Hey, My Darling Siestas!
I am at the Houston airport about to board my flight toward Stockton. So excited to see you California girls! A day or two ago Melissa sent me an answer to an email question she’d received to see if I’d approve it. Not only did I approve it, I asked her if she’d let me post it because a number of you might have had similar questions about Bible translations. This particular question pertains to the Message translation but we get similar questions about all sorts of translations. This is the kind of thing she and I did with our Lit class. It was so much fun. Man oh man, I love having my two daughters on this blog team so much. One thing you can count on around here is all sorts of different type posts! So let’s move from Amanda, Annabeth, and me at the Tea Room (where we did INDEED have some deep spiritual conversation amid our coconut cake – make no mistake, AJ is the deepest thinker in our family) to Melissa, our resident Bible technician. We all love serving you so much!
Off to California! Pray us a ton of Jesus!
The question in a nutshell:
I am having a very hard time putting my mind around using the Message as text for this first lesson…When I look up the Message in the Bible Gateway, it doesn’t even resemble NIV, let alone some of the other translations. I am not a KJV gal, but this is a stretch. Please help me understand. Sincerely with a searching heart.
OK, here’s Melissa’s response to the question (which has been tweaked some for purposes of posting it on a public forum):
Dear __________________,
You ask a very good question. What I appreciate most about people who are concerned with particular Bible translations is that they display a respect for the integrity of the Word of God. They don’t want people messing with it or putting their dirty little hands on it. And I totally get that.
We believe wholeheartedly in using many translations at Living Proof. To be fair, the Message is a true translation and not a paraphrase which people often assume. Eugene Peterson translates straight from the Greek and the Hebrew while a true paraphrase usually re-words or “paraphrases” an existing English translation and not the original languages. Peterson’s approach, however, is to elevate contemporary meaning and significance over the original meaning and traditional biblical idiom(s). As Fee and Stuart explain, “Peterson’s intent was to recapture the tone, to bring out the subtleties and nuances of the Hebrew and Greek languages while keeping a sense of the firsthand experience for contemporary readers. Peterson often asked himself, “If Paul were the Pastor of my church, how would he say this? or “If Jesus were here teaching, what would it sound like?” (see Fee and Strauss, “How to Choose a Translation for All Its Worth”, 33). Even though Peterson is a solid scholar and a brilliant artist with language, I would not recommend using The Message as a primary text but as a supplementary text. And my guess is that Eugene Peterson himself would never have intended for The Message to replace major English translations like the NASB, ESV, or NIV that have all been birthed by major oversight and translation committees. When used in a supplementary manner The Message really is an absolutely beautiful translation. I personally use the NASB as my primary text along with consulting the Greek and the Hebrew but I don’t consider my reading or study complete without comparing a plethora of English translations (including NASB, ESV, NRSV, NIV, NLT, KJV, and many others). I would keep in mind that every English text of the Bible is a translation except the Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. To take it one step further, every translation includes some interpretation. There is just no getting away from that. And even those who have had the opportunity to study Greek and Hebrew are still studying human languages. God spoke and continues to speak through human beings, a fact that is downright humbling and astounding in and of itself.
I totally hear your heart and understand your concern which is that you would like to use the closest “literal” rendering of God’s Word that is available to us and if that is the case I would use an NASB or an ESV. An NIV is still a mediating translation but keep in mind there are great things to be said about mediating translations. Many would argue that there are serious advantages to a good mediating translation which is why so many Pastors and lay-people still use the NIV. There are three major types of translations and each have different goals: Formal Equivalence, Mediating, and Functional Equivalence. All three of these types have pros and cons which are worth contemplating and the best thing to do, in my opinion, is compare all of them and then study up on what the editors and translators were trying to do in the first place. It is always a good idea to read the Editor’s notes in the front of a particular Bible. The introduction will usually explain the method behind the translation theory and also the person or committee that was involved in the translation process. This is, of course, a very brief response and much more could be said on the matter. If you continue to have questions concerning translations I would do some intentional reading into translation theory. A very user-friendly and readable book on this very issue is called “How to Choose a Translation for All Its Worth” by Gordon Fee and Mark L. Strauss. I highly recommend it. I hope this helps you! Blessings to you.
Cordially,
Melissa Fitzpatrick
I love what Karla wrote about how great it is we can share questions here and not be made to feel dumb or stupid, but know we are all here to love, support and teach. It would be great if you periodically answered questions from your vault for those of us who are too embarrassed or even ignorant to ask!
