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 to be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.
Those familiar with any part of the Bible will recognize John 3:16, with a mind-altering difference. The words are fresh, new, and sound like the 21st century. That's because they are from The Message, a presentation of the Word of God crafted for a modern age. Eugene Peterson, translator and editor, learned from his years of teaching and pastoring that most people, through familiarity or frustration with the Bible, were missing the whole message of Scripture: the Word that God uses to create and save us, heal and bless us, judge and rule over us. So he set out to give us that word in language we use every day, a reading Bible that would enable the Word to penetrate our hearts and minds, transforming us day by day into the person God desires us to be.
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"I am flying through the Old Testament reading this version of the Bible! So easy to read & understand. The contemporary is almost funny at times, because I'm so used to the poetic quality of other versions. But I like!" — Dani (5 out of 5 stars)
"I am flying through the Old Testament reading this version of the Bible! So easy to read & understand. The contemporary is almost funny at times, because I'm so used to the poetic quality of other versions. But I like!"
" Wonderful. Magnificent. Yes, I read it, every word--and the Old Testament message by Peterson as well. Greatest book ever, well paraphrased vs. translated. "
" My review is solely for this specific translation. I like some of the way that Peterson translates the NT, but in some places the contemporary language is far inferior to more poetic translations. "
" NEAT...the bible in novel form....interesting transations...not all of it is accurate in my opinion however.. "
" Started reading it with doubts and then surprises!! Wants to own the whole bible of The Message version now!! "
" 1 & 2 Corinthians and Revelation rocking my world this go round.... "
" Very readable, but I prefer The Living Bible and much prefer the Phillips translation. "
" I love the message! It makes the bible so much easier to read and understand. "
" The message is not only The Word of God, it also brings lots of laughs! Like Jesus saying shut up... Haha! "
" I enjoyed reading this version. Psalms was also added to this book and I enjoyed the modern interpretation of them very much. "
" I really enjoyed the contemporary language style . . . But sometimes I miss the more poetic phrasing and more accurate interpretation from an NIV. Best to keep one on hand. But overall, a much easier read. Oh yes! "
" The Message is a very nontraditional and very refreshing translation which puts life into "the message" contained within its pages. "
" I love to read The Message, OT and NT, for my daily Scripture reading. It is a paraphrase, and I would always confirm the meaning with ESV, Greek NT, etc. before teaching a passage. However, I love to read The Message. "
" I love how Eugene puts the words into a way that is modern and story like. "
" Love it - an approachable translation. "
" Good modern interpretation of the bible. More entertaining in laymans language. Good reference tool to use for comparison purposes or to help you understand more complicated verses and books of the bible. "
" I read this one last year and I'll tell ya, I did not like some of the wording used. You could tell this author was very aged due to some of the ways he worded things and I just couldn't relate. "
" started Sept. 2010 for BSF "
" If anyone wants to understand the Bible better, The Message will help them to do so. "
" What can I say? It's the Bible with a twist of Eugene Peterson. What's not to like? "
" A unique paraphrase of the Bible, however, I believe it should be read with another version as well to fully understand what the authors wanted the readers to grasp from the reading. "
" Wonderful opportunity and learning to read through the entire Bible in one year. The Message really made that possible with its contemporary, easy to understand language. "
" I enjoyed it; I haven't ever read the whole Bible before this, it simplified things to a point that made them easier to understand in a contemporary way... which, I guess that was the point. "
" I cannot say enough how much this version of the bible rescued my opinion of scriptures. "
Eugene H. Peterson, (1932-2018) pastor, scholar, poet, and writer, was the author of more than twenty books, including The Contemplative Pastor. He founded Christ Our King Presbyterian Church in Bel Air, Maryland, and pastored that church for twenty-nine years. He was professor emeritus of spiritual theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, and lived with his wife, Jan, in Montana. They had three children and six grandchildren.
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