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Why the Passion Translation Bible Gets So Much Vitriol

Why the Passion Translation Bible Gets So Much Vitriol

Last updated on: June 15, 2026 at 8:15 am by Shawn Paul Wood

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Why the Passion Translation Bible Gets So Much Vitriol 2026-06-14T12:53:41-05:00 Shawn Paul Wood

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When “The Chosen” premiered, Christians rejoiced over the modern vision Dallas Jenkins gave to the entire story of Christ.

Before that, American pastor, scholar, and poet Eugene Peterson delivered the most progressive paraphrasing of the literal Hebrew and Greek texts ever in “The Message Bible.”

There have been fresh takes on literary achievement and unique perspectives on the story of Christ, yet most have gone largely unnoticed or dismissed as “whatever, Hollywood.” (Remakes of Left Behind and God’s Not Dead, we’re looking at you.)

Then came “The Passion Translation.”

First released in 2011, the New Testament of this “modern English rendering” received limited fanfare. Why? It’s been done before–new ideas, old words, been there, done that, bought the Bible at a garage sale.

Six years later, there was a “refreshing” of the text…and that was your first red flag.

This isn’t a dilapidated barn for Joanna Gaines to shiplap to death; it’s the Bible. And one draft wasn’t good enough?! What in the literal what?!

If you are hearing about the heartache The Passion Translation is causing righteous pundits like Mike Winger and others, know this isn’t the first time — and for good reason.

Is the TPT among your collection? If so, this news will hit close to home.

Before we discuss troubling Bible translations, I encourage you to stay aware of other faith-based issues that hit “close to home.” Subscribe to our free newsletter to stay informed about what’s happening in the Church and how real Christians can help defend the love and work of Christ.

Translations, Interpretations, and Heart Palpitations, Oh My

Two book shelves full of bible versions including the Passion Translation

So many translations; so many more headaches. (Image Credit: @mabelcamera via Pixabay)

It all started with a tweet from Mike Winger. That is to say, this time. (More on that later.)

Bye bye YouVersion.

People generally expect you to only host decent and safe Bible translations. At least that’s what I expect.

I’d recommend using caution if you still use the YouVersion Bible app. pic.twitter.com/8c4kF2VrSp

— Mike Winger (@MikeWingerii) June 9, 2026

YouVersion created the most successful Bible app in the history of ever, currently downloaded by over 1 billion people. But Winger is like, “Mkay, next?” What’s so wrong with The Passion Translation to cause this kind of ballyhoo?

We need to use “caution” with a Bible app? This must be good.

Winger, and many more like him (present company included), care about biblical versions and about understanding the major difference between translations and interpretations. There’s no shame in not caring for the “thees,” “thous,” and “thuses.”

But if you are reading a version of the Holy Bible that omits words of consequence or isn’t based on the original Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic texts, we have a problem. Why? Because you aren’t reading the entire Bible, you’re reading someone else’s idea of what it should be.

Quick History Note: In the days of Moses, God gave the great shepherd a mandate.

You shall not add to the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. (Deuteronomy 4:2, AMPC).

And that warning was so imprinted in the minds of certain pious men that it was stressed again in the New Testament.

For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Revelation 22:18-19, NKJV)

Back to the kerfuffle: A former pastor, missionary, and linguist named Brian Simmons wrote The Passion Translation as a paraphrase designed to “recapture the emotion” of the original biblical texts rather than providing a literal word-for-word translation.

Therein lies an “interpretation.”

There’s the proverbial rub like sandpaper scrubbing Mike Winger’s theological wit raw. From the June 10, 2026 Christian Post story…

When one user asked whether the issue involved “heretical translations,” Winger later elaborated, asking followers for recommendations for alternative Bible apps that do not host what he dubbed “fraudulent translations.”

“What do you suggest for a simple replacement for the YouVersion Bible app on iPhone?” he wrote. “One that doesn’t host fraudulent translations.”