Thanks for sharing this answer!
Good to know from someone how has actually studied this!
Wow…You really ARE a Rock Star.
Cordially,
Jan
I love this response. Printed it out. Stuck it in my Bible.
I just think Melissa Moore Fitzpatrick is the bomb.
In fact, Beth, I just remembered you sharing in Believing God (I believe) about how your girls took their place in ministry as little youngsters when you would tell them that you would have to leave for the weekend and their job in the ministry was to feed the dog and do other things until you got back.
I can't even imagine the joy you feel having them both serving…and SERVING WELL…alongside you as young women!
What a blessing they are to us…as you have been.
Have a great weekend, friend,
Dori
P.S. I went to the RC Cola and MoonPie Festival in Bell Buckle, TN this past weekend. Freshest MoonPies I have ever tasted. Of course it was about 175 blazin' degrees so they were a little melty…but I ate one in the Moore's honor! 🙂
I have to say this is what I LOVE about this blog. We go from baby stuff and cake pictures to deep spiritual issues and back again. Just like good girl friends – we care about the deep and the surface because it's all part of this crazy life God gave us. My very closest friends are the ones who can bounce back between the two extremes and it all makes total sense. Thanks again for this blog!
Thank you Melissa,
This was very helpful to me as I was feeling a bit concerned about the Message too so this really helped a lot. I am NIV girl and I love it but I like to look at other translations also on verses especially if I am trying to get the meaning. YOu a smart cookie my dear and we just love you.
love
Tammy S.
Have you checked out biblenet.org? It is supposed to be a very accurate translation, using all the new info archeologists find for a more accurate translation.
Back in 2005, I was struggling with a stinkin' hotel room at The Opryland Hotel. It was our first time to stay there and we were so excited but the room we got had serious issues so we requested a room change. Unfortunately, the hotel was sold out so we had to stay put. I was whiny and mad UNTIL God gave me a timely Word from my parallel bible through the Message. Galations 3:11 smacked me up side the head. It says, "The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him." I decided right then and there that I needed to EMBRACE the accommodations that God had arranged personally for us so I did. This word immediately changed my attitude about the situation and spoke more specifically to me and my meltdown. I know God uses the Message to speak because it was clearly what I needed to hear. The NIV says Gal. 3:11 this way, "The righteous will live by faith." I love this post, Melissa, and I appreciate your insight. Praying for Cali! Dana
Interesting. I honestly did not realize that The Message was a translation, I believed it was a paraphrase. Good to know. Thank you for this post. 🙂
Thank you Melissa! I use the NIV, and also have been hesitant about using the Message. It just sounds so…. I don't know, unscriptural? Sorry! I really haven't looked into it, so thank you for giving us this great info!
Melissa,
Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't there some translations that are "word for word" and some that are "thought for thought."
Sometimes the "word for word" fail in the ability for the reader to comprehend the meaning. In a "thought for thought" translation different words might be used, but the meaning is easier to understand.
During our SSBS today, we found Psalm 19 so much more beautiful in The Message. We all agreed that it is much more picturesque and meant so much more to us when we were looking for the ways God speaks to us.
Thanks, Melissa, for your insights in this post.
I'd like to post anomously today because I don't want to be "looked down on" because of my very different view of translations. I am from a very strict denomination that believes that the KJV is the preserved copy of the Bible for the English speaking people. I don't have all the facts that have been given to me in this argument but it's something to do with the texts that it was translated from versus other "corrupted" texts. All that is too deep for me to really "get" but this argument does makes sense and that is that a bunch of different versions cause confusion. If someone is reading from one version and you have 3 or 4 different versions that listeners are reading from….you have some degree of confusion.
I certainly don't claim to know more than those of you who use other versions. I just believe that because some of the versions differ SO greatly in meaning in some verses….some being entirely left out….that they surely can't all be equal.
I do constantly use Bible dictionaries, commentaries and concordances to help me to understand the KJV. It is a beautiful language and I am satisfied with it for myself. I don't distance myself from others that believe all Bibles are equal though as maybe you think I might. I'm really a nice person. 🙂 Just thought that I would post a straight line, hard nose point of view….and hope to not be stoned and thrown over the wall. ha
Having said all that, I do want you to know that I love Beth's teaching so very much! I have learned a lot from just the one Bible study I have gone through with her so far. Looking forward to many more!
