I'm not one of those, "King James Only" people, but I am careful with the versions I do study. Since I've started studying the Hebrew and Greek and compare it to today's versions, I'm finding more and more that the KJV and NKJV are spot on.
Please keep this is mind... Every time a new version comes out, it has to be copyrighted. In order for something to be copyrighted, there had to be a huge difference between it and another published item.
So, here is what I am saying or asking, please, if you're going to read/study from a different version, always compare it with 2 or 3 other versions, including the kjv or nkjv. =)
Here's and example from Matt 18:15-17
Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. Matt 18:15-17 nkjv
If a fellow believer hurts you, go and tell him—work it out between the two of you. If he listens, you’ve made a friend. If he won’t listen, take one or two others along so that the presence of witnesses will keep things honest, and try again. If he still won’t listen, tell the church. If he won’t listen to the church, you’ll have to start over from scratch, confront him with the need for repentance, and offer again God’s forgiving love. Matt 18:15-17 msg
Whoa! Did you catch the major difference there!? O.O
I don't know where you have studied Greek and Hebrew, but I will assure you that the KJV is not the best version, after being an advanced Greek student, and having a good knowledge of Hebrew. And my professor, who has been studying Greek since he was a child, whose father was a Greek professor, hates the KJV with a passion, because it is so inaccurate. (And he not only teaches, he wrote the book that is used in most seminaries for first year Greek, and comments on pretty much every other book, as well as having written many commentaries, grammar guides and linguistic morphologies.)
I will say, I could probably find at least one major error in every single verse of the NT in the KJV. The KVJ is better in Hebrew, because it used the Masoretic Hebrew. And maybe because Hebrew is a simpler languages, and a bit easier to translate directly into English.
But the Greek is terrible translation! Just so many errors, and slanting to hierarchy and King James being ordained by God, making it that men are the only leaders, no gifts, etc etc.
My advice is enrol in some Biblical Greek and Hebrew courses, and certainly get some Lexicons. Brown-Driver-Briggs for Hebrew and Bauer, or BDAG or BADG, and learn the letters and then learn how to use them. And then, learn some grammar. Well, lots and lots of grammar.
Then you can comment on how accurate the KJV is.
As for as the Message, I like it a lot. Not every passage, but I am in a Bible study with all kinds of people with Ph.D's missionaries, some overseas, including Mainland China, and many in the group like the Message. Once you get to know the Bible really well, it has an interesting angle to give. But, always remembering that it is a paraphrase.
I am currently reading Holman's HCSB (or CSB is the latest edition!) on my third read through. I like that it is in modern English, and not stilted, like ESV or NASB. Too much pretending to be "word for word" which is not possible, ever, going from one language to another, unless it is from the same language group, like French to Spanish. I don't agree with everything, but I like that it is enjoyable, and makes me want to read more and more.
In fact, I went from reading 3 OT and one Psalm and one NT chapter a day, to increasing it to 3 NT a day. That helps me see context better. I also read a chapter a day in the UBS Greek NT. A good challenge, but interesting to compare words, and word usage.
I've read the Bible 50 times, and there really is no "best" version. There is only studying and comparing, learning the original languages, and figuring out what your purpose is. If you want to argue theology, then the original languages are vital. But if you want to grow as a Christian, any version that is recognized as acceptable.
So, HCSB, but also ESV, NIV, NET, NASB, RSV,and yes, even the KJV, if you can figure out what all that archaic language is, and understand that it was translated from 7 very recent 15th Greek texts for the NT, that were highly corrupted. Except some books which were directly back translated from the Latin Vulgate, and all those added verses, that the RCC wanted kept there.