NAR leader Brian Simmons writes a new chapter of the Bible

Holly Pivec of Spirit of Error examines the Passion Translation which has been selling well. Has the author of this Bible been given new, divine revelation? Does he have special authority and insight to translate the Bible and to reveal new Scripture?  Definitely not, says Pivec. Following are her reasons not to purchase this so-called Bible:

Passion TranslationI’ve written a series of posts about Brian Simmons because I consider his new “translation” of the Bible, the Passion Translation, to be one of the most dangerous developments in the New Apostolic Reformation(NAR).

I recently ran across a television interview Simmons did last year on “Sid’s Roth’s It’s Supernatural,” where he makes a number of startling statements about his so-called translation–statements showing just how dangerous it is. I’ve highlighted some of those statements below, but before I list them, I want to be clear: this new translation of the Bible is not something that’s on the radical fringes of the NAR. It’s been endorsed by some of the movement’s most influential apostles and prophets, including Bill Johnson (of Bethel Church in Redding, Calif.), Che Ahn (formerly of HRock Church in Pasadena, Calif.), and James Goll (Encounters Network). And it’s selling very well. It needs to be on your radar. And if you know anyone who’s thinking about using it, warn them to run. I’ll show you why.

In short, Simmons claims to have received new, divine revelation that has given him special authority and insight to translate the Bible and to reveal new Scripture in the coming days.

Here are some of Simmons’ more disturbing statements during the interview. I’m not going to address every statement, such as his threatening God and his unsubstantiated insinuation to have singlehandedly brought conversion to an entire tribal village of more than 500 people. (I’d love to know what New Tribes Mission, his sending organization at the time, and his former New Tribes Mission colleagues think about this grandiose claim. I suspect they might not have the same recollection of events based on a comment left by a New Tribes representative in response to another post I wrote about Simmons’ translation.) And I won’t address Simmons’ other unsubstantiated miracle claims to have raised the dead and to be such a carrier of God’s presence that everyone he encountered one day, including a grocery store full of people and a school of 60 children, fell to the ground as he walked by them. Instead I will focus my comments on his statements about his translation.

Simmons receives divine ‘downloads’ and shows his cards

Simmons claims that, in 2009, Jesus Christ literally visited him in his room, breathed on him, and commissioned him to write a new translation of the Bible. He claims that, by blowing on him, Jesus gave him “the spirit of revelation.” In no way, he says, would he compare this “breathing” on him to that experienced by the original writers of Scripture. [Notice that he doesn’t say how it was any different.] He says:

“he breathed on me so that I would do the project, and I felt downloads coming, instantly. I received downloads. It was like, I got a chip put inside of me. I got a connection inside of me to hear him better, to understand the scriptures better and hopefully to translate.”

These statements made by Simmons show his cards. What do I mean? When he’s interacting with critics of his work, he claims he’s just working as a professional translator, in the ordinary fashion, painstakingly using his training to accurately render the words of Scripture into English from the original languages. He’s gone so far as to say he’s revised his translation based on objections he’s received from critics, including myself. See his admission here. Yet, when he’s speaking to a friendly audience of people in the NAR, he claims he’s received direct “downloads” of revelation from God to help him in his translation work. So which way is it?

If he’s receiving his translations directly from God and has been specially authorized by God to do this translation, then why is he changing the ways he’s worded verses after receiving criticism? If he wanted to be consistent, he should have stood his ground. Can you imagine the apostle Paul changing the text of Romans when he got some bad press over his choice of words?   Continue reading

Related:

New NAR “Passion Bible” a dangerous heresy

Check out our White Paper on the New Apostolic Reformation/Dominionism

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6 Responses to NAR leader Brian Simmons writes a new chapter of the Bible

  1. Manny1962 August 31, 2016 at 12:01 pm #

    He’s (Simmons) obviously making money by distorting God’s word, this man has no fear of God, he does not believe scripture, if he did he would be terrified of the warning given by Jesus Himself in Revelation, what will happen to those that add or detract from the words of the bible. It is obvious he doesn’t believe. Then again, anyone can see how apostate the NAR is, more like a cult really, praying on the biblically ignorant. Men like Simmons are waxing worse, multiplying and headed to hell. Truly the Great Apostasy is rolling along.

