A word-for-word translation like the ESV translates this as Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkeys colt!, The Living Bible translates this as, Dont be afraid of your King, people of Israel, for he will come to you meekly, sitting on a donkeys colt! Taylors use of dont be afraid is evidence that he does not realize that the common Hebrew expression of fear not means to have confidence.. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. We love each other, and we're not using or abusing each other.". They must be self-controlled, sensible, well-behaved, friendly to strangers, and able to teach. Thank you for your comments on The Message, although not very well versed in the bible something in my gut told me that it was wrong. This mans interpretation is not always correct, nor is it always what the Spirit wants YOU to get from it. Yes. from. Thats why officials must have a good reputation and be faithful in marriage. Of course, here in America, the Bible has, until recently, been a . 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Instead, they must be kind and gentle and not love money. For instance, the English Standard Version, a word for word literal translation puts the Lords Prayer, from Matthew 6 as: Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. He asked his people to respect his grace in Numbers. 11 Give us today our daily bread. Be as shrewd as a snake, inoffensive as a dove. First, the Bible is dangerous to ignore. I had to sit through two church services tailored to support the churchs use of The Message. Jonathan Kotyk Today we have a different minister and new faces among the leadership. Did you know there are over 450 translations of the Bible in the English language alone? English Standard Version (ESV): preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. Almost all of Christianity is deceived and doesnt know the truth. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? Features [ edit] This should be emphasized whenever a preacher or teacher quotes from it, I believe. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Although most of these translations are not in wide use today, some are commonly used and unfortunately many fail to accurately and faithfully preserve the Word of God. Ignorant people are either unaware or uninformed. Those who gossip & slander are not in right fellowship with God (Rom. Garbage. Matthew 6:9 New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update 9 "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Authored by Eugene H. Peterson and published in segments from 1993 to 2002, [2] the MSG falls on the extreme dynamic end of the dynamic and formal equivalence spectrum. How hard are you working at understanding the scriptures? Reveal who you are. Is it still available? Rather than allowing the Bible to expand his understanding, Peterson has often contracted the Bible to fit his own ideas, omitting those bits that he cannot fit, and adding his own material in far too many places. One need only look at how the cultural mindset of those who use the Message tends towards a theologically liberal or completely postmodern way of looking at things. Learn why this "gospel lite" illusion is such a seductive, powerful delusion for Christians and how you can avoid it in your walk of faith. Like you, I too have had a past of far left and far right exposure politically and spiritually but these days I am where Jesus was Render unto Caesar what is Caesars and unto God what us Gods Follow the Great Commission. God's cautions are for our good, and ignoring His guidance and commands opens us up to being misled. 10 your kingdom come, [] Your trusty shepherds crook ", If you're reading The Message, it will go right over your head: "Those who use and abuse each other, use and abuse sex, use and abuse the earth and everything in it, don't qualify as citizens in God's kingdom. Some new Bibles are dangerous because of the theological bias of their translators. That is where true salvation begins. Throughout history, power has influenced a lot of good . The Message Bible is an English-language translation of the Christian scriptures compiled by Eugene Peterson and published in segments from 1993 to 2002. 'Our Father in heaven, Why is the belief of atheism so dangerous for the atheist? The Living Bible (TLB): When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and rejoiced in Pauls message; and as many as wanted eternal life, believed. The goal of The Message is to engage people in the reading process and help them understand what they read. This is not a study Bible, but rather ""a reading Bible."" The verse numbers, which are not in the original documents, have been left out of the print version to facilitate easy and enjoyable reading. Not the first. . Amen. Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. This is a useful place to start, given the controversy currently surrounding this popular, 84-year-old, Christian author. Samaritans and Jews also disagreed over their holy sites. In this case, divination is completely neutral. I will fear no evil, Here are a few really good reasons to be a little bit less confident in your ability to see the clear, intended meaning when you read the Bible: 1. Schedule III: Drugs with low to moderate potential for abuse and/or . That is our job. And this is why, as Bible Gateway general manager Rachel Barach told Christianity Today, "The Bible has been criticized, challenged, and banned by individuals, groups, and governments through centuries of persecution.". Matthew 3:7 Meaning lost: In Matt 3:7, John the Baptist challenges the sincerity of the Pharisees in requesting baptism and warns that they face God's wrath. 