D. B. (MN-Bridge) reviewed Message: The New Testament in Contemporary Language on + 42 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
It is my understanding that this version is a translation from the original Greek, and not a paraphrase. The intent of the author was to phrase things in modern language so his congregation could understand the nuances they seemed to be missing when studying one of the New Testament books. It isn't really meant to stand alone but to enhance the meaning that was lost in translation in the the other versions. Language is constantly changing and in order to understand the real meaning of Scripture, we need to speak the same language.
Personally, my Bible reading was getting automatic and stale. I had to push myself to do it because I should. Then I switched to The Message and Scripture came alive again, seeing things in it I had missed and the best part of all, I WANT to read more. I still take my NIV to church and Bible studies, but I often read The Message when I'm preparing and sometimes take it with me to share the differences. It's a great tool in helping today's generation understand what Scripture is really saying.
Personally, my Bible reading was getting automatic and stale. I had to push myself to do it because I should. Then I switched to The Message and Scripture came alive again, seeing things in it I had missed and the best part of all, I WANT to read more. I still take my NIV to church and Bible studies, but I often read The Message when I'm preparing and sometimes take it with me to share the differences. It's a great tool in helping today's generation understand what Scripture is really saying.
Helpful Score: 1
This is a great, easy to understand version of the bible. It sheds light on hard-to-understand passages.
this is not my first copy of The Message. I have my own copy, but I also got one for my sister-in-law who is a new Christian. She then gave a copy to her mother and talked to a friend about getting one. This is particularly useful for new Christians who always thought the Bible was "dry reading" and didn't understand it.
