There is something profoundly simple, and yet profoundly neglected, at the heart of the Christian life – God speaks, and his people listen.
From the opening pages of Scripture to the life of the church in the New Testament, the people of God have always been marked by their relationship to the Word of God. We are not sustained by feelings, guided by impressions, or built up by human creativity. We live, as Jesus reminds us, “by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).
And yet, in our day, there is a quiet but serious drift, not away from the idea of the Bible, but away from the Bible itself.
The Centrality of the Word in the Life of the Church
When Paul writes to Timothy about the gathered church, his instruction is strikingly clear “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” (1 Timothy 4:13). Notice the order. Before explanation, before application, there must be reading. The church is not first a place where we hear opinions about God’s Word, but where we hear God’s Word itself.
Similarly, in Nehemiah 8, when the people of Israel are gathered after the exile, Ezra reads the Law publicly for hours. The Levites then help the people understand it, but the central act is the reading. God speaks, the people listen, and their response is conviction, repentance, and joy.
This pattern must shape our churches today. If Scripture is sidelined, shortened, or replaced with diluted substitutes, we should not be surprised when spiritual depth diminishes.
The Personal Necessity of Scripture
What is true for the gathered church is equally true for the individual believer. The Psalmist declares, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). God’s Word is not optional for guidance, it is essential. Without it, we walk in darkness.
Paul tells us that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable… that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17). If Scripture is sufficient to make us complete, then neglecting it inevitably leaves us spiritually malnourished.
Private Bible reading is not a legalistic duty, it is a lifeline. It is how we hear our Shepherd’s voice (John 10:27). It is how our minds are renewed (Romans 12:2). It is how we grow in holiness (John 17:17).
The Danger of Settling for Less
And yet here is where the concern must be stated plainly. In many churches and among many Christians, there is a growing reliance on paraphrases, versions of the Bible that do not aim to translate the original text accurately, but to rephrase it freely, often expanding, simplifying, or interpreting along the way.
Let me be clear, if we want to truly read God’s Word, we cannot be content with paraphrases. Why? Because a paraphrase, by definition, is not a translation. It is a human retelling of what someone thinks the text means. That is a fundamentally different thing.
God did not inspire paraphrases. He inspired words – specific words, given through human authors by the Holy Spirit, preserved for his people. Our task is not to improve upon them, but to receive them faithfully.
What Is Lost in Paraphrase
Paraphrases often aim to make the Bible more accessible. That intention may be understandable, it may even be a good intention, but the result is frequently problematic.
- Precision is lost
The Bible’s language is rich, careful, and often deliberately nuanced. Paraphrases flatten this, replacing depth with simplicity. Important theological distinctions can disappear entirely. - Interpretation replaces revelation
A translation seeks to convey what the text says. A paraphrase inevitably begins to explain what the author thinks it means. This moves authority away from Scripture and towards the paraphraser. - Additions and distortions creep in
Because paraphrases allow for expansion, they often include ideas that are not present in the original text. At times, these are not just unhelpful, they are misleading. - The tone of Scripture is altered
The weight, majesty, and even the sharpness of God’s Word can be softened or trivialised. What should confront us may instead be made comfortable.
To put it bluntly, we are not helped by a version of the Bible that has been dumbed down, smoothed over, or reshaped according to modern sensibilities.
Why This Matters in Public Worship
This issue is especially serious in the gathered church. When Scripture is read publicly, we are not simply filling time, we are hearing the voice of God. That is a sacred moment. It demands reverence, clarity, and faithfulness. If a paraphrase is used, the congregation is no longer hearing a careful translation of the inspired text, but a mediated and interpretive version of it. The authority subtly shifts.
Over time, this has consequences – the congregation becomes less familiar with the actual language of Scripture, preaching becomes less anchored in precise wording, and doctrinal clarity begins to erode.
A church that loses confidence in the exact words of Scripture will soon lose confidence in the truths those words convey.
Why This Matters in Private Devotion
The same principle applies in personal Bible reading. If our daily intake of Scripture is filtered through paraphrase, we are not being trained to think God’s thoughts after Him, we are being trained to rely on someone else’s interpretation.
This weakens discernment. It makes us more vulnerable to error. And it subtly distances us from the text itself. If we are serious about growing in godliness, we must be serious about reading actual translations of the Bible, those that aim, as faithfully as possible, to render the original languages into clear and accurate English.
A Better Way Forward
What, then, should we do?
1. Prioritise faithful translations
Choose Bible translations that are committed to accuracy and transparency. No translation is perfect, but some are far more reliable than others in preserving the meaning of the original text.
2. Read slowly and carefully
Resist the urge to rush. Linger over the words. Ask questions. Notice repeated phrases. Let the structure and logic of the text shape your understanding.
3. Bring Scripture into the centre of church life
Ensure that public reading is substantial, clear, and unhurried. Let the Word dwell richly among God’s people (Colossians 3:16).
4. Teach others to value the Word
Pastors, parents, and leaders must model and explain why this matters. The next generation will not value what we treat casually.
5. Trust that God’s Word is sufficient
We do not need to improve Scripture to make it effective. “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul” (Psalm 19:7). Our confidence is not in our ability to repackage the Bible, but in God’s power to speak through it.
Hearing God as He Has Spoken
At the heart of this issue is a simple but vital conviction, God knows how to speak clearly to his people. We honour him not by reshaping his Word to suit our preferences, but by receiving it with humility, care, and reverence.
In a culture that prizes convenience and immediacy, there will always be a temptation to settle for something easier, simpler, or more digestible. But disciples of Jesus are called to something better. We are called to be a people of the Book, people who hear God’s Word as he has given it, who treasure its precision, and who submit to its authority.
Let us not be content with approximations. Let us open the Scriptures themselves, and say with Samuel “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.”
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