The Bible Translation That Needs a Surgeon General's Warning

The Bible "Translation" That "Needs a Surgeon General's Warning" ![rw-book-cover](https://readwise-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/static/images/article4.6bc1851654a0.png) 🔗 **Source:** [The Bible "Translation" That "Needs a Surgeon General's Warning"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ku7GA5IynQ) > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: [bible-translation, passion-translation, biblical-scholarship] > author: [MISSING] > source: [MISSING] > reference: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ku7GA5IynQ] > date created: {{date:YYYY-MM-DD}} {{time:HH:mm}} > > # 🏷️ Title: The Bible "Translation" That "Needs a Surgeon General's Warning" >  ## 🧭 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 - Multiple biblical scholars critique "The Passion Translation" (TPT) by Brian Simmons as fundamentally flawed - Scholars argue TPT is not a proper translation but an interpretive paraphrase or amplification - Simmons claims divine revelation and "supernatural downloads" of Greek/Hebrew secrets overlooked by scholars - Critics hired by the presenter conclude TPT lacks consistent methodology, pushes sectarian theology, and contains misleading interpretations - The translation has gained popularity through endorsements from charismatic pastors despite scholarly criticism ## 📖 Main Content This video presents a compilation of scholarly critiques of "The Passion Translation" (TPT) by Brian Simmons. The central concern raised by multiple biblical scholars is that TPT fundamentally misrepresents itself as a translation when it functions more as an interpretive paraphrase. ### Key Academic Criticisms Several scholars interviewed express serious reservations about TPT's methodology and accuracy: - **Translation vs. Paraphrase**: Multiple experts argue TPT should not be called a translation, describing it instead as an "amplification" or personal interpretation - **Inconsistent Methodology**: Scholars note the lack of consistent translation principles and failure to engage with established biblical scholarship - **Textual Accuracy**: Critics point to "misleading and overly speculative" interpretive additions that alter the original meaning - **Educational Concerns**: Questions raised about Simmons' qualifications for translating the entire Bible ### Simmons' Claims of Divine Revelation The video highlights Simmons' extraordinary claims about receiving supernatural insight: - Claims of "supernatural downloads" of biblical understanding - Assertions that God revealed "secrets of Greek and Hebrew" overlooked by scholars - Descriptions of receiving special revelation for understanding Hebrew homonyms and the Book of Revelation ### Scholarly Response The presenter commissioned multiple academic reviews to provide unbiased analysis, with reviewers consistently concluding that TPT contains significant flaws that compromise its reliability as scripture. ## 🗒️ Notes ### Scholar Recommendations for Concerned Christians - Express appreciation for passion for God's word while redirecting to more reliable translations - Emphasize the availability of numerous quality translations (ESV, NASB, NKJV, KJV) - Caution against using TPT as a primary Bible ### Core Academic Issues Identified - Lack of engagement with established biblical scholarship trends - Imposition of allegorical interpretations that obscure primary textual meaning - Addition of interpretive glosses not present in original texts - "Haphazard and amateur" translation techniques ### Claims of Special Revelation - Simmons describes receiving "chips" and "connections" for better scriptural understanding - Claims of ongoing supernatural downloads since beginning translation work - Assertions about homonymic structures being key to understanding Revelation ## 📚 References - The Passion Translation by Brian Simmons - Various biblical scholars' academic reviews (referenced but not specifically named in transcript) - Traditional translations mentioned: ESV, NASB, NKJV, KJV ## 🗣️ Paraphrase Biblical scholars are sounding alarm bells about The Passion Translation, arguing it's not actually a translation but rather one person's interpretive take on scripture. While translator Brian Simmons claims God gave him special revelations about Greek and Hebrew that scholars have missed, academics who've reviewed his work find it riddled with problems—inconsistent methods, speculative additions, and alterations that change the Bible's meaning. The concern isn't just academic; it's that people are using this as their main Bible when scholars say it doesn't accurately represent what the original texts actually say. ## 📰 Newsletter **WordPress Community Alert: Translation Quality Matters in Digital Publishing Too** Just as biblical