Netflix has been accused of censoring a prophetic passage from the Old Testament in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. The streaming giant’s version of the film reportedly omits the opening Scripture from Isaiah 53:5, a pivotal prophecy foretelling the suffering of the Messiah, and replaces it with a 13-second blank screen.
The verse reads: “He was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; by His wounds we are healed.”
Netflix’s showing of Mel Gibson’s 2004 film The Passion of the Christ has conspicuously cut an Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah.
— Denn Dunham (@DennD68) April 17, 2025
The original version of the film opens with the display of the words of the Prophet Isaiah, written 700 years before Christ: “He was wounded… pic.twitter.com/lWbJJGCOUv
John-Henry Weston, co-founder and CEO of LifeSite News, voiced his concern about the removal, calling it a “chilling alteration.” “Why would anyone remove that verse, and only that verse? What are they afraid of?” Weston asked in a statement. He further argued that the omission of this particular verse, one of the clearest Old Testament prophecies of Jesus’ redemptive suffering, is not an insignificant or accidental change.
“Jesus Christ either fulfilled the words of Isaiah or He didn’t. If He did, then every soul must reckon with Jesus. If He didn’t, then The Passion is just three hours of torture and pain with no purpose at all,” Weston said.
Isaiah 53 is often referred to as “the fifth Gospel” due to its vivid and detailed depiction of the suffering Messiah, a figure who is pierced, rejected, and bears the punishment for the sins of others. Its powerful imagery has often led even many Jewish readers to mistakenly assume the chapter comes from the New Testament.
Weston also pointed out that the omission of Isaiah 53 from Jewish liturgical readings—despite the inclusion of nearby chapters—has led some to refer to it as “the forbidden chapter.” He believes this deliberate omission is significant. “It has converted many over the centuries. When people read Isaiah’s words and then watch The Passion, the connection becomes undeniable,” he said.
He also shared an anecdote of Israelis unfamiliar with the chapter who hear the words “He was pierced for our transgressions… by His wounds we are healed” and are shocked to learn that these words come from the Old Testament, not the New Testament. “You don’t need to take my word for it. Just watch their reactions. They hear the prophecy and recognise Jesus,” Weston claimed.
“In an age of algorithmic censorship and quiet manipulation, this fits into a broader pattern. Christian content is shut down. Scripture is offensive. And the truth is quietly scrubbed,” Weston asserted.
Netflix asserts that it does not edit films, but merely uploads the versions provided by distributors. As of the time of reporting, LifeSite News was still awaiting a response from the platform for further clarification.
