In a significant move reflecting ongoing debates within the Christian community, Bethel Church in Redding, California, has decided to halt the sale of The Passion Translation (TPT), a Bible paraphrase that has drawn both interest and criticism.
The church’s leadership team is currently addressing concerns raised about TPT, with reviews being conducted by specialized groups. This process is expected to take time, according to an update on Bethel’s
website. The sale pause will remain until further clarity is achieved.
Bethel Church is engaging with various stakeholders, including current and former students, staff, and external advisers, to ensure integrity and safety measures are in place within the organization.
Previously, Bethel sold a special edition of the TPT New Testament with a foreword by Senior Pastor Bill Johnson. The purchase link for this edition has recently been disabled, although a video endorsement from Johnson remains on TPT’s official website.
Other religious institutions and platforms have also begun distancing themselves from TPT. As reported by
The Christian Post, Life Bible, an app with around 1.5 million users, removed TPT from its offerings.
Prominent charismatic teacher Damon Thompson, leader of The Homestead congregation in Alabama, retracted his endorsement of TPT. On his ministry’s website, Thompson expressed concerns over the scholarly foundation of TPT, indicating it was misrepresented and that source material was used without proper attribution.
Thompson, who had recommended TPT to his congregation and relatives, acknowledged his reliance on its Aramaic translations due to his own language limitations. He has since withdrawn his trust in the translation, stating, “I no longer have that confidence.” He apologized for any misinformation passed on to his followers.
The growing skepticism around TPT follows an investigation by the YouTube channel “Minor Prophets,” featuring Bible teacher Mike Winger. The investigation questioned the credentials of Brian Simmons, TPT’s lead translator, and alleged uncredited use of text from other sources.
Winger, who has critiqued TPT for years, argues that the paraphrase includes material not supported by original biblical languages. He noted on social platform X that scholars from diverse Christian backgrounds do not consider TPT a reliable Bible translation.
Since its 2017 release, TPT has found a following in charismatic and Pentecostal communities, with claims of using Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic manuscripts to convey God’s love. However, critics label it a devotional paraphrase rather than a formal translation, questioning Simmons’ account of an angelic inspiration for the project.
In 2022, Bible Gateway removed TPT after consulting with translation experts. Meanwhile, a petition urging YouVersion, the most downloaded Bible app, to drop TPT has garnered over 17,000 signatures amid renewed scrutiny.
In a notable action, Winger
deleted the YouVersion app from his phone over its inclusion of TPT, urging caution for users seeking reliable translations.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
