticity in religious applications - Contributors: Create open-source tools for biblical text management and cross-referencing - Ecosystem: Build partnerships with theological institutions for technology guidance #### WordPress - Core: Evaluate multi-site capabilities for organizations managing controversial content - Documentation: Create guides for religious organizations transitioning from platform dependencies - Community: Organize discussions about balancing free expression with content quality standards ## 🧪 Hypotheses - Religious organizations using single-platform content strategies face higher vulnerability to sudden access loss - Controversial translations generate more engagement but create long-term sustainability challenges for platforms - Scholarly criticism has limited impact on popular religious content consumption patterns - Platform removals may increase rather than decrease usage of controversial religious materials - Theological communities require different content governance models than secular platforms ### 📊 Methodology **Platform Impact Analysis**: Track TPT usage across remaining platforms (YouVersion, OliveTree) before and after Bible Gateway removal to measure redistribution effects. **Community Response Study**: Survey charismatic/Pentecostal churches about translation preferences and platform trust following the removal. **Scholarly Citation Analysis**: Measure academic engagement with TPT criticism versus popular endorsements to assess influence patterns. ### ❓ Questions - How do platform editorial decisions affect religious community trust and adoption patterns? - What technical safeguards can religious organizations implement against platform dependencies? - How do theological controversies spread across digital platforms compared to traditional publishing? - What role should academic credentials play in religious translation authority? ### 🔮 Future Research - Longitudinal study of TPT adoption in churches post-Bible Gateway removal - Analysis of alternative biblical platforms' content policies and decision-making processes - Examination of crowd-sourced biblical translation projects and quality control mechanisms - Investigation of AI translation tools' impact on biblical scholarship and accessibility ### 💡 Implications **Practice**: Religious organizations need diversified content distribution strategies and clear theological vetting processes. Web developers should prioritize platform-independent content management systems. **Policy**: Platforms require transparent content policies for religious materials, balancing editorial standards with religious freedom considerations. **Education**: Seminary curricula should include digital literacy and platform risk assessment. Technology training for religious leaders becomes increasingly critical. **Funding**: Religious technology projects need sustainable models independent of commercial platform policies. ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment Reading level estimate (Flesch-Kincaid): Grade 12-14 (college level) #### 👀 Visual learners - Present: Text comparison charts showing translation differences - Improve: Timeline infographics of TPT development and controversy, organizational charts showing stakeholder relationships #### 🔊 Aural learners - Present: Quoted statements from key figures - Improve: Audio excerpts from Simmons' interviews, podcast discussions of translation philosophy #### 🗣️ Verbal learners - Present: Clear definitions of translation vs. paraphrase, detailed explanations of scholarly positions - Improve: Analogies comparing biblical translation to other translation work, plain-language summaries of technical theological concepts #### 🧩 Kinesthetic learners - Present: Step-by-step breakdown of translation process - Improve: Interactive comparison tools, hands-on exercises in textual analysis #### 🧠 Logical learners - Present: Systematic comparison of translations, clear cause-and-effect relationships - Improve: Decision trees for translation evaluation, formal criteria for assessing biblical texts #### 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Social learners - Present: Community responses and discussions in comments section - Improve: Structured debate formats, collaborative annotation tools #### 🧘‍♀️ Solitary learners - Present: Individual reflection on theological implications - Improve: Self-assessment tools for translation preferences, personal study guides #### 🌿 Naturalistic learners - Present: Organic development of translation controversies - Improve: Ecosystem thinking about religious publishing, sustainable models for theological scholarship ### 📊 Accessibility Assessment #### Screen reader semantics - Present: Clear heading hierarchy, article structure - Improve: Better alt text for images, more descriptive link text than generic "Learn More" #### Keyboard navigation - Present: Standard web navigation - Improve: Skip links, better focus indicators, logical tab order #### Contrast and readability - Present: Adequate contrast ratios - Improve: Larger text options, adjustable contrast settings #### Text resizing and reflow - Present: Responsive design - Improve: Better text scaling options, improved mobile readability #### Media and captions - Present: Text-based content - Improve: Audio versions of key comparisons, transcript options for embedded videos #### Forms and interactions - Present: Simple comment and subscription forms - Improve: Better error messaging, accessible form validation ### 🌍 DEIB Assessment #### Cultural breadth - Present: Focus on Protestant Christian perspectives - Improve: Include perspectives from Orthodox, Catholic, and non-Christian biblical scholars #### Inclusive language - Present: Generally accessible theological terminology - Improve: Define technical terms more consistently, provide glossary #### Neurodiversity support - Present: Well-structured article format - Improve: Better use of bullet points, more frequent headings #### Representation - Present: Male-dominated scholarly voices - Improve: Include female biblical scholars, diverse ethnic perspectives on translation work #### Psychological safety - Present: Respectful discussion of religious differences - Improve: Clearer content warnings about theological controversy ### ✅ Logical Validity #### Strong reasoning - **Deductive strength**: Clear syllogistic reasoning about translation standards (if TPT adds content not in originals, then it's not a translation) - **Inductive evidence**: Multiple scholarly sources converging on similar criticisms strengthens the case against TPT's academic standing - **Causal analysis**: Platform business decisions vs. content quality concerns are appropriately distinguished #### Fallacies - **Appeal to authority**: Both sides invoke credentials (Simmons' divine calling vs. scholars' academic training) without fully examining the logic of their positions - **Ad hominem tendency**: Some criticism approaches attacking Simmons personally rather than focusing solely on textual analysis - **False dichotomy**: Framing as either "accurate translation" or "complete fraud" ignores spectrum of translation approaches #### Tone of voice - **Journalistic neutrality**: Professional, balanced reporting that presents multiple perspectives while noting factual criticisms ### 🛡️ DARVO Analysis - **Deny**: Simmons doesn't directly deny adding content but reframes additions as revealing "God's original message" - **Attack**: Simmons' claim that critics are part of "cancel culture" and allegations of paid opposition deflect from textual analysis - **Reverse victim/offender**: Positioning TPT removal as religious persecution rather than quality control issue; claiming scholars are attacking his calling rather than evaluating his work The response pattern shows classic DARVO elements: minimizing the substantive criticism (denial), attacking critics' motives (cancel culture), and recasting quality concerns as religious persecution (reversal). ## 🎯 Conclusion The Bible Gateway removal of The Passion Translation crystallizes fundamental tensions in religious publishing between accessibility and accuracy, divine inspiration and academic rigor. While platforms retain editorial control, the controversy highlights the need for religious organizations to develop platform-independent content strategies and clearer standards for theological resource evaluation. The incident serves as a case study in how digital platform decisions can significantly impact religious community access to preferred materials, regardless of scholarly consensus about quality or accuracy. For religious technology developers and community leaders, this situation underscores the importance of diversified distribution strategies, transparent content policies, and theological literacy in digital spaces. The controversy will likely continue as TPT remains available on other platforms, making it an ongoing test case for how religious communities navigate the intersection of technology, theology, and authority in the digital age. <!-- deep-read:sections end --> ## Highlights - Both sides invoke credentials (Simmons' divine calling vs. scholars' academic training) without fully examining the logic of their positions - Note: 🔍 Fallacy: Appeal to Authority #fallacy/appeal-to-authority - Some criticism approaches attacking Simmons personally rather than focusing solely on textual analysis - Note: 🔍 Fallacy: Ad Hominem #fallacy/ad-hominem