2) When pastors preach from it, it encourages people to use it, this is dangerous because the Message is full of errors, false doctrine, and occult philosophy. This is why HE he stated that the Sabbath was made for man, man wasnt made for the Sabbath. One such critic is biblical scholar and translator, Andrew G. Shead, who said in his article, Burning Scripture with Passion: A Review of The Psalms (The Passion Translation), that Simmons abandons all interest in textual accuracy, playing fast and loose with the original languages, and inserting so much new material into the text that it is at least 50% longer than the original. KJV vs. I have read and listened the audio of many different translation of the bible. I was appalled and immediately went home and read A LOT . Smoking cigarettes is a sin. The pdf file can be accessed at https://tinyurl.com/exz3t6bm and printed out. A confused sheep relies more readily on the institution for support. But nowhere in Scripture is sound thinking discouraged. The answer to why people spend so much time studying the Bible is simple: it is the Word of God! "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. - is the Word of God? You set out at the beginning of the year to read the Bible every day. Gossip always distorts and exaggerates, and is never a reliable source of truth. And there were other translation before the KJ Bible. English Standard Version (ESV): Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? [2], According to the Introduction to the New Testament of The Message, its "contemporary idiom keeps the language of the Message (Bible) current and fresh and understandable". 1 Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need! We should remember that a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Its an important doctrinal point that the modern church seems to have largely forgotten. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Samaritans only recognized the first 5 books of the Bible, rejecting the remaining books of the Hebrew Bible. Photo Credit: Unsplash/Tom Morel Read more Talking to the Dead in the Bible. My answer to the question remains the same today as it has always been: The Message is not a translation and should not be used as your primary Bible. Look for Part 2 of this article, where we will review the top 5 Bible translations to use. 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. I read through your points and paused when I came to your 2nd point bottom of the 2nd paragraph you say that Eugene Peterson did not speak about Gods attributes when saying there is nothing in there speaking about any of Gods attributes at the end to the prayer. If you look up NIV Matt. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. To see additional comparisons other than what is listed below, visit Bible Gateway, where you can view parallel translations of this translation (and any of the other poor translations featured in this article) with the ESV (or any other reliable translation) side by side. It is a trap that ensnares the poor and the weak and leads them away from the love of Christ. Indeed, a day of judgment is coming (2:12-22, 24:1-23), so let all the nations of the earth take heed. I think my actions sent out a shockwave in the spiritual realm. English Standard Version (ESV): The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Regarded as sacred and authoritative, such a complex collection of histories, legends, allegories and images becomes a monstrous Rorschach blot in which you can picture almost . Set the world right; Rooted in his "translation" philosophy, Peterson has produced a "Message" which is nothing more than a commentary published as a translation. The message of the book of Isaiah to the world begins with warning. For a fair assessment of Dr. Peterson's comments and retraction this week, see Bill Muehlenberg's article here. Bibles are banned and those found in possession of one face imprisonment, torture and even death - as do up to three generations of their family. Their hunger outweighed concrete religion. So, if the Bible is the Word of God, and God is perfect, it follows that the Bible must be perfect, too. It's called " The Passion Translation, " written by Brian Simmons of Stairway Ministries. 6 the end of the Lords Prayer is about forgiving not Gods attributes you may be confusing scripture with the Doxology/song. Isaiah was born in 760 B.C. Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. Firstly, ALL Bibles such as NKJV, NIV etc are paraphrasing. This is something Ive had some trouble with at my church because speakers were prone to read out passages from The Message as part of the church service. Amen. This is clearly what Eugene Peterson is looking at, since otherwise the prayer should end after deliver us from evil, or as the paraphrase puts it (I hesitate to call it a paraphrase, since a true paraphrase keeps the original thought intact), keep us safe from ourselves and the devil. I would point out that theres a huge difference between deliverance and keeping safe. Favorites and Bookmarks for your favorite bible verses. Eugene Petersons translation of The Message removes this idea of worrying about paying for clothing and instead warns against vanity and attention to fancy clothing. Psalm 119:1-2. Joe, this is an incredible story that you shared. This premise, however, is dangerous and has been the cause of much bigotry, intolerance, injustice and pain.The truth is that there is no proof that this collection of books is the Word of God. One of those churches is the enormously popular Bethel Church (for a deeper look at Bethels unorthodox heretical practices and their use of The Passion Translation, see my article, Bethel's False Gospel). Power . There was no malice in eating and therefore not offensive. The only significant addition Peterson added was changing what the Bible actually said. Gossip always contributes to a problem and never to a solution. The Messages technique in translating the original text is so casual in its approach that NavPress, publisher of The Message, says, It's not meant to replace your current version of choice. Updated Jan 9, 2023. Lets all be careful and remember William Tyndale who first translated the bible to English but encountered fierce opposition and was killed(burnt at stake) but his work has a very large impact on the King James Version (the most accepted version of the bible) That's not to say that the Bible contains no truths worthy of study. ( Matthew 24:4-5) It was then I got on the internet and read A LOT more and studied LOTS. Do you believe that the KJV did not paraphrase. He goes so far as to say it's a form of sacrilege to speak of God in language that is "inflated into balloons of abstraction or diffused into the insubstantiality of lacey gossamer." The Message is a tool that, while not subjectively perfect for some, is quite ideal for others. In my opinion, The Message is a bit like the ring in Lord of the Rings: theres always someone who thinks it will be all right to use it and who doesnt want to let go of it. (23 October 2018). How do we know which book - The Bible, the Apocrypha, the Qur'an, the Book of Mormon, etc. The cult, of course, believes that these teachings must be preserved and protected from change. Taking away and adding to ie Going to the casino is a sin. "You have something divine in your hands: a book like fire! But whatever it is, it STILL shouldnt be twisting scripture. Peterson's assertion that the New Testament was written in the "street language" of the day is misleading. There were phone calls and emails to the minister, as well as people appearing at the church office to complain about me to him in person. In Matthew 3:7, Jesus speaks to the people and calls them a brood of vipers. In reality, the Lord doesn't need men to make His words more "readable." The Spirit is more than capable of bringing an understanding to anyone as the Lord wills and as we devote ourselves to study of it. You should seek understanding through the Holy Spirit, not through the eyes of man. Even the most liberal seminary would fail a student who turned in an essay full of Message quotes (at least I hope they would). There are words in every language that does and does not exist in another language. 1:28-32). On the other hand, a man oozing with love and compassion can err by tolerating everything and everyone, thus compromising God's truth. We are called to be His examples, His disciples. I just recently found your article that was written in 2017 as I was searching for errors in the Message. Share your favorite bible verse with your friends. Did the Bible copy other religious myths, legends, and traditions? Thank you! Word-for-word is a more literal translation of the original language used and puts more of the onus on the reader to discover the intended meaning of the author. And so I tell you, Peter: you are a rock, and on this rock foundation I will build my church, and not even death will ever be able to overcome it. You're going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don't call attention to yourselves. One of the most dangerous Bible revisions on the market today is "THE MESSAGE." This horrible PERversion which butchers the Word of God was published in 2002. . The Message communicates their lack of sincerity, but it loses the message of God's coming wrath. 1)It is often presented as being a Bible translation in modern language. 4 Even when walking through the dark valley of death I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me, guarding, guiding all the way. Bible translations are usually broken down into three major categories: Word-for-word or Formal Equivalence, Thought-for-Thought or Dynamic Equivalence, and Paraphrase. will not get you closer to GOD. Problems With Peterson's Philosophical Approach. Would I use it as my only version? 