Just bought the Message

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shotgunner

Guest
#21
#21
shineyourlight said:
Hey, Moonbeam!

It's great you bought a Bible! :)

Since The Message is a paraphrase, I strongly encourage you to grab another translation to read alongside The Message. The Message is something I stay away from, but.....that's me.

Having a translation is good for deeper studying of the Word and isn't a paraphrase!
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Can you give any example of a passage that decided you against The Message?
 
shineyourlight

shineyourlight

Senior Member
#22
May 25, 2015
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#22
shotgunner said:
Can you give any example of a passage that decided you against The Message?
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I would, but am not interested of getting into a possible debate. Sorry :) We are all giving our thoughts and opinions on this.

I read it a lot in the beginning of my walk with Christ and just having it as my main Bible.
 
Dan58

Dan58

Senior Member
#23
Nov 13, 2013
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#23
moonbeam said:
I recently bought The Message just the new testament . I am going to re read revelation.

it is in modern language . I bought it for 1.99. what do you think about the message ? just wondering .
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I don't think the "modern language" makes Revelation any easier to understand, in fact it makes its less accurate and confusing to me. It incorrectly substitutes some words, for example 'Beast' becomes 'animal', but in Revelation, the beast is not actually an animal. But for a $1.99, you can't really go wrong. Its free here; https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+1&version=MSG
 
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shotgunner

Guest
#24
#24
shineyourlight said:
I would, but am not interested of getting into a possible debate. Sorry :) We are all giving our thoughts and opinions on this.

I read it a lot in the beginning of my walk with Christ and just having it as my main Bible.
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Shiney, I understand that and that's fine. I didn't mean it as a rebuke to your opinion. I often read The Message but I don't think I've read every passage. You just perked my interest.
 
shineyourlight

shineyourlight

Senior Member
#25
May 25, 2015
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#25
shotgunner said:
Shiney, I understand that and that's fine. I didn't mean it as a rebuke to your opinion. I often read The Message but I don't think I've read every passage. You just perked my interest.
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Ah, okay. Then, my apologies :) Questions phrased like that are typically people who want to hear a response, then bash it. So, I'm sorry if I misread it.

I don't have a particular scripture I can think of, but there've been instances when I wanted to dig deeper into the Word and I noticed that the Scripture in The Message was saying something different. I'm not against it. But, because it is a paraphrase, one should at least have a translation by it.
 
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Viligant_Warrior

Guest
#26
#26
shineyourlight said:
... and I noticed that the Scripture in The Message was saying something different.
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I'm not trying to "bash" your response, either, so please don't take offense. I'm not sure it is "saying something different," as a paraphrase of anything is just a different use of words to say the same thing. I've found a few (what I consider) odd word choices in there, too, but nothing that I consider a poor rendering of the thought.

Eugene Peterson had a very biblical reason for doing this paraphrase:

Version Information

Why was The Message written? The best answer to that question comes from Eugene Peterson himself: "While I was teaching a class on Galatians, I began to realize that the adults in my class weren't feeling the vitality and directness that I sensed as I read and studied the New Testament in its original Greek. Writing straight from the original text, I began to attempt to bring into English the rhythms and idioms of the original language. I knew that the early readers of the New Testament were captured and engaged by these writings and I wanted my congregation to be impacted in the same way. I hoped to bring the New Testament to life for two different types of people: those who hadn't read the Bible because it seemed too distant and irrelevant and those who had read the Bible so much that it had become 'old hat.' "
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Peterson's parishioners simply weren't connecting with the real meaning of the words and the relevance of the New Testament for their own lives. So he began to bring into English the rhythms and idioms of the original ancient Greek—writing straight out of the Greek text without looking at other English translations. He never intended it for anything other than a supplementary text, but the vividness of the language -- as I said in another post -- brings home the passions, emotions, and love the biblical writers had for God, and His inspired word.

Just to clarify, Shine, that's all. I know you're not against it. I personally am an NASB guy, but I like wandering through all the other versions and paraphrases occasionally, too. God bless.
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#27
Feb 7, 2015
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#27
shineyourlight said:
Ah, okay. Then, my apologies :) Questions phrased like that are typically people who want to hear a response, then bash it. So, I'm sorry if I misread it.

