Bruce Cooper

The Passion Bible Translation – Critical Review Information

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I’ve written on this particular “translation” before, how it is used extensively within the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) movement, and subsequently within many churches throughout North America and elsewhere.

What I will do in this particular post is provide you with a number of excellent links which document why this is not a true translation at all, by whom it purportedly came to be “commissioned” to the NAR apostle Brian Simmons and why it is deliberately designed to support and promote numerous NAR related practices and doctrines.

I realize that there are a significant number of links below with a substantial amount of documentation to go through, but the use of this “translation” is widely endorsed by many preachers and teachers and it is vitally important to know why it is not trustworthy and why it contains much deception. There is a high probability that you will run into someone who is using this translation. The links below will equip you with the information you will need to know so that you can, at a minimum, offer reasons why it is so dangerous.

themelios.thegospelcoalition.org/article/burning-scripture-with-passion-a-review-of-the-psalms-passion-translation
thinktheology.co.uk/blog/article/whats_wrong_with_the_passion_translation
important-facts-about-the-passion-translation/7962 (1 of 5)
a-new-nar-bible-the-passion-translation/3014 (2 of 5)
a-new-nar-bible-2-drastic-differences/3059 (3 of 5)
a-new-nar-bible-3-wheres-the-manuscript-evidence/3153 (4 of 5)
a-new-nar-bible-4-the-passion-translation-vs-the-english-standard-version/3201 (5 of 5)
heres-why-christians-should-be-concerned-about-the-passion-translation-of-the-bible
www.larryoverton.com/a-critique-of-the-passion-translation/
gotquestions.org/Passion-Translation.html
thetextofthegospels.com/2018/03/the-passion-translation-some-problems.html
https://saraboyd.org/?p=309
lionelwindsor.net/2017/11/09/passion-translation-romans/
the-passion-translation-review-of.html

18 comments

  1. Bruce, I grieve over the number of blogs that use TPT. One blog in particular I would like to ask if they realize that the TPT is not what they think. I do not have God’s peace to ask this person that question. Thank you for these resources!

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    • Hi Mandy, I have tried a couple of times but it doesn’t go over well, common sense reasoning doesn’t seem to matter anymore as long as it feeds what the objective is with the NAR doctrines and practises. I’ve agreed to disagree and leave it at that, not much else you can do when authoritative facts don’t matter anymore. Crazy. Have a blessed week Mandy.

      Liked by 1 person

    • I hear you Beverly, when the “old fashioned” Bible doesn’t support what you say and do, the answer for some, is to create a new Bible that does and that pretty much takes care of that problem. It would seem that common sense reasoning isn’t all that common anymore. Have a blessed week Beverly.

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  3. My in-laws attend a 4 square church whose pastor does an infomercial for the passion translation each week. I’m a sucker for punishment so I listen to the sermon each Sunday.
    What I find odd is the claim that it’s translated from Aramaic. Yet every time I compare what that pastor reads from the passion to the Aramaic in plain english, they don’t line up. The Aramaic in plain english is always near what the more orthodox translation write.
    He was reading the water to wine story in John and it was just ridiculous.
    Blessings on your week Bruce.

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    • Using some common sense on how, why, who and for what doesn’t seem to matter anymore. It’s not even close to a translation, loose paraphrase with unsourced additions thrown in as deemed appropriate by the NAR apostle, commissioned by a personal visit from Jesus and accompanying “downloads”. Crazy. You have a blessed week too Stephen.

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  5. Bruce, thanks for this post. I must be out of touch – I didn’t realize this translation was out. I suspect there are several other new ones I haven’t heard of as well.

    Any time you create some kind of transliteration of the Bible, whether for clarity for your children or your study group, or for promoting your brand of theology, you run the risk of error. We all have theological leftovers from the years that subconsciously impact our thinking, even if there is no intentional twisting of the words to a particular view. This version seems to invite criticism because of its alleged bent towards a particular theology and an individual’s view of what God might have meant. While I’ve not read but a couple of your links on this and the examples they’ve cited, I can see the objections to his end result, regardless of the translator’s good intentions. I also have issues with “The Message”, which gets a little too free and vulgar and common in its wording, though as a commentary it has had some value.

    Ultimately for me, the problem is not which translation I use, but my consistent study of God’s word and the application of it into my life. I have a couple preferred translations, and I can go back to the Greek for the New Testament, and there are plenty of tools for word studies and understanding of the texts so I can get it right enough, if I would only obey God better and do what he says in them.

    Thanks for the heads up on this.

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    • My pleasure Rick. I hear what you are saying. I was thinking the other day, what it was that made the difference between knowledge and the threshold where one truly grasps the reality of Jesus so that it does effectively change our pattern of living. We so used to relying on what our normal senses tell us and responding to our human needs that it takes a significant realization to change the balance of our perception with lasting effectiveness. That significant realization can be different for each of us and yours may be different that mine but it all culminates in the reality of Jesus. I was talking the other day to another Christian and I noted that the sheep pen we are in (God’s Kingdom) is big and sometimes I wander to the far end of it but Jesus is our shepherd and we literally need to stay close to Him or at least I do. That union just has to be there and it takes work and dedication to remain there. If we are close to Him, obedience is a lot easier, it’s when we move away from that closeness to Him that disobedience takes a greater hold in us. That’s what I’ve found for me. Jesus said we can’t serve two masters and He is right. I am usually the opposing master and it can’t work that way. I needed to comprehend my absolute need for me to depend on Him, day by day, hour by hour, coupled with my trust in Him. That battle between two masters is always there, diminished in the closeness and more prevalent when distance separates. Jesus said that without Him we could do nothing and I’m thinking He knows what He is talking about. Just felt led to share that with you, hope you don’t mind. God’s grace, peace and blessings to you and yours Rick.

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  7. I hadn’t heard of this translation, Bruce. I’ve had a look at some examples and it seems to me that the translator has added lots of his own bits, which we are told not to do. It doesn’t appeal to me anyway.

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    • Hi Lesley, yes apostle Brian Simmons has added a lot of words that validate various New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) practices and doctrines and it is being widely used within North America and in many churches within England also. The NAR has quite a history and it’s deceptive tentacles reach just about everywhere. I have authored a lot of posts about the NAR movement on my blog if you are interested.
      On a different note, I’d like to offer you my apology if I caused you any unneeded stress in my discussions with Damon. I don’t get into those types of exchanges very often but in his particular case I made the error of not placing his welfare above my own concerns. I’ve done everything I can possibly do to rectify that with Damon and I trust God will heal that. It was a rough couple of weeks but we’re back on course and with God’s grace and guidance I won’t make that same mistake again. In the interim I apologize for any uneasiness that I caused to you.
      I also hope that you’re feeling better now and that the musings of the Gospel of John that I’ve been doing, are an encouragement to you.
      God’s grace, peace and blessings to you and yours Lesley.

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      • Hi Bruce, sorry I’m just answering now as I’ve been out and just come home. You don’t have to apologise about anything … I haven’t seen any discussions between you and Damon and my comment on his blog about Christians arguing was just about things I’d seen in general, and in response to his poem. It had been a weird couple of weeks online, but I’ve settled myself down again. Don’t worry about anything, honestly I’m fine. God bless. 🙏

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  8. I had heard about the tie-in to NAR. I have heard some of their sermons being based on the Passion Translation. It seems like it just is slipping into those congregations. Please keep up your good work.

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