It certainly waters down the living word and I cant see anything in that text that would convict anyone. However, as a very free paraphrase, it is sometimes powerful and brilliant while at other times it is seriously off target. 7. Some new Bibles are dangerous because of the theological bias of their translators. Matthew 3:7 Meaning lost: In Matt 3:7, John the Baptist challenges the sincerity of the Pharisees in requesting baptism and warns that they face God's wrath. The Message is obviously not a Bible translation, or even a terribly good paraphrase. 7 Signs of True Salvation He acted out of grace in Exodus. Thought-for-thought presents the intended meaning of the author, which the original audience would have understood during the time the writing was originally created. 1. How is the Bible inspired? The Message, a loose paraphrase of the Bible, is often treated as a translation. Just want to point out that Matthew 6 commonly includes a footnote now where it used to continue the prayer. 10 We ask that your kingdom will come now. This mistreatment of Scripture can be seen in his misuse of passages such as 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. Return to homepage. Teaching the New Testament can be a dangerous thing. Theological Reasons. There is a tool for every job. Answer Ignorance is the lack of knowledge or understanding. In reality, the Lord doesn't need men to make His words more "readable." The Spirit is more than capable of bringing an understanding to anyone as the Lord wills and as we devote ourselves to study of it. Many believers enjoy reading The Message because of its modern appeal; however, it is important to recognize . It is written in a conversational style with contemporary language, making it easier for readers to relate to on a personal level. Are you relying on the Holy Spirit to guide your understanding? through the darkest valley, When I first began to object due to the occult phrases and New Age terminology of The Message, in addition to its distortions of scripture my concerns were discussed with the church minister behind closed doors. 'Our Father in heaven, The Bible warns against personal interpretations of Scripture (2 Peter 1:20). I showed him the many websites that spring up connecting this phrase to Satanism and other forms of the occult. He has found that The Message often adds meaning to passages that are not present in the original Greek text. This should be emphasized whenever a preacher or teacher quotes from it, I believe. This is a useful place to start, given the controversy currently surrounding this popular, 84-year-old, Christian author. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. However, by itself, the Bible is not reliable as a single historical source. Yes. He introduced himself as a God of grace in Genesis. Your worldview is different. They would just avoid the passages that had those words in them. Would love to hear more. Since it is more of a commentary than a real Bible, it does not have the same effect of cutting into the depths of the heart. Eugene Peterson might be the William Tyndale of the 21st century or just an individual who wants to distort the bible or some who sincerely want to make the bible easy to read but making some mistakes. A striving after love, is the ethically more demanding choice (1 Corinthians 13:4), while the other, insisting on the right faith, more likely than not will lead to callousness (Gal 1:6-9). Arthur L. Farstad writes: As a Bible translator and editor myself, I must disagree. Jesus referred to sinners as a brood of vipers to remind people that sin can be deceptive and hard to recognize, and that they should strive for righteousness if they want to avoid Gods punishment. I wish you all the best! Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, extols the Word of God. Eugene Peterson created The Message, a Bible translation which emphasizes the need to trust God rather than focus on material possessions or appearances. Many young people who want to serve on a short-term basis with us in the the Scottish housing schemes are on fire for the poor and passionate about being "missional" and "breaking down barriers.". Finally, I have to say, the attitudes in a lot of these comments and from the opinion of the author is why many people are leaving the practice of Christianity. It was then I got on the internet and read A LOT more and studied LOTS. I've even cited The Messagein some of my academic, biblical commentary writing. Seventh day Adventists is wrong. Modern language Bibles are the ESV, NIV, NASB, NKJV The Message is one mans ideas on what he thinks the scriptures say and not the actual word of God. The Message, I was told, is a paraphrase, a commentary, a rendition, a transliteration, etc, etc. Yes. from. 1)It is often presented as being a Bible translation in modern language. I will fear no evil, .". A man who has strong convictions, who speaks out boldly for God's truth, if he's not careful can become harsh or unkind. Michael Brown holds a Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Literatures from New York University and has served as a professor at a number of seminaries. It seems the phrases You are in charge, you can do anything you want, you are ablaze in beauty is meant to replace for thine is the kingdom the power and the glory and the yes yes yes is meant to be a translation for amen. He was speaking about HIS physical attributes. It is specifically targeted toward U.S. English . For a fair assessment of Dr. Peterson's comments and retraction this week, see Bill Muehlenberg's article here. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. They concluded that Eugene Peterson had indeed made a decision to insert occultic words into the book but they still chose to read from it! Yes. Further the Message adds to the text (something forbidden by scripture) there is nothing in there speaking about any of Gods attributes at the end to the prayer, and I have no idea where he got that Yes. One academic I read said it this way, Peterson has confused the mission of a Bible translator with the mission of the Holy Spirit., Absolutely my spirit not going well with it n yes. https://www.ebay.com/itm/115037693742 Many believers enjoy reading The Message because of its modern appeal; however, it is important to recognize that this unconventional version can have serious detrimental implications. This is not new; it's normal. When studying the Word of God, one needs an authentic representation of the original autographs (the original manuscript of each of the 66 books of the Bible) while avoiding sources that would distort the original message from God. The same would be true for other versions or translations of the Bible, no? This is the main message of the entire Bible, Old and New Testament, that those who have repented and trusted in Christ "have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord. Psalm 119:1-2. Bible translations are usually broken down into three major categories: Word-for-word or Formal Equivalence, Thought-for-Thought or Dynamic Equivalence, and Paraphrase. He instead uses the 1901 American Standard Version as his foundation. Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. (a) (The Message) "Since we want to become spiritually one with the Master, we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy leaving us more lonely than ever - the kind of sex that can never "become one"." (b) Comment: Sexual immorality is reduced to "the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy". Although it appears that Eugene Peterson's bible The Message is endorsed by many prominent people this does not mean we accept what they promote without testing it against Scripture. This is why HE he stated that the Sabbath was made for man, man wasnt made for the Sabbath. And the word "abhorrent" is as good a rendering of the Hebrew as is "abomination. This is wrong; it is not a translation it is a paraphrase, which makes it a commentary at best. However, as a very free paraphrase, it is sometimes powerful and brilliant while at other times it is seriously off target. Rise to the occasion and preach when it is convenient and when it is not. Those who promote use of the Message tend to deny the sinful nature of man and the exclusivity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ alone for salvation. Would I use it as my only version? Joe, this is an incredible story that you shared. Although most of these translations are not in wide use today, some are commonly used and unfortunately many fail to accurately and faithfully preserve the Word of God. "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. That is abhorrent. 6 the end of the Lords Prayer is about forgiving not Gods attributes you may be confusing scripture with the Doxology/song. The New International HE speaks of things to steer clear of because they will more likely than not lead you to sin. Remove unnecessary links, images, and attachments. Apparently, she told the minister that she couldnt see why it mattered that Eugene Peterson changed Gods words. your will be done, The shepherds and leaders are deceived. Eugene Peterson has stayed true to the text and yet made it come alive for today's generation. Dont let your guard down or forget that at any moment you can be deceived. 10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. HE did say murder is a sin, which is ending the life of another human. The simplicity of the English used in this translation has made it a popular choice for evangelists; it was even used at Billy Graham crusades. The same applies to Tarot reading. Peterson inserts his own dogma . The Message Bible is an English-language translation of the Christian scriptures compiled by Eugene Peterson and published in segments from 1993 to 2002. This phrase is used to describe someone who is wicked and deceitful, as snakes are often seen as symbols of evil in the Bible. Yes. And not a great church to go to if salvation is paramount. A book through which God speaks. I appreciate the years of effort that were put into it, and I recognize it for what it is, with all its great strengths and great weaknesses. and send me in the right direction. For this truth did not come to you from any human being, but it was given to you directly by my Father in heaven. ", The ESV reads: "For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. I would sit alone on a sofa with no one ready to converse with me. (For the record, Paul was not saying here that homosexual couples are incapable of love or that all homosexuals are sex fiends. When did Paul write this? As translated in the ESV, Paul wrote, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Regarded as sacred and authoritative, such a complex collection of histories, legends, allegories and images becomes a monstrous Rorschach blot in which you can picture almost . This is the latest development: a 16-page booklet available on Ebay.com that anyone around the world can order and give out: Therefore, an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. And then they paid for it, oh, how they paid for it emptied of God and love, godless and loveless wretches. We are going to keep the old Bible for several compelling reasons. We can get a glimpse of the strengths and weaknesses of The Message by . Let's look at Leviticus 18:22, first in the ESV, a conservative evangelical translation, then in The Message. Rooted in his "translation" philosophy, Peterson has produced a "Message" which is nothing more than a commentary published as a translation. There were phone calls and emails to the minister, as well as people appearing at the church office to complain about me to him in person. Unjust people who don't care about God will not be joining in his kingdom. Cults therefore suppress personal opinion, critical thinking and free exchange of ideas. I just recently found your article that was written in 2017 as I was searching for errors in the Message. There are sections where the message really brings an idea into easy-to-understand language, but for me there is far too much dumbing down and softening of scripture. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. as above, so below. However, with a number of passages warning of the erosion of faith in the last days, theres a rather strong motive to contend for the faith by insisting on an accurate Bible (Jude 3). "You do sports together or go shopping together. Garbage. He helps me do what honors him the most. Schedule III: Drugs with low to moderate potential for abuse and/or . For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. The men who spied out Canaan had returned to Israel's camp and reported that the Promised Land had giants. Where secrecy is removed, gossip is hampered. They attempt to validate their erroneous theological claims by editing the Bible as they see fit. You set out at the beginning of the year to read the Bible every day. Matthew 5:11-12 God has always been a God of grace. He did not say Peterson did not speak Gods Attributes in his rendition of Lords Prayer, he said the original text did not so there-for Peterson should not have added it to the prayer. Instead of using any of these misleading translations, we would do much better to quote the Word of God faithfully, which is perfect and God-breathed, instead of rewording Gods message to include our biases and personal opinions and beliefs. Gmail's spam filters can pick up on grammar and spelling mistakes. I reminded the church that Jesus said if we love him, we will obey his commands (John 14:23). We run to God to understand who he is n to lead us n trust in his word To be fair, a more accurate comparison might be to the Jehovas How many times have learned preachers over a couple of centuries, with over 32,000 denominations of The Way (the early name of Christianity in the days of the Early Church), read from Scripture and then got the context wrong in the rest of their message somewhere else? I agree The Message and other interpretive commentary, and modernized Scriptures of the Bible, are not best for study. "The Message offers vibrant language that awakens my heart to the wonders of God's Word again and again. same sex, homosexuality, trey pearson, everyday sunday, christian rock, love is love, back to school, anxiety, fear, college, worry, peace, Burning Scripture with Passion: A Review of The Psalms (The Passion Translation). The message of the book of Isaiah to the world begins with warning. Youre ablaze in beauty! I hope this list has been helpful and will steer you in the right direction as to which Bible translations are profitable for training you up in righteousness. It is a popular book to use in liberal churches that are more focused on creating social change than on Jesus Christ, His saving act on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. Danger #2 "False guilt". In the aftermath of Eugene Peterson's controversial remarksabout homosexuality, followed by his retraction, many have asked me if they should still use The Message. For instance, the English Standard Version, a word for word literal translation puts the Lords Prayer, from Matthew 6 as: Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. I am not alone. Abortion isnt a sin if you cant hear a heartbeat or if the BABY was conceived via rape or incest. This one comes from the New Apostolic Reformation ( NAR) camp, from the brain of one man, a human-appointed "Apostle.". However, the Holy Spirit has still moved newcomers to the congregation to hear the necessary elements of the Sword of Truth in their message, that leads them to surrender to His Divine Will. It's dangerous to build an opinion of the Bible through the lens of someone else's beliefs. English Standard Version (ESV): Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? 1. but deliver us from the evil one.'". The Bible, and His word, are not evolving, they are static. I Contemporary English Version (CEV): It is true that anyone who desires to be a church official wants to be something worthwhile. Copies of it appeared on the bookshelf as people chucked it in. Word-for-word is a more literal translation of the original language used and puts more of the onus on the reader to discover the intended meaning of the author. His name in Hebrew (Yeshayahu) means "Yah [weh] is salvation.". The purpose of the Bible What is it? 4 Even when walking through the dark valley of death I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me, guarding, guiding all the way. I reached the conclusion that it was very bad and going to deceive a lot more people. he leads me beside quiet waters, This is hazardous work I'm assigning you. Required fields are marked *. Okay to get to the point, desire for the truth even if it means finding out everything you ever thought to be true was not, and you will, then asking Yahweh (God) to unblind you and guide you to the truth as you search for it and for protection from satanic deception so you wont be deceived. Look for Part 2 of this article, where we will review the top 5 Bible translations to use. Also, check to make sure your email is well written. ", In fact, you might even turn to your partner as you read the verses together and say, "That doesn't describe us! Ephesians 2:2 serves as a reminder that although it may seem like a distant memory, there was once a time when we walked according to the way of this world but now, thanks be to God, we are free! 1. The gospel addresses all of life, both this life and the one to come. Hostility to it is hostility to the. It's been the case from the beginning that Christians are slandered, and one of the worst slanders is to consider our love dangerous. The only significant addition Peterson added was changing what the Bible actually said. They are convicted because they own a Bible. We should remember that a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Its an important doctrinal point that the modern church seems to have largely forgotten.