[.ca] The Message - Remix Edition (ISBN 1576834344)

Understanding Jesus' Heart:
I believe that the reason God left His Word written is that we all understand it and ENJOY it while we're applying the truth to our lives. It's so sad that we still face those people who remind me of old time Pharisees' elitism that God's Word should not be easy to comprehend for all. God will honour Eugene Peterson's efforts and dedication to making God's Word more approachable for those who desire to get closer to Him. Our God is full of flavours and colours. He loves diversity. And He will use every possible means (such as Eugene Peterson) to help us get to know him better if it takes Him speaking in our contemporary languages. God sent His only Son to DIE for us, why wouldn't he do that? It opens up my eyes whenever I read the Message Bible and realize how much intimate our God is to me and us. Our God is the God for all His children to love. Why should our contemporary language be considered less holy or less pious? Holiness doesn't come from using 'big' words that sound old and difficult.

Helpful, but not to be used in place of the Bible:
Recently I purchased a devotional so that I could study the Bible daily and really begin to study and understand God's word. As we all know, the Bible isn't the easiest thing to understand at times. There are some scriptures that I just can't understand completely, and I really didn't like getting a vague idea about what I was reading. I'd sit there for long periods of time thinking it over and over, praying about it, but I just couldn't get it sometimes. So, I bought The Message Remix to help me. I still belive strongly that The Message Remix should NOT be read in place of the Bible, but should be used ONLY as an aid in reading the Bible. It's a good source to turn to for quick clarification.

Format:
It is a nice portable size. Please note that the paper is thin and the words on the other side show through.

Refreshing, surprisingly accurate & revives tired verses...:
If you've been in church for more than a year, it's likely you've already heard certain verses over and over and over. There's more to God's Word than John 3:16!!! This well done paraphrase (from the original languages) helps you tackle the whole of the Bible. In addition, those overdone verses are given new life! Here's John 3:16 in the Message Remix: "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed, by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life." or John 1:1 "The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God, in readiness for God from day one." Amazingly enough, passages such as John 6 53-58 are virtually unchanged from NIV or like translations. Here is John 6 :53-58 "But Jesus didn't give an inch. "Only insofar as you eat and drink flesh and blood, the flesh and blood of the Son of Man, do you have life within you. The one who brings a hearty appetite to this eating and drinking has eternal life and will be fit and ready for the Final Day. My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. By eating my flesh and drinking my blood you enter into me and I into you. " When Mr. Patterson gets it right-it's downright beautiful! As for the craftsmanship of the Bible, I have the hardbound version. The pages are thick enough that print does not bleed through. Print is a decent size. Also, this Remix has the chapter verse for easy to find convenience. The Bible appears to be well put together, sewn pages-not "glued in". Lastly, the size is easy to carry-a big improvement over the original message. This is about 5 x 7 and about 3" thick.

A Different Gospel:
First, 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.