10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Your kingdom come, For this truth did not come to you from any human being, but it was given to you directly by my Father in heaven. In this powerful message, Pastor Doug investigates a very real threat facing the church in the last days: Satan's plan to neutralize the transforming power of the gospel. About ten people in total complained about me that week. Your email address will not be published. A church that uses the Message, is a church that has let culture invade the Kingdom. Witnesses, who also changed the Bible around to fit what they wanted to say, they created the NWT Bible. I had never heard of this Message until a couple of weeks ago when the leader at the church I attend put up verses on the front screen with the abbreviation after the scripture. Or even that the sacrificed child is evil. Paraphrase is often written by a single author who translates the Bible in their own words, sometimes not even using the original biblical languages as a foundation. He helps me do what honors him the most. Gossip often thrives upon secrecy. The Message Bible Good vs. 3 he refreshes my soul. It is a potential danger even for those who avoid its more obvious . Does this post violate any norms, rules, or others that you aware of? 1. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, same sex, homosexuality, trey pearson, everyday sunday, christian rock, love is love, back to school, anxiety, fear, college, worry, peace, Burning Scripture with Passion: A Review of The Psalms (The Passion Translation). This eventually led to the Reformation led by Martin Luther. I reminded them that we are told to have no fellowship with darkness (Ephesians 5:11) which should mean we dont use that book as a resource. There is a tool for every job. your rod and your staff, Confess to God. With verse markings (The Message: The Numbered Edition): This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 03:21. These drugs can be obtained through prescription. The Message is not only a poor paraphrase, but it is, in fact,heretical. I also showed church leaders other occult words in The Message such as Light-bearers and Divine Guardians. John Clark: Ise, thank you for sharing and for your openness. why is x2 closed at magic mountain; ul858 household electric ranges standard for safety; barron trump height problem; dr sebi daughter; growth mindset activities for high school pdf why the message bible is dangerous. I remember complaining that if the church hall was hired for a function, as it often was, a member of the local community could come in, pick up the copy of The Message from the bookshelf and read a false gospel in it. Isaiah lived this name well, insisting that Judah's kings and people trust only in God, make no alliances with foreign nations, and refuse to fear anyone but God. To be fair, a more accurate comparison might be to the Jehovas 13 Dont bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil One. Authored by Eugene H. Peterson and published in segments from 1993 to 2002. you find me quiet pools to drink from. In Luke 9:61-62, we read of Jesus' conversation with a person who wanted to follow Him, but was denied due to this reason. Solomon's example can teach us a lesson about how dangerous compromise with God's law can be. There are sections where the message really brings an idea into easy-to-understand language, but for me there is far too much dumbing down and softening of scripture. By dictionary definition, power is the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events. Through Jesus Christ, we have been freed from the bondage of sin and death. Readings from the book continued the same as before with the problems swept under the rug. 4 Even when the way goes through Ken is currently working on a Bible app (Wave Parallel Bible) with a team of scholars which links words and phrases from nine major Bible translations, including The Message. Dear Jonathan, 16 "Stay alert. Required fields are marked *. In his book on Bible reading, Eat This Book, Eugene Peterson writes about his motivations in writing The Message. your will be done, (To get more detail on The Living Bible, see Michael Marlowes detailed review here on bible-researcher.com). I dont need a thing. Excellent observations on The Message. Its always better to refer to Scripture than to quote any pastor, preacher, biblical scholar, theological professor, etc., no matter where they are in their walk with Christ. Looking back to past success can be very dangerous to our progress, and might hinder us from living out a life that grows more abundant with each coming day. Then it happens, some how a day slips by and you realize that you didn't read the your Bible. However, as a very free paraphrase, it is sometimes powerful and brilliant while at other times it is seriously off target. Translation is from one language to another. He acted out of grace in Exodus. It depends, largely, on how you read it with what prejudices and with what intellectual background. I appreciate the years of effort that were put into it, and I recognize it for what it is, with all its great strengths and great weaknesses. Many dangerous theological errors are found throughout the GNT, including distortions of the divinity of Christ, removing references to Jesus blood, misrepresentations of Jesus virgin birth, removing references to hell, salvation being distorted, etc. North Korea - In this totalitarian state, the only thing that North Koreans are permitted to worship is