I made sure to go by the Christian bookstore today while I was out. I needed to update my bible and get out of the 'teen study' bible. It was a wreck and falling apart, had so much writing on the inside and highlighted completely. I was introduced to The Message by my good friend Sara. She has been using this version for a while and it came highly suggested. I had the NIV for my teen study and The Message is a contemporary version.
This was something that was on my New Years resolution. Buy a new bible, get back into daily devotions. That's where the pink book falls into play. It's something I can keep by my bed to read before I pass out. It's a woman's daily devotional. I believe I need this not only for myself but my family. To be a better person, wife, soon to be mom. Yippieeeee. Off to reading I go.
Being a father is so hard sometimes. In order to be a good one, you have to risk hurting your beloved children by telling them things they may not want to hear. That's where I find myself now.
ReplyDeleteWhen you read "The Message," please know that you are not actually reading the Bible. You're reading one man's opinion of what he thinks the Bible is saying. Because "The Message" is not a literal translation, it doesn't accurately convey the word of God. In my opinion, it's not even a good paraphrase, because it distorts and even omits whole verses and concepts.
Because of its structure and style, it's also hard check "The Message" for accuracy against literal translations.
I'm not saying that you commit the unpardonable sin if you read "The Message," but, in my opinion, you should not read it without also reading the same section in a literal version and comparing the two. I'm not saying that "The Message" is totally wrong all the time, only that it can't be trusted to consistantly give you the correct reading. Use it very cautiously.
Sorry. You know I love you and only want the best for you. Dad.
I don't mind the hurt...thanks for sharing Dad.
ReplyDeleteWell thanks for sharing dad. This stinks....I just spent a pretty penny on this new bible. Don't really know if you can return a bible? Guess I should just go BACK to my NIV one then. Shucksss
ReplyDeleteI felt so bad to have to tell you that. It really bummed me out, and I woke up during the night thinking about it. I felt like it was something I should have told you and helped you with a long time ago.
ReplyDelete"The Message" is okay for you to read, but I just didn't want you to think that what you were reading was the equivalent of the Bible. It's only one person's (Eugene Peterson's) interpretation of what he believes the scripture is saying to us today. I could send you to websites with side by side comparisons of the text to show you what I'm talking about if you like.
I'm extremely proud of you for wanting a new Bible, but there are much better choices than Peterson's book. If you're going to spend your time reading it, I'm sure you want to have confidence in what you're reading.
Once again, please know that I love you and I want only the best for you. Dad.
When I saw your FB post about your "Message" purchace I wanted to tell you to beware about it. I didn't want to do it "in public." I agree with Dad. You might want to try to take it back telling them what you've learned and be very "upset" about it. I'm looking at a parallel Bible. One that has KJV and a more modern version. Still looking though. I've been using Dad's McArthur Study bible and it's the BEST study Bible I've seen. I use it all the time. Great notes to understand what you're reading. Just look for the sales in the Lifeway ads. Love you and take Dad's advice to heart. We love you and are sorry that you've been led down an expensive and wrong path. love con
ReplyDeleteOk, everyone. I appreciate your worries and caring about what I bought. I DID speak to my friend and she told me, she is sorry about not telling me that she STILL uses her NIV bible to compare when she is reading and making lessons for sunday school. She told me how "The Message" DOES HAVE A parallel version with that on one side and NIV on the other. So that is my bad for not reading into it more. But at least I know why this bible is different than my normal one.
ReplyDeleteNo need to worry Dad, You didn't upset me. I was bummed b/c I didn't know I still needed my other bible for comparison. I will just try to take it BACK and see if they will let me exchange it. Thanks though =)
I don't believe this is a BAD bible to use, just like dad said, I just need the ORIGINAL to back it up, ya know. Fill in any blanks or questions
Okay, this is my last comment -- MAYBE. I have a brand new MacArthur Study Bible I'll give you to use and check out if you like. If you don't find it helpful, you can just give it back to me. IMO, John MacArthur is the greatest Bible teacher alive today. I've listened to him and read his books and commentaries for years. I also have two other paraphrases: The Living Bible and Today's English Version. They're not literal translations either, but they're very good, especially for reading "hard" sections of the Old Testament. At least one of you three has used the TEV before, because it still has somebody's little girly book marks and notes in it.
ReplyDeleteI love you, and I hope you guys are feeling well (all 3 of you). Dad
Any comments on the New American Standard Version?
ReplyDeleteComments from WHO>? I have been reading out of my new bible but I wanted to say the man who wrote it...when he does his 'intro' HE DOES state that this is just a version of the bible to help "bring back" people who have already read the bible and just put it down. He wanted to get those people BACK into reading again. He DOES tell you in the 'intro' to STILL read/compare another bible to his teachings so that you don't miss ANYTHING.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I didn't read that part of the bible till dad mentioned something above about it. So rest assured....the 'original' bible is still in my life =)
I didn't see Laura's question about the NASB until today. I've written quite a bit about Bible versions on my other blog, but here's a short synopsis: The most reliable version is the KJV because it's based on the correct line of text. The NKJV is almost as good but you must ignore most of its footnotes. All other Bibles (including the NASB) are based on the work of two 19th century British intellectuals, B. Westcott & F. Hort, and these two men used unreliable manuscripts, chiefly an old Catholic translation (Vaticanus). Additionally, Westcott and Hort were not devout Christians (I question whether they were Christians at all), and if they were alive today, their views on matters such as evolution would keep them out of any decently conservative church. They didn't change the Bible text TOO much, but everywhere they did change it, they made it weaker by diminishing the diety of Jesus. In my humble opinion, the modern church's embracing of all the new versions is the worse thing to happen to the church in my lifetime, and it's one of the reasons why today's church has no power. We can't even read a passage together any more because everyone is reading out of a different version. Okay, I'll stop now before my blood pressure rises. Anyone wishing to know more may read the articles on my blog, or better yet, research it for yourself.
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