Lately I have been reading The Message, which was translated and edited by Eugene Peterson. What is The Message you ask? Well, it is a new Bible translation of the Bible. The Message is not really a translation as it is also a paraphrase of the Biblical text. It is very similar to the Today's English Version which came out in the early 1970's as a way to reach out to people who wanted to read the Bible but in everyday language. Let's face it, we might not want to acknowledge this fact, but there are a lot of folks out there who have a hard time reading a book let alone a Bible! So the TEV was marketed for a junior high or high school reading level.
Peterson is a longtime pastor and professor of theology and wanted to bring the Good News to people in a language that they could understand. His academic background in Semitic and Greek language helped Peterson bring the text alive for his readers. Also, Peterson has been a pastor for over thirty years and knows the everyday language of his parishioners.
I use a variety of Bibles for Bible study and for teaching and now The Message is one of them! I am enjoying The Message and I hope you do too!