God bless all of you!
Melissa,
Your brain is awesome. Thanks for sharing it. 🙂
I have to admit that I, too, was a little nervous when I saw the suggested translation for Psalm 119 was, "The Message".
Time for a pride-check, because I ran across this verse:
"So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."
Isaiah 55:11 KJV
I am open to all translations but have always had my gaurd up with The Message. I still do- but after reading that verse in Isaiah and reading this post, I do realize that the word of God will accomplish what he needs, and will not return to him void or empty. Somebody, somewhere is going to get what they need, how they need it. And that is a wonderful thing to sit and think upon.
Although I will stick to using PRAYER for understanding, a commentary, concordance and dictionary with my translation- I just wanted to let you all know I appreciate the opportunity through your blog to see things from a different light!!! 🙂
Thanks for doing it with grace and wisdom!
Thank you so much Melissa for this explanation. You see, I feel the same way as Katie ~ I'd love to understand how to "read" the bible. I use an NIV that my brother gave to me when he was trying to lead me to the Lord. I wouldn't trade that bible for anything. But, as I do my bible studies, I find myself looking up other versus with other bible versions. I sure do enjoy being able to get the different interpretations.
But the problem seems to be that I only understand the verse because of the bible study. I'm so intimidated (?) to read my bible because I end up reading it like a book and can't hardly remember what I read the next day. I've been trying to take it in smaller bites and meditate on it throughout the day. Is that how you do it?
Like the rest of us, I'm so happy to have you here to teach us. What wonderful role models you all are to this new Christian.
I grew up on the KJV and loved it and still have scripture memorized from that version. But…I study now from the NIV and love it. I love to read the Message at night before I go to bed just as good reading. I like it also to help understand difficult to interpret passages of scripture. My children love the Message version as it is easy for them to understand. They memorize scripture fromt KJV and NIV. I believe they are all useful for teaching and instruction in some respect.
Thank you for answering this question as many of us needed an answer exactly as you gave it Melissa. I am seeing in some of your most recent post, that siestaville will be a great benefactor from your education and your generosity and willingness to share it with us.
Praying Jesus all over you this weekend Beth!! You go girl…they need a fresh Word from the Living God….you give it to them.
Royana
Jaycee,
Yes, that is one of the arguments that some people make against "word for word" translations- their point is that the translator cannot be bound by having to translate word for word especially in the cases of Hebrew/Greek idiom because a word for word translation would not produce the correct original meaning. In some cases, it would not produce any meaning at all in English. Anyone who has taken Spanish would understand that argument… it is just a basic issue in the translation process. Thanks for you insight and thank you for writing.
Love,
Melissa
I had to laugh when I once came across a NT verse in the Message translation that said something about how "all the women brought casseroles…" Haha. Casseroles.
But excellent question, as I have often felt uneasy regarding The Message as "true" scripture, and there are certainly those out there who are very critical of it and thus scared me away for awhile. Thank you for answering this Melissa and giving some perspective on translation.
Anonymous,
Thank you for writing. And you will not be looked down upon for using the KJV here. And you are right, the KJV is based on a different textual base, the Textus Receptus. The other modern versions use the critical edition of Greek manuscripts which are actually older manuscripts. There are a number of books you could read that would inform you about the differences between the KJV and most modern versions. One fairly boring but good book is called "A General Introduction to the Bible: From Ancient Tablets to Modern Translations" by David Ewert. Thank you for writing and know that you don't have to comment anonymously.
Love,
Melissa
Man. That was a like a peanut-butter M&M, Melissa — tiny package, bright coating, packed with substance.
Personally, I love The Message because I grew up so deep in the church, the Bible has a tendency to feel stale to me. The Message makes it feel fresh and come alive. It makes me sit up and actually READ and not anticipate the next word. It's not great for study (as Eugene Peterson has freely acknowledged), but it's great for the sheer love of the Bible.
(Peterson actually wrote a book about that — "Eat this Book.")
You put into words how I feel when someone tries to tell me it is KJV or nothing. Personally NASB has been my favorite since about 1980. It is my Study Bible, and the one that has the most writing in it, and notes and such..
Thank you for your imput!! When I get told the King James thing, my arguement is that it also is just a translation.. but of course, the other person is right, because it is the King James, ya' know.. I just let it go,there is nothing to changing the othrs mind, so they have their way and the rest of us our view!
love you guys!
