The Gen Z Bible: For Or Against The Church
Much like those books that update Shakespeare into modern English, Lifeway Christian Resources has come up with a new Bible translation titled The Bible According to Gen Z for millennials.
Some TikTok accounts have also taken the initiative to retell the biblical story in copious Gen-Z slang. With terms like “vibe check,” “pick-me girl,” and “glow up,” to demystify Christianity’s holy text for young people.
While many have enjoyed the TikTok videos for their tongue-in-cheek humour and informative content, some say that the updated Gen-Z translation only serves to cheapen the Bible and make a mockery of their faith.
The Gen Z version of the Bible can be likened to a Sunday sermon retold by your 20-year-old “baddie” cousin.
For instance, the story of virgin Mary’s encounter with the angel Gabriel was translated as “Mary was a pick-me girl for God and was simping for him in prayer when the angel Gabriel appeared to her and said, ‘you’ve passed God’s vibe check, and he wants you to be the mother of the main character, the son of the top G.’”
“She said, ‘bet,’ and Gabriel left her on read, and she let the holy spirit cook.”
Other well-known Bible translations include the Apostle John entering his “prophet era” and Jesus turning water into wine, which “absolutely slays.”
The Sermon on the Mount was also translated as:
“W to those who aren’t thirsty for this midlife, for they will have eternal life” translates to: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
“W to those who take L’s from this life, for they will receive an everlasting W” translates to: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
“W to those who don’t throw hands, for they will secure the eternal bag” translates to: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.”
Other translations include “Since Day Uno, there has been Cap G. Big J was chillin’ with Cap G, and Big J was Cap G” for John 1:1 and “I marco-polo’d Cap G and he didn’t leave me on read, and snatched up all my scaries” for Pslam 34:4.
Modern Spin, or a Mockery of Faith?
Life started with God’s word and the Holy Bible isn’t boring or outdated; life still starts with God’s word. God transforms the lives of people who believe in his word.
But what is laughable is Lifeway’s protestation that they are doing so out of “reverence for and commitment to the authority and seriousness of the scriptures.” Nothing could be further from the truth.
Lifeway Christian Resources, the retail and sales arm of the Southern Baptist Convention and the bane of biblical Christians everywhere, pulled down the Teen Devotional ‘The Word According to Gen-Z’ after several examples of the bible translations they use in the book to make the scriptures more accessible and relevant to Gen Z readers (born from 1996 to 2015) came to light, showing what might only be described as a great irreverence for the word of God.
In a statement issued on Twitter, Lifeway clarified that the book was not a new translation of the Bible but rather defended the product as a sound piece of literature, with the decision to remove the book done out of an overabundance of caution to not misinterpret Lifeway’s commitment to sound biblical doctrine.