Now that you know the background and history, what are the pros and cons of using The Message? 1. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. You can probably tell that Im pretty excited about this Bible. This exchange got me thinking about the Amplified Bible. 25 Book of Romans Bible Study Questions and Answers; 40 Fun Christmas Games for Youth Groups; 50 Powerful Ways to Get Closer to God; 25 Ephesians Bible Study Questions and Answers; 25 Biblical Signs He's the One God Has for You; The 66 Books of the Bible in Chronological Order (When & Who Wrote Them) 10 Powerful Ways to Seek God and His Presence; Angels in the Bible - Explanation of 25 . The Message can help you capture the tone, the emotion, the thrust of it. The page doesn't have to be designed to accommodate a referencing system. Making an investment to a lifetimeprocess of personal Bible study is more important than any particularunderstanding gleened from a moment of study. Elaine Wainwright. Each reading took me about 30 minutes. There are four main qualities that distinguish modern translations from each other: Below is a quick guide to the most widely used translations. This is a very thorough post! 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. 5. 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? I teach biblical Hebrew and have analyzed the message and it is in serious error with no basis in the biblical text. In that stream, faithfulness to the text and vigorous pursuit of precision were combined with simplicity, beauty, and dignity of expression. Writing straight from the original text, I began to attempt to bring into English the rhythms and idioms of the original language. Strong's Number: 4314. At best, it is a commentary on the Bible, yet unfortunately one masquerading as scripture itself, and no commentary is a suitable substitute for scripture. Secondly, the Bible itself says that if scripture is too difficult for someone to understand, it isn't because the language is obtuse. Unsure of the meaning of a word or phrase in the Bible? Finally "The words of the LORD are pure words, Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times" (Psalm 12:6). I am a fantasy novelist and copyeditor with a degree in Ancient Near Eastern Studies from Brigham Young University. Youve heard it can be a good paraphrase and youre curious what makes it different, fresh, etc. Peterson has no true understanding of Hebrew and has no Ruach to guide him in his translation. You can carry supporting study tools such as a Strongs Concordance and other Reference guides. Pros. MINISTRY INTERNATIONAL, P.O. Chronologically ordered - but with each book in its entirety. 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. He earned his Masters from John Hopkins University in ancient Semitic languages. http://www.crossroad.to/Bible_studies/Message.html, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, True translations such as The New King James Bible (NKJV) or New American Standard Bible (NASB) refer to Jesus as Lord Jesus over 100 times while. I really like it because its a moderntranslation and it lets me interact with the sermon better. The author of the Message Bible, Eugene Peterson, said it should not be used in the pulpit. According to Bible Research, this version was written by someone named Eugene Peterson. First, some background. Check out her blog and website atelizabethturnage.com. Whether you're well versed in Scripture or just starting out on the journey, The Bible Course offers a superb overview of the worlds best-selling book. Youre doing a research project for a Bible college course or seminary course, and youre comparing it to other translations. He actually knew the original Bible languages, he knew other languages, and he knew them so well that he was paid to teach them in universities. . The article about this version goes on to say that,Peterson did most of the work on the New Testament during 1991, at which time hewas writer in residence at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. But we often read and study the Bible more like a textbook.. Often stated pros of the translation: A Catholic Bible containing the 73 books of the Catholic canon; Literary in style with some well-known writers involved such as JRR Tolkien; Some passages are beautifully poetic; Often stated cons of the translation: Some claim it is more a paraphrase than a translation (translated from French) I dont mind saying Im often intimidated by Read-the-Bible-in-a-Year plans. Open your New King James Version to Luke 9:56 and you will read: Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (PDF) The Pros and Cons of "Intelligent Design" | Martin G Use a Coherent Method of Bible Study - Bible Study Tips. He goes on to say that people should get a study Bible to help with further study. Good on him for all of those efforts! The Old Testament was translated to reflect Jewish interpretations of the text. Not all pros and cons are equal so we need to identify the ones that carry greater consequence. The translation was motivated by a belief that Scripture is sacred and that the words of the Bible are the very words of God. Youve heard it is NOT a good version of the Bible, that its a fake, fraud, heresy, whatever. Change). Modern Controversies #2 . The problem for some here is prophecies that were later seen to be about Christ. But I can imagine he and Jesus are having a good time together right now, and I can imagine that God is proud of him for the work he did. They were languages spoken in the Ancient Near East, in ancient Mesopotamia where the stories of the Old Testament originated. (LogOut/ John 3:16 is completely changed and becomes meaningless by saying "This is how much God loved the world: anyone can have a whole and lasting life". 