scholars are critiquing The Passion Translation for lacking proper methodology and making unfounded claims, we in the WordPress community should apply similar scrutiny to our tools and translations. Whether it's theme translations, plugin documentation, or content migration tools, accuracy and methodology matter. This biblical translation controversy reminds us that popular endorsements don't guarantee quality—just because a high-profile pastor recommends something doesn't make it academically sound, much like how a popular plugin's download count doesn't guarantee security or best practices. **Key takeaways for WordPress professionals:** - Verify credentials and methodology behind tools you recommend - Be cautious of "revolutionary" solutions that claim to have discovered secrets others missed - Multiple expert reviews beat single-source recommendations - Documentation and translation accuracy directly impact user experience **Resources:** - [WordPress Internationalization Guide](https://developer.wordpress.org/apis/handbook/internationalization/) - [Theme Review Guidelines](https://make.wordpress.org/themes/handbook/review/) - [Plugin Security Best Practices](https://developer.wordpress.org/plugins/security/) ## ✅ Action Items #### Community - Maintainers: establish peer review processes for translation accuracy claims, documentation review cycles for plugins claiming revolutionary approaches - Contributors: create evaluation rubrics for assessing tool credibility, develop fact-checking workflows for community recommendations - Sponsors: fund independent reviews of popular but controversial tools, support transparent evaluation processes #### WordPress - Documentation: create guidelines for evaluating third-party tool claims, establish standards for translation methodology disclosure - Community: develop peer review systems for popular plugins making extraordinary claims, create educational content about evaluating tool credibility ## 🧪 Hypotheses - Popular endorsements from high-profile figures can override scholarly/technical consensus in community adoption - Claims of supernatural or revolutionary insight correlate with lower adherence to established methodological standards - Commissioned independent reviews provide more reliable assessment than single-source evaluations - Educational background and credentials predict translation/tool development quality - Sectarian or ideological motivations compromise technical accuracy in translation work - Community criticism of popular tools faces resistance proportional to the tool's charismatic endorsement ### 📊 Methodology - **Comparative textual analysis**: Compare TPT renderings with original Greek/Hebrew texts and established translations - **Credential verification**: Assess translator qualifications against established biblical scholarship standards - **Peer review analysis**: Commission multiple independent scholarly reviews using standardized evaluation criteria - **Methodological consistency audit**: Evaluate translation principles across different biblical books and passages - **Theological bias detection**: Analyze additions and interpretive choices for sectarian preferences ### ❓ Questions - How do charismatic endorsements overcome scholarly consensus in religious communities? - What safeguards exist to prevent unqualified individuals from producing influential biblical translations? - How should communities balance accessibility/passion with academic rigor in sacred text translation? - What role should supernatural claims play in evaluating scholarly work? - How can laypeople distinguish between legitimate scholarly debate and fundamental methodological flaws? ### 🔮 Future Research - Longitudinal study of TPT adoption rates versus scholarly criticism awareness - Comparative analysis of translation methodologies across contemporary English Bible versions - Investigation of quality control mechanisms in religious publishing - Analysis of how supernatural authority claims affect text reception - Study of effective strategies for communicating scholarly consensus to lay audiences ### 💡 Implications **Religious Education**: Need for improved biblical literacy training to help laypeople evaluate translation quality **Publishing Standards**: Questions about quality control in religious publishing industry **Authority and Credentialing**: Tension between academic credentials and claimed divine revelation in religious communities **Community Decision-Making**: How communities should weigh scholarly consensus against popular enthusiasm **Digital Ministry**: Implications for online religious content and translation tool evaluation ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment Reading level estimate: Grade 12-13 (Flesch-Kincaid) - academic vocabulary but accessible sentence structure #### 👀 Visual learners - Present: Multiple scholar quotes provide visual text variety - Improve: Comparison charts showing TPT vs. standard translations, credential comparison graphics, methodology flowcharts #### 🔊 Aural learners - Present: Video format with multiple speaking voices - Improve: Audio-only version, podcast format discussion of translation principles #### 🗣️ Verbal learners - Present: Clear definitions of "translation" vs. "paraphrase," scholarly terminology explained - Improve: Glossary of biblical translation terms, analogies comparing translation work to other professional fields #### 🧩 Kinesthetic learners - Present: Comparison exercise implied in multiple scholar perspectives - Improve: Interactive translation comparison tool, hands-on workshop materials for evaluating translations #### 🧠 Logical learners - Present: Multiple independent scholarly assessments, methodological critiques - Improve: Decision tree for evaluating translation quality, rubrics for assessing translator credentials #### 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Social learners - Present: Community concern for fellow Christians using flawed translation - Improve: Discussion guides for Bible study groups, community evaluation workshops #### 🧘‍♀️ Solitary learners - Present: Individual scholarly assessment summaries - Improve: Self-assessment checklist for translation evaluation, independent study materials #### 🌿 Naturalistic learners - Present: Organic growth of concern leading to systematic investigation - Improve: Ecosystem metaphors for healthy vs. unhealthy translation practices ### 📊 Accessibility Assessment #### Screen reader semantics - Present: Clear speaker transitions in transcript - Improve: Speaker identification labels, structured headings for quote sections #### Keyboard navigation - Present: Standard video controls - Improve: Timestamp navigation, chapter markers for different scholar perspectives #### Contrast and readability - Present: High contrast video text - Improve: Transcript formatting with clear speaker distinctions #### Text resizing and reflow - Present: Transcript available for resizing - Improve: Responsive transcript layout with zoom support #### Media and captions - Present: Full transcript provided - Improve: Time-synced captions, downloadable transcript file #### Forms and interactions - Present: Basic video interface - Improve: Interactive comparison tools, accessible feedback forms ### 🌍 DEIB Assessment #### Cultural breadth - Present: Focus on English Bible translation accessibility - Improve: Discussion of translation challenges across cultures, global translation standards #### Inclusive language - Present: Academic terminology defined in context - Improve: Plain language summaries, cultural translation examples #### Neurodiversity support - Present: Multiple format options (video + transcript) - Improve: Structured outline, predictable format for scholar quotes #### Representation - Present: Multiple scholarly perspectives - Improve: Diverse scholar backgrounds, international translation standards perspective #### Psychological safety - Present: Respectful tone despite strong disagreement - Improve: Content warnings for religious criticism, supportive framing for concerned believers ### ✅ Logical Validity #### Strong reasoning - **Appeal to expert authority**: Multiple independent scholarly assessments strengthen credibility over single opinions - **Comparative methodology**: Commissioning independent reviews addresses potential bias concerns effectively - **Empirical evidence**: Specific textual analysis examples support general methodological criticisms #### Fallacies - **Potential ad hominem**: Some criticism focuses on Simmons' qualifications rather than purely textual analysis - could strengthen by emphasizing textual issues over personal credentials - **Appeal to majority**: Scholar consensus presented as definitive - could acknowledge legitimate debate exists within scholarly community on some translation approaches - **False dichotomy**: Presents choice as TPT vs. "good translations" - could acknowledge spectrum of translation quality and philosophy #### Tone of voice - **Concerned but respectful**: "I love your passion for the word of God but..." shows pastoral care while delivering criticism - **Academic authority**: Technical language and multiple scholar citations establish scholarly credibility - **Urgent warning**: "Surgeon General's warning" metaphor conveys serious concern without inflammatory language ### 🛡️ DARVO Analysis No clear DARVO patterns detected in the main content. The video presents scholarly criticism of a translation work rather than responding to accusations. However, potential defensive responses might include: - **Deny**: Simmons might deny scholarly qualifications matter when divine revelation is involved - **Attack**: Could attack academic establishment as spiritually blind or resistant to fresh revelation - **Reverse**: Could position scholarly critics as persecutors of divine revelation or obstacles to spiritual truth The video anticipates these responses by emphasizing love for God's word and providing multiple independent scholarly assessments rather than personal attacks. ## 🎯 Conclusion The scholarly consensus presented in this video suggests that The Passion Translation fails to meet basic standards for biblical translation accuracy and methodology. While the translator claims divine revelation, multiple independent academic reviews identify significant flaws that compromise the work's reliability as scripture. Christians seeking to engage seriously with God's word should consider well-established translations that adhere to recognized scholarly principles. The controversy highlights the importance of distinguishing between passionate devotion and accurate translation, with the latter requiring both spiritual commitment and rigorous academic methodology. ## 🔄 Refactor Appendix — The Bible "Translation" That "Needs a Surgeon General's Warning" ### 📚 Literature Atoms (H3) #### Multiple scholars reject Passion Translation as legitimate biblical translation > [!quote] ID:rw_transcript_001 > "it's not a translation at all that's a misnomer it's really more of a of a amplification uh from the opinion of the translator" **Context & use**: - Core scholarly consensus across multiple independent reviewers - Fundamental categorization issue affecting how Christians should approach the text **Tags**: #xref #biblical-scholarship **Highlight**: Transcript compilation  #### Brian Simmons claims supernatural revelation of Hebrew and Greek secrets > [!quote] ID:rw_transcript_002 > "God really helped me do this translation I've made some discoveries... the Lord had given me secrets... I received downloads it was like I got a chip put inside of me" **Context & use**: - Extraordinary authority claims that bypass traditional scholarly methodology - Raises questions about verification and accountability in translation work **Tags**: #xref #supernatural-claims **Highlight**: Transcript compilation  #### Charismatic pastoral endorsements override scholarly consensus in Bible adoption > [!quote] ID:rw_transcript_003 > "because of the Reckless and unwise endorsing of the passion translation by some high-profile hyper charismatic pastors that's exactly what's happening" **Context & use**: - Demonstrates how religious authority structures can bypass academic quality control - Pattern relevant to other fields where popular endorsement conflicts with expert assessment **Tags**: #xref #authority-dynamics **Highlight**: Transcript compilation  ### 🧠 Permanent Candidates (H4) #### Popular endorsement can override expert consensus in specialized fields **Claim**: When high-profile figures endorse products in specialized fields, their influence can lead to widespread adoption despite expert opposition based on technical standards. **Evidence pointer**: [[#Multiple scholars reject Passion Translation as legitimate biblical translation]] **Scope & conditions**: Most effective when endorser has charismatic authority and audience lacks specialized knowledge to evaluate competing claims **Links**: - [[Expert vs. Popular Authority]] — because extends beyond religious contexts - [[Quality Control in Specialized Fields]] — because evidence-for systematic evaluation needs  ### ✏️ Fleeting Queue - How do other specialized fields (medicine, engineering, software) prevent unqualified practitioners from gaining popular influence? — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ku7GA5IynQ #fleeting #inbox - What makes supernatural authority claims particularly resistant to empirical refutation? — biblical translation context #fleeting #inbox ### → Things 3 (max 2 actions) - [ ] Research quality control mechanisms in religious publishing industry — compare to academic publishing standards #things - [ ] Investigate similar cases where charismatic authority overrode technical expertise — create pattern analysis #things --- ## Full Transcript [00:00] let's pretend that a Christian turns to [00:02] you and they say I'm getting the passion [00:04] translation my pastor says it's like the [00:06] best thing that has happened to Bible [00:07] translation in our lifetime they love [00:09] the passion translation they feel like [00:11] it's really blessed them if you had just [00:13] like 10 seconds to tell them what they [00:14] need to know about this work what would [00:16] you say I would say I love your passion [00:18] for the word of God but your passion [00:20] shouldn't be for the passion translation [00:22] it should be for the word of God as it [00:24] is and there are better translations [00:26] that