the nation's leader, Kim Jong-un. I showed him the many websites that spring up connecting this phrase to Satanism and other forms of the occult. Our Father in heaven, He is emphasizing how these same-sex acts are flatly contrary to God's design and also explaining how, historically, the human race was given over to idolatry and sin.). For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. That type of persuasion keeps them in the dark. Youre ablaze in beauty! The purpose of those are the same as the Message, which is to make it more understandable to the reader. So notice: The Bible is not meant to be placed on a shelf, but to be in your hands, to read oftenevery day, both on your own and together with others.". God says, in Isaiah 1:18, "Come now and let us reason together." With alcohol use we temporarily and permanently stupefy our reasoning powers. Join thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post. However, despite this attractive feature, it is not a translation that should be used for the seriousness of Bible study, as the simplistic use of English in the Good News Translation has come at a price. HE did say murder is a sin, which is ending the life of another human. he leads me beside quiet waters, We no longer need to be slaves to the ways of this world; instead, we can walk according to Gods will and purpose for our lives. Here are five countries where owning a Bible is dangerous. Clean Up Your Email. Jesus referred to sinners as a brood of vipers to remind people that sin can be deceptive and hard to recognize, and that they should strive for righteousness if they want to avoid Gods punishment. In sum, my view today of The Messageis the same as it has been for years, unchanged by the controversial events of this week. Perhaps you can give me a link to read it? The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language ( MSG) is a paraphrase of the Bible in contemporary English. Reach out to [emailprotected] when you have time. 1. Okay to get to the point, desire for the truth even if it means finding out everything you ever thought to be true was not, and you will, then asking Yahweh (God) to unblind you and guide you to the truth as you search for it and for protection from satanic deception so you wont be deceived. Especially when our own pastor prayed the Lords prayer in Peterson speak. He commanded them to remember his grace in Deuteronomy. 5. God bless. (For the record, Paul was not saying here that homosexual couples are incapable of love or that all homosexuals are sex fiends. And whenever I see people carrying The Messageinto church services, I groan, since I assume that, for those people, it istheir Bible. answer the question why the message bible is dangerous, which will help you get the most accurate answer. The most dangerous verses in the Bible will have no bearing on us when we are saved and sure; not placing our faith in the work that we have done, but rather in Christ and His finished work. May your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven. 713 (Dis)Honorable Mention: Two translations that most Christians know to avoid but should still be mentioned are the New World Translation (NWT), which was commissioned by the Jehovahs Witness cult and the Readers Digest Bible, which cuts out about 55% of the Old Testament and another 25% of the New Testament (including Revelation 22:19, which says, if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book). Unjust people who don't care about God will not be joining in his kingdom. The CEV uses an even more simplified version of English than the GNT. What is more alarming is that the church congregation relies on the over head screen to read the scriptures presented. The second most dangerous way to read the Bible is to let someone create preconceived notions for you. Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. This phrase is used to describe someone who is wicked and deceitful, as snakes are often seen as symbols of evil in the Bible. This is hazardous work I'm assigning you. As a white male . Use it, then, in a supplemental way and, where it really nails things or clarifies things, learn from it. Also Amen means something different in every denomination. Therefore, readers put a great deal more faith in the translators, as they are trusting their interpretation. The minister told the other speakers not to use The Message anymore. . Some do know the truth but you will only know that by discovering it yourself. The King James Version 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. I got some belated support and encouragement. Refusing to know God, they soon didn't know how to be human either women didn't know how to be women, men didn't know how to be men. Like I said, it is a commentary, not a translation and it should be treated as such. Many believers enjoy reading The Message because of its modern appeal; however, it is important to recognize that this unconventional version can have serious detrimental implications. HE speaks of things to steer clear of because they will more likely than not lead you to sin. The same would be true for other versions or translations of the Bible, no? Jesus promises his disciples a reward in heaven for being persecuted and falsely accused in his name.