The Message (Bible)

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The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language (MSG) is a paraphrase of the Bible in contemporary English. Authored by Eugene H. Peterson and published in segments from 1993 to 2002.<ref name=info /> The initial press run for the 2002 publication was 500,000, with 320,000 of those copies sold in advance.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

A Catholic version, The Message – Catholic / Ecumenical Edition, was published in 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Features

According to the Introduction to the New Testament of The Message, its "contemporary idiom keeps the language of the Message (Bible) current and fresh and understandable".<ref name="bible-researcher">Template:Cite web</ref> Peterson notes that in the course of the project, he realized this was exactly what he had been doing in his thirty-five years as a pastor, "always looking for an English way to make the biblical text relevant to the conditions of the people".<ref name=bible-researcher/>

Translation consultants

The publisher states: "Peterson's work has been thoroughly reviewed by a team of recognized Old and New Testament scholars to ensure that it is accurate and faithful to the original languages."<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>

Old Testament team:<ref name=":0" />

  • Robert L. Hubbard Jr., North Park Theological Seminary (chair)
  • Richard E. Averbeck, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
  • Bryan E. Beyer, Columbia International University
  • Lamar E. Cooper Sr., Criswell College
  • Peter E. Enns, Eastern University
  • Duane A. Garrett, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
  • Donald R. Glenn, Dallas Theological Seminary
  • Paul R. House, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University
  • V. Philips Long, Regent College
  • Tremper Longman, Westmont College
  • John N. Oswalt, Asbury Theological Seminary
  • Richard L. Pratt Jr., Reformed Theological Seminary, Third Mill Ministries
  • John H. Walton, Wheaton College
  • Prescott H. Williams Jr., Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
  • Marvin R. Wilson, Gordon College

New Testament team:<ref name=":0" />

  • William W. Klein, Denver Seminary (chair)
  • Darrell L. Bock, Dallas Theological Seminary
  • Donald A. Hagner, Fuller Theological Seminary
  • Moises Silva, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
  • Rodney A. Whitacre, Trinity School of Ministry

Catholic version

Deuterocanonical book translator:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

  • William Griffin, St. Lawrence Seminary

Comparison to other translations

The Message was translated by Peterson from the original languages.<ref name="info">Template:Cite web</ref> It is a highly idiomatic translation, using contemporary slang from the US rather than a more neutral International English, and it falls on the extreme dynamic end of the dynamic and formal equivalence spectrum. Some scholars, like Michael J. Gorman, consider some of Peterson's idiomatic renderings unconventional.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The work was awarded the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Gold Medallion in 2003 for being the title retailers prized.<ref>"About Christian Book Award". Christian Book Awards Retrieved 5 July 2022.</ref><ref>Robert D. McFadden. (23 October 2018). "Eugene H. Peterson, 85, Scholar Turned Homespun Pastor, Dies". New York Times website Retrieved 5 July 2022.</ref>

Psalm 23:1-4

New International Version: Template:Poemquote

King James Version: Template:Poemquote

The Living Bible: Template:Poemquote

The Message: Template:Poemquote

Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)

Template:See also New International Version: Template:Poemquote

King James Version: Template:Poemquote

The Living Bible:

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The Message:

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Editions

Old Testament:

New Testament:

Entire Bible:

Criticisms

The Message has faced criticism regarding its faithfulness to original Hebrew and Greek Bible manuscripts and its perceived incorporation of terminology and themes associated with the New Age movement.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

New Age undertones

Critics argue that The Message exhibits New Age undertones, drawing parallels to concepts influenced by Hermeticism and other metaphysical philosophies propagated by figures like Helena Blavatsky and the early Theosophical Society, which significantly shaped New Age spirituality.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

One notable point of contention is Peterson's inclusion of the Hermetic phrase "As above, so below" within the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9–13. Warren Smith, a former New Age follower, highlights that this phrase, widely used in New Age circles with metaphysical connotations, replaces the traditional "heaven and earth" in The Message.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The passage reads: Template:Poemquote Furthermore, The Message consistently translates the Greek word Kyrios as "Master Jesus" instead of "Lord Jesus" throughout the New Testament.<ref>Shown using the Keyword Search facility at: https://www.biblegateway.com. Compare searches for Master Jesus and Lord Jesus in The Message.</ref> In Theosophical and New Age thought, "Master Jesus" is frequently understood as one of many "ascended masters"—enlightened beings believed to offer guidance to humanity.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Bailey, Alice A, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire (Section Three - Division A - Certain Basic Statements), 1932, Lucis Trust, 1925, p. 1237.</ref>

The phrase "the One" is also used approximately one hundred times in The Message to refer to Jesus and God.<ref>Shown using the Keyword Search facility at: https://www.biblegateway.com. See for example a search for the One in John's Gospel in The Message.</ref> In various New Age belief systems, "the One" commonly denotes a pantheistic concept of God, where divinity permeates all things, implying a single interconnected unity.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Several passages in The Message have been identified as potentially reflecting a New Age pantheistic view of God. For instance, its rendering of Ephesians 4:6 states:

Ephesians 4:6 (emphasis added)
Literal translation The Message Bible
one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

While traditional Christian interpretations of Ephesians 4:6 typically refer to God's presence in Christian believers through the Holy Spirit,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Message's addition of "Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness" is seen by Smith (2019) as aligning with a pantheistic understanding of God's presence in all things.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> "Oneness" itself is a term frequently used in New Age contexts to describe a pantheistic view of God.<ref>New Age works that incorporate the term "Oneness" in their titles include: Rasha (2008) Oneness, Earthstar Press; E. Tolle (2018) Oneness With All Life, Penguin Books; J. S. Goldsmith (1967) Realization of Oneness: the practice of spiritual healing, Citadel Press.</ref>

Inaccuracies

Critics also point to instances where The Message significantly deviates from original biblical texts, leading to what they consider inaccuracies.

An example is its interpretation of Galatians 5:22–23:

Galatians 5:22-23 (emphasis added)
Literal translation The Message Bible
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> We develop willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Message's addition of "a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people" is argued to contradict the biblical perspective on human sinfulness.<ref>Reachout Trust, Ibid.</ref>

Another example is Romans 15:13, where The Message uses phrases like "the God of green hope" and "life-giving energy":

Romans 15:13 (emphasis added)
Literal translation The Message Bible
And may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

These phrases have been suggested to reflect New Age beliefs in nature deities, such as Gaia, often associated with the color green and believed to provide 'life-giving energy.'<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Reactions to criticisms

The Christian evangelical organization Reachout Trust advises against the use of The Message for "all Bible-believing Christians and anyone exploring or studying Christianity."<ref>Reachout Trust, Ibid.</ref> Conversely, theologian Mike Frost suggests that while The Message is not an accurate translation, its contemporary style can serve as a useful gateway to more serious Bible study.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

References

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