  2. Sola Scriptura August 31, 2016 at 2:05 pm #

    The Bible is God’s voice to us, and thus, as uncomfortable as it may be, and as against the grain as it may be, we must study the issue of Bible translations to ensure that we are not, due to trust in deceived scholars, reading a Bible version given to us by the Catholic church. I trust that this great website will allow a dissenting voice (mine) to at least be heard. We can not get this issue wrong, as I did for 25 years.
    https://followingjesuschrist3.com/2015/10/24/the-bible-version-controversy-a-brief-history/

  3. Stephen Freese September 1, 2016 at 8:39 am #

    It is Treachery to “change, remove, add” to God’s Revelation which IS SPIRIT!…

    “For I testify unto every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, [note well, `the words’].If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy [again note, `the words of the book’], God shall take away his part out of the book of life” (Revelation 22:18-9).

    WHY is there a Curse applied for tampering with God’s Word, His Revelation? It is HIS WORDS,NOT MANS.

    The Word is His literal Eternal; “All Scripture is “God-breathed” and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16) Lit. “Every scripture is God-breathed” (Context here is OT, NT Not complied Yet).”

    “For, All flesh is as grass, And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower falls: But the word of the Lord abides for ever. And this is the word of good tidings which was preached unto you” (I Peter 1:23-24)

    HOW DID GOD ACCOMPLISH THIS?

    “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they WERE MOVED ( Lit., being borne along) by the Holy Ghost” (2 Pet 1:20,21)

    Robertson makes a great point here:

    They “spoke from God.” Peter is not here warning against personal interpretation of prophecy as the Roman Catholics say, but against the folly of upstart prophets with no impulse from God.

    Wuest says that “Paul explains that the Bible did not come by the way of scientific investigation and human reason, but that it came in another way, by revelation” Close quote.

    Even the brilliant polytheistic Plato remarked this way when pressed on revelation as opposed to human reason… said, “ e must lay hold of the best human opinion in order that borne by it as on a raft, we may sail over the dangerous sea of life, unless we can find a stronger boat, or some sure word of God, which will more surely and safely carry us.” This great philosopher acknowledged that mere human reason was not sufficient to answer the riddles with which man is confronted, and that the only sure foundation for a system of religious truth was, not even the best of human opinion, but a revelation from God.
    said this “ (Wuest)

    SUMMARY:

    To provide a “Translation that changes, differs, adds or subtracts” from God’s Historical Revelation, (That does not compare, precisely with the manuscript evidences) that includes man’s reason, thoughts, personal eisegeses, is tantamount to treason and brings Condemnation. (Just as the Godless “Message” is guilty of)…
    THERE IS NO MORE REVELATION PERIOD:

    (Jude 3) the term the faith refers to the whole body of truth; “the whole body of truth that has already been delivered once and for all to the Church by the apostles.”

    THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ERROR:

    “Romanism strongly emphasizes the obscurity of the Scriptures, saying that because the Scriptures are obscure, only the church can clarify them”.

    The Original KJV included the Non-Canonical Apocrypha which Rome Also includes in their Biblos/Bible…

    ORTHODOX POSITION ON SCRIPTURE:

    The Bible alone is supreme and is the final authority. Orthodox Believers Will Affirm That The Bible Is The Infallible Word Of God. IN THE ORIGINAL WRITINGS, IT IS INSPIRED AND WITHOUT ERROR. THE Bible Is The Final And Only Authority In All Manners And Matters Of Faith And Practice. The Bible Is True In Everything That It Affirms To Be True. (Fruchtenbaum)

    IT IS SPIRITUAL HUBRIS TO TAMPER WITH GOD’S WORD!

    • Sola Scriptura September 1, 2016 at 12:31 pm #

      The original Kjv had the apocrypha grouped together in the middle with 7 caveats explaining why it wasn’t scripture…simply Jewish history.
      The new versions all say that the mark of the beast will be on your hand while the Kjv says “in.” Many will take the chip in their hand due to this deception. My article lays it out clearly…the Textus Receptus is pure. The Alexandrisn manuscripts, which contradict each other in over 2,700 places in the NT alone, are part of satan’s absolutely brilliant last days deception. Don’t take the mark IN your hand….and ignore John MacArthur who ignored the clear words of Jesus and says you can take he mark and be fine due to the man made doctrine of limited atonement.

  4. nannette September 1, 2016 at 9:22 am #

    Dave Hunt warned us about this, and it grieved his heart. I just watched this again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uBUqrhLO_Y Most people don’t even read their Bible’s!

    • Manny1962 September 3, 2016 at 10:54 am #

      Amen Nannette…….. Biblical ignorance is one of the reasons wolves have made such inroads into Christendom. And today it’s even worse, why take a bible to “church” when instead courtesy of your pastor and staff you get to see a rock show, maybe some modern dance, a play or a Hollywood movie! Why be informed when one can be entertained straight into oblivion! I fear for today’s youth, they’re into the next great experience, they see “church” as the next Apple product to be sampled, bought and when outdated, replaced by the next great experience. Sad, dark days indeed.

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