The Message Ministry Edition (Softcover, Green): The Bible in Contemporary Language Paperback – October 4, 2016

If your a brand new Bible reader the Message Bible is an excellent choice. You might find the rest of this review a bit much, but will find substantiation for that previous statement if you care to continue.Being a Christian for 34 years and a student of biblical/political history, Greek and Hebrew I'd previously shunned all the "NFG's" (the new-fangled-versions) as I call them, because of reasons that would be a thesis here on it's own. Enter the Message Bible just before Christmas 2017. "Oh," I said to myself, "I'll just read some for the heck of it (since some people in my prayer group, life group, etc read from it way back when) and try to keep my mind from being too judgmental until after one book of the bible," . I read Romans in one sitting: " Well, that was kind-of interesting. Sure sounded different" I said. I purposely did NOT put any of my other bibles next to it and compare them verse by verse in order to give it a fair shake -- to better get a "flavor" rather than conduct a critical review. One of my friends did just that and blasted it for verse after verse translation "deficiencies" as he thought of them.I had a different aim -- and I think it might have been Dr. Peterson's aim from reading (later) the introduction. I then read Hebrews the next day. Hebrews usually takes me at least 5 days to read without skimming because of the language and depth of subject. It only took me one this time. On to Luke, Acts, Galatians, Ephesians, the little Johns and Revelation. I thought, "This is interesting. I'm getting a snapshot view of whole books more easily framed in timeline organizational mind-pictures and I'm walking away with the same overall understanding I already have from my years of study of my "regular versions." So, I just thought I'd start at the beginning - Genesis and read the whole thing through. I'm in Psalms now in mid March and it usually takes me a year for a read-through with individual study in other areas for classes, meetings. etc.While Greek is a language with many differences from English requiring not only a translator with an excellent grasp of the language itself, but also the codex from which he is translating, AND a thorough grounding and communication in/with the Holy Spirit before one can figure out which English word(s) to use for the Greek one(s) and the Greek sentence construction to actually be forming the right thoughts God wants communicated to his children/bride/warriors/ambassadors.That's all hard enough. When the [109-156 depending on sources] writers of the King James undertook the task of the King James bible they prefaced the undertaking with a 40 day fast to make sure their flesh was in subjection, during which several [13-36, again depending on sources] prospective translators dropped out . And we're only talking about the Greek so far as to the translation difficulty. Quadruple that difficulty for Hebrew.The writers doctrinal beliefs WILL shade his/her translations. There's no way around it now. It is just a psychological fact. That's why you must know what any author believes before you know how to read between their lines -- Interlinears, concordances, whole codex translation into Greek or Hebrew texts, textbooks, books, even "fact-novels," commentaries, etc. There was no way around it in political history: even when monk scribes copied under the auspices of their political masters - hence differences in codexes, in phraseology to purport one view or another, missing passages (with spaces deliberately left showing where they were forced to leave it out, etc.) "Good translation" is not just hard because of the original nature of the Greek and Hebrew languages AND because of the nature of the Old Testament writers, but because of what we've been accustomed to read as translations of that NT & OT which attempted to make it majestic because evidently the translators might have thought it would be irreverent to translate more literally since the original language was so often just, sort of ... well, common, inelequent. As if God deserved to be talked about with more befitting reverent-sounding language.Eugene Peterson thought nothing of the kind. He evidently sought to attempt to convey the writers' message (as inspired by the Holy Spirit) in just the sort of uneducated manner in which they spoke it in the first place.I find Peterson's choice of words forming gut feelings that are very much in agreement with the thoughts I form when studying through entire passage groups in preparation for a message to prisoners, or a life group, a men's meeting or writing bible studies. I struggle with sentence structure in my notes - then decide to skip the detail and just jot down short scripture notes and let the Holy Spirit take the lead in giving the lesson to the group. When a recording is available and I listen to it later I find the examples of scripture in action I brought out to "bring it home" to the listeners tended to take the form of many of the phrases that Peterson seems to use. Not word-for-word, but like minded.So, what you have here is a former skeptic of such things as The Message Bible because I saw them as unfaithful to the transliterated Greek or Hebrew word-for word when, in fact the Message Bible is effective at doing what I, myself, under the Holy Spirit's guiding hand was bringing out in my own teaching. That's humbling -- and instructional.If you are a well-seasoned Christian challenge yourself to try the Message Bible on for size without a chip on your shoulder, all the preconceptions and without your other bibles side by side for passage critique until you've read each book through - and maybe not even then. Continue to use your favorite version for your regular word studies, passage studies etc. You still need it. But I think you'll really benefit in using the MB in a way only you will be able to see in hindsight.

A favorite paraphrase for those who want contemporary English and phrasing

This translation is great for my teens, and easy to understand, with book overviews. Recommend.

Such a phenomenal version for the person who wants to grasp the language, culture, politics, and people of the Bible.Eugene Peterson is a scholar of renown, and it’s the impeccable scholarship which adds to the powerful reading in this version.Essential for the serious student of theology.

Your satisfaction with this book depends what you are looking for. It is very readable, colloqueal bordering on slang in spots, but not a Bible from which you can study or analyze individual words. Some examples: Compare with NIV or NASB. Phil. 2:5-8. A very familiar passage to many Christians. It includes key words like "emptied" (kenosis in Greek), and "Lord" (Kyrios). Peterson renders :Kyrios as "Master" and never uses the word "emptied." Again This makes for easy reading for a newcomer, but it removes some of the thrust of other translations. Also consider Phil. 4: 6,7. Peterson completely changes : "Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice." to "Don't worry." Consider Matt. 5:31-32, which mingles editorial commentary with the words of Jesus. And 1Kings 12: 16,17, where "young men" is translated as "young turks.: And YHWH, usually translated as LORD, is "God." Every translation requires compromise. Strict adherence to the meaning of a word or phrase (including nuances) could make for a stiff, clumsy rendering. Sometimes choices have to be made between multiple meaning of a word. But too much modernizing of the original Greek can result in too much interpretation.Again, for a newcomer, or an experienced Christian who needs a lighter rendition of the Word but is able to spot the "liberties" taken, this may be a readable alternative. But for a serious believer, it is not a translation. More a paraphrase. It depends on what you are looking for. A better choice is the New Living Translation found in THE BOOK. It is just as readable, the print is larger, The pages are more durable, I believe the translation is not overly casual. Another good choice is the Good News Translation from the American Bible Society. This edition also contains an extensive appendix of maps and study aids. plus the Protestant Apocrypha (Catholic Pseudepigrypha) . Some would call this a "Catholic Bible." I believe tis to be the best choice.

We studied verses from different bibles! This one helped in hearing the verses in language that leans to how we speak today! If did not change the meaning.

The papers are super thin and the print is very small I was going to gift it to a granddaughter but not now wish I had knp

This was a gift. Receiver didn't realize this paraphrased word existed