Let’s talk about something that’s been making waves lately: the Gen Z Bible Translation.
You’ve probably heard about it—this new version of the Bible that’s packed with internet slang, TikTok language, and pop culture references all with the goal of making scripture more relatable to younger generations.
But here’s the big question: Is it really helping people connect with God, or is it missing the mark? Let’s dive in.
To get things started, it’s important to understand just how different the Gen Z Bible is from more traditional translations. Let’s take a look at various scriptures:
Luke 1:26-38 (Gen Z)
Mary was a pick me girl for God and was simping for Him in prayer when the angel Gabriel appeared to her and said AYO, you’re a real one and the Top-G is feelin you.
But she thought the compliment was low key sus and gave him the side eye. So he said babygirl chill, God sent me to tell you you’ve passed his vibe check and low key wants you to have the main character. You will name him Jesus, and they will say He’s Him, the one prophesied in the devine dad lore who solos all and whose crushing it never ends. He will take the W from all his ops and his kingdom will go hard forever.
She said how can this be since my body count will always be zero. Respectfully he said this ain’t about cuffing season. For the Holy Spirit will live rent free in you and your boy Jesus will be a divine bro.
Besides, your cousin Elizabeth is with child who is already older than a boomer and who’s husband is way past his beekeeping age. So Mary said bet and Gabriel left her on red. And she let the Holy Spirit cook.
Luke 1:26-38 (ESV)
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”
But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.
And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Luke 1:28 (Gen Z)
And then this angel slides into her DMs like, ‘Yo, what’s up? Hail, girl! You’re totally favored by the big man upstairs, God Himself. You’re blessed AF compared to all the other ladies out there. #Winning
Luke 1:28 (NLT)
Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”
John 3:16 (Gen Z)
God was like, ‘Yo, I’mma send my only kid to save you guys, no cap. Just believe, and you’ll be straight vibin’ in eternal life.’
John 3:16 (NLT)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
One of the biggest problems is that a lot of the slang used in the Gen Z Bible is just…off.
Some terms are downright disrespectful and inappropriate.
For example, describing Mary as a “pick me girl” or using the word “simping” in the Bible?
That’s degrading, not just to the people in the stories but to the message itself.
A lot of this slang also has negative or even sexual connotations, and when you start throwing terms like that into the Bible, it’s not just a bad look—it changes the actual meaning of scripture.
“Top G” originally meant “top gangster,” and calling God that really diminishes the profound, sacred truths of who He is.
Instead of honoring God’s holiness and greatness, it reduces Him to something trivial, even laughable, which is completely opposite to the reverence He deserves.
The phrase “blessed AF” in the Bible?
While “AF” isn’t a direct swear word here and is often used for emphasis, it’s still crossing the line.
It’s offensive to see something so disrespectful in a sacred text, especially when it comes to the Word of God.
The Bible deserves more reverence than casual, irreverent language.
Here’s the thing: The Gen Z Bible isn’t even a true translation.
A proper translation goes back to the original languages—Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic—and works to keep the meaning intact as closely as possible.
But the Gen Z Bible?
It’s just paraphrasing previous English versions, layering in slang and cultural references that could be out of date in a few years.
It’s more of a re-write and rephrasing than a translation.
Slang evolves so quickly. What’s popular today might be cringe-worthy tomorrow.
For example, words like “sus” and “vibe check” might be trending now, but will they even make sense 10 years from now?
The Bible is supposed to be timeless, and injecting these fleeting trends into scripture doesn’t just make it feel dated—it distorts the message.
Another thing to consider is that not all of Gen Z even speaks this way.
The language used in this translation seems to focus on a very specific, social media-driven corner of Gen Z culture.
In reality, most people—young or old—don’t actually talk like this, and many Gen Z-ers might find this version more cringe-worthy than relatable, feeling stereotyped in the process.
The Bible is meant to reach across generations and cultures.
When we tie it too closely to one niche, especially with slang that’s so specific, we’re risking making scripture feel exclusive rather than inclusive.
I get it—slang has its place in everyday conversation, and even those lighthearted Jesus-themed t-shirts like “Let’s taco bout Jesus” can be a fun way to share faith.
But when it comes to the Bible, it’s a completely different story.
Not every word glorifies God, especially when we start using slang with negative or sexual connotations—or worse, swear words. Let those words stay out of the Bible.
The Bible isn’t just another book to be updated to fit the latest trends.
It’s the inspired Word of God, and I firmly believe it should be treated with reverence, honored, and preserved, not reduced to a joke for the sake of relevance.
The Gen Z Bible Translation might be the first exposure some young people have to scripture.
But I worry that instead of taking it seriously, they may just find it funny or even dismissive.
Sure, it’s important to make the Bible accessible, especially for younger readers who might find traditional versions like the King James Version difficult to understand.
The KJV is filled with old English words and phrases like “thou,” “thee,” “thy,” “verily,” and “begat,” which can feel outdated and hard to follow for modern readers.
Honestly, I don’t fully understand it either!
But thankfully, there are already excellent translations in contemporary English that strike a balance between readability and faithfulness to the original text.
For example, the English Standard Version is a more formal, literal translation, which sticks closely to the original languages, while the New Living Translation focuses on thought-for-thought translation to make it easier to read.
These versions don’t rely on slang or humor, yet they manage to make scripture understandable without losing the depth and reverence that the Bible deserves.
I truly hope that, after the initial humor fades, readers will feel compelled to dive into an actual Bible for themselves, exploring more faithful translations that preserve the depth and reverence of scripture.
In addition, I highly recommend The Story. It’s a condensed version of the Bible, broken down into 31 chapters, using clear and easy-to-understand language while staying true to the original meaning.
It reads more like a novel, covering all the major events and characters from Genesis to Revelation in a chronological format, making it much easier to follow.
It beautifully presents the Bible as one continuing story of God and His people, filled with real-life drama, conflict, romance, and redemption.
Personally, I love this book. It’s engaging, accessible, and a fantastic way for teens—or really anyone—to dive into the Bible, to get a sense of the “big picture” of the Bible.
by Max Lucado (Foreword), Randy Frazee (Foreword)
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