Clara’s Verdict
There are Bible translations, and then there are translations that feel like someone has turned up the volume on the text itself. The Passion Translation falls squarely into the latter camp. Brian Simmons set out to render the New Testament not merely accurately, but emotionally – and at 36 hours and 23 minutes, the audiobook gives you ample time to decide whether that ambition succeeds. For readers coming to Scripture afresh, or those who have found the rhythms of the King James or even the NIV a little remote, this edition offers something genuinely different: a translation that wears its heart on its sleeve. I approached it with a degree of scepticism, and left with a quiet respect for what it attempts, even if it doesn’t always convince.
About the Audiobook
Published by BroadStreet Publishing Group, The Passion Translation: The New Testament (2nd Edition) by Brian Simmons is a deliberate departure from formal-equivalence translation philosophy. Where most modern Bibles prioritise fidelity to the original Greek and Hebrew word order and idiom, Simmons reaches for what he calls “the love language of God” – drawing out the emotional register latent in the text. The 2nd edition comes with expanded footnotes offering word studies, cross-references, alternate renderings from the original languages, and commentary that bridges ancient context with contemporary application. Introductions and outlines for each book provide structural grounding. Whether you treat this as a primary text or a devotional companion to a more traditional translation, it rewards patient listening.
The Narration
No narrator is credited for this production – the text itself does much of the work in establishing tone. The prose-poetry quality of Simmons’s translation shapes the listening experience considerably; there are passages where the language rises into something almost lyrical, and others where the interpretive additions can feel intrusive. That absence of a named narrator is worth noting: for a text this emotionally charged, performance matters enormously, and productions of this kind live or die on the voice chosen to carry the words. Listeners should sample a chapter or two before committing to the full 36-hour run.
What Readers Say
The Passion Translation carries a rating of 4.8 out of 5. Readers in the UK have been broadly enthusiastic, with several noting how the modern language helped them engage with passages they had previously found opaque. “I’ve been on King James and read both together – I’m finding it nice and good to get an easy read version,” wrote Carol1717. Neko described it as “so easy to read and enjoy the Word of God,” particularly recommending it for first-time Bible readers. Gavan Caldwell was direct: “I love this modern translation and it makes the Bible easier to understand.” Some longer-standing Scripture readers note the interpretive additions require adjustment, but the consensus is warm.
Who Should Listen?
This is a title for Christians who want a more emotionally accessible entry into the New Testament, for those feeling that traditional translations have grown distant over years of familiarity, or for anyone approaching the Bible for the first time and wanting a version that meets them where they are. It is not a replacement for a critical study Bible, and readers engaged in academic theology will want to cross-reference carefully – but as a devotional listen, it has genuine merit. Listen to The Passion Translation on Audible UK and decide for yourself whether Simmons’s heart-level approach speaks to you.
