[.ca] The Message - New Testament, Psalms & Proverbs (ISBN 1576831191)

From Amazon.com:
In this contemporary English version of the New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs, Eugene Peterson strives to convey the earthy truths of the original Greek and Hebrew texts. As he explains in his introduction, there were two levels of language in the Greek-speaking world, "formal" and "informal". The one was for use in official documents, epic poetry, and philosophy, the other for shopping lists and personal letters--the common idiom of everyday speech. "This is the language used throughout the New Testament ... a rough and earthy language that reveals God's presence and action where we least expect it, catching us when we are up to our elbows in the soiled ordinariness of our lives and God is the furthest thing from our minds." It is in the spirit of this "soiled ordinariness" that Eugene Peterson translates John 1:14 (NIV: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us") to "The word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood." Likewise, in Romans 8:3 where the NIV renders "For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering," The Message reads, "God went for the jugular when he sent his own son.... In his son, Jesus, he personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity in order to set it right once and for all." Peterson offers no pretense of elevated language or intellectualism, only the insistence that God is relevant in 20th-century work-week and weekend lives. This kind of translation is not a new enterprise, however. Tyndale--the man singularly responsible for our English translations of the Bible--is purported to have said in a dispute with opposing clergy, "If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plow to know more of the Scriptures than thou dost." We're simply glad someone of our own generation chose to do the same. --Benjamin Gebhardt

--> NOT FOR THE SUNDAY CHRISTIAN:
I keep reading reviews that say "read with a mature Christian" or "just a paraphrase" and some even harsh reviews that doubt the integrity of a Bible that doesn't sound like the King James. I'm a youth pastor in the Orlando area and I did a test not too long ago with a decent sized group of students. We tested their ability to comprehend and grasp the main effect of a few different Bible stories from a selection of translations. We used the ESV, NIV, NLT and MESSAGE. Although I like the ESV Bible and have, in the past, used it as my primary translation, it failed miserably with these kids (who by the way ranged from 6-12 grade, and most being pretty academically successful). They just didn't get the point--we had to stop too many times to analyze the text and try and figure out the meaning on the grammar! On to the NIV--it faired much better, but there were many places where the NIV had my kids stumped. I actually think that part of the NIV's failure was their choice of fonts...these things were so ancient. ...the lack of "red letters" wasn't helpful. The NLT...I used to really like it actually, but the more I've read it, the more it strikes me a just a front for an old idea. What I mean (and my kids echoed this) is that yes, it is easier to understand, but it seemed to us that they still fail to catch the "love story" of God's Word. In other words, it's still very systematic and verse-oriented, yet it tries to modernize the way those very things are carried out. It's like putting a new face plate on an old phone. It looks pretty cool, but essentially, the phone is the same. Re: the Message...I've had a love-hate relationship with the Message since I first picked up the NT when it came out a few years back. Part of my cried heresy; part of me said "cool!!" and part of me didn't know what the heck to think. However, as I presented this to my students, we found that they loved it above the others and related to it far more. They found it intriguing and mystical all the while being able to understand it much more than the other translations. The comments before said that it was heresy or it missed the meaning altogether of so many things. Let me offer this: Jesus told stories...my guess is that people re-told those stories and just like when you play telephone, you can expect that details of these stories are going to chance ever so slightly. Sometimes the whole story (as far as the cast of characters, the details etc.) changes, but if the plot and main effect remain constant, what has happened...adaptation only. Adaptation is not a negative thing in translations; it's a very positive one. I work in an Episcopal Church--we know a thing or two about liturgy and tradition. But, I allow and encourage kids to read from the Message...it breaks tradition right? Wrong--what's the tradition--the heart of Jesus. The details of a story CAN adapt--they must or Christianity will die. The plot and main effect needs to stay the same. I'm not a liberal Episcopalian--I work in a very "conservative Diocese" and I stand for truth. BUT, within truth there is elasticity for dynamic and adaptation--so please don't call heresy. Peterson faithfully interprets this. There are idioms and stories in the Message that I don't get all the time, but i haven't found anything so far that could be called heresy. If anything I think Peterson has done what we've praised C.S. Lewis for--he's magnified God in a way we haven't seen before. GET THIS--USE IT--USE IT AS A PRIMARY TRANSLATION IF YOU WANT TO! I OFTEN DO! (...)

