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The Mirror Bible is a recent paraphrase by South African Bible teacher Francois du Toit. Mirror Word represents the teaching ministry of Francois du Toit. The translator/paraphraser explains that he meticulously translated the original languages of the Bible and then rephrased the message to make it fresh and easily understandable for modern readers. By 2020, du Toit had finished translating parts of the New Testament (Luke 1—16, The Gospel of John, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Timothy, Titus, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter 1—2, 2 Peter 1, 1 John 1—5, Revelation). His objective is to paraphrase the entire New Testament and some sections of the Old Testament as well. The Mirror Study Bible contains footnotes that clarify the rationale behind the author’s chosen interpretations.
Although du Toit asserts that he is unveiling the meaning of the biblical text, it appears evident that he is actually infusing his beliefs into it. Du Toit is a universalist who maintains that all humanity was redeemed through the cross: “Jesus died humanity’s death and when the stone was rolled away, we were raised together with him! Every human life is fully represented in him!” (www.mirrorword.net/about-us, accessed 12/19/20). According to du Toit, the essence of the gospel is not that sinners can be saved through faith in Christ, but that humanity has already been saved, and the gospel merely proclaims this reality. Individuals must recognize this truth and embrace it to lead genuinely joyful and fulfilling lives.
A comparison of select passages from the ESV and the Mirror Bible will demonstrate du Toit’s theology:
John 1:12 in the ESV states, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” This is contrasted with the many who rejected Christ in John 1:11. The emphasis is that, while many turned down Jesus, those who accept Him (and only those) become God’s children.
Children.
The Mirror Bible completely reverses this. The point of the Mirror Bible paraphrase is not that people need to become children of God but they need to recognize that they are already children of God because of Christ: “Everyone who realizes their association in him, convinced that he is their original life and that his name defines them, God gives the assurance that they are indeed his offspring, begotten of him; he sanctions the legitimacy of the sonship.” According to the Mirror paraphrase, it is not sonship that people need but assurance of that sonship.
In the ESV, John 3:3 is translated, “Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” All of the other modern versions convey the same message, although the wording may be slightly different. The point is that without new birth a person will be excluded from God’s kingdom.
The Mirror Bible gives a completely different emphasis: “Jesus answered him emphatically; no one would even be able to recognize anything as coming from God’s domain unless they are born from above to begin with! The very fact that it is possible to perceive that I am in union with God, as a human being, reveals humanity’s genesis from above!” Here, receiving Christ does not make one a child of God but simply proves the divine origin of mankind.
Although there are many other examples, one more will serve to clearly demonstrate du Toit’s theological bent, which influences his paraphrase. John 3:17–18 in the ESV (and very similarly in all reputable English translations) reads, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” The condemnation spoken of here is the condemnation of a holy God who judges unrepentant sinners who refuse Christ.
In the Mirror BiblIn the context of the warning of God’s condemnation, it transforms into a different message: “God does not intend to condemn anyone—He sent His Son not to judge but to save the world. Your identity is defined by faith, not by flesh! Embracing your true sonship eliminates any sense of separation or rejection. Choosing not to accept this truth means remaining under self-condemnation, relying on futile self-definition through personal achievements. Through persistent unbelief, one rejects the revelation and redemption found in the Son, who is begotten solely by the Father, not by the flesh.” According to du Toit, rejecting the Son leads to self-condemnation as one denies their authentic sonship and seeks to earn God’s approval through performance.
Ultimately, the Mirror Bible is not a faithful translation or paraphrase. Beyond mere inaccuracies in certain areas, the Mirror Bible promotes teachings that contradict the essence of the New Testament gospel. This version does not aid in grasping the original text’s true meaning; instead, it distorts Scripture «as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. », (see 2 Peter 3:16).
