I personally really like the Message version because it is
in very plain easy to understand language. (I recommend using various
translations, and paraphrases of the Bible because—at least for me it helps me
understand the meaning of scripture).
Eugene Peterson began his vocational life as a teacher and
for several years taught Hebrew and Greek in a theological Seminary. His life
then took a sudden vocational turn and he began pastoring a congregation!
Peterson soon realized he was in quite a different world and
many of the members of his church knew very little about the Bible.
Pastor Peterson personally read the Bible in Hebrew and
Greek and while much of the original manuscripts were written in everyday
language of the time in Hebrew and Greek, the King James English Version of the
Bible is not. (The King James Version is an excellent version but often, for
those who did not grow up on it, it can be a real challenge reading it).
Pastor Peterson began translating for his members the Bible
into contemporary English when in reality he began teaching his members the
Bible.
After doing this for some 30 years, the pastor was
encouraged to put this together into a complete Bible and thus the MESSAGE came
into existence.
Here is a short sample of the Message; Matthew 7:24-29 which
is the conclusion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount:
These words that I
speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements
to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life
on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who
built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado
hit-but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.
But if you just use my
words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a
stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in
and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards.
When Jesus concluded
his address, the crowd burst into applause. They had never heard teaching like
this. It was apparent that he was living everything that he was saying-quite a
contrast to their religion teachers! This was the best teaching they had ever
heard.
The Message Bible is available on line at Amazon.com and can
also be purchased at many book stores.
Please feel free to make comments on your preferences of translations
of the Bible.
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