# How the Lumin Translation was made.

> The Lumin Translation is Lumin’s own English Bible, the text in our reader and verse checker. It was drafted with AI from the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, checked verse by verse against them, and approved by Lumin, which answers for it and corrects it in public. This page shows how, and what we have corrected.

Canonical source: https://www.lumin.faith/lumin-translation
Published: 2026-09-30
Updated: 2026-09-30
Maintained by Andrew Kittridge, Founder of Lumin. Editorial standards: https://www.lumin.faith/editorial-standards.md
Cite this page: “The Lumin Translation: How Lumin’s Bible Was Made.” Lumin. Published September 30, 2026. https://www.lumin.faith/lumin-translation
Corrected 2026-09-30: A confirmation review compared every verse with its Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek. Twelve verses were corrected, including Zechariah 8:23, which had lost its opening line. All twelve are listed with each verse as it now reads. (https://www.lumin.faith/lumin-translation#corrections)

## What it is

It is the text in Lumin’s public reader and verse checker, where every verse has its own link. Edition 2.0 is a full revision of every verse against the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.

Edition 1.0 was drafted without the source text beside each verse, and it had real problems: missing verses, dropped Psalm titles, one term rendered three ways in a single chapter, and archaic words like “behold” and “unto.” Edition 2.0 fixes them at the root. Every verse was revised with its Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek alongside it, key terms follow one glossary, no verse is left blank, and the Psalm titles are restored.

- Edition 2.0, approved by Lumin on 2026-09-30
- 66 books, 1,189 chapters, 31,102 verses
- Read it: https://www.lumin.faith/read (every verse has its own link, such as https://www.lumin.faith/read/john/3#16)

Two aims, and neither is traded away for the other:

- **True to the original.** Every verse says what the Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek says: nothing left out, nothing added, and no interpretation dressed up as translation.
- **Easy to read.** Natural, contemporary American English that a teenager can read aloud and an adult can study. Plain words, clear sentences, and no “thee,” “thou,” or “behold.”

When the two pull apart, the translation keeps the meaning and finds better English. It does not give up meaning to sound smoother.

## How edition 2.0 was made

1. **Drafted from the source.** Each chapter was translated with AI from its Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek, verse by verse, under one set of written principles. The earlier edition, 1.0, was used only as a draft to correct.
2. **Reviewed against the source.** A second, independent AI pass checked every verse of every chapter but one against the Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek, and fixed omissions, additions, wrong senses, and unclear English. The exception is Zechariah 14: an automated content filter stopped the independent passes there, so it was checked only by the AI that drafted it until the confirmation review below compared every verse of it with the Hebrew, word by word.
3. **Audited where it is read most.** About 420 of the most-quoted verses were checked three separate ways: for fidelity, for readability, and for originality. One sampled verse from every chapter but Zechariah 14 was checked again for fidelity. The content filter kept that chapter out of the independent passes, so the confirmation review below checked it word by word instead.
4. **Checked mechanically.** An automated checker tests every verse for numbering, empty text, archaic words, contractions, straight quotation marks, bracket use, and quotation marks that open and close in the right places.
5. **Confirmed against the source.** On September 30, 2026, every verse and every Psalm title, 31,218 entries in all, was compared again, word by word, with its Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek. Every possible error was re-checked in a second, independent pass, and each critical one in a third. A script also flagged 240 verses whose English ran far longer or shorter than the source; each was checked and found complete. Twelve verses were corrected.
6. **Approved by Lumin.** Lumin approved edition 2.0 for publication on September 30, 2026. Lumin answers for every verse, and corrects mistakes in public on this page.

## Twelve verses corrected on 2026-09-30

The confirmation review flagged sixteen possible errors. Twelve were confirmed and corrected; the other four were judged defensible renderings or wording already documented, and left as they are. Each verse is shown as it now reads, with the corrected words marked.

### Zechariah 8:23 (Omission)

Corrected words: “This is what Yahweh of Armies says:”

The verse’s opening line had been left out. It is restored.

> This is what Yahweh of Armies says: In those days ten men from nations of every language will take hold—they will take hold of the robe of a Jew and say, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”
> — [Zechariah 8:23](https://www.lumin.faith/read/zechariah/8#23) (Lumin Translation)

### 1 Chronicles 25:9 (Omission)

Corrected words: “his brothers and his sons, twelve”

The earlier wording left out the count for Joseph’s lot. It is restored, following the text base, which supplies it from ancient witnesses.

