Why Does My Bible Say?

08/05/2026

Does a single-author Bible translation clarify Scripture—or create theological blind spots? 📖

In our latest clip, Shawn McCraney (“Shawn the Baptist”) explains the process behind his TVAR (a multi-versional, "patchwork" translation approach).

Shawn directly addresses AI-assisted critiques claiming his word choices are heavily shaped by preterism and fulfillment theology—a bias he openly admits to holding.

Key takeaways from the discussion:
• The Method: Built starting from the King James Version, comparing literal translations (like Young’s Literal), and consulting original language tools.
• No Translation Committee: Shawn operates without an oversight board or committee, comparing his final work to a teaching commentary rather than a traditional Bible.
• The Theological Driver: Openly acknowledging how preterist eschatology influences specific word selections.
• Paraphrase Guardrails: How he distinguishes his work from controversial translations like The Passion Translation.

When a leader creates their own translation without committee oversight, does it help or hurt biblical discernment? Drop your thoughts below. 👇

07/28/2026

Semitic Residue & Oral Tradition: How Matthew Preserved Jesus’ Teachings (with Brian Chilton)

On The People Before You Go Podcast, the host interviews Brian Chilton, founder of Bellator Christi Ministries and a hospice chaplain, about his book, Semitic Residue: Signs of Early Oral Traditions in the Gospel of Matthew. Chilton argues oral tradition is communal, often controlled through mnemonic devices, and unlike the “telephone game,” can preserve teachings accurately. He compares transmission models (including Bultmann’s informal-uncontrolled view, Gerhardsson’s formal approach, and Kenneth Bailey’s informal-controlled community model) and proposes a “semi-formal controlled” model overseen by a disciple community. Using parameters graded like a stoplight, he tests key Matthean passages (e.g., the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord’s Prayer, the parables) and finds mostly “green” results, supporting reliable preservation. The discussion connects this to apologetics with cults and skepticism, addresses Aramaic-to-Greek transmission and “Semitic residue,” the Pesh*tta, and briefly Q.

00:00 Oral Tradition Explained
00:16 Meet Brian Chilton
01:25 Book Premise and Relevance
04:05 Transmission Models Chart
05:50 Bultmann vs Scandinavian School
08:39 Testing Matthew Stoplight Method
10:50 Results and Fifth Model
13:32 Community Self-Correction
16:16 Sermon on the Mount and Catechism
19:24 Semitic Residue and Languages
21:05 Greek Writing and Translation Risks
23:08 Back Translating and Pesh*tta
25:07 Q Source and Gospel Traditions
27:09 Where to Find More
28:28 Oral Tradition Proof and Wrap Up

07/28/2026

Dr Mark Strauss: Lost in Translation - Dead Metaphors and Biblical Accuracy

Jason interviews Dr. Mark Strauss (Bethel Seminary; NIV Committee on Bible Translation) about why “word-for-word” translation can mislead and why translators must prioritize meaning over form, using Spanish examples and the concept of collocations. Strauss explains live vs. dead metaphors (e.g., “couch potato,” “raining cats and dogs,” and biblical “walk”), and discusses how modern translations differ from KJV/NKJV due to manuscript bases, urging sensitivity while noting older manuscripts and outdated English. He describes debates in CBT as rigorous yet marked by humility. Strauss distinguishes translation from “transculturations” such as The Message, The Street Bible, and the Cotton Patch Version, and clarifies the difference between “paraphrase” and “functional equivalence,” defending the NLT as a translation. They address over-translation, tense/aspect limits, reading levels, contextual meaning, and why translation philosophies aren’t perfectly consistent, and end early because Strauss feels unwell, suggesting a part two.

Dead metaphors are phrases we use daily without realizing their original imagery has faded. Learn how language evolves over time.

This video explores the concept of dead metaphors, examining why familiar expressions like couch potato no longer conjure literal images in our minds. Mark Strauss from Bethel Seminary provides a clear breakdown of how these linguistic shortcuts lose their connection to reality through constant usage. This analysis is perfect for anyone interested in linguistics, English vocabulary, or the subtle ways our speech patterns shift.

You will gain a better understanding of how metaphor examples function in modern communication and why some idioms persist long after their literal definitions have vanished. By identifying these common dead metaphors, you can sharpen your awareness of the historical roots behind everyday speech.

Subscribe for weekly linguistic breakdowns, and comment below with an idiom you have always wondered about.

00:00 Dead Metaphors Explained
00:22 Meet Dr Mark Strauss
02:38 Why Literal Can Mislead
05:13 Collocations And Meaning
07:23 Live Vs Dead Metaphors
09:37 KJV Vs Critical Text
13:11 Inside NIV Committee
14:39 Message As Transculturation
17:49 Paraphrase And NLT Clarified
20:33 Tense Aspect Overtranslation
23:26 Reading Levels And Audience
25:02 Translator Or Theologian Line
26:21 Testing Translations With Readers
29:20 Context Connotation Commentary
31:31 Is Translation Dumbing Down
33:48 Marketing Vs Reality
34:42 Unexpected Stop And Part Two

07/22/2026

Don Veinot and Ron Henzel host the Unknown Webcast with guest Jason Oakes, a pastor and author, to discuss whether the Bible is reliable amid claims of mistakes and contradictions. Veinot recounts teaching a college class in which a student repeated contradictory claims without having read the Bible, and he explains that some “contradictions” (such as one angel vs. two at the tomb) are not contradictions. The conversation addresses Bart Ehrman’s arguments about missing originals and manuscript variants, noting that variants often involve spelling or word order and that Dan Wallace has argued we can be 99.9% sure of the original New Testament wording. Oakes emphasizes asking questions to avoid debate traps and engage skeptics relationally. They also discuss translation issues, textual criticism, readability levels, and Mormon claims about the Bible versus the Book of Mormon, and they promote the EMNR Engage 2026 conference in Palatine, Illinois.

