pros and cons of the message bible

Many people find that they need more than one Bible and use different ones for different occasions. Jesus came into the world as the incarnate Son of God to accomplish more than one thing and defeating the devil by tasting death was among them. As for cons, the only two I've found are if you're looking for a specific verse, most versions I've seen only have clusters or groups of verses, so you need to read whole paragraphs to find the single verse you're looking for. There is plenty of resources here that everyday pastors' will find incredibly useful. This is especially so as the day of the Lord draws ever nearer and we know "false Christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect" (Matthew 24:24). Bible Question: What are the pros and cons of red letter Bibles? Not sure if this makes sense. The intended meaning is often changed, for example, "righteousness" has been exchanged for "goodness" in Proverbs 12:28. Translating from one language to another is never a simple process of finding one-to-one correspondence in vocabulary (as much as Google Translate thinks otherwise). (You can see why I, with my consuming passion for Living the Story of the gospel, love this, right?). What . What I have had time to do is read all of Genesis and most of Job the first two books, parts of Isaiah, Joel and Malachi, the first 8 chapters of Matthew, and parts of Revelation. Elizabeth Turnage, passionate teacher, encouraging coach, and insightful writer, is well known for her ability to help people learn, live and love their stories for Gods glory. We take ancient history lessons and apply them to modern-day situations so that people can live in a way that makes more heaven on earth and less hell on earth. If you want a formally equivalent translation that is similar to the KJV but easier to understand, use the, If you want a more optimally equivalent translation for easier reading, use the, If you want a translation that provides in-depth textual information and explanatory notes, use the, If you want a dynamically equivalent translation of the New Testament by a BYU scholar with notes and cross references to the JST and other standard works, I highly recommend. How to Choose a Translation for All Its Worth: A Guide to Understanding and Using Bible Versions by Gordon D. Fee & Mark L. Strauss. From Creation through the Fall to Redemption and ultimate Restoration, we read the wonders of the God we serve, worship in deeper awe and gratitude, and live the Story as the Holy Spirit has worked it into us. The pastor is happy with the small group pastor knowing he or she is working in tandem to establish the principles and practices that were unearthed during the sermon. harmon dobson plane crash. (LogOut/ Clichd symbols are the ones that we all associate the same message with. What does it mean that God condescended in Christ and dwells with us through His Spirit? he Bible itself says that if scripture is too difficult for someone to understand, it isn't because the language is obtuse. Throughout, the translation team has benefited greatly from the massive textual resources that have become readily available recently, from new insights into biblical laws and culture, and from current advances in Hebrew and Greek lexicography and grammatical understanding. The issues discussed in this video have motivated us to create our own tra. Fits in Bag or Purse. Pros. Instead, the Bible says it's because the student doesnot have the Holy Spirit working in him to reveal the meaning: Is the Life Application Study Bible appropriate? The Message has found a ready audience among "evangelicals" who are bored with the Bible, and who wanted a jazzy and fun paraphrase to take its place. gospel-centered, Bible-centered content. Instead of reading the word YHWH, therefore, they would normally read the Hebrew word adonay (Lord), and the ancient translations into Greek, Syriac, and Aramaic also followed this practice. Thank you! Each reading briefly introduced by Eugene Peterson. Red letter Bibles a) can cause confusion about what is authoritative in Scripture, b) inconsistently color words spoken by Jesus and the Son of God, and c) tend to function as commentaries. MINISTRY INTERNATIONAL, P.O. The verse numbers, which are not in the original documents, have been left out of the print version to facilitate easy and enjoyable reading. Youve heard it can be a good paraphrase and youre curious what makes it different, fresh, etc. From that deep desire to see people live more closely to God and from the proof he saw in his congregation, not only did he translate the entire Bible, he also wrote 30+ books to help. What is the Christian Standard Bible (CSB)? The Message - Pros and Cons The original version of The Message was printed without the traditional numbered verses, making it read more like a novel. By necessity, any act of translation involves interpretation. But we often read and study the Bible more like a textbook.. Note: This post is accompanied by my post Data: Use of Modern (Non-KJV) Bible Translations among Latter-day Saints.. First, some background. As a pastor / teacher, Im sure you and others in your position feel a strong responsibility for how you deliver the Scriptures to your people. Youve heard it is NOT a good version of the Bible, that its a fake, fraud, heresy, whatever. These words echo the King James Bible translators, who wrote in 1611, Gods sacred Word . This issue will be discussing why I use itversus the NIV, as well as some pros and cons. I guess whats going through my mind is a piano analogy. Yet the entire theology of John 3 shows that one needs to be born again to be right before God. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. Indeed he rises no further than the fifth of this world voiding all that Christ has accomplished on the cross. They are permanent so they won't smear if it gets wet and they write well over paint. Or was he four cubits and a span (6 7 feet) tall, as the Greek Septuagint manuscripts and a Dead Sea Scrolls manuscript read? They will bow low before you and honor you; they will humbly show their respect for you. But I also love Bob Dylan, Walt Whitman, and the wildness and excitement of contemporary poetryand Eugene Peterson brings that to the text often. There is a vast difference between temptation and "safety" and hence the intent of the Lords prayer is rendered impotent. The ESV lets the stylistic variety of the biblical writers fully express itselffrom the exalted prose that opens Genesis, to the flowing narratives of the historical books, to the rich metaphors and dramatic imagery of the poetic books, to the ringing rhetoric in the prophetic books, to the smooth elegance of Luke, to the profound simplicities of John, and the closely reasoned logic of Paul. Change). Conclusion. Day and night become "Madame Day" and "Professor Night" in Psalm 19:1. Decide whether it would help you to have the same version as everyone else or a different one so that you can see how different translators have translated the passage you are reading. Because he wasnt just a scholar in an ivory tower; he also knew the day in, day out lives of common people. If you arent sure what that means, he invested thousands of hours learning multiple languages that were around in Bible times. This video discusses the pros and cons and errors of 7 English Bible Translations. Reading The Message 100 will help us learn, live, and love in the one true story that makes sense of life the gospel! An exception to this is when the Hebrew word adonay appears together with YHWH, in which case the two words are rendered together as the Lord [in lowercase] GOD [in small capitals]. In contrast to the personal name for God (YHWH), the more general name for God in Old Testament Hebrew is elohim and its related forms of el or eloah, all of which are normally translated God (in lowercase letters). In essence, he asked if the text was written and read in todays language, with our current turns of phrase, idioms, and the like, what would it sound like? Bible Society, Stonehill Green, Westlea, Swindon SN5 7DG. It needs to be avoided. 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. 1:18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. Unsure of the meaning of a word or phrase in the Bible? These are copies of copies dating centuries or even millennia after the originals were written. With so many English translations of the Bible that are easy to read, why does the Church still use the King James Version? Its line drawings are iconic and help with understanding the text, Often criticised for lack of depth in its phrasing, Some feel that, occasionally, it goes too far from the original text in its attempt to communicate meaning, A Catholic Bible containing the 73 books of the Catholic canon, Literary in style with some well-known writers involved such as JRRTolkien, Some claim it is more a paraphrase than a translation (translated from French), Criticised for being insufficiently literal, Language that has influenced many phrases in modern English, Archaic language that many people do not understand. Similarly, in a few difficult cases in the New Testament, the ESV has followed a Greek text different from the text given preference in the UBS/Nestle-Aland 28th edition. Strong's Number: 4314. Second, Eugene Peterson also served as a pastor for almost three decades. Indeed the doctrine of salvation is rendered void by The Message simply in this statement. Now to get into the Pros and Cons. 2. Is the King James Version the only Bible we should use? Ritual. We avoid or even shy away from the word, yet nearly all our acts of worship involve ritual. A fresh easy-to-read, idiomatic translation, It often presents a different insight to a passage, It captures some of the passion of the original, Its colloquial style works for some and not for others, Its idioms arequite Americanand British readers can find this difficult, The translation is very free, which can lead to questions about its accuracy, Considered by many to be the most literal translation, especial care was taken to reflect the same verb tense as in the original, Often almost impossible to understand in English, Conservative theology affects translational decisions, All the advantages of the NIV but easier to read, Designed so that people can go on to read the NIV if/when they want to, One of the clearest and easy to read translations around, It does sometimes slip more into interpreting the text than simply translating it, Some avoid it because of its advertised low reading age, One of the few translations that tries to balance literal translation with an emphasis on meaning, Has tried to keep an emphasis on literary beauty, making it a good translation for reading in church, It attempt to maintain clarity has caused it to introduce words that are not in the original, Some people do not like its style of writing, finding it bland or lacking in poetry, A heavily revised version of the Jerusalem Bible, Attempts to make the translation a more literal translation than the Jerusalem Bible, The attempt to be more literal loses some of the poetry of the Jerusalem Bible, A maintenance of the poetic language of the KJV updated into modern English, Uses as much as possible the same version of the original text as the KJV did, Its attempt to be very literal can make it hard to read. He goes on to say that people should get a study Bible to help with further study. Bible Translations are one of the ways God illuminates Scripture to us . Top Ten Bible Translations in the United States by Thom S. Rainer Founder & CEO The Christian Booksellers Association has published its list of bestselling Bible translations in 2012 for the United States. 