> The first lot fell for Asaph to Joseph, his brothers and his sons, twelve; the second to Gedaliah, he and his brothers and his sons, twelve;
> — [1 Chronicles 25:9](https://www.lumin.faith/read/1-chronicles/25#9) (Lumin Translation)

### 1 Chronicles 21:17 (Omission)

Corrected words: “I am the shepherd who has sinned”

David’s confession now follows the text base, which restores this reading from ancient witnesses.

> David said to God, “Was it not I who gave the order to count the people? I am the shepherd who has sinned and done great evil. But these sheep, what have they done? Yahweh my God, please let your hand be against me and my father’s family, but do not let the plague be on your people.”
> — [1 Chronicles 21:17](https://www.lumin.faith/read/1-chronicles/21#17) (Lumin Translation)

### 2 Samuel 12:5 (Omission)

Corrected words: “burned with great anger”

“Great” renders the Hebrew me’od, which had been dropped.

> David burned with great anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As Yahweh lives, the man who did this deserves to die!
> — [2 Samuel 12:5](https://www.lumin.faith/read/2-samuel/12#5) (Lumin Translation)

### 2 Chronicles 34:9 (Scribes’ reading)

Corrected words: “and from the people of Jerusalem”

Now follows the scribes’ marginal reading (the Qere), as the translation’s rules call for, instead of the written text (the Ketiv).

> They came to Hilkiah the high priest and handed over the money that had been brought into the house of God, which the Levites who guarded the threshold had collected from Manasseh and Ephraim, from all the remnant of Israel, from all Judah and Benjamin, and from the people of Jerusalem.
> — [2 Chronicles 34:9](https://www.lumin.faith/read/2-chronicles/34#9) (Lumin Translation)

### Nehemiah 6:16 (Text base)

Corrected words: “were afraid”

The Hebrew letters can be read “saw” or “were afraid.” The vowels of the Masoretic text, which the translation follows, read “were afraid.”

> When all our enemies heard about it, all the nations around us were afraid, and they fell greatly in their own eyes, for they knew that this work had been done with the help of our God.
> — [Nehemiah 6:16](https://www.lumin.faith/read/nehemiah/6#16) (Lumin Translation)

### Micah 6:13 (Text base)

Corrected words: “have struck you with a sickening blow”

Now follows the Hebrew of the Leningrad Codex, the translation’s text base. The earlier wording followed the ancient Greek Septuagint here.

> So I, for my part, have struck you with a sickening blow, to lay you waste because of your sins.
> — [Micah 6:13](https://www.lumin.faith/read/micah/6#13) (Lumin Translation)

### Genesis 16:14 (Consistency)

Corrected words: “Beer Lahai Roi”

The well’s name is now spelled the same way it is later in Genesis. Compare [Genesis 24:62](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/24#62) and [Genesis 25:11](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/25#11).

> That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi. It is between Kadesh and Bered.
> — [Genesis 16:14](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/16#14) (Lumin Translation)

### Exodus 39:13 (Consistency)

Corrected words: “chrysolite”

The stone called tarshish in Hebrew now has the same name as in the first list of these stones. Compare [Exodus 28:20](https://www.lumin.faith/read/exodus/28#20).

> and the fourth row, a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They were mounted in gold settings in their places.
> — [Exodus 39:13](https://www.lumin.faith/read/exodus/39#13) (Lumin Translation)

### Job 38:3 (Consistency)

Corrected words: “Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you will inform me.”

The line now reads the same as when it is repeated later in Job. Compare [Job 40:7](https://www.lumin.faith/read/job/40#7).

> Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you will inform me.
> — [Job 38:3](https://www.lumin.faith/read/job/38#3) (Lumin Translation)

### Psalm 65:7 (Grammar)

Corrected words: “who calms”

Now continues in the third person, like the verse before it. Compare [Psalm 65:6](https://www.lumin.faith/read/psalm/65#6).

> who calms the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the uproar of the peoples.
> — [Psalm 65:7](https://www.lumin.faith/read/psalm/65#7) (Lumin Translation)

### John 10:6 (Consistency)

Corrected words: “figure of speech”

The Greek paroimia is now “figure of speech,” as it is later in John. Compare [John 16:25](https://www.lumin.faith/read/john/16#25) and [John 16:29](https://www.lumin.faith/read/john/16#29).

