Found in Translation

By Brandon Vélez-Johnson & Brandon Rhodes | Liberation Theology & Biblical Studies

We're decolonizing the New Testament chapter-by-chapter, through an original translation committed to faithfulness to the text, trauma-informed analysis, God always looking like Jesus, avoiding rel

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FAQs about Found in Translation:

How many episodes does Found in Translation have?

The podcast currently has 108 episodes available.

Found in Translation episodes:

July 18, 2025Who Are the Least of These? – Matthew 24 & 25 with Trey Ferguson
Episode Highlights for Matthew 24 and 25
"I understand that reference" – How Jesus used loads of metacultural nods to embellish his alarm toward his neighbors' self-destructive nationalism;
the intersection of the Black church and Anabaptism;
the Bible is holy because it is a library of testimonies of the losers;
Jesus' advice for getting through apocalyptic times;
immigrant-love as a defining mark of Christian witness;
exasperation with revolutionary violence; and
where to see Jesus every day.

Our guest co-host today is Pastor Trey Ferguson (he/him). Trey is a minister and public theologian who serves as the pastor of The Intention Church, an intentionally online church community built on the historic Black Church and the Anabaptist/Mennonite traditions. Trey also serves as the Executive Pastor at the Refuge Church in Homestead, Florida where he lives.
You can check out Trey's wordplay on his Substack (The Son Do Move) and his podcasts, the New Living Treyslation and Three Black Men.
He's on all the socials with the handle @pastortrey05.
Read LIT online: https://www.litbible.net/matthew-24 and https://www.litbible.net/matthew-25
More about the Liberation & Inclusion Translation: https://www.litbible.net/translation-commitments
Support LIT & FIT: https://donorbox.org/found-in-translation-1
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Opportunity Walks by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
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1h 11min
July 11, 2025What Got Jesus Angry? – Matthew 23 with Jenna DeWitt
Episode Highlights
What Jesus knew would get him killed;
Why he was fiercest to those – the Pharisees – with whom he was most theologically aligned;
The similar anger we find in ourselves toward evangelicalism going after Christian nationalism;
The importance of rebuking the temptation to read these passages antisemitically;
Why religious fakers pissed Jesus off so much;
How truthfulness and no-bullshit vibes became central to Jesus' social vision;
Why Jesus would be so irate at Christians antagonizing LGBTQ folk in his name;
and more!

Our guest co-host today is Jenna DeWitt (she/her pronouns). Jenna is a writer, editor, and resource curator, working primarily in queer Christian spaces and centering aromanticism and asexuality. You can find her work at InvisibleCakeSociety.com or on Substack, Threads, or BlueSky.
Substack: https://invisiblecakesociety.substack.com/
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@jennadewitt
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:tkb2vbmnqo5wqtmnwnrsz6rm
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Read LIT online: https://www.litbible.net/matthew-23
More about the Liberation & Inclusion Translation: https://www.litbible.net/translation-commitments
Support LIT & FIT: https://donorbox.org/found-in-translation-1
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Opportunity Walks by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
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1h 17min
July 05, 2025Why Did Jesus Cleanse the Temple? – Matthew 21 & 22 with Naphtali Renshaw
Episode Highlights
The queer theology anthem that happened to be Jesus' favorite song lyric
Jesus' street pageantry entering Jerusalem parodying the imperial occupation;
Merch tables in the part of the temple dedicated to hosting outsiders;
Jesus' mounting sense of his looming lynching;
Jesus' GTFO clapbacks;
and much more

Our guest co-host is Naphtali Renshaw (she/they). Naphtali is the director of the BeLonging Space, a United Methodist ministry which resources faith communities to support LGBTQ+ and BIPOC-led liberation groups as acts of solidarity and reparations, including as de-escalators at Pride events. They are also the on-site support for the Maxwell Community Hub, a UMC building reimagined for neighborliness and queer liberation.
https://www.facebook.com/naphtali.renshaw
https://thebelongingspace.org/
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Read LIT online: https://www.litbible.net/matthew-21 and https://www.litbible.net/matthew-22
More about the Liberation & Inclusion Translation: https://www.litbible.net/translation-commitments
Support LIT & FIT: https://donorbox.org/found-in-translation-1
...

Opportunity Walks by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
...more
1h
June 27, 2025Did Jesus Oppose Patriarchy? – Matthew 19 & 20 with Kalie May Hargrove
Why did Jesus' thoughts on divorce and marriage cause his disciples to question whether anyone can get married?
Why did Jesus respond with this thing about three kinds of eunuchs?
Does being a not-dickish partner render someone a kind of eunuch in the eyes of patriarchy?
Does Jesus reinforce patriarchal ideas of marriage or deconstruct them?
How sexually engaged were eunuchs in Jesus' day?
How do our inherited gender binaries get in the way of interpreting these stories?
Who is the more prominent antagonist in the Bible: the devil or the rich?