accomplish that what would you say [00:29] uh I would be very cautious about using [00:33] the passion translation as my Bible no [00:37] person should view this as their basic [00:39] Bible [00:41] I question whether it gives us accurate [00:44] access into the words of God but with [00:46] the plethora of English language [00:48] translations and paraphrases already [00:51] available [00:52] it is hard to see why tp2 is even [00:54] necessary [00:56] despite some of the wonderful [00:58] passion and turns of phrase [01:01] there are also enough problems with it [01:04] that it probably should have the surgeon [01:07] general's warning on it about its [01:09] potential hazards if you had just 10 [01:11] seconds to tell them what they needed to [01:12] know about the passion translation what [01:15] would you say it is idiosyncratic and it [01:18] uses uh Innovative but not uh not [01:22] historically credible approach to Bible [01:25] translation uh it's not a translation at [01:27] all that's a misnomer it's really more [01:30] of a of a amplification uh from the [01:34] opinion of the translator overall I [01:36] found the passion translation of [01:38] Galatians occasionally thoughtful but [01:40] largely haphazard and amateur in its [01:42] translation techniques it lacks a [01:45] consistent translation method and does [01:46] not take into account major Trends in [01:48] agreement in Galatians biblical [01:50] scholarship many of the additional [01:52] flourishes and interpretive glosses that [01:54] the passion translation includes are [01:56] misleading and overly speculative [01:58] overall I take passion translations [02:01] Galatians as the personal opinion of a [02:04] missionary which may have some value in [02:06] its own right rather than a consistently [02:09] accurate translation of the Greek text [02:11] of Galatians for serious use [02:14] the passion translation is a deeply [02:16] flawed presentation of the song of songs [02:19] it's imposition of an allegorical [02:22] interpretation represses the primary [02:24] meaning of the book One can't hear God's [02:27] intended message in this translation [02:30] Simmons has so radically altered of the [02:34] text of scripture that what you have is [02:37] not scripture in your hands it contains [02:39] scriptural truths it contains many of [02:42] the ideas that the Bible communicates [02:43] but what you are holding in your hands [02:46] it does not qualify as scripture [02:49] uh Dr Bittner [02:52] if someone asked me what I thought about [02:54] the passion translation and they were [02:56] getting excited about it uh like Alex [02:58] I'd want to say I'm so so excited for [03:01] you that you're opening up God's word [03:03] that you would read that but what you [03:04] have in your hands is not a good [03:06] translation of God's word it's a it's [03:08] passionate it's poetic but it's not a [03:11] translation and if you really want to [03:13] hear God speaking to you you need to put [03:15] that down and you need to go pick up any [03:18] of another a number of other [03:20] translations and we can talk about great [03:22] translations that are there but that is [03:25] not the one to be reading if you want to [03:27] hear clearly what it is that God has [03:29] been saying to his people for 2 000 [03:31] years and continues to say freshly to us [03:34] it's just not a good translation so just [03:36] from just from Ephesians do you think it [03:38] appears to you that forgive me for the [03:42] way I have to word this but we got to [03:43] respond to the claims that are being [03:44] made that God gave Brian Simmons secrets [03:47] of Greek that Scholars have overlooked [03:50] for all these years [04:00] showed me it's the homonymic uh [04:03] structure of Hebrew is going to be the [04:04] key to understanding Revelation in the [04:06] last days including the Book of [04:07] Revelation which you haven't got yet [04:10] honestly I'm Mega understating it [04:13] God really helped me do this translation [04:17] I've made some discoveries I don't know [04:18] who to talk to I mean I'm finding out [04:21] on so I'm trying [04:22] [Music] [04:24] to be the secret of homonyms Revelation [04:26] Secrets I told you that the Lord had [04:28] given me secrets and he has and he blew [04:30] on me [04:34] he breathed on me [04:36] breathes on me he breathed on me he [04:39] promised that he would give me new [04:42] understanding and knew [04:44] fresh Revelation from his word and he [04:47] promised that he would give me secrets [04:50] that had not been disclosed I began to [04:53] receive a supernatural download of [04:56] insight and Revelation that has [04:58] continued to this day and I felt [05:01] downloads coming instantly I received [05:04] downloads it was like I got a chip put [05:07] inside