The hit Christian series The Chosen has become the center of controversy after releasing a sneak peek of its upcoming season. The scene, depicting an emotional exchange between Jesus and Judas Iscariot, has sparked heated debate among viewers and pastors, with critics labeling it “unbiblical.”

The moment in question shows Jesus addressing Judas, who will eventually betray Him. “You have a choice to make, Judas,” Jesus says. “Who you belong to? Who has your heart? I want it, and I’ve had it before. You followed me willingly.” Judas, visibly emotional, replies, “I want to continue. There’s nothing more that I want than that.” Jesus then takes Judas’ hand and says, “Then I will pray for you. But for now, please leave me in peace.”

While the scene is packed with dramatic tension, some pastors and Christian leaders quickly voiced their concerns.

Pastor Gabriel Hughes of Providence Reformed Baptist Church in Arizona was among the most vocal critics. “Contrary to The Chosen, the Bible does not say Jesus told Judas, ‘I will pray for you,'” Hughes said in a social media post. “He called Judas the ‘son of perdition’ (John 17:12), destined to betray the Son of God according to Scripture. Jesus did not pray for Judas to make a different choice, or we wouldn’t be saved.”

Florida pastor Adam Page echoed these sentiments, stating, “There’s the Bible, and then there’s The Chosen. The two rarely, if ever, meet.”

Others, like Pastor Shane Idleman of Westside Christian Fellowship, struck a more balanced tone. While Idleman acknowledged that the series takes artistic liberties, he called the scene “controversial” and urged caution. “I’m not sure that Jesus ever ‘had Judas’ heart’ initially or prayed for him,” Idleman said. “We have to be careful with creative freedom.”

A discernment blog, Protestia, went further, calling the scene “super unbiblical” in a viral post on X (formerly Twitter).

Amid the backlash, fans of The Chosen rushed to the show’s defense, arguing that artistic interpretation does not necessarily equate to biblical inaccuracy. One user on X wrote, “Jesus wanted all to follow Him. Even if the dialogue isn’t directly in Scripture, people are going a bit over the top about this.”

Dallas Jenkins, the show’s creator and son of Left Behind co-author Jerry B. Jenkins, has long addressed similar critiques. In a previous interview, Jenkins explained that much of The Chosen is not taken word-for-word from the Bible but rather aims to fill in the gaps with culturally and historically plausible scenarios.

“We operate from this question: Is this plausible? Whatever we write, if it didn’t come from Scripture — is this plausible, culturally, historically? And does it fit within the character and intentions of Jesus and in the Gospels, even if it’s not directly from them?” Jenkins said.

Jenkins was candid about the delicate balance the show tries to maintain. “You’re walking a fine line, especially as someone like myself who loves the Bible,” he said. “I know people want us to remain faithful to Scripture as much as possible.”

However, Jenkins is clear that The Chosen isn’t meant to replace Scripture. “We’re not pretending to be the Bible,” he stated. “We’re simply making a historic drama rooted in first-century Galilee and based on the stories of the Bible.”

Despite the criticisms, Jenkins noted that The Chosen has encouraged viewers to dive deeper into the Word of God. “The good news is, people who watch the show aren’t saying, ‘I’ve seen the show, I don’t need to read the Bible,'” he said. “They’re saying, ‘I want to read the Bible more than ever before.'”

Jenkins argued that this gives the team room to explore backstories and provides viewers with a fresh perspective on biblical characters.