> Jesus gave them this figure of speech, but they did not grasp what he was telling them.
> — [John 10:6](https://www.lumin.faith/read/john/10#6) (Lumin Translation)

## Text base

- **Old Testament.** The Hebrew and Aramaic of the Leningrad Codex (the Westminster Leningrad Codex), as tagged in STEPBible’s Translators Amalgamated Hebrew OT (TAHOT). Where the scribes’ marginal reading (the Qere) differs from the written text (the Ketiv), the translation follows the Qere, as nearly every translation does. Where TAHOT restores words from ancient witnesses, as in Genesis 4:8 and 1 Samuel 13:1, the translation follows it too.
- **New Testament.** The Greek of the Nestle-Aland 27th and 28th editions, as tagged in STEPBible’s Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (TAGNT). It is the text most modern translations follow, drawn from the earliest manuscripts.

Two departures from the text base (the Leningrad Codex as TAHOT tags and restores it): Psalm 22:16 follows the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Septuagint rather than the medieval Masoretic text, and Zechariah 14:6 and 14:18 follow the ancient Greek, Syriac, and Latin versions where the Hebrew is difficult. Both are listed with the notable readings below.

Source texts: TAHOT and TAGNT from [STEP Bible](https://www.STEPBible.org) (Tyndale House, Cambridge), licensed [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). They are used only as the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek the translation was made from, and are not redistributed here. The English translation is Lumin’s own.

## Notable readings

### Genesis 4:8

Includes Cain’s words to Abel, which the ancient versions keep and the text base restores.

> Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
> — [Genesis 4:8](https://www.lumin.faith/read/genesis/4#8) (Lumin Translation)

### 1 Samuel 13:1

Gives Saul’s age and the length of his reign as the text base restores them.

> Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel for forty-two years.
> — [1 Samuel 13:1](https://www.lumin.faith/read/1-samuel/13#1) (Lumin Translation)

### Judges 16:13–14

Include the longer text about the pin and the wall.

> Then Delilah said to Samson, “All this time you have made a fool of me and told me lies. Tell me how you could be tied up.” He said to her, “If you weave the seven braids of my head into the fabric on the loom and fasten it with the pin to the wall, I will become weak and be like any other man.”
> — [Judges 16:13](https://www.lumin.faith/read/judges/16#13) (Lumin Translation)

> So she lulled him to sleep, wove the seven braids of his head into the fabric, and fastened it with the pin. Then she said to him, “The Philistines are on you, Samson!” He woke up from his sleep and pulled out the pin of the loom, along with the fabric.
> — [Judges 16:14](https://www.lumin.faith/read/judges/16#14) (Lumin Translation)

### Psalm 22:16

Follows the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Septuagint. The medieval Masoretic text reads “like a lion” here.

> For dogs have closed in around me; a gang of evildoers has surrounded me; they have pierced my hands and my feet.
> — [Psalm 22:16](https://www.lumin.faith/read/psalm/22#16) (Lumin Translation)

### Psalm 145:13

Includes the line for the Hebrew letter nun, which the medieval manuscripts lost. Psalm 145 is an alphabet poem, and without this line it skips a letter.

> Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages, and your rule lasts through every generation. Yahweh is trustworthy in all his words and shows kindness in all his deeds.
> — [Psalm 145:13](https://www.lumin.faith/read/psalm/145#13) (Lumin Translation)

### Isaiah 7:14

Reads “the virgin,” as Matthew 1:23 quotes it. The Hebrew word, ’almah, means a young woman of marriageable age; the Septuagint and Matthew give parthenos, “virgin.” The translation follows the reading the New Testament gives this verse.

> Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: Look, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and she will name him Immanuel.
> — [Isaiah 7:14](https://www.lumin.faith/read/isaiah/7#14) (Lumin Translation)

> “Look, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel,” which means “God with us.”
> — [Matthew 1:23](https://www.lumin.faith/read/matthew/1#23) (Lumin Translation)

### Philippians 1:16–17

Follow the Nestle-Aland order, with the group acting out of love first, as modern Bibles number them.

> These act out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.
> — [Philippians 1:16](https://www.lumin.faith/read/philippians/1#16) (Lumin Translation)

> The others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, thinking they will stir up trouble for me in my imprisonment.
> — [Philippians 1:17](https://www.lumin.faith/read/philippians/1#17) (Lumin Translation)

### Zechariah 14:6 and 14:18

Follow the ancient Greek, Syriac, and Latin versions, as most modern Bibles do. The Hebrew of both lines is difficult: 14:6 reads literally “the splendid ones will congeal,” and 14:18 “and not on them.”

