The vivid language of The Message pierces the hearts of readers and compels them to recognize their own lives from a new perspective—God’s perspective.
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The Message has captured the hearts of millions of readers, enriching their understanding of Scripture and deepening their faith. A few notable friends offer their reflections on the importance and lasting impact of this Bible.
I’ve been trying to explain what happened to me when The Message hit the scene. I first heard someone read a passage out loud during a public meeting. And something happened inside of me. The words were familiar, but they stirred something—they settled my heart and relaxed my brain.
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I had a conversation recently with someone regarding salvation and the afterlife. A death in her family had prompted her to ask questions about life beyond the grave, so we talked about faith in Jesus, and she showed a great deal of interest.
“Where can I read more about what Jesus said?” she asked.
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The woman I was counseling was a jagged-edged, hard-bitten woman who looked 60 though she had only turned 40 a week before this conversation. She held a small book in her hands that initially looked like a tract on steroids. I saw the word Psalms upside down but I couldn’t tell what version. Her sister…
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I didn’t encounter the transformative writings of Eugene Peterson until my mid-thirties, and that’s probably a good thing. Any earlier than that, and I’m afraid I might have dismissed them altogether. I wanted to save humanity, after all. My world was far too big for his earthy calls to local faithfulness.
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One of the most difficult things I’ve ever done is teach a Bible study at the Samaritan Center (SC), a drop-in center for the homeless. Some participants could not read, others could read a little, and still others had college degrees. I had to get right to the point without any flowery language.
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During my childhood, church was ever-present. My father was a pastor. Church was the sun around which we orbited. In church, I grew up hearing sermons about the Bible. For me, reading the Bible was another story—a confusing one. One day, I was crawling beneath the pews when I came upon a book.
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I ran into Jess in the grocery store one Sunday morning. She glanced around, as if to make sure we weren’t within earshot of another customer. Then she said, “So that Bible study you invited me to join?”
“Yes!” I replied, with what might have been an excessive amount of enthusiasm. “I’m so happy you want to come.”
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The thought of sitting at the table with Eugene Peterson had been on my mind for days. It was hard for me to wrap my mind around the thought that I would have the privilege of sharing a meal with a man whose influence in my life stretched back over decades. In my estimation, he had risen to the ranks of Christian “royalty.”
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It is truly impossible to quantify the impact of Eugene’s ministry on my life and ministry. I was introduced to him when, as a young pastor, I asked another pastor to recommend something to read devotionally, to supplement my usual Bible reading. He pulled off his shelf a worn paperback version of The Message, Eugene’s…
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"There's a translation of the Scripture that this guy Eugene
Peterson has undertaken. It has been a great strength to me. He's a poet and a scholar, and he's brought the
text back to the tone in which the books were written."
BONO, LEAD SINGER OF U2
(From “People of the Year: Bono,” by Bozza, Anthony. Rolling Stone, [December 6-13, 2001].
Copyright © 2001 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission.)
"The Message offers vibrant language that awakens my heart to
the wonders of God's Word again and again."
MARGARET FEINBERG, AUTHOR OF FIGHT
BACK WITH JOY
“Eugene Peterson brought the Scriptures to life with The
Message. Up until three years ago, I had never read through the entire Bible. To be honest, it just didn’t
keep my interest until I read The Message. Eugene has breathed new life into me as I begin my
fourth year of reading through The Message Bible.”
DAVE DRAVECKY, FORMER
PITCHER FOR THE SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
"The Message is original and refreshing. Eugene Peterson has
stayed true to the text and yet made it come alive for today's generation. I have already found myself
using The Message when I speak."
JIM BURNS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
HOMEWORD CENTER FOR YOUTH AND FAMILY AT AZUSA PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
Eugene's translation of the New Testament strikes me as
wonderfully alive. The Message is full of surprises, excitement, and the ring of authentic human
speech and feeling. My hope is that many will be moved as I was by its remarkable
freshness."
FREDERICK BUECHNER, AUTHOR OF THE SON OF LAUGHTER AND GODRIC
"Seems like forever since I've picked up a Bible that made
the stories so fresh and new. My name is on that long list of folks who love to read The Message. What
a friend this Bible has become."
MAX LUCADO, PASTOR AND BESTSELLING AUTHOR
"Many years ago Eugene Peterson gave us a precious gift
through his simple, yet eloquent rendition of Scripture in The Message Bible and I've always loved
the way passages spring to life through his unique interpretations."
TRICIA RHODES,
SPEAKER AND AUTHOR OF THE WIRED SOUL
"In this crowded world of Bible versions, Eugene Peterson's
blend of accurate scholarship and vivid idiom make this rendering both distinctive and distinguished.
The Message catches the logical flow, personal energy, and imaginative overtones of the original very well
indeed. It's a landmark and a triumph. Don't miss it!"
J.I. PACKER, AUTHOR OF KNOWING
GOD
"No modern rendering of the Bible has produced more clarity,
authenticity, and maturity for this century's global movement of God's grace than The Message. Our
team uses it every week."
DR. BRUCE MCNICOL, CEO, TRUEFACED; BESTSELLING CO-AUTHOR
of THE CURE
"The Message is so good it leaves me
breathless."
MADELEINE L'ENGLE, AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF A WRINKLE IN TIME
"The Message is never far away. I take it with me everywhere
I go. Eugene Peterson has translated God's Word into language so beautiful and understandable that it will
cause you to fall in love with Jesus all over again. Dr. Peterson has put the cookies on the lower
shelf—come and eat!"
MARK LOWRY, COMEDIAN, AUTHOR, SONGWRITER, AND SINGER