Our guest co-host is Kalie Hargrove (she/her). Kalie is a writer, theologian, and activist who lives in the greater-Atlanta area with her partner and two kids. She has been part of LGBTQ+ activism bringing awareness of the legalized discrimination queer and trans students face at religious universities. She received her Master of Divinity from United Theological Seminary of Twin Cities.
Kalie is Director of Digital Outreach at the Center for Prophetic Imagination, which seeks to connect the intersection of socio-spiritual discernment and radical justice in our world.
https://www.kaliehargrove.com/
https://bsky.app/profile/kaliehargrove.com
Podcast & Substac - https://propheticimagination.substack.com/s/the-lies-that-bind-us
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Read LIT online: https://www.litbible.net/matthew-19 and https://www.litbible.net/matthew-20
More about the Liberation & Inclusion Translation: https://www.litbible.net/translation-commitments
Support LIT & FIT: https://donorbox.org/found-in-translation-1
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Opportunity Walks by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
...more
1h 16min
June 20, 2025Why is Peter Called Satan by Jesus? – Matthew 16-18 with Avery Arden
Why is Jesus so reactive to his students' difficulty with understanding his vocation? He seems grumpy at times.
How does Jesus plan to escalate his confrontation with the Roman Empire and their local enablers?
How is Jesus' strong words against harming children a fierce rebuke to queerphobic parents?
and more!

Our guest cohost is Avery Arden (they/zir). Avery is a genderqueer autistic minister in Atlanta whose work proclaims the holiness and agency of trans and disabled people. Drawing from both Catholic and Reform traditions, their theology is incarnational, Trinitarian, and rooted in breaking binaries. And of course, you've heard Avery many times on The Word in Black and Red.
Avery's Linktree - https://linktr.ee/queerlychristian
Avery's Website – https://queerlychristian.wixsite.com/website
Blessed are the Binary Breakers Podcast – Apple
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Read LIT online: https://www.litbible.net/matthew-14 and https://www.litbible.net/matthew-15
More about the Liberation & Inclusion Translation: https://www.litbible.net/translation-commitments
Support LIT & FIT: https://donorbox.org/found-in-translation-1
...

Opportunity Walks by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
...more
1h 17min
June 13, 2025What Did Jesus Learn From the Canaanite Woman? – Matthew 14 & 15 with Elle Dowd
Jesus' cousin gets impulsively murdered in jail by a tyrant for calling out his BS – just what you'd expect from an authoritarian.
Later, Jesus surfaces an abundance of food, feeding thousands – what if this miracle had something to do with mutual aide?
Finally, Jesus calls an indigenous woman a "household pet," and her response jolts him to remember God's abundance. Was Jesus being racist? Did he change his mind because of her? What about her is a clue to her brave wisdom?

Our guest cohost is Elle Dowd (she/they). Elle is a bi-furious pastor who preaches, writes and teaches about God’s desire to liberate us from the things we use to oppress each other: cis-heterosexism, racism, ableism, queerphobia, colonialism, misogyny, childism, capitalism and white supremacy. She believes we must deconstruct the harmful systems infecting the Christian Church and other American institutions, that a queer/femme interpretation of scripture is at the center of grace, and all bodies – including yours – are beautifully and wonderfully made.
Elle's Website – https://elledowd.com/
Elle's Book – Baptized in Tear Gas: From White Moderate to Abolitionist
Elle on Facebook
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Read LIT online: https://www.litbible.net/matthew-14 and https://www.litbible.net/matthew-15
More about the Liberation & Inclusion Translation: https://www.litbible.net/translation-commitments
Support LIT & FIT: https://donorbox.org/found-in-translation-1
...

Opportunity Walks by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
...more
58min
June 06, 2025Why Did Jesus Speak in Parables? - Matthew 12 & 13 with Ell of TWIBAR
Jesus continues spreading compassion, care, and joy among his most vulnerable neighbors – but the religious professionals won't have any of it! They're using the Bible as a weapon rather than a sacred gift meant to help us pursue shalom. This week in Matthew 12-13 we explore a few of these stories, and the cryptic parables Jesus tells in response.
Episode highlights
Compassion should take precedence over strict adherence to rules.
Sabbath is a revolutionary practice that promotes rest and justice.
Curiosity is essential for understanding and growth.
Why the story of Jonah slaps.
Oppression harms everyone, including the oppressor.
How what we believe & practice about knowledge & learning can be fundamentally anti-authoritarian
Community and mutual aid are part of how this whole God-thing works

Our guest co-host today is Ell, a cohost over at the fantastic podcast The Word in Black and Red. She is a member of the Industrial Workers of the World, is a board member at her church, and enjoys gardening spending time in nature. Ell’s pronouns are she/they.
The Word in Black and Red
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Read LIT online: https://www.litbible.net/matthew-12 and https://www.litbible.net/matthew-13
More about the Liberation & Inclusion Translation: https://www.litbible.net/translation-commitments
Support LIT & FIT: https://donorbox.org/found-in-translation-1
...