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. If you use them in your logo, you will . Now, if were squared up on that, keep reading because Im sure youll learn a thing or two. *A formal equivalence, word-for-wordtranslation gives priority to what the original language says and how it says it. is doki doki literature club banned on twitch And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.". Ideas and interpretations in this blog are strictly my own and do not represent the official doctrines or teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or any other entity. So what is ritual? 3. They may want to talk about things they feel unwilling . 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. What have survived are thousands of Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic manuscripts (most of them fragmentary) from the late classical period and the medieval period (100 BC1100 AD). King James Version (KJV) - 1611. . Ritual. We avoid or even shy away from the word, yet nearly all our acts of worship involve ritual. Each year, millions of copies of the ESV are distributed worldwide through partnerships with hundreds of churches, ministries, and Bible societies around the worldwith many of those distribution projects supported by Crossways Global Ministry Fund. A translation that focuses on formal equivalence* will be most helpful. Pros of the Digital Bible. Throughout. Detroit Red Wings Affiliates, You can also use another translation to see the passage from another angle. NLT. It's a big book and as well as being a library, it's also it's own story. You give some very good reasons doing so. "Hallowed be Your name" (NKJV) becomes "Reveal who you are" in, "On earth as it is in heaven (NKJV) becomes "As above, so below" in, "forgive us our debts (NKJV) is changed to "keep us forgiven" in, "do not lead us into temptation" (NKJV) is changed to "keep us safe" in. To degrade and denounce him or his work is a travesty and tragedy. 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". 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. They will bow low before you and honor you; they will humbly show their respect for you. He wanted to get to the heart of what was being said and capture the tone and emotion and poetry of it. There is only one way to the Father and that is through Jesus: "I am the way the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). 01793 418222. (Many chronological Bibles divide . 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. The translation committees goal was to carry forward this legacy for this generation and generations to come. Create our own list of pros and cons for each option. 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. KJV - One of the biggest pro's . What is the English Standard Version (ESV)? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 2. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 2. You can enlarge font as needed. Wow! Limiting the effort to only two authors advocating each position requires reading forty books that mostly contradict one another. These are copies of copies dating centuries or even millennia after the originals were written. These translations best preserve the words as God delivered them, so then the Holy Spirit may explain the meaning as God intended. This video discusses the pros and cons and errors of 7 English Bible Translations. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 10 Things You Should Know about Christian Ethics. Welcome to Bible Book Club, helping you read the Bible with your friends one book at a time. All understanding, knowledge, and wisdom are laid out in this book for every human to read, understand, believe in, and use for his or her own good. 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. pros and cons of the message bible. Original Word. So, on myhandy-dandy Bible App that I use, I discovered The Message, so I tried it out, andreally liked it, and have used it ever since. Clichd symbols are the ones that we all associate the same message with. [The Bible] is the most valuable thing that this world affords. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Now, The Message 100 Devotional Bible, The Message structured in 100 Bible readings makes it easy to read the whole Story. With so many English translations of the Bible that are easy to read, why does the Church still use the King James Version? It gives an atmosphere of peace and support. (LogOut/ Lessons from the Biblical Story of Noah: A Righteous Man Its popularity is just one more example of the levity of the contemporary church, and of its unhealthy taste for novelties and fads, which have become so much a part of ministry in evangelical churches in the past thirty years. One site is:< http://www.biblegateway.com/> (Accessed 6th December 2008), David & Judith SimonEdited 5 December 2008Corrections\Why the Messege bible should be used, Copyright David L Simon 2007 - 2023 This material may be freely distributed provided acknowledgement of the author is made www.life-everlasting.net, This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. This document is not a full treatise of the deficiencies in The Message you can find plenty of internet sites that give excellent analyses. Bible Translations are one of the ways God illuminates Scripture to us . Also, instead of it being verse by verse, the version is broken intochunks, like verses 1-2 or verses 3-5, which makes it easier to mentally mark where thesermon will be on. (LogOut/ 22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' 23 And then will I profess unto them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you . All rights reserved. It adds someone named "Syzygus" to Philippians 4:3 not found in true translations. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Largely based on the Hebrew and Greek texts available in the 16th century. What does it mean that God condescended in Christ and dwells with us through His Spirit? Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. 1: Missing verses The most obvious reason you should not use the NIV is that a lot of Bible verses are missing! Sign up for our short, weekly email about how we're inviting people to discover the Bible. formId: "99cdd137-20d1-4f77-b012-f05cb4ebeacf" One of the most asked questions about the Bible is what is the best translation?. Divided into 100 readings. Thanks for sharing this! 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). On a related note, some have asked about the pros and cons of using a study Bible. According to Bible Research, this version was written bysomeone named Eugene Peterson. As the editors say in the introduction, The books of the Bible are meant to be experienced as wholes, like a novel. Reason no. 10 Things You Should Know about the Garden of Eden. 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." It records the life and teachings of Jesus -Christ and his disciples. The Message can help you capture the tone, the emotion, the thrust of it. 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. Online classes offer more flexibility . The KJV with the most obsolete words and grammar updated. The use of these different ways to translate the Hebrew words for God is especially beneficial to English readers, enabling them to see and understand the different ways that the personal name and the general name for God are both used to refer to the One True God of the Old Testament. For personal study, werecommend usingthe New American Standard Bible or the New English Translation (www.bible.org) or any other accurate translation of the original texts. Meanwhile, we will be growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, which is the point of our study. The currently renewed respect among Old Testament scholars for the Masoretic text is reflected in the ESVs attempt, wherever possible, to translate difficult Hebrew passages as they stand in the Masoretic text rather than resorting to emendations or to finding an alternative reading in the ancient versions. 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. 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. Divided into 100 readings. The book'sauthor, Eugene Peterson, claims he was seeking to make the BIble more understandable. 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. On a related note, some have asked about the pros and cons of using a study Bible. Why do we use it, and how does it work? But first, we need to explore two concepts at the heart of biblical translation issues: No original or perfect manuscript survives of any biblical book. 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. Heres the link: Pros. 210.319.5055 Each reading briefly introduced by Eugene Peterson. This article is part of the 10 Things You Should Know series. I really enjoyed your article. Based on the Hebrew and Greek texts available in the 16th century. Lets look first at the structure of The Message 100, then at the pros and cons. In our view thebook The Messageis not a validtranslation of the Bible. If a student relies exclusively onThe Messageas if it were a Bible, that student will not experience the light of God's word in an accurate and unfiltered way. Honestly, that could be a pro though . Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 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. 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). It is a one-year plan that breaks the Bible into several different Genres: Epistles, The Law, History, Psalms, Poetry, Prophecy, and Gospels. Conclusion. Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! 1Cor. " [The Bible] is the most valuable thing that this world affords. I was raised on the old RSV, and the inherited rhythms of the KJV are indelible parts of my consciousness, and those turns of phrase truly are timeless. ** A dynamic equivalence, thought-for-thoughttranslation gives priority to what the text means. In thinking about diving into this, I dont want to get things into my mind that might get in my way later when Im doing serious study. Love book clubs? For Scripture to be "living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword" (Hebrews 4:12) it has to be translated accurately. Let's get started, Advantages of MAN. 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 main reasons why you should not use the NIV Bible anymore! Kings will be like fathers to you; queens will be like mothers. The prayers, fellowship and encouragement of an older saint means a lot to a younger worker perhaps struggling with difficulties, isolated for long periods from home or the company of others in his missionary group. When the vowels of the word adonay are placed with the consonants of YHWH, this results in the familiar word Jehovah that was used in some earlier English Bible translations. There are many pros including the impact a large membership can have on community efforts for poor, abused, addictions etc. Click on the title to find out more about each translation. The purpose of the dams is to reserve water for the time of need and to . Im not sure if youre a pastor / teacher, but based on how your thoughts and implicit question are arranged, I would guess you are. 