A New NAR Bible (Part 2)–Drastic Differences
Apostle Brian Simmons and wife, Candice
In my last post, I wrote about a new translation of the Bible called “The Passion Translation”–released by New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) apostle Brian Simmons.
In this post, I will show you three of the verses Simmons has drastically changed in his new translation to make it look like the Bible promotes NAR teachings. I will contrast Simmons’ translation of the Bible with the standard English translations.
Galatians 6:6
Standard English Translations
- Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor. (New International Version)
- Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. (New King James Version)
- Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. (English Standard Version)
The teaching being promoted: Church members should take care of the financial and other material needs of their spiritual leaders.
The Passion Translation
- And those who are taught the Word will receive an impartation from their teacher; a transference of anointing takes place between them.
The NAR teaching being promoted: The divine authority to minister with a specific miraculous gift–such as the gift of prophesying or healing people–can be imparted or transferred from church leaders to their followers.
Philippians 1:1-2
Standard English Translations
- Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (New International Version)
- Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (New King James Version)
- Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (English Standard Version)
The teaching being promoted: Actually, there is no explicit teaching in this verse. Rather, this is simply a salutation from the apostle Paul and Timothy at the beginning of a letter Paul wrote to the Christians living in Philippi. “Grace” and “peace” was a standard Christian greeting in the early church.
The Passion Translation
- Dear Friends in Philippi, My name is Paul and I’m joined by my spiritual son, Timothy, both of us passionate servants of Jesus, the Anointed One. We write this letter to all His devoted followers in your city, including your pastors, and to all the servant-leaders of the church. We decree over your lives the blessings of divine grace and supernatural peace that flow from God our wonderful Father, and our Anointed Messiah, the Lord Jesus.
The NAR teaching being promoted: Apostles can issue “decrees,” which are authoritative proclamations that release God’s power. In other words, a decree is not a request for God to do something, but a declaration that He will do so because the apostle has been given the authority to release God’s power.
2 Timothy 4:2
Standard English Translations
- Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. (New International Version)
- Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. (New King James Version)
- preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. (English Standard Version)
The teaching being promoted: Preach the Word of God at all times–whether it is convenient or not–and do so with great patience.
The Passion Translation
- proclaim the Word of God and stand upon it no matter what! Rise to the occasion and preach when it is convenient and when it is not. Preach in the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit— with wisdom and patience as you instruct and teach the people.
The NAR teaching being promoted: Preach the Word of God at all times–whether it is convenient or not–and do so in the “full outpouring of the Holy Spirit” and with patience. Notice how Simmons has inserted the part about the “full outpouring of the Holy Spirit,” which cannot be found in any of the other translations. Yet what does he mean by “full outpouring of the Holy Spirit?” Frankly, his meaning can be hard to pin down. But I believe that Simmons, as an NAR leader, does not want to emphasize the written Scripture alone, so he felt a need to insert something that would also allow for new revelation from the Holy Spirit outside of Scripture.
Drastically Different
I hope it is clear from these simple comparisons of verses that Simmons has changed not just a few words, but their entire meanings. But how did Simmons arrive at such drastically different interpretations? I’ll address this question in my next post.
– By Holly Pivec
I am an evangelical researcher of cults, sects, and new religious groups, such as the "New Apostolic Reformation" movement. I have a master's degree in Christian apologetics from Biola University in Southern California. I have written articles for numerous print and online publications, including Biola Magazine, the Christian Research Journal, and Apologetics Index.
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May 30th, 2013 at 2:23 pm
I can’t find anything on the Net called the “Standard English Translation”. Did someone change the name on this page to not appear to be the “English Standard Translation” (ESV) the Calvinist translation?
May 31st, 2013 at 12:35 pm
Jane,
“Standard English translations” refers to the major, well-known translations, such as the NIV, NASB and ESV. It is not the name of a specific translation.
May 31st, 2013 at 1:02 pm
How come you use the word “Standard” for those translations, calling them in Capitalization, “Standard” English Translations”? Would “New Translations” not fit better, since ‘Standard” sort of implies totally accepted, which all of them are not?