Delilah Berryville AR
Very interesting,, Melissa. I didn't really know the differences between translations. I like The Message cause it seems so simple. I have a study Bible that is NKJV. Once in a while I will use an NIV. That's the translation my youngest daughter has.
Beth, I truly regret that I will not be able to make it to Stockton this time. I am praying for you. Make an impact!
Kels
Thanks for lots of food for thought, Melissa. Appreciate your efforts to clarify things for us~
Warm in Alaska.
I didn't read through all of the comments and I hope no one asked this already.
What do you say to those who would argue that the KJV is the ONLY one that is acceptable? I seem to run into that argument a lot. While I love the poetic sound of the KJV, I usually have to go to the NIV or another more modern translation to grasp the meaning of certain phrases.
Oh, and thank your for clearing up the Message question for me too! I had shied away from it in the past!
Melissa,
I should have known that I would not be ostracized HERE….of all places….for using the KJV only.
Thank you for your very sweet reply. I am humbled.
And I am in awe of the depth of your genius mind! You remind me of my children who boggle my mind when we talk on "deep" things!
Again….thanks for your very kind response!
For today, I still remain anonomous. 🙂 But only to finish what I started….not because I feel anymore that I would be "looked down on".
God bless you!
very good explanation, I love comparing translations . it took a while to get use to the Message but I love it. As you said though I dont use it for everything it is not my go to scripture. I still use my old New american Standard that I got for my 21st birthday….Im 51 now…I cant seem to let it go. It has scribles in it from my kids, chewed corners from past puppies and notes from today and many yesterdays
Melissa – Thanks so much for enlightening us. It was so helpful!
My family started going to church when I was about 6 years old. The Pastor used the Living Bible – the totally paraphrased one. When I was about 13, I went to a church who used only the King James Version. Talk about version-shock! :o) But you know what? I loved them both. The Living Bible was easy on my child-brain and I learned to love God's Word. The KJV sounded so scholarly yet poetic and I actually learned to study the Bible. Today my absolute favorite is the Amplified. The more words, the better! But I do love NIV, NLT, ESV, and the Message.
I must admit I worry at times that the translation is not doing God's Word justice. I would love to hear God Himself say it to me – in English, of course! Since this is not happening very often ;o), I like to grab an armful of translations and compare away!
Thanks again for the post! Makes me want to go read a stack of Bibles.
Contemporary bible to go along with contemporary music.
Now THIS is the stuff I absolutely love to learn about. I just got back from a youth conference where we discussed translations and I realized I didn't know much about anything when it comes to translations. So, thank you so much.
For those who have commented about it, at the youth conference I was at, our morning sermons were about how to effectively study the Bible. I realized when they mentioned what they were going to talk about that in my 22 years of life, I haven't even been taught how to study the Bible. It was an eye-opening few days for me, but would LOVE for us to have some posts on this blog from Miss Beth, Melissa and Amanda on how to effectively read the Bible. I think it would be great for all of us siestas!
~Sarah
THanks for the post. I actually like reading the introductions of different translations so I can get a better grasp of the people who worked on it. God is so awesome to gift so many people so that I can read His Word in my own language. Praise Him!!!
To the Siesta who wanted to be able to "study" the Bible better. I recommend the Rick Warren's Bible Study Methods book. It is filled with 12 different types of ways to study the Bible and gives great examples of each, along with the study 'forms' for you to use as well. It is WONDERFUL.
Blessings to all,
Pat from Kansas
To all,
There are definitely blessings and cursings to living in a country where we have such a plethora of translations- sometimes it can be confusing but on the other hand it gives us readers an idea of the exegetical questions the various translators are asking.
To Delilah,
The KJV argument is a little more complicated because it doesn't just entail a different theory about translation but the actual textual base. If you are interested in reading about it, definitely check out the Fee and Strauss book that I mentioned.
I love you all!
Melissa
Your the girl Melissa Fitzpatrick! I have never fretted over this but I have always wondered about it and your answer to help us with it was clear and concise. Thankful for your deep and thick thinking. You help all of us go to the next level with God and the things of God! Thanks for always thinking about us and helping us as we walk with our beautiful God! We all need a "plethora" of Christian friends just like versions of the Word!
