06/09/2026
A Statement From Pastor Patrick Aube & Tables Church:
After careful study, prayer, and examination of both the history surrounding The Passion Translation (TPT) and the numerous concerns regarding its methodology, content, and translator, Tables Church is officially rejecting The Passion Translation as a reliable Bible translation.
This decision is not rooted in a rejection of the work of the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts, or the continuation of God's supernatural activity in the Church today. As a church, we firmly believe in the ongoing ministry of the Holy Spirit and His active work among God's people.
Rather, this decision is rooted in our commitment to the authority, sufficiency, and faithful handling of Scripture.
Over time, significant concerns have been raised regarding the translation practices employed in The Passion Translation, including the addition of concepts, phrases, and theological interpretations that are not present in the original biblical languages. These concerns have been echoed by scholars, pastors, and theologians from a wide variety of denominational and theological backgrounds.
Additionally, substantial evidence has been presented demonstrating significant literary dependence upon other modern paraphrases and translations, including The Living Bible, The Message, and portions of The Mirror Bible ( a heretical translation). In many instances, wording and interpretive expansions appear remarkably similar, raising serious questions about the originality of the work and the repeated claim that it is derived from unique insights into the biblical languages.
The concerns do not end there.
The extraordinary claims made by Brian Simmons regarding special revelation, heavenly encounters, and unique access to hidden meanings within Scripture raise further concerns. Simmons has publicly claimed that Jesus appeared to him and granted him special insight into biblical truths that had been overlooked or unavailable to others. As a church, we believe Scripture is the inspired, sufficient, and authoritative Word of God, and that all teaching, prophecy, spiritual experiences, and claims of revelation must be tested against Scripture rather than used to reinterpret Scripture.
We are also troubled by longstanding questions surrounding Simmons's academic and linguistic qualifications, particularly as they relate to the work of Bible translation. While The Passion Translation is often presented as a scholarly translation project, many qualified scholars have challenged both its methodology and the credentials used to support its authority.
For these reasons, Tables Church will not use, recommend, teach from, or promote The Passion Translation as a trustworthy translation of God's Word.
We encourage our church family to utilize faithful, historically recognized translations such as the ESV, NASB, NKJV, CSB, NLT, and others that seek to accurately communicate the meaning of the original Hebrew and Greek texts.
Our desire is not controversy but clarity. We remain committed to connecting people to the person, power, and message of Jesus Christ through the faithful teaching of Scripture and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit inspired the Scriptures. He does not contradict them, rewrite them, or improve upon them. Therefore, our commitment remains what it has always been: to faithfully teach God's Word and to submit ourselves to its authority.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Patrick Aube
Lead Pastor
Tables Church
Christ // Community For The Valley
Petition for YouVersion to remove The Passion Translation: https://...