Alright fellow Christians- how come nobody likes The Message?

I use the kjv the most but I like my parallel Bible with the 4 versions.

KJV, Amplified American Standard and NIV.

I also like my Strong's Exhaustive concordance with the Greek/Hebrew dictionary.

My favorite translations/versions are The Message and NASB (New American Standard Bible)

I like The Message because it reads the Bible in a different and more contemporary way. I love words and their meanings and my best/favorite core subject in school was English, so that's one of the reason I love The Message. I also love The Message because it's easier to understand for younger readers.

I like NASB because I've heard it's one of the most accurate translations. Someone also told me it's the closest version to the originals Greek and Hebrew translation. I also like the way the NASB is worded.

P.S Wasn't some of the Bible originally in Aramaic?

Paraphrase - which means

a) it is not a translation

b) it is not translated from the original language documents

c) it was created by an individual - not by a team of appropriately-accredited scholars as are nearly all modern Bibles (Petersen has a master's in Semitic languages - no doctorate in Koine Greek, Biblical Aramaic or Biblical Hebrew)

I like to describe paraphrase Bibles in this way: each paragraph of the paraphrase tells you ABOUT each paragraph in the Bible. That is: each paragraph of a paraphrase *describes in the author's own words* what is going on in the equivalent paragraph in the Bible. Instead of getting the story of the Bible, The Message is telling you *about* the story of the Bible in the author's own words.

Now - does that mean that The Message is "evil" or something? Well - of course not. Many people use it and will use no other Bible, and so - for those people - there is no better Bible.

However, when discussing issues of Christian doctrine, it is really impossible to justify the use of a paraphrase Bible as a *reliable* resource. That's probably why you get so much flack (in addition to the fact that many conservative Protestants believe that such Bibles really *are* evil).

Conclusion:

* you should not expect other Christians to accept The Message as an *authoritative* Bible

* you should expect to be condemned for your choice by all those who consider such Bibles to be "against God". If it really bothers you to be condemned for using it, use another.

Jim, http://www.bibleselecter.com/

You have a number of incorrect ideas about "THE MESSAGE."

1) It is NOT a translation. It is a paraphrase. It does not try to render the meaning of the original text but rather what the author felt (in his opinion) was the original "meaning."

So you do NOT "know that it is translated straight from the original Hebrew and Greek." (I know Gene Peterson and I doubt that he would ever say that.) Ask ANYBODY in the field and they will say, "Of course it is not a translation. It's a paraphrase."

2) As far as "making anything up here", critics are more concerned about what he left out of his paraphrase. For example, on some of the passages that deplore homosexual acts, Peterson simply skipped entire phrases and even a sentence. (Indeed, many critics have pointed out that that sort of "personal correction/editing" of the Word of God is forbidden. But Peterson defends it by saying, "I never claimed it was a Bible translation that is totally faithful to the original texts." So I would have to agree with the critics who call it "the pick-and-choose Bible".)

I have no one "favorite translation" because different versions are useful for different things. And even paraphrases can have their place as "commentaries" of sorts upon the Biblical text. They are someone's effort to "put the Bible in my own words". I just wish Peterson had done so while not leaving out the parts of the Bible he doesn't like. [If you don't believe me, read THE MESSAGE side by side with an actual Bible TRANSLATION and you will eventually start seeing the omissions.]

As to "you can stop putting down mine", that is not an authority which anyone has granted you. GOD CONDEMNS ANY EFFORT TO REMOVE FROM HIS WORD. So just because Eugene Peterson disagrees with God about homosexual acts doesn't mean that he has the right to "rewrite" the Bible to suit his personal beliefs (and thereby mislead the naive reader who doesn't even realize that he is not reading an actual faithful translation of the Greek and Hebrew Biblical texts.)

So before you criticize others for telling you the truth, I suggest you compare for yourself and read expert reviews.

[I am an ordained ministry and retired Biblical studies professor. I'm fluent in Biblical Greek and Hebrew and you may have seen me on various Discovery Channel documentaries of late. I'm not trying to impress you. I'm simply pointing out that there is a reason why people who know the Bible tend to criticize THE MESSAGE. Would you admit that all you really know about the quality of THE MESSAGE is the fact that you happen to like it? Is that really a strong argument for saying that it is above criticism? Is the Bible subject to mere personal preference OR do the commands of God matter? Do you believe Eugene Peterson has the authority to "edit out" God's words when he doesn't like them?

You must always exercise caution when using the word of God when studying to prove doctrine. You want the most accurate translation or else you will end up in error rather than truth. I use a bible software with 7 translations of the bible. I lean toward the New King James bible as it is probably one of the most accurate and yet in a more modern english. When a section of scripture doesn't come clear to me then I will bring up some of the other versions to see how they translate it. One of my translations has a Strong's concordance with it so I can review the original Hebrew and Greek words that it was written in. Some portions of the scripture can be twisted or turned in a way to give it an entirely different meaning. Peter warned of that here about some of Paul's writings. (2Peter 3:15 Look on our Lord's patience as the opportunity he is giving you to be saved, just as our dear friend Paul wrote to you, using the wisdom that God gave him. 2Pe 3:16 This is what he says in all his letters when he writes on the subject. There are some difficult things in his letters which ignorant and unstable people explain falsely, as they do with other passages of the Scriptures. So they bring on their own destruction.)

The Message removes Lord from it's paraphrase The Lord Jesus Christ becomes Jesus or Christ.

They have taken away the lordship of Jesus Christ and you think that this is good or acceptable?

Many New Age doctrines and ideas find their way into the paraphrase and the message of the Gospel is watered down. Repentance, hell, salvation. sanctification and many other doctrines are not included or referred to in clouded terms. This makes the Gospel message ambiguous or irrelevant. Many sections left out, and controversial passages changed completely. (eg homosexual references)

Many many examples can be quoted. If this version is used as a standard version in a church or college then they will deny the Gospel in short order and soon afterward Christ as LORD.

In answer to your question as to what my favourite version is.....I have something like 80 translations and paraphrases but the closer we can get to the original autographs the more accurate they are. Then only by the illumination of the Holy Spirit and much prayer can we have the true Word of God revealed to our spirits and then we must hide it in our hearts and live it out in our lives.

Sad to say as a Christian I don't know anything about "The Message"" or who the author is of it. But if I did find something new I always want to know who wrote it and why. Once I find out those to reason then I can decide whether to accept it or not.

In other words for me the message is not as important to me as the messenger.

Here below are some links about the New Age version of the Bible known as "The Message" and why it is opposed.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cac...

http://kjv.benabraham.com/html/new_age_bible_versi...

http://www.av1611.org/kjv/mess_bible.html

Another link is from "Biblegateway.com" about this version being used at their link

http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/Message-MSG-B...

Below is a link that describes a history of who Eugene Peterson is and his education to even write such a Bible version.

http://www.seekgod.ca/drpeterson.htm

http://www.seekgod.ca/messageoverview.htm

I hope this helps you. Take care.

it translates some passages incorrectly. therefore, it is not God's Word, but someone else's.

I use the New American Standard Version because it is easier to read than King James.

Because no one asks questions about Christian Rock. And no, I'm not racist. And yes, I am Christian

okay girl,

Just cause it's your favorite doesn't mean everyone else has to bow down to it - so chill yourself.