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In recent years, people have translated the Bible using slang common with Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Gen Z is defined as people born from 1997 to 2012. Gen Alpha is defined as people born from 2013 to 2024. Some of these translations are for amusement. Others represent a good-faith effort to translate the Bible into the "heart language" of young people. Whatever the motive, Bible translation should not be done to please people but God (1 Thessalonians 2:4).
Gen Z Translation Comparison
John 1:1
NIV: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
The New Testament for Gen Z by Broseph Smith: "So like, when everything first started, there was the Word. And the Word was with God, and the Word was actually God!"
John 1:14The New Testament for Gen Z by Broseph Smith: "So like, when everything first started, there was the Word. And the Word was with God, and the Word was actually God!"
NIV: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
The New Testament for Gen Z by Broseph Smith: "And the Word became a human and hung out with us (and we saw how awesome he was, like the one and only child of the Dad), super cool and authentic."
Ephesians 2:8-9The New Testament for Gen Z by Broseph Smith: "And the Word became a human and hung out with us (and we saw how awesome he was, like the one and only child of the Dad), super cool and authentic."
NIV: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."
The New Testament for Gen Z by Broseph Smith: "Dude, it's all about grace, man. We're saved by it through faith, and it's not even something we did ourselves. It's a gift from God, straight up!"
Because God’s Word is holy, Bible translation should not be done with the aim of making others laugh or of currying favor with modern culture by using slang. Accurately translating the Bible is an important application of stewarding Scripture wisely, as Paul writes, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15, emphasis added).The New Testament for Gen Z by Broseph Smith: "Dude, it's all about grace, man. We're saved by it through faith, and it's not even something we did ourselves. It's a gift from God, straight up!"
Gen Z Bibles fall under the category of an idiomatic—or non-literal—translations. In this approach, the text's message is preserved, but the word choices soften the finer points of meaning. For example, in Genesis 1, instead of saying, "And God saw that it was good" (NIV; Genesis 1:10, 12, 18, 21, 25), the Gen Z Bible by Broseph Smith says, "Big G was feeling it, all good" (Genesis 1:10). This example, as in all others, fails to reflect the words of Scripture.
It’s also noteworthy that the name "Broseph Smith" is a play on the name "Joseph Smith," the founder of Mormonism. Joseph Smith rejected the Trinity and the deity of Jesus Christ, while promoting false teaching about the gospel, salvation, and Scripture. Failing to reflect Scripture accurately on these topics isn’t funny—it’s sinful and offensive to God.
In the other instances, the Gen Z Bible says, "God checked it out and was all, 'Nice'" (Genesis 1:12); "God saw it was like, 'Lit'" (Genesis 1:18); "God saw it and was like, 'Score'" (Genesis 1:21); and "God looked over it and thought, 'This is the real deal'" (Genesis 1:25). These examples may reflect God's pleasure in a superficial way but distract from deeper theological meaning.
Creators of Gen Z translations admittedly used ChatGPT, or other artificial intelligence tools combined with human translators. They don’t have training in the original languages of the Bible. Creators used the King James Version as a base text, probably because it’s in the public domain. Gen Z Bibles are available online. They are also popular on social media, as people like to record themselves reading verses and sharing them with others for fun.
Some argue that one benefit of Gen Z Bible translations is that they may draw the attention of some young people who don't read the Bible. Using language people relate to is always important when translating the Bible. In fact, many mission organizations work hard to present the Bible in cultural "heart languages." However, translations must never sacrifice accuracy to get more attention online or in print.
As an alternative, the New Living Translation is excellent for young people and those new to reading the Bible. It not only removes old English words and phrases but also makes all difficult passages much easier to understand. It also uses the original Hebrew and Greek texts as a basis for translation and avoids using A.I. tools. A wise team of trained scholars, each a follower of Jesus, produced the translation.
The desire for more people to read and understand the Bible is a good motive, but it must not be achieved through compromise. Paul teaches this principle clearly in Romans 12:2, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