May 31st, 2013 at 1:09 pm
Jane,
The phrase is in all capital letters, in that instance, because it is being used in a section header. I capitalize section headers. The ESV has quickly become a “standard”–that is, widely accepted translation. No translation is “totally” accepted, but the word “standard” does not necessitate total acceptance.
September 5th, 2013 at 3:05 pm
Oh how DARE he do this to the Word!
September 6th, 2013 at 7:22 pm
Actually, the word “teach” in Galatians 6:6 in the original Greek is “impart.” And also, the passage is not talking about financial or material burdens as much as it speaks of the burden of having sinned and supporting brethren in coming back to God. And this is just reading form the KJV.
April 20th, 2014 at 2:34 am
Good Lord!
Read it don’t read it! Live it! Today 75% of our kids don’t have a clue about the Bible. I’m sure your splitting hairs here! NIV translation left some out! Most translation aren’t as messy as the original transcripts, for some reason humanity felt the need to “clean” up GOD’s word. I’m pretty sure GOD can handle these minor adjustments or interpatations in this translation! Holy Spirit will teach all things! The Word with out the Spirit is powerless and the Spirit without the Word is mute. I pray this Passion Translation draws me to a new encounter with the Author and Creator.
Planted in The River!
Fran
April 22nd, 2014 at 6:33 pm
I really appreciate this and many more sites that publish information warning believers of erroneous teachings. The writer (Fran ) is an example of a prime target for the falling away or (Apostate Church). What she doesn’t realize is that scripture translation has always been a very meticulous process with accuracy or copy etc., to be of sacred importance. It is amazing to me that men are so arrogantly stupefied that they think what they are doing is GOOD, OK or otherwise acceptable. Men and women have been dying for portions of Scriptures to be sent to them. It is heresy to do just what these men and women are doing. There are plenty of ignorant people that don’t check the scriptures at all, let alone do a thorough exegesis of the same. The modern church has so much in technological advancement that most people I’m affiliated with don’t even bring a bible to church let alone a good translation. The curses of this changing of God’s revelation will take place unless they Repent and come out of Her!
April 25th, 2014 at 8:16 am
Ok, to reply to Fran, regarding the word with out the Spirit with out the word, etc., is totally lacking in forethought. Trinity God the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit work in unity for the purpose of the Salvation. She said just what the problem is with the argument. We call that tail chasing. The truth is that the word of God is inspired God breathed, given to man (Godly) to steward in Holiness and righteousness. Men that believed that the HOLY SCRIPTURES, the message was and still is worth dying for and life without isn’t living. An honest introspection of the heart is in need. We are Stewards of the Word of God and if we don’t take care of it we are asking for the curses of the revelation of God to come true in our lives. We cannot and must not treat the message with sinful disrespect. The third Person of the Holy never calls on man to worship Him even though He is fully God. He the Holy Spirit will lead you in all truth. He points us to Jesus the Messiah and we in turn are guided in Christian Living through Him to live as Christ lived. Stop playing spirit games you are delving in areas of spiritualism that you don’t want to be in. All Christian Cults have begun by misuse of Scripture or doctrine or both all spurned by a form of godliness but denying the power and Spirit. Over emphasis of one part of the God head is a total imbalance of theology. You are wrong if you think rewriting a book of Sacred scripture is Good. All good things come from God, it is obvious that God didn’t direct you to make a Bible just for your supernatural ministry.
April 25th, 2014 at 8:25 am
Please excuse me’ for typing to hurriedly on my last post, my punctuation stunk and I meant to use spawned instead of spurned. Sorry. I pray Fran that you will re-think the association you have with the translation (NAR) it really is a bad deal in light of coming converts to Christianity. Q. Fran when was the last time you walked someone through the gospel ? Are you considering evangelism ? or are you just playing games till the rapture takes place ? God blew you sister at any rate.