10 Things You Should Know about Christian Ethics. Bill Underwood. Why does this matter? Before I get into the heart of my review of The Message, I want to offer an important comment regarding Eugene Peterson the man.Despite my concerns about the theology he inserted into The Message under the pretense of "translation", I have no reason to doubt Peterson is a brother in Christ Jesus. He was trying to connect the ancient text with the daily lives of the people in his congregation. This exchange got me thinking about the Amplified Bible. We've broken that big tale down into three parts, all 3.5minuteslong. It has everything to do with whether you believe what youre reading, aka was Jesus who He said He was? A branch of scholarship called textual criticism deals with painstakingly comparing these manuscripts, tracking the discrepancies in letters and words, and deciding which variant is more likely to reflect the original. Besides all the data on the MAN network has been managed very efficiently in a centralized way. It can help you get to the heart of the passage quicker. Bible verses related to Massages from the King James Version (KJV) by Relevance. If the pastor is continuously pointing to Scripture and seeking to expose the author's original intent behind the passage being preached, then the pastor's words should simply be a reflection of the Bible's words. Pros and Cons of Public School Attendance Given the low economic status almost worldwide, more and more people choose to send their children to public schools so they could start saving up for college, which we all know costs quite a lot. This is not a study Bible, but rather ""a reading Bible."". But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but . Thanks for sharing this! This is a very thorough post! Meanwhile, we will be growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, which is the point of our study. Reasons to #DeleteFacebook Once And For All . Peterson was motivatedto make a Bible translation that was morereadable (presumably for himself),but trying to makescripture more accessible by modifying its meaning isan attempt to solve a problem that doesn't actually exist. Another advantage of the King James Version is the distinction between the singular and plural - compare Lk 22:31-32 where v31 is plural 'you', but v32 is singular 'thee, thy and thou'. You can see how it looks in the book in this photograph. 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. To summarize, he wanted to make the New Testament easier to understand. It adds someone named "Syzygus" to Philippians 4:3 not found in true translations. The KJV with the most obsolete words and grammar updated. These facts are important because he wasnt just some random dude making up a new paraphrase of the Bible with his own thoughts. The phrase "as above, so below" embraces the "entire system of traditional and modern magic" and claims that "that which is above is the same as that which is below." More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! You can reach me at jeremypmadsen@preceptsofpower.com. Well, this plan might be great for you. Likewise, the word man has been retained where the original text intends to convey a clear contrast between God on the one hand and man on the other hand, with man being used in the collective sense of the whole human race (see Luke 2:52). To degrade and denounce him or his work is a travesty and tragedy. First, before The Message, the world already had access to many, good English translations of the Bible that are easy to read and usemodern vernacularwithout distorting themeaning of scripture. as well as what potential pitfalls it may have. In our view the book The Message is not a valid translation of the Bible. It is easy to read, and it draws people more deeply into the story. Although it appears that Eugene Petersons bible The Message is endorsed by many prominent people this does not mean we accept what they promote without testing it against Scripture. */
. Here are the main reasons why you should not use the NIV Bible anymore! Registered charity 232759, Designed for people who do not know Bible jargon, Intended for people who struggle to read other translations, In 1996 the CEV won the Crystal Mark awardfrom the Plain English Campaign, Sometimes simplifying Bible jargon changes what it was originally saying (or only communicates part of what was meant), Those who know the Bible already find that its richness has been lost, There is very little poetry in the translation, A revision of the RSV, undertaken by various iconic evangelical theologians, Has tried to keep some of the best-loved passages in a translation that is close to the KJV, For some, the evangelical theology that has guided the translation is problematic, Some find the sentence structure hard to understand. The problem for some here is prophecies that were later seen to be about Christ. It teaches that life has a meaning. It opens our eyes tothe wonder of who God is and the magnitude of what He has done through Christ. He saw there was a disconnect between peoples understanding of the text and how it played out in their lives, so he translated individual books of the Bible into modern language for his church. Heres the link: He and I would have talked for days. Find out how we work and where we work to bring the Bible to life for communities all over the world. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Largely based on the Hebrew and Greek texts available in the 16th century. (PDF) The Pros and Cons of "Intelligent Design" | Martin G Use a Coherent Method of Bible Study - Bible Study Tips. But the more dynamically equivalent the translation, the more interpretation is involved and the more the translators bias and theological outlook can creep into the meaning (intentionally or unintentionally). I like how they use themodern wording pit of hell, and like I said, it makes me enjoy the Bible more. /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
