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Summary: the Remix
Review: To put it simply, the Remix edition of The Message flat out ROCKS! The addition of chapter and verse numbers as well as subject headings makes this edition a wonderful tool when you want to study and cross reference between translations. I am not going to go into the great spiritual debate of our time as to whether Eugene Peterson's paraphrase of scripture is on par with the NIV or King James translations of the Bible. I will say that I own both an NIV(New International Version) and an NASB(New American Standard Bible) and yet at times neither one has been able to illuminate Christ's words like Peterson's work.
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Summary: A great version for habitual Bible reading
Review: One of the most important Christian disciplines is spending time regularly reading and studying the Bible. Along with prayer, it's a critical way to grow deeper in our relationship with God. However, it can be difficult to find a translation that lends itself to regular contemplation. "The Message" solves that problem. Written in contemporary language, "The Message" really makes the Scriptures accessible for everyday meditation. I have been going through it during my lunchtime at work, and I enjoy its overall tone, vocabulary, and structure. I've run into some words and phrases that are a bit jarring (you'll know them when you see them), but nothing to cry "Ichabod" over.There are those who struggle with the idea of a dynamic or paraphrase-style Bible version. True, they are not word-for-word like a literal translation from the original languages. But Hebrew and Greek do not easily conform into smoothly flowing English. So stick with a literal translation for study, but if you want the best readability you'll have to go the dynamic/paraphrase route. As Mr. Peterson writes in the preface, he intends "The Message" to be "a reading Bible", and not a replacement for study Bibles such as the New American Standard Version. If you own one of each and use it accordingly you'll be good to go. I had a seminary professor who half-joked that NIV stood for "Nearly Inspired Version" due to some passages he felt were inferior to those in the more scholarly translations. I suppose a similar moniker could be applied to "The Message", since it may share that issue as well. Be that as it may, Mr. Peterson has delivered a paraphrase translation that God can use to make Himself known to you. Whatever version you ultimately choose, I can't stress enough the importance of spending time in the Word. "The Message" will make that an easier habit to develop.
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Summary: A true Bible?
Review: Personally I think the argument over the legitimacy of "The Message" is somewhat ridiculous. Having had the great opportunity to receive formal training at a Christian college I study texts in the original language, but I would never preach or teach from a Greek edition. Why? Because few, if any, would understand it! Perhaps the reason so many of the church attending public are biblically illiterate is because of the over-emphasis on word for word translations. These translations are good for studying, but honestly are not easy reading. Though the biblical authors were inspired, their language was not. Language is simply a tool used to communicate ideas; the goal of Peterson's translation is to "convert the tone, the rythym, the events, the IDEAS, into the way we actually think and speak" (Introduction, emphasis added.) Not everything in the Bible can be easily understood, and until the end of this present world there will be those God has gifted with the building up of the church who are able to offer additional assistance - but this easy to read paraphrase is certainly a good avenue for the layperson to become familiar with the Bible's content.
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Summary: SloppyNoodle.com Youth Review -Understanding for Modern Life
Review: Recommended not to replace the bible, but as a representation of the bible for todays everyday modern life.
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Summary: Wonderful Paraphrase in a helpful edition
Review: I have loved Peterson's The Message since I was introduced, and bought the hardcover full Bible when it was released. I am a minister and often preach from this paraphase so that those that know the passage will have to "hear it again for the first time," and those that never have "get it" on first listening. I compare and contrast with actual translations, but Peterson's choices are enlightening and enjoyable. I saw the Remix edition and went and bought another. The size and formatting made it far more reader friendly. I use my Message like a Bible, and not as a hardback novel and the edition released last year was too cumbersome. I appreciated the new Remix edition so much I went ahead and purchased the bonded leather. I was glad I did. It is sturdily bound, compact in size, but not tiny in print. I am glad I paid the extra for the cover. It will be used often and enthusiastically. I was a little cautious with the alligator styling, but it is actually fun and tasteful. If you love The Message as much as I do, its worth the difference for a Bible that is formal enough from which to preach but sensical enough to use in my daily devotions.
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Summary: Terrific! ...as long as one remembers it is a paraphrase.
Review: When it comes to reading the Bible, I usually prefer a fairly literal translation rather than a modern paraphrase. Literal translations tend to be filled with poetic, metaphoric imagery lifted straight from the Hebrew and Greek. Paraphrases and "dynamic" translations, in trying to be clearer to modern readers, usually suck the life out of the biblical text, the New Living Translation being particularly guilty in this respect. Powerful, evocative phrases ofen come through the grinder of modern biblical translation sounding like bland cliches. Not so with "The Message"! Although *far* from literal, it nevertheless remains vivid and thought-provoking. I often find myself laughing out loud with pleasure at what I've just read... pretty unusual when reading a paraphrase of an ancient sacred text! Let me illustrate with a brief example from Proverbs 30:21-23. Here's a fairly standard, literal translation (ASV): For three things the earth doth tremble, And for four, which it cannot bear:
For a servant when he is king;
And a fool when he is filled with food;
For an odious woman when she is married;
And a handmaid that is heir to her mistress. "Odious woman" is catchy. Here's how "The Message" words the same verses: Three things are too much for even the earth to bear, yes, four things shake its foundations--
when the janitor becomes the boss,
when a fool gets rich,
when a whore is voted "woman of the year,"
when a "girlfriend" replaces a faithful wife. Wow! Now one can certainly argue about the liberties taken in the translation (and there are many), but this short example shows how "The Message" is often startling enough to make it a worthwhile paraphrase. It wakes the reader up and provokes thought in surprising places, often in verses that one might overlook in more traditional translations. And even though extreme liberties are taken in the wording, it tends to remain reasonably faithful to the spirit of the original text. Now having said that, it is not *nearly* literal enough to be used for in-depth Bible study, where individual words often carry important meaning (this is a weakness of any paraphrased translation). But "The Message" is quite good for casual reading, and often causes the reader to re-examine previously neglected passages. It can be especially illuminating to read it with a more literal translation close at hand for comparison. My advice: read it, but treat it as an entertaining commentary on the Bible, rather than as actual scripture.