Fraudulent?! Well, the implication is that the TPT adds words to the Bible that weren’t originally there, or removes words that were. Oh, Winger doesn’t drop a pipe bomb like that without substantial proof.

The troubling thing is that his concerns — and those of many others — have been clamoring in church halls for years.

Where Has The Passion Gone?

Man sitting alone in an empty church (Black and white photo)

No passion here. (Image credit: Stefan Kunze via Unsplash)

Now, if you aren’t familiar with The Passion Translation, it has gained popularity in some charismatic and Pentecostal circles. Pastors dig it because of its colorful language rooted in biblical texts. Scholars aren’t a fan of it for the same reason.

The Passion Translation website states that it’s a translation that “uses Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic manuscripts to express God’s fiery heart of love to this generation, merging the emotion and life-changing truth of God’s Word.” Only, the “not so much” crowd has been clamoring the opposite for years.

Did you know Bible Gateway, one of the leading desktop biblical apps, removed The Passion Translation in 2022 for the same aforementioned ballyhoo?

In a statement to Christianity Today, Bible Gateway’s parent company, HarperCollins, said, “We periodically review our content, making changes as necessary, to align with our business goals.” They declined to give any further details.

Hrm. A leading faith-based publication’s business goals would be subscribers and traffic that can be monetized. And The Passion Translation didn’t allow them to reach those benchmarks? What about the time when Steven Curtis Chapman endorsed the TPT?

“The vivid wording strips away the centuries, reminding me with every phrase that each prophecy, letter, history account, poem, vision, and parable is God’s Word to me today just as much as it was to the original audiences,” Smith said in 2023.

Unfortunately, there was a social media backlash (including a notable scolding from Winger), so the endorsement was deleted in less than 30 days.

At that time, Simmons went on a media tour to help his book, er…Bible and described how TPT is “a translation rather than a paraphrase.” He explained that the text was developed from Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic manuscripts rather than an existing English translation.

“I believe every translation in a measure is a paraphrase because it’s just the syntax of Hebrew is not the syntax of English and that would go for Greek as well,” Simmons said. “Of necessity, you have to move certain phrases and clauses from the beginning of a Hebrew sentence to the end of an English sentence. That would not be paraphrasing in my thinking.”

He continued, “With The Passion Translation, we have a high goal of being accurate to the text, but accuracy involves the heart behind it. We’re trying to discover, communicate, and release – through the words we choose – release God’s heart. God wants His word, not only to touch or intellect but to touch the deepest place our being … our heart, our spirit.”

It seemed those claims that the TPT was minus an interpretation in its translation softened… until now.

Today, there’s a Change.org petition launched June 4 titled “An Appeal to YouVersion to Remove The Passion Translation” had gathered thousands of signatures within its first days. The petition was created by David Fish, who also contributed to a lengthy video investigation produced by the YouTube channel Minor Prophets.

As of the time of this post, YouVersion still offers The Passion Translation. If you still aren’t sure about this division among scholars and pundits, is there a study on verses that may shine a light on the glaring omissions and Swiss cheese holes in this particular version?

Glad you asked. Tomorrow, we’ll offer a rudimentary exegesis of 10 of the most contested scriptures, based on scholarly analysis, and delve into the original language to see how, if at all, they differ.

General Christian

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About Shawn Paul Wood

Shawn Paul Wood, Th.D., is an award-winning copywriter, contributor, and content strategist, and ghostwriter of several faith-based articles, speeches, columns, and books who has worked for some of the most admirable brands in their respective industries for over 20 years. As Founder of Woodworks Communications, he leads teams of content strategists and marketing professionals to expand the brands of corporate leaders, serial entrepreneurs, and respected ministers of the Gospel. He aims to help others develop self-discovery through stories and the written word to proclaim the Word to the world. For more information about his portfolio or help telling your story, visit WoodworksCommunications.com. You can read more about the author here.

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