I don't have a particular scripture I can think of, but there've been instances when I wanted to dig deeper into the Word and I noticed that the Scripture in The Message was saying something different. I'm not against it. But, because it is a paraphrase, one should at least have a translation by it.
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I think that SOMETIMES the question to address is "DIFFERENT" than what? My favorite verse to bring up in the KJV, for instance, is.... Luke 14:26, where we are told we have to hate our entire families in order to be Jesus' disciples. But how many KJV readers would pick up another version (the Message, perhaps?) to see what is really being said there? Hardly any, yet what is said in the KJV is different, not only from what many other readings say, but also from what is actually meant.

In case you can't tell, I advocate reading no less than a half dozen versions.
 
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shineyourlight

shineyourlight

Senior Member
#28
May 25, 2015
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#28
Willie-T said:
I think that SOMETIMES the question to address is "DIFFERENT" than what? My favorite verse to bring up in the KJV, for instance, is.... Luke 14:26, where we are told we have to hate our entire families in order to be Jesus' disciples. But how many KJV readers would pick up another version (the Message, perhaps?) to see what is really being said there? Hardly any, yet what is said in the KJV is different, not only from what many other readings say, but also from what is actually meant.
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Well, I don't read KJV, so......

Anyways, to the OP, it is good to read a translation with The Message :)

I'm not trying to "bash" your response, either, so please don't take offense. I'm not sure it is "saying something different," as a paraphrase of anything is just a different use of words to say the same thing. I've found a few (what I consider) odd word choices in there, too, but nothing that I consider a poor rendering of the thought.
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And, I agree. Surprise. ;)

I also haven't "studied" the context or did a word study while reading the message, so I can't say I put too much effort into digging. I just know face value, there were differences.
 
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Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#29
Feb 7, 2015
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#29
shineyourlight said:
Well, I don't read KJV, so......

Anyways, to the OP, it is good to read a translation with The Message :)
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It will most likely apply to whatever version you read.... SOMETHING in that version is going to be "different" than something else, somewhere.

So, I refer you to the last line of my earlier post.
 
shineyourlight

shineyourlight

Senior Member
#30
May 25, 2015
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#30
Willie-T said:
It will most likely apply to whatever version you read.... SOMETHING in that version is going to be "different" that something else, somewhere.

So, I refer you to the last line of my earlier post.
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And....I agree. I know every version says some different things.
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#31
Feb 7, 2015
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#31
shineyourlight said:
And....I agree. I know every version says some different things.
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So, how does this make any particular one of them wrong (or right) including The Message?

The "different" wording you spoke of being in The Message seems to exist in all of them.
 
shineyourlight

shineyourlight

Senior Member
#32
May 25, 2015
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#32
Willie-T said:
So, how does this make any particular one of them wrong (or right) including The Message?

The "different" wording you spoke of being in The Message seems to exist in all of them.
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Look, as much as I want to get into this....I personally don't. I never once said, "One's right, one's wrong." Ever.

So, in this note, anything I say is going to be used against me and I'm just not about that. I agree with what you're saying. I'm not against with what you're saying.

I am not communicating effectively with my thoughts. So, I'm out.

Not trying to be "blunt" but this is why I keep with the silly threads. And that's unfortunate, because I soooo wish I could dive deep into these discussions but am not about a possibility of getting attacked lol
 
Angela53510

Angela53510

Senior Member
#33
Jan 24, 2011
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#33
I have read the Message and I found it to be worthwhile to read it. I didn't like the Psalms much, they sounded too much like rap songs.

But I know the Bible well, and I did find some things that he took too far away from the Biblical meaning, when I compared with a word for word translation, and/or the Greek/Hebrew.

I will say I am in a private on-line Bible study, with pastors and missionaries, some on the field, including one in mainland China. A lot have Ph.D's and MDiv's, and some are self educated, but know the Bible inside out and unside down. A lot of these people use the Message to bring out a different aspect of something. I enjoy reading what they say, and how the Message applies.

So not just good for an introduction to the Bible, but also for people who know the Bible really well. As I have said so many times, the KJV has archaic language which I don't understand, and isn't right at all in some places.

That is why we need to study, and use all the tools available, including the Greek and Hebrew!
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#34
Feb 7, 2015
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#34
shineyourlight said:
Look, as much as I want to get into this....I personally don't. I never once said, "One's right, one's wrong." Ever.

