Bible Gateway Removes the Passion Translation - Christianity Today  🔗 **Source:** [Bible Gateway Removes the Passion Translation - Christianity Today](https://www.christianitytoday.com/2022/02/passion-translation-tpt-bible-gateway-remove-charismatic-pa/) > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: [bible-translation, biblical-scholarship, christian-publishing] > author: Kate Shellnutt > source: Christianity Today > reference: https://www.christianitytoday.com/2022/02/passion-translation-tpt-bible-gateway-remove-charismatic-pa/ > date created: {{date:YYYY-MM-DD}} {{time:HH:mm}} > > # 🏷️ Title: Bible Gateway Removes The 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) - [💡 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 in January 2022, citing no specific reason - TPT is criticized by scholars as a paraphrase masquerading as a translation, containing significant additions not found in source manuscripts - Lead translator Brian Simmons claims divine calling for the work, which is popular among charismatic Christians but lacks scholarly consensus - The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between accessibility and accuracy in Bible translation - TPT remains available on other platforms including YouVersion and Logos Bible Software ## 📖 Main Content The Passion Translation (TPT) represents a contentious entry in contemporary Bible translation work. Created by Brian Simmons, a former missionary linguist, TPT was designed to "recapture the emotion of God's Word" and has gained popularity within charismatic Christian circles since its New Testament release in 2017. The translation's removal from Bible Gateway, one of the most widely used online Bible platforms, signals significant concerns within the broader Christian publishing industry. While HarperCollins Christian Publishing (Bible Gateway's parent company) provided no specific explanation, the decision came amid growing scholarly criticism of TPT's methodology and claims. ### Translation versus Paraphrase Debate The core controversy centers on TPT's classification. Simmons and publisher BroadStreet Publishing maintain it's a translation because it was developed from Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic manuscripts rather than adapting existing English versions. However, biblical scholars argue TPT fails to meet translation standards due to: - Significant textual additions not present in source manuscripts - Passages that are twice as long as traditional translations - "Double translation" methodology that incorporates multiple word meanings without clear textual justification - Integration of charismatic theological concepts through word choice Critics like Andrew Wilson and Mike Winger contend that TPT functions as a paraphrase while presenting itself as a translation, potentially misleading readers about its relationship to original biblical texts. ### Scholarly and Pastoral Concerns Multiple scholars including those on the NIV Committee on Bible Translation have raised concerns about TPT's process. The 2018 Themelios review criticized Simmons's approach, particularly his tendency to let personal theology drive translation choices. Evangelical scholars recruited by Mike Winger, including Darrell Bock, Douglas Moo, and Craig Blomberg, have critiqued specific passages. Their primary concern is that TPT lacks backing from accredited seminaries and established linguistic organizations. ### Charismatic Endorsement and Usage Despite scholarly criticism, TPT has gained significant endorsement within charismatic Christianity from leaders like Lou Engle, Bill Johnson, and Bobbie Houston. Bethel Church's Bill Johnson uses it for devotional reading while maintaining NASB for preaching, viewing it as helpful for inspiration and new believers. The translation's emotional language and accessibility appeal to readers seeking fresh biblical engagement, as evidenced by social media posts from prominent worship leaders like Jenn Johnson. ## 🗒️ Notes - TPT was first released as a New Testament in 2017, with full Bible planned for 2027 - Simmons claims divine calling for the translation work, citing necessity over traditional qualifications - Bible Gateway hosts 90 English-language Bible translations; TPT was among them until January 2022 - Mark Ward warns against Bible translations becoming "tribal boundary markers" for different Christian groups - TPT includes seven scholars who oversee Simmons's work, though their credentials aren't detailed - The translation currently doesn't rank among top 25 best-selling Bibles in print after five years ## 📚 References - [Bible Gateway](https://www.biblegateway.com) - [The Passion Translation website](https://www.thepassiontranslation.com) - [Christianity Today](https://www.christianitytoday.com) - [Themelios journal review (2018)](https://themelios.thegospelcoalition.org/) - [Mike Winger's Bible Thinker ministry](https://www.mikewinger.com) ## 🗣️ Paraphrase Bible Gateway quietly removed The Passion Translation from its platform, reflecting broader concerns about a popular charismatic Bible version. While translator Brian Simmons claims divine calling for creating an emotionally resonant Bible translation, scholars argue his work functions as a paraphrase disguised as a translation. The controversy highlights tensions between making Scripture accessible and maintaining scholarly accuracy. Despite criticism from biblical scholars and removal from a major platform, TPT maintains strong support within charismatic circles and continues development toward a complete Bible edition. ## 📰 Newsletter Bible translation drama hit the headlines when Bible Gateway dropped The Passion Translation! This charismatic-friendly version promises to capture "God's heart language" but scholars say it's adding way too much that