What is The Message (MSG)?

Answer

The Message – History

The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language was created by pastor, scholar, author, and poet Eugene H. Peterson and published in segments from 1993 to 2002 by NavPress. In the first four months after its release, 100,000 copies of The New Testament in Contemporary English were printed by NavPress, and 70,000 books were sold. Following that period, a variety of derivative products inundated the bookstores, most of which are now out of print.

The Message – Translation Method

The Message is not a translation, nor can it strictly be said to be a paraphrase of the original languages of the Bible. Peterson’s goal in creating The Message, in his own words, was to “bring the New Testament to life for two different types of people: those who hadn’t read the Bible because it seemed too distant and irrelevant and those who had read the Bible so much that it had become ‘old hat’.” Pastor Peterson’s parishioners, by his own admission, “simply weren’t connecting with the real meaning of the words and the relevance of the New Testament for their own lives.” However, this contradicts what Scripture reveals about the power of the Word of God, written by the Holy Spirit and made clear to those who are His: “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” «For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. », (Hebrews 4:12). Far from “losing its impact,” as NavPress describes traditional Bible versions, the Word of God becomes clearer and more impactful the more it is.

Read and studied by those who seek its truth.

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. Many people found this refreshing at first, but also found it inconvenient for cross-referencing, comparison with other versions, and group Bible studies. Concerning the negatives, there are numerous websites and articles dedicated to the translation errors in The Message, too many to repeat here. Suffice it to say that The Message has generated more criticism for its lack of serious scholarship and outright bizarre renderings than almost any other Bible version to date. One common complaint from many who read The Message or hear it read aloud is, “I didn’t recognize it as the Bible.” Other critics declare The Message to be not a paraphrase of what the Bible says, but more of a rendering of what Eugene Peterson would like it to say. In an interview with Christianity Today, Peterson described the beginning of the creative process that produced The Message: “I just kind of let go and became playful. And that was when the Sermon on the Mount started. I remember I was down in my basement study, and I did the Beatitudes in about ten minutes. And all of a sudden I realized this could work.” Apart from the impossibility of doing justice to the Sermon on the Mount in ten minutes, one wonders whether playfulness is the appropriate demeanor for those who attempt to “rightly divide the word of Truth” «Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. », (2 Timothy 2:15). Awe and reverence for a holy God and His holy Word, yes. Playfulness? No.

The Message – Sample verses

John 1:1, 14 – “The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God, in readiness for God from da

John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and blood, and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

John 8:58 – Jesus declared, “Truly, I tell you, before Abraham was born, I am!”

Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Titus 2:13 – “While we wait for the blessed hope – the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”