So, in this note, anything I say is going to be used against me and I'm just not about that. I agree with what you're saying. I'm not against with what you're saying.

I am not communicating effectively with my thoughts. So, I'm out.

Not trying to be "blunt" but this is why I keep with the silly threads. And that's unfortunate, because I soooo wish I could dive deep into these discussions but am not about a possibility of getting attacked lol
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Sorry, but I think it would be wrong not to question you saying, in Post #25, that "the Message said something different." That seems to imply that The Message said something "different" than what was true.

That's not really a way to state something if it's not what you mean.
 
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shotgunner

Guest
#35
#35
Shiney
I'm sorry I got you into this.

Folks, can't we just let everyone have their own opinion, especially on what Bible they like.
 
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LanceA

Guest
#36
#36
Like I said in another thread on the KJV bible. The Holy Spirit is our teacher and it doesn't matter if I read from the KJv, NASB, ESV, The Message, NIV, NKJV etc. If we allow the Holy Spirit to teach us He will reveal what these passages mean. I don't need to read from the Greek or Hebrew and don't need to go to seminary school to have the Holy Spirit minister to me on the Word of God. I think some people around here put too much emphasis on needed an education to fully understand what God wants from us.

If God has called you to get a masters degree on dirt then so be it. Does learning about dirt help you with your walk with God? I think not. I just think some around here are so caught up in self glorification that they spend more time in me me me and what I've done then to just let the Holy Spirit guide them.

I'm not against education and fully endorse it, but for someone to sit there and say we need to really dive into other languages and we must do this and must do that to learn about the Word of God is a load of garbage. Read the Word, meditate on it and trust the Lord will teach and guide us.
 
Angela53510

Angela53510

Senior Member
#37
Jan 24, 2011
11,781
2,947
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#37
LanceA said:
Like I said in another thread on the KJV bible. The Holy Spirit is our teacher and it doesn't matter if I read from the KJv, NASB, ESV, The Message, NIV, NKJV etc. If we allow the Holy Spirit to teach us He will reveal what these passages mean. I don't need to read from the Greek or Hebrew and don't need to go to seminary school to have the Holy Spirit minister to me on the Word of God. I think some people around here put too much emphasis on needed an education to fully understand what God wants from us.

If God has called you to get a masters degree on dirt then so be it. Does learning about dirt help you with your walk with God? I think not. I just think some around here are so caught up in self glorification that they spend more time in me me me and what I've done then to just let the Holy Spirit guide them.

I'm not against education and fully endorse it, but for someone to sit there and say we need to really dive into other languages and we must do this and must do that to learn about the Word of God is a load of garbage. Read the Word, meditate on it and trust the Lord will teach and guide us.
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Learning Biblical languages has really helped me deepen my walk with God. It helps me dig deeper into the text. But it is not necessary for the Holy Spirit to lead you.

I do agree that God can reach anyone with any translation. I was saved reading a Catholic Bible, although I am not and never was a Catholic.
 
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Tintin

Guest
#38
#38
The Message is a decent Bible, but there are some passages that seem to be even more confusing than in other Bibles. I can't think of any examples right off the bat though. And there are some weird word choices, but maybe it's an American thing that doesn't translate into Aussie-speak. For example: Moses stuck out his member. By the context, you can see he stuck out his foot. But why not just use the word 'foot'? Everyone knows what a foot is. Besides, 'member' means something very different in Aussie Land. It refers to a part of the male anatomy. So awkward.
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#39
Feb 7, 2015
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#39
Tintin said:
The Message is a decent Bible, but there are some passages that seem to be even more confusing than in other Bibles. I can't think of any examples right off the bat though. And there are some weird word choices, but maybe it's an American thing that doesn't translate into Aussie-speak. For example: Moses stuck out his member. By the context, you can see he stuck out his foot. But why not just use the word 'foot'? Everyone knows what a foot is. Besides, 'member' means something very different in Aussie Land. It refers to a part of the male anatomy. So awkward.
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Uh......... It means that in "American", too. So that must mean what they meant to say. I think I gotta go check that out.
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#40
Feb 7, 2015
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#40
I couldn't find that verse..... could you post the location?
 
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