isn't in the original texts. It's like the difference between translating a recipe exactly versus adding your own secret sauce and calling it the original. While TPT fans love the emotional punch it packs, biblical scholars are waving red flags about accuracy. For WordPress folks building church sites, this reminds us why content accuracy matters - whether you're translating ancient texts or documenting your plugin's features. Speaking of documentation, check out the latest WordPress 6.0 editor improvements that make content creation more accessible than ever! ## ✅ Action Items #### DevRel - Create educational content comparing translation methodologies for developer documentation - Develop guidelines for accurate technical translation across multiple languages - Host workshops on content accuracy standards for international developer communities #### Community - Research community standards for religious/spiritual content in open source projects - Develop moderation guidelines for theological discussions in tech forums - Create inclusive content policies that respect diverse faith perspectives #### WordPress - **Documentation**: Review translation accuracy standards for WordPress core documentation - **Community**: Establish guidelines for religious plugin content and marketing claims - **Polyglots**: Implement quality assurance processes for theological terminology translations ## 🧪 Hypotheses - Bible translation controversies correlate with increased scrutiny of religious content platforms - Charismatic Christian communities may be more receptive to dynamic translations regardless of scholarly criticism - Platform removal decisions significantly impact translation adoption rates - Single-author translations face higher criticism than committee-based works - Digital platform decisions increasingly influence religious text accessibility ### 📊 Methodology - Survey evangelical scholars on translation standards and TPT assessment - Analyze download/usage statistics across platforms before and after Bible Gateway removal - Compare TPT adoption rates in charismatic versus non-charismatic churches - Study correlation between translator credentials and scholarly acceptance ### ❓ Questions - How do platform policies influence religious text distribution and acceptance? - What constitutes legitimate biblical scholarship credentials in translation work? - How should digital platforms balance theological accuracy with religious freedom? - Does emotional accessibility in Bible translations enhance or compromise spiritual formation? ### 🔮 Future Research - Long-term impact of platform decisions on biblical translation popularity - Role of social media in promoting controversial religious texts - Relationship between theological movements and translation preferences - Digital platform responsibility for religious content curation ### 💡 Implications This controversy illustrates broader tensions in religious authority, digital gatekeeping, and the democratization of biblical scholarship. It raises questions about who controls religious discourse in digital spaces and how platforms should handle theological disputes. The case suggests traditional scholarly gatekeeping may be weakening as alternative platforms provide distribution channels for contested religious works. ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment Reading level: 12th grade (Flesch-Kincaid analysis) #### 👀 Visual learners - Present: Clear section headers, quoted passages, named sources - Improve: Comparison charts of translation approaches, timeline of TPT development, visual mapping of endorsements versus criticisms #### 🔊 Aural learners - Present: Multiple quoted sources, interview excerpts - Improve: Audio summary highlighting key voices in the debate, podcast-style discussion format #### 🗣️ Verbal learners - Present: Clear definitions of translation versus paraphrase, explained scholarly standards - Improve: Glossary of biblical translation terms, analogy-rich explanations of translation methods #### 🧩 Kinesthetic learners - Present: Step-by-step explanation of translation process - Improve: Interactive comparison tool for different Bible versions, hands-on translation exercise #### 🧠 Logical learners - Present: Clear cause-and-effect progression, scholarly arguments - Improve: Decision tree for evaluating Bible translations, systematic comparison framework #### 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Social learners - Present: Multiple perspectives from different communities - Improve: Discussion questions for study groups, community reflection prompts #### 🧘‍♀️ Solitary learners - Present: Individual scholar perspectives, personal reflection opportunities - Improve: Self-assessment questions about translation preferences, independent research suggestions ### 📊 Accessibility Assessment #### Screen reader semantics - Present: Proper heading hierarchy, clear link descriptions - Improve: Better alt text for any embedded images, more descriptive link text #### Keyboard navigation - Present: Standard web navigation - Improve: Skip links for main sections, better focus indicators #### Contrast and readability - Present: Standard text formatting - Improve: Ensure 4.5:1 contrast ratio, consider larger text options #### Text resizing and reflow - Present: Responsive web design - Improve: Test at 200% zoom for content preservation ### 🌍 DEIB Assessment #### Cultural breadth - Present: Multiple denominational perspectives represented - Improve: Include non-Western biblical scholarship perspectives, address global translation challenges #### Inclusive language - Present: Respectful treatment of different theological positions - Improve: Avoid assuming readers' denominational background, define theological terms clearly #### Neurodiversity support - Present: Structured content with clear headers - Improve: Provide content warnings for theological controversy, offer multiple format options #### Representation - Present: Diverse range of scholarly and pastoral voices - Improve: Include more voices from underrepresented communities in biblical scholarship ### ✅ Logical Validity #### Strong reasoning - Clear cause-effect relationship between scholarly criticism and platform removal - Well-documented evidence of translation methodology concerns - Balanced presentation of both supportive and critical perspectives #### Fallacies - Some appeal to authority on both sides without full credential examination - Potential false dichotomy between "accurate" and "accessible" translations #### Tone of voice - Professional journalistic tone with balanced reporting, appropriate gravity for theological controversy ### 🛡️ DARVO Analysis No significant DARVO tactics detected in the primary article. Simmons's initial response claiming "cancel culture" shows minor victim reversal, but this was later removed from social media, suggesting possible reconsideration of framing. ## 🎯 Conclusion The removal of The Passion Translation from Bible Gateway represents a significant moment in contemporary biblical scholarship and religious publishing. The controversy underscores ongoing tensions between scholarly accuracy and popular accessibility in religious texts. For readers, this highlights the importance of understanding the difference between translations and paraphrases, and the value of consulting multiple sources when studying biblical texts. The incident also demonstrates how digital platforms increasingly serve as gatekeepers for religious content, raising important questions about authority and access in the digital age. <!-- deep-read:sections end --> 📄 **Full text:** ![[Full Document Contents/Articles/Bible Gateway Removes the Passion Translation - Christianity Today.md|Bible Gateway Removes the Passion Translation - Christianity Today by christianitytoday.com]] ## Highlights - A Bible version designed to “recapture the emotion of God’s Word” was removed from Bible Gateway last week. The Passion Translation (TPT) is listed as “no longer available” among the site’s 90 English-language Bible offerings. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01ksvamy5h07xw9mcmesvqfgz0)) - Note: The news anchor: Bible Gateway (HarperCollins Christian) quietly delisted TPT in January 2022 without stated reason — out of 90 English versions hosted. The silence-on-reason is itself the story: a major Christian-publishing platform pulls a translation without explanation, leaving the explanation to be inferred from concurrent scholarly criticism. - Tags: january-2022, bible-gateway-removal, atom/literature/h1, harpercollins - Winger recruited evangelical scholars including Darrell Bock, Nijay Gupta, Douglas Moo, and Craig Blomberg to critique specific TPT passages. Gupta repeated some of his reservations to CT, saying, if TPT were to appear on a site alongside established translations “it should have a warning label: ‘One of these is not like the other.’ … non-academics should know that TPT does not have the backing of accredited seminaries and linguistic organizations experienced in translation work.” ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01ksvan4k59ks7n3yp1wv0598r)) - Note: Mike Winger functioned as a coordinator: recruited Bock (Dallas), Gupta (Northern), Moo (Wheaton), Blomberg (Denver Seminary) — mainstream evangelical NT scholars across institutions. Gupta's "warning label" line is the consumer-facing version of the seminary-backing critique: not a theological argument, an accreditation argument. The lay reader doesn't need to evaluate translation theory; they can ask which institutions stand behind the work. - Tags: atom/literature/h1, evangelical-credentialing, scholar-mobilization, warning-label, mike-winger - Bill Johnson at Bethel Church still uses the New American Standard Bible (NASB) in most of his writing and preaching due to familiarity, he said in a [clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kpL4YhUhYU) from last year titled, “Is The Passion Translation Heresy?” He uses TPT for devotional reading, as he did with paraphrases before it. He believes they are particularly helpful for new believers, too, and Bethel sells a branded TPT in its bookstore. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01ksvanbk706yf63tbv5ykckfr)) - Note: Telling tier-of-use distinction: Bill Johnson preaches from NASB but reads TPT devotionally and Bethel sells a branded TPT in its bookstore. The implicit framing — TPT-for-feelings, NASB-for-truth — is the working theology Bethel exports through its bookstore. Connects directly to the Remnant Radio Bethel video earlier this session: TPT was named there as one of the un-addressed problematic theologies in Bethel's recent statement. - Tags: bill-johnson, two-tier-use, atom/literature/h1, bethel-bookstore, devotional-vs-preaching - Neither Bible Gateway nor YouVersion offered figures on its popularity; five years into publication, TPT does not currently rank among [the top 25 best-selling Bibles](https://christianbookexpo.com/bestseller/bibles.php?id=BO21) in print. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01ksvanhy6hxs0cqgg9mwm2846)) - Note: Zettel-grade reframing: the dispute over TPT's reach is empirically constrained. Despite charismatic endorsement and visible online presence, after 5 years TPT doesn't crack the top-25 print Bible bestsellers. The influence/sales gap is the dispositive empirical signal — the controversy is disproportionate to the market share, and that's worth tracking when assessing similar high-volume-online / low-print-sales texts. - Tags: popularity-vs-influence-gap, atom/zettel/z1, five-year-marker, tpt-sales-rank