The Message

My opinion?

Stay away from it. Just because it is easy to read does not make it right.

 

I think its a great tool. It a paraphrase, not a translation, and as long as you keep that in mind, I think its great reading. It may help one to see passages more clearly.

 

My opinion? You need to take this simple test:

Below is a short test which will assist you in defining the accuracy of the Message paraphrase by Eugene Peterson, while also demonstrating your ability to apply the instructions and information learned from it in your daily faith walk. Please answer the questions below using only direct quotes from the Message as your answer. If you do not have a copy available, you can find it on line by clicking on the link below, and then scrolling down to the bottom of the page:

http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/?action=getVersionInfo&vid=65

1) How many components of spiritual warfare are found in Ephesians 6:11-17_____?
Please list them____________________________.

2) verse 11- We are we instructed to put on the ____________.

3)verse 12- a) We do not wrestle against ______ b) We do wrestle against ______.

4)verse 13- What should you take up? _________

5)verse 14- What should you do with truth?________

6)Righteousness should be used as a ______?

7)v15- Peace should be used to shod/fit your _______?

8)v16- Faith should be used as a ________ to _________________.

9)v17- Salvation should be used/worn like a ________.

10) Which other major weapon is spoken of in v 17?__________.

11) In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, what are the ten unrighteous acts that will keep you from entering the kingdom of God (heaven)?___________________________________.

12) In the Messianic prophecy found in Genesis 49:10, the scepter will not leave Judah until ______ comes. (proper name)

13) In Matthew 6:9, according to the text, who's Name is Holy?_____
b) In v10, who's will does Jesus instruct us “will be done”? _____.

14) In Luke 12:37, what will those who are found watching be?_______

15) In Prov 11:28, if you trust in your riches, you will ______.

16) In Psalms 49:7, we are told that no one can redeem his _______ nor give God a ________ for him.

17) In Psalms 51:9, the psalmist David asks that God blot out all of his ________.

18) In Matthew 10:25, the translator of the Message has our Lord Jesus Christ refer to Himself as ____ face.


Now that you have completed the test, the next step is to take any other of the popular translations and re-answer the questions above.

 

Again, as TaterTot said, The Message is a paraphrase. I own it and have read it and found it to be easy to read, but not very edifying. This book cannot be used in place of a good bible but I still like reading it every now and then.

 

I agree with Tater. As a sole source for scripture, it's not the best tool. However, as a study accompaniment, especially for paraphrasical referencing, it's an acceptible tool.

 

I also agree with Tater and with John. The message is not a study bible. But it can be a good tool to give a different perspective on the text.

 

Be very careful with The Message and always compare what it says with a good or decent translation such as the NASB, ESV, KJV, NKJV, or others, because The Message actually changes the meaning of the Bible in some places, and adds things in others. It also waters down homosexuality. Below is from a review by John R. Kohlenberger III .

I don't like The Message myself because of its unreliable parphrasing. I have compared verses in The Message with verses from the NASB, NIV, and NKJV and found some disturbing differences.

 

let me see...

Rom 3:23(Message) Since we've compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us,

Rom 6:23 Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God's gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.

Joh 3:16 "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.

Joh 14:6 Jesus said, "I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me.

Rom 10:9 Say 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.

The salvation "message" seems to be pretty clear.

 

Neither does listening to some pastors preach. You can have a calvinistic pastor read John 3:16 and other similar salvation passages from the 1611KJV and change the meaning of "all" and "world" and "whosoever" a lot worse than some of the translations throughout the Message.

 

I side with the folks that say read it as a supplement of a good conservative translation.

There have been a couple of times i have used a verse from the Message to help emphasize the text i was preaching...but i would never use it or another paraphrase to preach out of exclusively.

 

IF I WERE TO USE A PARAPHASED BIBLE I WOULD MUCH RATHER USE THE AMPLIFIED NEW TESTAMENT. IT IS MUCH CLOSER TO KJV,AND NASB

 

I really don't like the Message for reasons stated above. IMO, if you want an easy-to-read Bible, go with the New Living Translation. It's freer than most Bibles, but it is still a translation.

 

Here is a verse that you should take note of - it was pointed out to me a yr ago when I was looking into buying the message.

KJV reads:
Matthew 16:18 And I say unto thee,That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall NOT Prevail against it.

The message reads:
And now I'm going to tell you who you are, really are.
You are Peter, a rock. this is the rock on which I will put together my church so expansive with energy that NOT EVEN THE GATES OF HELL WILL BE ABLE TO KEEP IT OUT.

Do you see that? the gates of Hell won't keep the church out of Hell.

 

The NLT is excellent. I prefer the Living Bible or Phillips NT over the Message but the Message is OK. Good point chavah! That's definetly a mistake.

 

I'll read to that !!

 

I like this word selection by Peterson because it illustrates more clearly how the gate imagery used by Christ is one where the church is on the offensive and Hell is on the defensive.

Obviously it isn't Hell that the gates of Hell are trying to keep Christians out of. Think of kingdom imagery which pervades Matthew and think of non-Christians or groups of non-Christians as cities in Hell's kingdom. The gates that protect those cities will not be able to keep out the church.

[ January 17, 2006, 11:08 PM: Message edited by: Gold Dragon ]

 

That's a really cool way of looking at the verse GD. I think I stand corrected.

 

i'm more partial to the NLT also. Dr Block from SBTS was part of the translation process for it...i guess that is why we were all able to get a free copy of it when i was a student there, lol.