> On that day there will be no light, neither cold nor frost.
> — [Zechariah 14:6](https://www.lumin.faith/read/zechariah/14#6) (Lumin Translation)

> If the family of Egypt does not go up and come in, they will have no rain; the plague will come on them with which Yahweh strikes the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Booths.
> — [Zechariah 14:18](https://www.lumin.faith/read/zechariah/14#18) (Lumin Translation)

### Matthew 6:13

Ends without the later doxology, following the earliest manuscripts.

> And do not lead us into temptation; rather, rescue us from the evil one.’
> — [Matthew 6:13](https://www.lumin.faith/read/matthew/6#13) (Lumin Translation)

### 1 John 5:7–8

Read without the later Trinitarian addition, following the earliest manuscripts.

> For there are three that testify:
> — [1 John 5:7](https://www.lumin.faith/read/1-john/5#7) (Lumin Translation)

> the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and the three agree.
> — [1 John 5:8](https://www.lumin.faith/read/1-john/5#8) (Lumin Translation)

## Key terms

### Yahweh (YHWH)

The divine name as the Hebrew writes it, kept from edition 1.0. YHWH Elohim is “Yahweh God,” and Adonai YHWH is “Lord Yahweh.”

> Yahweh is my shepherd; I lack nothing.
> — [Psalm 23:1](https://www.lumin.faith/read/psalm/23#1) (Lumin Translation)

### Yahweh of Armies (YHWH tseva’ot)

In the New Testament, where the Greek has kyrios, the same title is “the Lord of Armies.” The prophets’ ko amar YHWH is “This is what Yahweh says,” and ne’um YHWH is “declares Yahweh.”

> Yahweh of Armies is with us; our high stronghold is the God of Jacob. Selah.
> — [Psalm 46:7](https://www.lumin.faith/read/psalm/46#7) (Lumin Translation)

### steadfast love (hesed)

Hesed is “steadfast love” when it is God’s. When people show it, it is kindness, loyalty, or faithfulness.

> Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
> — [Psalm 136:1](https://www.lumin.faith/read/psalm/136#1) (Lumin Translation)

### the Messiah / Christ (Christos)

“The Messiah” where the word is a title, mostly in the Gospels and Acts. “Christ” where it is used as a name, as in “Jesus Christ” and most of the letters.

> Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
> — [Matthew 16:16](https://www.lumin.faith/read/matthew/16#16) (Lumin Translation)

> But God makes his own love for us plain: Christ died for us when we were still sinners.
> — [Romans 5:8](https://www.lumin.faith/read/romans/5#8) (Lumin Translation)

### brothers and sisters (adelphoi)

For believers, whether they are addressed or spoken about. “Brothers” where the word means male siblings or a group of men.

> My brothers and sisters, think of it as complete joy when you run into trials of every kind,
> — [James 1:2](https://www.lumin.faith/read/james/1#2) (Lumin Translation)

### one and only (monogenēs)

Used of Jesus in John’s Gospel and letters, and of Isaac in Hebrews 11:17.

> For God loved the world in this way: he gave his Son, the one and only, so that whoever believes in him would not perish but would have eternal life.
> — [John 3:16](https://www.lumin.faith/read/john/3#16) (Lumin Translation)

### atoning sacrifice (hilasmos, hilastērion)

Hilastērion is also “atoning sacrifice” in Romans 3:25. In Hebrews 9:5, the same word is the “mercy seat.”

> He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, not for ours alone but for the whole world as well.
> — [1 John 2:2](https://www.lumin.faith/read/1-john/2#2) (Lumin Translation)

### Truly I tell you (amēn legō hymin)

In John, where Jesus doubles the amēn, “Truly, truly I tell you.”

> Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly I tell you, unless someone is born from above, they cannot see the kingdom of God.”
> — [John 3:3](https://www.lumin.faith/read/john/3#3) (Lumin Translation)

## Bracketed verses

Some verses found in later manuscripts, and in older English Bibles, are not in the earliest Greek manuscripts. The Lumin Translation keeps them, translated from that traditional text, and sets each one in square brackets so you can find them and know their status. Brackets are used for nothing else. There are 40 bracketed verses:

[Matthew 17:21](https://www.lumin.faith/read/matthew/17#21), [Matthew 18:11](https://www.lumin.faith/read/matthew/18#11), [Matthew 23:14](https://www.lumin.faith/read/matthew/23#14), [Mark 7:16](https://www.lumin.faith/read/mark/7#16), [Mark 9:44](https://www.lumin.faith/read/mark/9#44), [Mark 9:46](https://www.lumin.faith/read/mark/9#46), [Mark 11:26](https://www.lumin.faith/read/mark/11#26), [Mark 15:28](https://www.lumin.faith/read/mark/15#28), [Mark 16:9–20](https://www.lumin.faith/read/mark/16#9), [Luke 17:36](https://www.lumin.faith/read/luke/17#36), [Luke 23:17](https://www.lumin.faith/read/luke/23#17), [John 5:4](https://www.lumin.faith/read/john/5#4), [John 7:53–8:11](https://www.lumin.faith/read/john/7#53), [Acts 8:37](https://www.lumin.faith/read/acts/8#37), [Acts 15:34](https://www.lumin.faith/read/acts/15#34), [Acts 24:7](https://www.lumin.faith/read/acts/24#7), [Acts 28:29](https://www.lumin.faith/read/acts/28#29), [Romans 16:24](https://www.lumin.faith/read/romans/16#24)

For example:

> [Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” He answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”]
> — [Acts 8:37](https://www.lumin.faith/read/acts/8#37) (Lumin Translation)

## Verse numbering

- Verse numbers follow the standard English numbering, so every reference you already know works.
- Where the Hebrew numbers verses differently, as in Malachi 4, Joel 2–3, and the psalms that have titles, the English numbering is used.
- Psalm titles are part of the Hebrew text. They sit above verse 1 without a number, as in most English Bibles.

Psalm 3, for example, opens with its title, then verse 1:

> *A psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom.*
>
> 1 Yahweh, how many my enemies have become! Many are rising up against me.

## How corrections work

- Write to support@lumin.faith with the reference and what reads wrong. If you read Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek, tell us what the source says.
- We check the verse against the source text. If it is wrong, we correct it and list the change on this page with its date.
- The public reader, the verse checker, and this page read the same text, so a correction reaches all three together.
- Dated corrections also go in the corrections log: https://www.lumin.faith/editorial-standards#corrections

## Common questions

### Was the Lumin Translation translated by AI?

It was drafted with AI from the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, verse by verse. Every verse was then checked against those same texts, and compared with them again, word by word, before Lumin approved edition 2.0 on September 30, 2026. It was not made by a committee of scholars, and we do not claim it was. Lumin answers for every verse and corrects it in public when it is wrong.

### Why not use an existing translation?

Lumin needs a text it can check, correct, and link verse by verse. With its own translation, every verse has its own address in the reader, the verse checker compares quotations against the same text, and a confirmed mistake can be fixed and listed in public, as twelve verses were on September 30, 2026.

### Can I quote the Lumin Translation?

Lumin has not published a quotation policy for the translation yet. Until it does, email support@lumin.faith with the verses you want to use and where, and ask first. You can always link to a verse: each one has its own address, such as https://www.lumin.faith/read/john/3#16.

### Why does it say “Yahweh”?

Yahweh is the divine name as the Hebrew writes it (YHWH), and the Lumin Translation keeps it, as edition 1.0 did. “The Lord” renders the Hebrew Adonai, and in the New Testament the Greek kyrios, including where the Greek quotes the Old Testament.

## About Lumin

Lumin is a Bible AI companion for iPhone and iPad: Ask with cited Scripture, Bible Coach beside the chapter, guided prayer, and Sermon Week. Free to start: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lumin-bible-ai-companion/id6754889412

## Free tools from Lumin

- [Bible verse checker](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-verse-checker.md): Free tool and API: does this Bible reference exist, and do the quoted words match it?
- [How to choose a Christian AI](https://www.lumin.faith/christian-ai-tools.md): Six questions for evaluating any Christian AI app, with Lumin’s published answer to each.
- [What churches have said about AI](https://www.lumin.faith/church-statements-on-ai.md): Library of official church and denominational statements on artificial intelligence, each dated and linked to its source.
- [Church AI policy template](https://www.lumin.faith/church-ai-policy.md): Free, editable church AI policy template covering preaching, pastoral care, children, data, and disclosure.
- [Faith and AI small group guide](https://www.lumin.faith/faith-and-ai-small-group.md): Free four-week small group curriculum on faith and AI with films, Lumin Translation passages, discussion questions, and leader notes.
- [Kids, teens, and AI chatbots](https://www.lumin.faith/kids-and-ai.md): Guide for Christian parents on children, teens, AI companions, and faith chatbots, with current safety rules and a printable family AI plan.
- [Bible study prompts](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-study-prompts.md): Copyable Bible study prompts for ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or any assistant, designed to force checkable citations.
- [Christian AI glossary](https://www.lumin.faith/christian-ai-glossary.md): Plain-language glossary of AI terms for Christians and churches.