being in sorrow rather than beating their breasts), Its emphasis on accessibility sometimes makes it feel a long way from the original, The change of metaphors into more modern language often changes their meaning more than what was intended, Not one of the strongest among the accessible translations, Usesup-to-date language (in particular it usesless archaic language for God), The Old Testament reflects Jewish interpretations of the text, Used more up-to-date versions of the Hebrew and Greek text, The Old Testament was translated to reflect Jewish interpretations of the text. We know that no Bible translation is perfect; but we also know that God uses imperfect and inadequate things to his honor and praise. The most popular verses from the Book of John. But the words man and men are retained where a male meaning component is part of the original Greek or Hebrew. And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.". If you want to cite this article, follow your professors requirements and know you can always argue with them later if they dock you for my article. Make a decision based on your pros and cons, and input gained. Not all pros and cons are equal so we need to identify the ones that carry greater consequence. The original books of the Bible were . However, it is necessary to highlight to our readers that it is far better to use a Bible which is a true translation of the original language than a paraphrase that maligns the word of God. We have discovered that there are more cons or disadvantages to red letter Bibles than there are pros or positives. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), https://omerdylanredden.com/2012/02/07/creativity-bob-dylan/. Lausd Daily Pass Shortcut, The Message can help you capture the tone, the emotion, the thrust of it. Prologue. It changes the word of God around, gives it a new meaning. And heres the problem: no two surviving manuscripts are identical. However,especially during this sermon series, I got a little confused as to where the Pastor was inthe chunk of verses that the Message has, so while I like that its broken into chunks, Ido miss the verse by verse labeling. A non-profit, non-denominational resource of free in-depth Bible teachings. (Many chronological Bibles divide the books). Then there was a fire in my mums house about a week before I was due', The 'journey through the Bible in 3 minutes' series. Chronologically ordered but with each book in its entirety. Concerning terms that refer to God in the Old Testament: God, the Maker of heaven and earth, introduced himself to the people of Israel with a special personal name, the consonants for which are YHWH (see Exodus 3:1415). First of all, consider how you'll be reading the Bible You might like to start with a translation that avoids too much technical language. The ESV is based on the Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible as found in Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (5th ed., 1997), and on the Greek text in the 2014 editions of the Greek New Testament (5th corrected ed. But instead of writing most of the New Testament like Paul, he translated the New and Old Testaments. In the process, hereworded the text of scripture (to fit his own understanding)to such an extent that we believe itisunfair and irresponsible to labelthe product of that worka translation of scripture. Here are the principal advantages: There are dozens of English translations, and exploring the different options can be dizzying. Let's get started, Advantages of MAN. Check our glossary of terms. If you're intimidated by this ancient book . This article is part of the 10 Things You Should Know series. With this background, lets explore the principle reasons the King James Version continues to be (in both my opinion and the opinion of Church leaders) the best translation for general Latter-day Saint use: That said, the King James Version is by no means a perfect translation. As is common among English translations today, the ESV usually renders the personal name of God (YHWH) by the word LORD (printed in small capitals). Its comforting and very beautiful. For example, anyone replaces any man where there is no word corresponding to man in the original languages, and people rather than men is regularly used where the original languages refer to both men and women. According to Bible Research, this version was written by someone named Eugene Peterson. 9.5. Regular Bible reading, group study, and personal study should be out of a Bible without study . The inclusive use of the generic he has also regularly been retained, because this is consistent with similar usage in the original languages and because an essentially literal translation would be impossible without it. Archaic language was brought into line with current usage and significant corrections were made in the translation of key texts. There are so many, it can be difficult to choose one to use and to know which one might be better for which purpose. Use the book for a Book Club type study, perhaps having people read 3 to 5 readings a week and gathering to discuss. Avolume containing The Old Testament Wisdom Books was published in 1998,followed by The Old Testament Prophets in 2000, the Pentateuch in 2001, the Books ofHistory in 2002, and an edition of the complete Bible in 2002. Islamic Center of Cleveland is a non-profit organization. In addition, the English word sons (translating the Greek word huioi) is retained in specific instances because the underlying Greek term usually includes a male meaning component and it was used as a legal term in the adoption and inheritance laws of first-century Rome. The distortion of Gods word in itself should sound alarm bells and therefore be of concern to all Christians since God says "Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar" (Proverbs 30:6). Box 702107 Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. Ive also read through the Bible at least a handful of times, so you can definitely say Im a student of the Word. You can probably tell that Im pretty excited about this Bible. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Eugene Peterson, biblical languages scholar, peoples pastor, Scripture storyteller, has done it again. Instead, the Bible says it's because the student doesnot have the Holy Spirit working in him to reveal the meaning: In reality, the Lord doesnt need men to make His words more "readable." Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! I might break this into a couple articles eventually, or expand upon it later, but for now, I think there are three main points worth you knowing. Pros. ), published by the United Bible Societies (UBS), and Novum Testamentum Graece (28th ed., 2012), edited by Nestle and Aland. Period. It's a big book and as well as being a library, it's also it's own story. Logos is deep and rich with valuable insight and information to help any pastor better prepare for sermons, bible studies and small groups. Study Bibles: An Introduction for Latter-day Saints, Data: Use of Modern (Non-KJV) Bible Translations among Latter-day Saints - Precepts of Power, Why the SEC/Ensign Peak Advisors Settlement Doesnt Trouble Me (or, Why I Dont Mind that Christs Church Has Money), Esau Ended Up with the Birthright (Kind Of), Uruk: A Possible Historical Setting for the Tower of Babel, The King James Version vs. Modern Bible Translations: Pros and Cons. Here are just a few examples of concern from The Message: This changes the entire intent by suggesting the world could become a better place "put right". He came to help, to put the world right again". While I was teaching a class on Galatians, he says, I began to realize that the adultsin my class werent feeling the vitality and directness that I sensed as I read and studiedthe New Testament in its original Greek. If youre in camp #2, I can confirm you wont go to hell for touching or reading The Message Bible. Available only in a 66-book . Because of this I think it's important that we consider the pros as well as the cons when a group uses these. The page doesn't have to be designed to accommodate a referencing system. The Message Catholic Bibles The Watchtower version Bibles with a lot of Commentary Student Bibles What it all comes down to is whether or not you want to get someone else's idea on how the Bible should be written, or if you want to get as close to God's original text as you possibly can. Im not sure if youre a pastor / teacher, but based on how your thoughts and implicit question are arranged, I would guess you are. opportunities with others If no one was able to come into the United States there would basically be no America What message are we sending if we had no immigration? KJV - One of the biggest pro's . People loved it, so he kept doing it. Secondly, the Bible itself says that if scripture is too difficult for someone to understand, it isn't . Kings will be your childrens guardians; their princesses will nurse your children. Faber Castell Markers and the Illustrated Faith Journaling Pens are our favorites. Look for one described as 'dynamic equivalent'**. The Message Bible translation by Eugene H. Peterson is a paraphrase of the scriptures using modern English, the author claims he is trying to make the Bible understandable to the average person. The Illustrated Faith pens were made for Bible journaling and we are excited they come in many different sized nibs as well as now coming in several fun colors too. Its so unique because Peterson started at the ground level. Thus it seeks to be transparent to the original text, letting the reader see as directly as possible the structure and exact force of the original. Another pro is that some of the modern translationsare quite humorous, which actually makes me enjoy the Bible more. nearest sporting goods store The New Testament waspublished in 1993, and became a best-seller. Personally, I feel that indeed, it is easier to understand. You can carry supporting study tools such as a Strongs Concordance and other Reference guides. Romans 12:1-2 - I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. handy-dandy Bible App that I use, I discovered "The Message", so I tried it out, and really liked it, and have used it ever since. All rights reserved. Literal translation. On a related note, some have asked about the pros and cons of using a study Bible. It all depends on who you are and what you will be using it for. Trim size: 5 3/16 x 7 1/8 Show more For Scripture to be "living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword" (Hebrews 4:12) it has to be translated accurately. An interesting essay on how Peterson has brought the occult and New Age thought into the bible: Here is Wisdom; this is the royal Law; these are the lively Oracles of God. With these words the Moderator of the Church of Scotland hands a Bible to the new monarch in Britains coronation service. Crossway is a not-for-profit Christian ministry that exists solely for Ive found The Message can shed new light on familiar passages, just by tweaking a turn of phrase. Some think their translationshould always reflect this; others that they should be translated in such a way as the original audience might have understood them, Sometimes its choice of inclusive language obscuresconnections in the text, One of the few modern translations to originate in Britain, Aims for a mix of accuracy, poetry and comprehension, It is especially good for reading in public, It isnt widely used and so is quite hard to get hold of, Because it doesnt follow the best known translations, sometimes its phrases sound unusual, Intended to be a readable though literal translation (at the time), The Old Testament was translated to reflect Jewish interpretations of the text, Language has moved on and it is no longer up-to-date.