September 20th, 2014 at 9:46 am
TO FRAN:
Fran, you write, “I’m pretty sure GOD can handle these minor adjustments or interpatations (sic) in this translation! Holy Spirit will teach all things! The Word without the Spirit is powerless and the Spirit without the Word is mute. I pray this Passion Translation draws me to a new encounter with the Author and Creator.”
Well, it is going to draw you, but not to God. And of course one must dilligenty study the Word because that’s how God reveals himself to us. And I really don’t believe God will stand for it that some heretic with a rather creepy agenda twists and rapes God’s Word in order that it may further the NAR’s deadly agenda.
In the river? No, I think at this stage, sadly, you are in the dark.
January 23rd, 2015 at 4:21 pm
This is disgusting! This new translation is totally lacking the “fear of the Lord”. Even when I was in the NAR movement I feared giving a “word” by adding “thus saith the Lord”. But, of course, that was the Holy Spirit convicting me. This movement wants to take away conviction. I can see it in how this man has added words to fit NAR doctrine.
Holly, your acessment is right on!
Fran: we don’t change God’s word to try and get kids to read it. That is not ok. By the way if God draws a kid to him that kid will love reading the bible. I know because I was a kid when it happened to me. These kids today aren’t that different than us, they just live in a different environment. They want the real deal not a watered down word. These kids are sick of adults looking down on them and that is what they see when adults think they can’t understand the acceptable translations of the bible.
February 3rd, 2015 at 9:21 am
Hello! IMO How this translation compares to any modern Bible translations doesn’t matter at all. All English translations are not the original Bible (which was not written in English).
The important thing is how this translation compares with the original manuscripts. It would be helpful to read a blog about that.
My understanding is that Jesus spoke Aramic, the language of the Jews. How does this translation compare with Jesus’ (and early Christians’) original language(s)?
This blog and comments seem to all be about how this Bible translation compares with their own non-denomination or denomination teachings, instead of how it compares with the original (non-English) Bible words.
If this new translation is change the original Bible so it matches the current teachings of a particular group, I agree that’s not good.
On the other hand, if this translation is translating the original (non-English) words in a more accurate way (than other English translations), that would be good.
Personally, I don’t know yet, haven’t done a thorough enough study of the original languages, and their interpretations to accurately decide.
And, this blog, and comments, have done nothing to aid that research. Instead this all appears to be a bunch of fighting about what people have been “told”, either in their own group, or by one or more of the Bibles written in the English language.
I would be interested in reading a comparison of this Bible to the original languages, instead of a comparison to Bibles written in English.
February 8th, 2015 at 5:36 am
In response to Linda’s post. Jesus spoke Greek most of the time and our New Testament is written in greek, not Aramaic. The Catholic Church has proposed that Jesus spoke Aramaic because it gives a validity to their Latin translation of the scriptures, which bring slight distortion to the true text. The fact that we have the Septuagint version of the old testament is a proof that the Jews spoke Greek, not Aramaic during the time the Greeks reigned over Israel about 270 years before Jesus birth. When we read our New testament we see that Jesus quoted directly from the Septuagint (which was Greek not Aramaic). He probably spoke Aramaic as well, but our New Testament was ORIGINALLY Greek not Aramaic. The Aramaic argument is a deception of the Roman Catholic Church.
But don’t just take my word for it, search it out for yourself. A great place to start is at http://www.noiseofthunder.com
The documentary work of Christian Pinto is excellent.
Blessings
March 2nd, 2015 at 9:58 am
Hi Holly
Thanks for your website.
I find it worrying that the Passion Translation left out ‘Christ’ in Phil 1:1-2.
Out of interest does this translation ever mention the name Christ?
Blessings
March 3rd, 2015 at 5:16 pm
New Zealand girl, thanks for your question. It prompted me to write an entire post in response! See it here: http://www.spiritoferror.org/2015/03/reader-mail-the-passion-translation-and-philippians-11-2/5281
March 3rd, 2015 at 10:01 pm
Thanks Holly
I’m look forward to reading it
January 4th, 2016 at 9:19 pm
Interesting topic, I would say when having these discussions, it is easy to forget to speak to one another in love.