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. Here are the principal advantages: There are dozens of English translations, and exploring the different options can be dizzying. Proverbs 30:5 states "Every word of God is pure" but this is altered to "Every promise of God" in, Luke 4:4 misquotes Deuteronomy by leaving out the command to live "by every word of God" and in Psalm 138:2 the word of God is no longer "magnified above Gods name.". (Nearly all modern editions, including ours, reproduce a 1769 edition that updated the spelling and grammar.) The entire Bible, in The Message translation. What . What is Christian ethics and what role should it play in the life of a believer? Jimmy does this bit periodically called "Pros and Cons" where he weighs the good with the bad of current events. The only other downside is judgmental people look down on you if they see you reading it or hear you mention that you read it. Lausd Daily Pass Shortcut, Secondly, the Bible itself says that if scripture is too difficult for someone to understand, it isn't . gospel-centered, Bible-centered content. What are its advantages? Literal translation. Soli Deo Gloria!To God alone be the glory! 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. As an illustration, compare these three translations of Isaiah 49:23: Surely to a child or to someone unversed in biblical language, the phrase humbly show their respect for you is much more understandable than the phrase lick up the dust of thy feet. But it is also less vivid, and it severely waters down the dramatic imagery that Isaiah is crafting. He was a great man with a great heart, who fully invested his talents and skills to help millions of people re-access their Bibles and be reinvigorated in their faith. While there's nothing wrong with this, every church should consider the pros and cons of doing sermon-based Bible studies. Find out how we work and where we work to bring the Bible to life for communities all over the world. 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 King James Version is the official English translation used by the restored Church of Jesus Christ because it provides continuity with the language of the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, JST, and our theological terminology. I see so many try to tear The Message down, but every time I try another translation for devotional reading, I end up returning to it. 'When my mum was pregnant with me, my parents read Psalm 121 a lot. Its very important to do this, and it helps us from getting stagnant. You'll notice that some of the same comments appearunder pros and cons this is because some people regard something as a positive, while others regardexactly the same thing as a negative. 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. It would be a great outreach Bible study (Such a study may be coming online to Living Story let me know if you would be interested!). Or was he four cubits and a span (6 7 feet) tall, as the Greek Septuagint manuscripts and a Dead Sea Scrolls manuscript read? Books and blogs that help you live a more joyful, integrated life. This is why we have been given the Spirit, as Jesus said: We can't "dumb down" the text of scripture hoping to take a shortcut to anunderstanding of things that only God can reveal according to His sovereign will and timing. It is easy to understand, flows nicely, and is good for study. Because he wasnt just a scholar in an ivory tower; he also knew the day in, day out lives of common people. KJV Only movement? 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/. In our view the book The Message is not a valid translation of the Bible. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. 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. The value of a more dynamically equivalent translation is its more coherent and understandable in the target language. They are permanent so they won't smear if it gets wet and they write well over paint. 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. Let me just give you a few examples. What are the advantages of supplementing it with a more modern translation? 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. Well, this plan might be great for you. If you arent sure what that means, he invested thousands of hours learning multiple languages that were around in Bible times. Turning the gem, as our Jewish friends would say. But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but . More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! Here are some of its principle downsides: For the serious student of the Bible, there are many benefits to using a newer translation (or two) to supplement the KJV in your personal or family studyespecially if the newer translation is a study bible edition, with notes, commentary, and background information. Ive also read through the Bible at least a handful of times, so you can definitely say Im a student of the Word. Thank you! I had never thought about the advantages of supplementing the King James Bible. The exact pronunciation of YHWH is uncertain, because the Jewish people considered the personal name of God to be so holy that it should never be spoken aloud. The ESV is an essentially literal translation that seeks, as far as possible, to reproduce the precise wording of the original text and the personal style of each Bible writer. Home; Monday, July 4, 2016. /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
He came to help, to put the world right again". Accountability- you can read plans with online friends. You can see how it looks in the book in this photograph. Ive found The Message can shed new light on familiar passages, just by tweaking a turn of phrase. as well as what potential pitfalls it may have. It is easy to read, and it draws people more deeply into the story.