The ACT Bible© is a new translation that seeks to demonstrate God’s desire that Christians be colorblind, class blind, and blind to many, many things.
Critical Theory, especially Critical Race Theory®, is major threat to Christianity’s success. Critical Theories argue that oppression takes place not just between individuals, but through societal structures like law, education, and media, and that those systems reinforce hierarchies of race, ethnicity, and gender.
Some Christians claim that CT can help them see the kinds of injustices that God is working to overcome so that they can participate with God in human flourishing even if it means giving up some of their own status. But actually, any version of Critical Theory is incompatible the Christian faith.
In order to avoid reading scripture with any hint of a critical lens, which might lead to the embrace of entire worldview, the ACT Bible gently alters all references to race and ethnicity, allowing a truly colorblind approach to the Bible.
This radical new translation allows readers to see people simply as people, devoid of characteristics that might lead one to have Marxist thoughts.
12The Lord had said to Abram,
“Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the
land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”
12The Lord had said to Abram,
“Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the
land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into something,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and everyone on earth
will be blessed through you.”
1 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the
Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a
Cushite woman. 2 They said,
“Has Yahweh indeed spoken only with Moses? Hasn’t he spoken also with us?”
And Yahweh heard it.
10 The cloud departed from over the Tent;
and behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. Aaron looked at Miriam,
and behold, she was leprous.
1 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because
they didn’t get a good feeling about his wife. 2 They said,
“Has Yahweh indeed spoken only with Moses? Hasn’t he spoken also with us?”
And Yahweh heard it.
10 The cloud departed from over the Tent;
and behold, Miriam was leprous, and it hurt greatly. Aaron looked at Miriam,
and behold, she was leprous.
12 If any of your people—Hebrew men or women—sell themselves to
you and serve you six years,
in the seventh year you must let them go free.
13 And when you release them, do not send them away empty-handed.
14 Supply them liberally from your flock, your threshing floor
and your winepress. Give to them as the Lord your God has blessed you.
2 If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything. (Exodus 21:2)
5 The Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. Whenever a fugitive of Ephraim said, “Let me go over,” the men of Gilead said to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No;” 6 then they said to him, “Now say ‘Shibboleth;’” and he said “Sibboleth”; for he couldn’t manage to pronounce it correctly, then they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time, forty-two thousand of Ephraim fell.
5 The Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. Whenever a fugitive of Ephraim said, “Let me go over,” the men of Gilead said to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No;” 6 then they said to him, “Now say ‘Shibboleth;’” and he said “Sibboleth”; for he couldn’t manage to pronounce it correctly, then they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time, forty-two thousand of Ephraim fell.
11:1 A false balance is an abomination to Yahweh,
but accurate weights are his delight.
16:11 Honest balances and scales are Yahweh’s;
all the weights in the bag are his work.
20:10 Differing weights and differing measures,
both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.
11:1 A false action is an abomination to Yahweh,
but morals are his delight.
16:11 Honest interactions are Yahweh’s;
all the weights in the bag are his work.
20:10 Differing treatment and inconsistent things,
both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.
5 When he came into Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking him for help,
6 saying, “Lord, my servant lies in the house paralyzed, grievously tormented.”
7 Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
8 The centurion answered, “Lord, I’m not worthy for you to come under my roof.
Just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I am also a
man under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes;
10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled.
5 When he came into Capernaum, a person came to him, asking him for help, 6 saying, “Lord, another person lies in the house paralyzed, grievously tormented.”
7 Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
8 The first person, “Lord, I’m not worthy for you to come under my roof. Just say the word, and the other person will be healed. 9 For I am also a fellow person who knows some persons. We say things and do things, sometimes in a connected manner.
10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled.
30 Jesus answered, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 By chance a certain priest was going down that way.
When he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 In the same way a Levite also,
when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him,
he was moved with compassion, 34 came to him, and bound up his wounds,
pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn,
and took care of him.
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
30 Jesus answered, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 By chance one person was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 In the same way a second person, of no more or less stature than the first, came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 But a third person, just as non-descript as the others, was moved with compassion, 34 came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
6Jesus therefore, being tired from his journey,
sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her,
“Give me a drink.”
8 For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.
9 The Samaritan woman therefore said to him,
“How is it that you, being a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?”
(For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
16Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”
17 The woman answered, “I have no husband.”
Jesus said to her, “You said well, ‘I have no husband,’ 18 for you have had five husbands; and he whom you now have is not your husband. This you have said truly.”
39 From that city many of the Samaritans believed in him
because of the word of the woman, who testified, “He told me everything that I did.”
6Jesus therefore, being tired from his journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A person came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.”
8 For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 9 The person therefore said to him, “How is it that you, being a human, ask for a drink from me, another person?” (For some humans have no dealings with other people for reasons.)
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
16Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”
17 The woman answered, “I have no husband.”
Jesus said to her, “You said well, ‘I have no husband,’ 18 for you have had five husbands; and he whom you now have is not your husband. This you have said truly.”
39 From that city many of the people believed in him because of the word of the woman, who testified, “He really saw me and understood the traumatic events I faced in my life, but in a way unrelated to complex first century sociocultural dynamics.”
1 Now in the church that was at Antioch there were
some prophets and teachers:
Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,
Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
2 As they served the Lord and fasted,
the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Barnabas and Saul for me,
for the work to which I have called them.”
1 Now in a church there were some prophets and teachers: five people whose backgrounds are not relevant to the radical inbreaking of God's kingdom values. 2 As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Barnabas and Paul for me, for the work to which I have called them.”
27For as many of you as were baptized into
Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female;
for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you are Christ’s,
then you are Abraham’s offspring and heirs according to promise.
27For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 The uniqueness God created is completely unimportant; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you are Christ’s, then you are simply heirs according to promise.
2 For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing,
comes into your synagogue, and a poor man in filthy clothing also comes in,
3 and you pay special attention to him who wears the
fine clothing and say, “Sit here in a good place;” and you tell the poor man,
“Stand there,” or “Sit by my footstool”
4 haven’t you shown partiality among yourselves,
and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my beloved brothers.
Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith,
and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him?
6 But you have dishonored the poor man.
Don’t the rich oppress you, and personally drag you before the courts?
2 For if a one guy comes into your synagogue, and a another guy also comes in, 3 and you pay special attention to the first guy and say, “Sit here in a good place;” and you tell the second guy, “Stand there,” or “Sit by my footstool” 4 haven’t you made a random choice, and become bad choosers with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my beloved siblings. Didn’t God choose one random group in this world to have faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the second guy. Aren't people like the first guy with no important characteristics mean to you sometimes?
8 Now when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 They sang a new song, saying,
“You are worthy to take the book
and to open its seals:
for you were killed,
and bought us for God with your blood
out of every tribe, language, people, and nation,
10 and made us kings and priests to our God,
and we will reign on the earth.”
11 I saw, and I heard something like a voice of many angels
around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. The
number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands;
12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed
to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing!”
8 Now when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 They sang a new song, saying,
“You are worthy to take the book
and to open its seals:
for you were killed,
and bought us for God with your blood
out of every the glob of all humanity,
10 and made us kings and priests to our God,
and we will reign on the earth.”
11 I saw, and I heard something like a voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. The number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands; 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the the things we must not discuss!”