Opportunity Walks by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Keywords: Bible, Matthew, parables, compassion, justice, authority, spirituality, faith, community, interpretation
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1h 11min
May 30, 2025What is the Best Bible Translation:
Need to know the best Bible translation if you care about LBTQ inclusion, liberation vibes, basic Greek fidelity, and low-cringe? We present our Bible Translation Tier List!
We're vibe-ranking them based variously on:
Do they translate faithfully about LGBTQ kin being included in God?
Was any of it actively translated to justify domination, authoritarianism, or sexism?
Is it lovely?
What's the cringe level?
How faithful is it to the Greek?
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Read LIT online: https://www.litbible.net/
More about the Liberation & Inclusion Translation: https://www.litbible.net/translation-commitments
Support LIT & FIT: https://donorbox.org/found-in-translation-1
...

Opportunity Walks by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
...more
1h 4min
May 23, 2025Was Jesus an Anarchist? – Matthew 10 & 11 with Rev. Terry Stokes
Jesus is bringing together his crew and sending them to get in good trouble. Familiar tales, sure. But is there something about how Jesus organizes, how Jesus relates, and how Jesus teaches that is instinctively anarchist? Teaching after teaching and tale after tale, he's challenging all the fixations that oppressors leverage into fear to secure power. And oppression, I heard a fella say, is the mask of fear.
Episode highlights:
Christian anarchism as a practice and a hermeneutic,
the subversive aspects of Jesus' commissioning the twelve,
the hidden edge of some of Jesus' spiciest sayings,
Amish wisdom fist-bumping anarchism

Our guest cohost is Rev. Terry Stokes (he/they). Rev. Stokes is an anarchist theologian who seeks to foster political and spiritual radicalization through his writing and speaking.
He holds degrees from Yale University and Princeton Theological Seminary, and was ordained as a minister of word and sacrament by Park Avenue Baptist Church, an abolitionist congregation on Mvskoke Land (Atlanta, GA).
He lives on Munsee Lenape land (central NJ), where he works with children and youth as a nonprofit director.
Their new book, Jesus and the Abolitionists: How Anarchist Christianity Empowers the People, is available now.
More about Terry:
www.terryjstokes.com
IG: @anarchyterry
Book: Jesus and the Abolitionists: How Anarchist Christianity Empowers the People
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Read LIT online: https://www.litbible.net/matthew-10 and https://www.litbible.net/matthew-11
More about the Liberation & Inclusion Translation: https://www.litbible.net/translation-commitments
Support LIT & FIT: https://donorbox.org/found-in-translation-1
...

Opportunity Walks by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
...more
1h 7min
May 16, 2025Did the Roman Centurion Have a Boyfriend? – Matthew 8 & 9 with Micah Belong
Bounary-transgressing love and overcoming ableism are at the heart of the very first stories Matthew tells about Jesus after his big Sermon on the Mount. There's oodles of anti-authoritarian mischief and delightful queer energy brimming in these tales.
Episode highlights:
ableism and leprosy,
Jesus' massive shoutout to a queer Centurion,
the only person in the Bible outside the holy family to submit to their spouses,
whether Brandon Johnson is willing to add a winking emoji to the LIT bible,
antisemitic vibes of some texts,
problems with the economic convenience of pigs and people tormented by demons.

Our guest cohost is Micah Belong (xe/xey). Micah is the founding cohost of the outstanding podcast The Word in Black and Red, where a rotating cast of wise souls are exploring the Hebrew Bible one chapter or so at a time through a liberationist and leftist lens. If you like Found in Translation, you're going to positively adore TWIBAR.
"The Word in Black and Red" podcast (Apple Podcasts, Spotify)
Support TWIBAR on Patreon.
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Read LIT online: https://www.litbible.net/matthew-8 and https://www.litbible.net/matthew-9
More about the Liberation & Inclusion Translation: https://www.litbible.net/translation-commitments
Support LIT & FIT: https://donorbox.org/found-in-translation-1
...

Opportunity Walks by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
...more
1h 12min

FAQs about Found in Translation:

How many episodes does Found in Translation have?

The podcast currently has 108 episodes available.