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Summary: Terrific! ... as long as one remembers this is a paraphrase.
Review: When it comes to reading the Bible, I generally prefer an essentially literal translation to a paraphrase. Literal translations tend to be filled with poetic, metaphoric terms lifted straight from the Hebrew and Greek. Paraphrases and "dynamic" translations, in trying to be clearer, usually suck the life out of the biblical text, the New Living Translation being particularly guilty in this respect. Not so with "The Message". Although *far* from literal (or accurate), it remains fascinating and thought-provoking. I often find myself laughing out loud with pleasure at what I've just read... pretty unusual when reading a version of the Bible! Let me illustrate with a brief example from Proverbs 30:21-23. Here's a fairly standard, literal translation (ASV): For three things the earth doth tremble, And for four, which it cannot bear:
For a servant when he is king;
And a fool when he is filled with food;
For an odious woman when she is married;
And a handmaid that is heir to her mistress. Here's how "The Message" words the same verses: Three things are too much for even the earth to bear, yes, four things shake its foundations--
when the janitor becomes the boss,
when a fool gets rich,
when a whore is voted "woman of the year,"
when a "girlfriend" replaces a faithful wife. This is an example showing how "The Message" is often startling enough to make it a worthwhile paraphrase. It wakes the reader up and provokes thought in surprising places; verses that one might overlook in more traditional translations. Having said that, it is not *nearly* literal enough to be used for in-depth Bible study, but is quite good for casual reading. It can be especially interesting to read it with more literal translation close at hand, for comparison.
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Summary: Does it really say that?-YEP it does
Review: I have been reading the Bible all my life, started with the KJV in first grade in 1974 and on with the Living Bible and the Good News and NIV and NASB and the Clear Word and the RSV and the SV and so forth, in all that I never really got Paul and if nothing else the Message gave me an understanding and appreciation for Paul that I am happy to have. It is a good read, very approachable. I often read a phrase and say to myself "I better check the NIV and see if it really says that, and every time its there, just the archaic language kept me from seeing it before. A side note to Tiaclare If you had done a in context quote of the Lord's prayer in the Message it reads just fine. Matthew 6:9 and onward says "Our Father in heaven, Reveal who you are. Set the world right; Do what's best-as above, so below..." no implication of man's action only that of our Father.
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Summary: Critic of the Message?? Translation wrong??
Review: Do you have to criticize this book because the translation is off? Is the translation really wrong?? Have you ever learned another language fluently? or even intermediately? The Message still contains God's Word!! You can not translate word for word and this book does an excellent job of getting the basic message across in a way that is so easy to read. If you have ever learned another language before, you would realize that your apparent mistranslation still has the same message. There are plenty of ways to translate a phrase or any number of ideas in different ways. Handgestures, pictures, physical objects, body language... these all can be ways to communicate a message. As long as it has the basics of the idea it is still good. It brings to life your favorite passages in a new light. Even if you consider it a rough translation it's still the same message. Christ is the only way. From the Message: John 14:6 "Jesus said, 'I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him. You've even seen him!" God uses all sorts of ways to communicate his message to us daily. You can't help but look up at the sky and know that there's something. You should reconsider the Great Pyramid.
Look up Isaiah 19:19-20 "In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt and a pillar to the Lord at it's border." The gospel story is told in the Great Pyramid... it's the altar to the Lord in the center and on the border of Egypt. Check it out!
www.greatpyramid.org/
Issac Newton believed it was divinely made! God's message is shared in all sorts of ways!
The original story of the stars in the sky was the Gospel until Satan distorted it! The Virgin gives birth to Leo the Lion.. and all the way Draco the Dragon tries to destroy everything! I think the Message is a great tool to use. I love it! I know spanish and Japanese. I can attest to this and recognize that most of the mistranslations posted still contain the message of the Bible.
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Summary: Thank you, Lord, for The Message
Review: For 35 years, as a Christian, I have soaked in, and absorbed The Word of God from King James to New American, so, I guess one could say I have a loving knowledge of "The Bible". This said, I recommend to anyone, the content of The Message. Personally, I don't care if this be the only translation that anyone ever picks up. If the Spirit of God uses it to convey one bit of Truth to your soul and spirit, then, hallelujah! Receive it and keep going. God has used it so often in my personal quiet time, to clarify and shed new Light on the Truth of a long-loved passage, that I can only express joy that it has come to us in these days that can otherwise look so dark. Read The Message. In my opinion, it's The Word.
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