The Message Bible

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Don't trust the Message Bible. It totally trashes the Bible by changing the meaning of many Bible verses. It is a very inaccurate paraphrase based on the author's ideas of what he wants the Bible to say. It is obvious that he has no knowledge of Biblical languages, and certainly has a lack of understanding what the Gospel of Christ is all about.

 

[St_Worm2]

Hello @Presbyterian Charismatic, I don't think it even makes sense to call The Message a "paraphrase" (much less a "translation"). It just seems like the author's/Peterson's (who was a Presbyterian minister when he wrote it, just FYI) somewhat wild/personal musings on the Bible (he intended it to make it an easier to understand Bible, so, good intentions, perhaps, but hardly good results, IMHO anyway).

More than "don't trust" it, I would say "don't use it" instead.

God bless you!!

--David

 

[Andrewn]

Don't trust the Message Bible. It totally trashes the Bible by changing the meaning of many Bible verses. It is a very inaccurate paraphrase based on the author's ideas of what he wants the Bible to say. It is obvious that he has no knowledge of Biblical languages, and certainly has a lack of understanding what the Gospel of Christ is all about.

The so-called "Passion Translation" is an even worse paraphrase. It is definitely not a translation.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

The so-called "Passion Translation" is an even worse paraphrase. It is definitely not a translation.

It is no surprise that some come up with some crazy theology if they are basing it on the Message or the Passion Translation.

 

[The Liturgist]

As an interesting aside there was an extremely controversial film made about Muhammed in the 1970s called “The Message.” It caused mass protests despite the fact that he never appears on screen, but rather one of his disciples, played, I think, by Anthony Quinn, interacts with him off screen. Actually the way the film depicts Muhammed is evocative of the way God is depicted in some films which fail to understand the iconographic implications of the Incarnation.