of me I got a connection inside [05:09] of me to hear him better to understand [05:12] the scriptures better and hopefully to [05:15] translate secrets that only come from [05:18] above the secrets of the Lord he's [05:21] beginning to share them with me and I'd [05:23] like to share them with you is that a [05:24] good enough commercial that claim is so [05:26] incredibly arrogant I can hardly believe [05:28] it let me tell you why this matters so [05:31] much to me and why I've hired a number [05:33] of highly respected Scholars to review [05:34] the passion translation and then made [05:36] their work their papers and their [05:38] interviews available for free online the [05:40] passion translation is a bad translation [05:42] it is not even proper to call it a [05:44] Translate it has more issues than I can [05:46] count it pushes sectarian Theology and [05:49] puts ideas into the Bible that just [05:51] aren't there to start with it's [05:52] primarily the work of one man a guy [05:55] named Brian Simmons who doesn't seem to [05:56] have the proper education or skills to [05:59] be able to translate the entire Bible [06:00] well but Brian Simmons claims that God [06:03] has supernaturally given him the spirit [06:05] of Revelation and given him secrets of [06:07] Hebrew and Greek that he has put into [06:09] his passion Bible now normally weird and [06:11] bad translations don't really make it [06:12] into your shelf at home or into the [06:14] bookstores or certainly aren't [06:15] recommended from pulpits normally but [06:18] because of the Reckless and unwise [06:20] endorsing of the passion translation by [06:22] some high-profile hyper charismatic [06:24] pastors that's exactly what's happening [06:26] I thought something has to be done about [06:28] this so I made a number of videos [06:30] exposing the passion translation trying [06:31] to share why I think this is a bad [06:33] translation even though I like the ESV [06:35] and the nasb and the new King James [06:37] version I like the King James version I [06:39] mean I like most of the available [06:41] translations we have nowadays but no not [06:43] this one still even with the videos and [06:45] the reviews I had done some people [06:47] questioned my motives or some people [06:48] wondered if maybe it's kind of like a [06:50] mic Winger versus Brian Simmons you know [06:52] who do I believe situation so I hired a [06:54] bunch of Scholars to review the passion [06:56] translation and present their work to [06:58] you so you could have an academic and as [07:00] unbiased as possible review of the work [07:02] that is what I've called my passion [07:04] project  ## Highlights - it's not a translation at all that's a misnomer it's really more of a of a amplification uh from the opinion of the translator - Note: 📚 Multiple scholars reject Passion Translation as legitimate biblical translation · - Core scholarly consensus across multiple independent reviewers - Fundamental categorization issue affecting how Christians should approach the text · #atom/literature/h1 - God really helped me do this translation I've made some discoveries... the Lord had given me secrets... I received downloads it was like I got a chip put inside of me - Note: 📚 Brian Simmons claims supernatural revelation of Hebrew and Greek secrets · - Extraordinary authority claims that bypass traditional scholarly methodology - Raises questions about verification and accountability in translation work · #atom/literature/h2 - because of the Reckless and unwise endorsing of the passion translation by some high-profile hyper charismatic pastors that's exactly what's happening - Note: 📚 Charismatic pastoral endorsements override scholarly consensus in Bible adoption · - Demonstrates how religious authority structures can bypass academic quality control - Pattern relevant to other fields where popular endorsement conflicts with expert assessment · #atom/literature/h3 - Popular endorsement can override expert consensus in specialized fields - Note: [[Expert vs. Popular Authority]] — because extends beyond religious contexts · - [[Expert vs. Popular Authority]] — because extends beyond religious contexts · #atom/zettel/z1 - How do other specialized fields (medicine, engineering, software) prevent unqualified practitioners from gaining popular influence? — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ku7GA5IynQ - Note: ✏️ Fleeting capture #atom/fleeting/f1 - What makes supernatural authority claims particularly resistant to empirical refutation? — biblical translation context - Note: ✏️ Fleeting capture #atom/fleeting/f2 - Some criticism focuses on Simmons' qualifications rather than purely textual analysis - could strengthen by emphasizing textual issues over personal credentials - Note: 🔍 Fallacy: Ad Hominem #fallacy/ad-hominem