00:00 Bible Contradictions Challenge
00:20 Webcast Intro and Disclaimers
01:38 Meet Jason Oaks
03:38 Conference Plug and Purpose
05:17 College Class Bible Story
06:58 Manuscripts and Variants Explained
10:00 Asking Questions Not Debating
12:54 Ehrman Gospel Contradictions Claims
14:48 Is Ehrman an Apostate
17:25 Engaging the Listener in Public
18:31 Mormon Translation Objection
23:40 My Bible Satire Ad Break
26:03 Why Translations Differ
30:42 Readability and Discipleship
38:13 Calling Mormons a Cult
40:08 Translation Challenges Examples
42:43 Final Conference Reminder
43:32 Closing Credits and Goodbye

07/22/2026

Pastor Jason Oakes uses baseball interviews requiring interpreters as an analogy for how God’s message is faithfully communicated through the Bible, then shares about traveling to Washington, DC, with his sons—teen ambassadors for the Tourette Association—to connect the idea of accurately representing a message. He explains why beliefs about the Bible’s process matter, since doubts about whether the message was lost affect whether people read Scripture and take the Christian commission seriously. He walks through key stages—belief in God, revelation to prophets and apostles, inspiration by the Holy Spirit, transmission through scribal copying despite minor manuscript variations, and translation challenges—highlighting the abundance and reliability of New Testament manuscripts. Using Philemon 1:6, he shows how translation choices differ without changing major doctrine, and urges listeners to become students of God’s Word and intentionally disciple others by praying for and engaging the people God has placed in their lives.

00:00 Baseball And Interpreters
02:16 Tourette Ambassadors Trip
03:45 Why Trust The Bible
06:15 Facing Doubts Honestly
09:15 Starting With God
12:01 Revelation To Prophets
14:49 Inspiration And Authors
18:07 Manuscripts And Transmission
23:50 Translation Differences
25:36 Philemon Verse Six
30:40 Faithful Word And Study
32:25 Sunday School And Skills
34:01 Make Disciples Mission
34:27 Pray For Your People
36:09 Use Your Passions
37:04 Final Call To Action

To purchase "Why Does My Bible Say? A Translational Commentary on Paul's Letter to Philemon"
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07/21/2026

I'm about to be interviewed by Midwest Christian Outreach about my book Why Does My Bible Say? along with some previews of the workshop I'll be teaching at this year's EMNR conference in Illinois. If you want to watch or ask some questions in the chat, here's the link to the livestream. 12pm Texas time. -

Bart Ehrman writes, "Not only do we not have the originals... What ...

07/14/2026

I received this very kind review of my book "Why Does My Bible Say?" from the very first preaching professor I ever had. It would help me out a lot if those of you reading this would be willing to write a review on Amazon. If you're not sure how, message me, and I'll walk you through it.

"Jason,
Your commentary is a monumental work! 😁
The translations are clearly explained historically and contextually. Your purpose and format are clearly stated, and the structure is consistent throughout. The detail of your use of sources is very well done. The depth of insight and the extreme effort of the chart are amazing. And, your questions are stimulating, with some leading to application.
This commentary is one of a kind! It shows great depth of scholarship and thought. When I teach/preach on Philemon again, I will use it as a reference.
Thank you for sharing your work with me. May God continue to richly bless your ministry. Proud of you!"
Joe Grana

07/01/2026

The speaker addresses the common question, “Why does my Bible say this vs. their Bible?” and argues that Bible teachers should take Scripture seriously by consulting multiple English translations, using study tools and trusted commentaries, and learning the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek to avoid false doctrine. He warns against “first-year Greek student syndrome,” and critiques approaches such as enforcing a single church translation or King James Only claims, noting that these don’t resolve the differences people encounter outside the church. He also cautions against casually using Bible apps to look up Greek/Hebrew as if translation differences are only word-choice issues. He introduces his book’s method: placing eight widely used English translations of Paul’s letter to Philemon side by side, explaining the differences resulting from textual decisions, readability, vocabulary, grammar, and syntax, and inviting feedback, subscriptions, and book purchases.

00:00 Bible Translation Confusion
00:29 Pastors and Greek Pitfalls
02:08 One Translation Only
03:04 Why Theory Falls Short
05:30 Apps Without Language Skills
06:37 A Better Verse Approach
07:18 Philemon and Eight Bibles
08:37 Why These Translations
09:30 Wrap Up and Resources

06/23/2026

Join me on a journey through Greek lessons and pastoral paths. Can we connect the church with academic insights? Let's discuss!