There is a new bible translation interpretation … let’s just cut to the chase, it’s not even a bible. It’s a collection of fiction stories that have a somewhat similar theme to the Scriptures but adds a whole lot of personal imagination to it.

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book… – Revelation 22:18 (ESV (an actual translation))

This new storybook is called The Passion Translation. It’s popular among the New Apostolic Apostate Reformation (NAR) crowd and quoted regularly by hyper-charismatic false teachers like Bill Johnson and Mike Bickle. The book was translated (embellished) by “Apostle” Brian Simmons, a former missionary in Panama. Brian Simmons claims that God gave him a direct divine revelation to create this embellished and highly interpreted creation that he refers to as The Passion Translation.

The Passion Translation is not a completed work, only a handful of books have been re-written and of these, they are replete with serious errors. The interpretations and imaginations that Simmons inserts into these texts, of course, support the NAR’s modern-day apostle theology. For example, in Philippians 1:1, a true translation will read as follows:

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons – Philippians 1:1 (ESV)

Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons – Philippians 1:1 (KJV)

Even the less accurate translation, the NIV, reads:

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons – Philippians 1:1 (NIV)

This simple verse is translated almost identically in all of these versions because the meaning is simple enough. There is no hidden text that has been recently discovered in the ancient manuscripts (that Simmons claims to have translated from). But let’s look at how Brian Simmons embellishes this verse, then let’s see why.

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.

Notice that Simmons is adding things to the text that simply are not found there. This is his own interpretation of the meaning of these texts. Is Jesus the anointed one? Yes, but that’s not what this text says. Were Timothy and Paul passionate servants of Jesus? Yes, but that isn’t what this text says. Further, the concept of “spiritual son” is found nowhere in this text translated here. It doesn’t exist.

But there is an ulterior motive behind this. Brian Simmons is closely tied to Bill Johnson of Bethel Church. Bill Johnson is an NAR Apostle and believes in the idea of apostolic fathering–a false teaching endorsed by Michael Brown. According to Bill Johnson, in a book edited by Dr. Bruce Cook, Aligning With The Apostolic, the concept of “apostolic fathering” is part of the core of the New Apostolic Reformation.

One of the core values of the New Apostolic Reformation movement is the principle of apostolic fathering — raising up spiritual sons and daughters. And we see that principle here with David. In [Psalm 34] verse 11 he is addressing the 400 as his spiritual children — his spiritual sons. The Hebrew word here is “ben” meaning son — one who is a builder of the family name. This is a relational term, not just a biological one.

The Passion Translation consists of a number of these interpretations and additions to the text. The sole purpose of this work by Simmons is to promote the false ideology of the New Apostolic Reformation. It’s a movement that has its strongholds in the younger generation. It’s appealing because it’s accompanied by signs and wonders, ecstatic music, and mystical experiences that draw attention away from the jejuneness of sound theology normally suffered by unregenerate seekers. Empty promises of unity and love tend to be the general theme NAR gatherings and what better way to promote their false ideology than to create a crackpot version of Scripture that falsely alleges that their “apostolic authority” and theology is true.

Avoid this piece of work, and Brian Simmons, like the plague.

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. — 2 Tim 4:3-5 (ESV)

Finally on this topic, Bereanresearch.org, “The New NAR Passsion Bible, a dangerous heresy.” Amy Spreeman, 2013.

Have you heard about the latest Bible “translation?” This one comes from the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) camp, from the brain of one man, a human-appointed “Apostle.” It’s called “The Passion Translation,” written by Brian Simmons of Stairway Ministries.

Simmons has actually released four installments of his new translation:

Psalms: Poetry on Fire

Song of Solomon: Most Amazing Song of All

Luke: To the Lovers of God

Letters From Heaven by the Apostle Paul

Coming this fall he is releasing Proverbs, Wisdom From Above.

Simmons says our standard translations of the Bible, transcribed by hundreds of scholars from the original scrolls, are just head knowledge and don’t adequately capture God’s passion. (He apparently missed the part in 2 Timothy 3:16 that says that every word is breathed-out by the Holy Spirit.) From his website:

The Passion Translation Project is a groundbreaking attempt to re-introduce the passion and fire of the Bible to the English reader. God longs to have His Word expressed in every language in a way that would unlock the ‘passion’ of His heart. The goal of this work is to trigger inside of every English speaker an overwhelming response to the truth of the Bible as it is unfiltered by religious jargon – unfolding the deep mysteries of the Scriptures in the language of love, the language of the heart. Accurate to the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts, but passionately powerful in a contemporary form.

Holly Pivec over at Spirit of Error blog points out that Simmons is manipulating Scriptures to make it appear that heretical NAR teachings and practices such as “prophetic singing,” the “transference of an anointing,” and the issuing of “apostolic decrees,” are actually supported by the Bible – which of course is false. But to the biblically illiterate, it will sound so right:

This translation is potentially one of the most disturbing developments in the NAR movement. Simmons is following in the footsteps of the major cults of Christianity who have released their own translations of the Bible, including the New World Translation used by the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Joseph Smith Translation used by some groups of Mormons.

By creating a new NAR translation of the Bible, Simmons is shaping the way a generation of NAR followers will read and understand Scripture–and also creating a divide between those who use the NAR translation and those who don’t.