A Different Gospel:
I was deeply grieved by a youth pastor below who used The Message as his primary translation. He would do well to read what a real Bible translation has to say about "tying millstones around the necks" of youth and the warning for not many to aspire to teach, for they will receive a stricter judgment. I was also nauseated by people who wrote that they were bored with the same "tired old verses". God's Word, tired and boring?? No way. It's the deceptive, selfish human heart in our material, entertainment age that demands entertainment at the cost of real human souls. Dumbing down and watering down the Word of God to appeal to people who have the capacity for intelligence but are too lazy to apply their intelligence to study and comprehension? If your teens are having a hard time understanding the Bible, parents and pastors, try spending some time with them and explaining it. Or encourage them to apply themselves in school. Galatians 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. I hope that Eugene Peterson does not find himself gnashing his teeth on judgment day as Jesus pronounces "I never knew you. Depart from me you worker of iniquity." I pity those teachers who follow in the footsteps of Mr. Peterson, who had added and subtracted from the Word of the Almighty God. The Message is filled to the brim with New Age references, a politically correct agenda and an obscuring of the message which is necessary for salvation. If a person is not familiar with New Age terminology, as many Christians are not, then they are ripe for the picking. Jesus is referred to as "the Master". The Master is a new age expression. New Agers believe that many "enlightened masters" have come to planet earth- Buddah, Krishna, Mohamed and Jesus being a few. Christians know that Jesus isn't merely an enlightened master, He is Lord and the only way to salvation. The Bible says that people who are not saved can not say that Jesus is Lord. Neither does the Message say it. What does that tell you? Here is a comparison of the NKJV version and The Message. If you want to compare the Message against any other version or verse, you can go to biblegateway.com and reference any version you like. Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV) 9that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (How is the NKJV too complicated for anyone who comprehends English to understand? But look at how the Message adds many words and yet complicates and obscures the message, not simplifying as was it's stated purpose.) Romans 10:9-10 (The Message) 9Say the welcoming word to God--"Jesus is my Master"--embracing, body and soul, God's work of doing in us what he did in raising Jesus from the dead. That's it. You're not "doing" anything; you're simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you. That's salvation. 10With your whole being you embrace God setting things right, and then you say it, right out loud: "God has set everything right between him and me!" Why does Mr. Peterson feel it necessary to change the "Jesus is Lord" to "Jesus is my Master"? It doesn't clarify anything. 2x he tells the person to make a confession other than what the real Bible says. This example is not even the worst of his mistranslations, additions, insertions of personal opinions not marked as thus, subtractions and twistings of scripture. The Bible says that Sexual immorality, adultery and homosexuality are sins, but The Message removes these references in favor of "sex without commitment and intimacy". Or sex without love. In other words, a non-discerning person (and believe me, if they think this is an honest translation they are sorely lacking in discernmenet) will be led to believe that sex is OK as long as they feel love, commitment and intimacy; whatever that means to them. This "bible", if it can even be called such, is preparing the church for the great apostacy when so called Christians will abandon real salvation for the one world religion. I was downright shocked when I read this book and then angered that so many are willingly swallowing the lie. Don't become one of the fooled, it's not only your soul at stake but also your family and friends, whom are in your realm of influence.

A Refreshing New Translation:
I don't get why some are so up in arms over this book. There are some mild flourishes taken with the text but it's merely for theatrical emphasis on what's already there. The Message maintains biblical accuracy as far as I can see. No one will come away from the MSG believing in a god other than the God that the KJV or the NIV maintain in their interpretations which, by the way, also have their critics. I still prefer my NIV, though I do think The Message is a good opportunity for those who have trouble following the versions currently available. I'm not so pontifical that I assume that everyone must read or understand the written word at my level in order to have access to scripture. However I only gave it 4 stars because I really wish that the book had chapter and verse numbers to make it easier to follow along in a group study or to look up passages on your own for comparison. Otherwise I think The Message is a great starting tool or companion to the versions already available.

A Perversion of God's Holy Word:
The Message is clearly and by far a perversion of God's holy and true Word. It's almost as if Eugene Peterson sat down one night realizing that he personally thought God's Holy Word was boring so he decided to pervert it by "spicing" it up with his terrible paraphrases and "translations" which makes this "bible" the most off-based and far from the original translation. He uses excellent descriptor words (notice the sarcasm) such as hocus pocus and 3 uses of the word potatoes (2 relating to something that is not a big worry) (he must have been a previous farmer in Idaho). Do not buy this book if you have any sort of reverance for God's true Word at all. I'm not sure where he went with this one, but if you want a good translation to easily understand go with the NIV, or if you want the closest renderings to the actual greek and hebrew, go with my favorite--the NASB.

The Message- what a blessing:
This book gives wonderful translation to some scriptures that you may not understand. When you read a passage in the Bible then refer to 'The Message' you get a full understanding of the scriptures meaning. Great book tried to buy another copy for a gift but they do not have any copies remaining. I was also informed the printing company is not sure if and when they will be printing more.