Theresa
Beth: I not only like it, I LOVE IT! Thank you for posting Beth, and thank you to Melissa for writing such a thorough reply.
I absolutely LOVE my Bibles. I fret when one of the pages gets bent or folded over. I don't leave them lying in my car, or in the sun – I'm just a little weird that way… 🙂
I am blessed to have every translation you mentioned as well as a couple of parallel texts, and an antique one too! A treasure is my paternal granny's Bible with notes, napkins, letters, things written on envelopes, etc. stuffed all inside. She had poured over the Psalms so much you can barely see the pages…priceless to me.
I love to read back and forth between texts, and there is nothing more precious that to simply sit and READ the Message translation for the pure joy of the way it flows. If it were music, it would be "legato" and not "staccato." It is smooth reading.
But as Melissa said so eloquently, if I'm "a studying up a storm," it's my NASB, ESV, KJV, or NKJV that I'm gathering up – along with my Strong's and Bible dictionaries.
Now I am unable to read the Biblical languages as our Melissa can, but I love to search a word out and study it through and through. Nothing better than a good word study!
Melissa – my favorite part of your post is when you acknowledged the fact that God even speaks to us today is humbling in itself! Amen and Amen.
Beth – prayed and praying for you in Stockton. Prayed for a good night's sleep on Friday night – and clarity of mind and thought!
Much Love,
GJ "Georgia Jan"
Great thoughts, Melissa! Can you sum up in a sentence or paragraph the difference between Formal Equivalence, Mediating, and Functional Equivalence some time?
Melissa,
I just marvel at your knowledge! Thank you so much for your insights! I enjoy using different translations when I am studying a passage, and often use the Message when I'm struggling to understand it and need it put in simpler terms for this blonde! 🙂
Blessings
Michelle
Thank-you, that was important information for all of us. I hope you'll continue to share these types of questions and responses with the whole siesta community.
p.s. my word verification is "imentor"….which is what I have just started, with this study as our jumping off place. Cool!
Melana
Thanks Melissa and all the gang at Living Proof. This very post is one of the reasons, (right there at the top), I enjoy this blog so much. Your honest and highly informed response is so right-on, positive AND encouraging. I have heard many arguements, (good and bad), that take us away from the very reason why we read God's word in the first place. He and His Word is TRUE and we desperately need it these days, no matter what the translation/paraphrase we look at. Thanks once again for your deligence!
I love looking at various translations, but an added blessing is to have a son who studies the original languages. Because he is doing this study with me, I had him translate some of the verses we have to look up. We found a real gym in Psalm 139:17, which seems to convey a dual meaning that not only are His thoughts precious, but WE are precious in His thoughts – AMAZING! Me? Amazing! and humbling. This truly added a little clorox to my thought closet garments.
Thank you Melissa, loved this post!I know I will refer back to the info in it often. Thanks again for taking God's word so seriously and using the gifts he blessed you with!
Sistah in Missourah
Can I confess? Our 1st grade son had read his 400-page, story-based Bible – what a great thing for a child to outgrow a translation so soon. After hours in the Lifeway store, I found what is called an NIV-R. It's an NIV for what is educationally called Emergent Readers (1st thru maybe 4th grade). They simplified it in ways to make reading AND following easy. For example, there are some bodies of water that have several different names, but they have chosen one, typically the most primary name, to always refer to that particular body of water. Some of the passages have been simplified. The meaning is still there, but it's just grammatically broken down. And I love that translation. I've been a little embarassed to admit it. Until now. Thanks for letting me come out into the light with that one.
Peace,
Kim Feth
Apex, NC
Dear Melissa,
Awesome! Thanks for explaining it so well.
I'm grateful that we live in a country (and age) where we have access to so many translations at our fingertips, and I use a number of them – including The Message – to understand Scripture as best as my human mind can comprehend. I love using The Message – and appreciate it even more after your explanation.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge on this blog. I love, love, love the theological discussions (as well as the Moon Pie ones). 🙂
Thank you for posting this!! I've had this same question and it was answered SO clearly!! This blog is a tremendous blessing to me! Thank you!
Thanks for the information. I wa not sure If the Message was trustworth or not.
Thank you so much for this post. I cannot tell you how many times I've questioned translations. For me, this is a very special subject because my MIL is deaf-blind and I have interpreted for her. I pray the entire time I'm interpreting a sermon for her that my "words" be ones inspired by the Holy Spirit, the ones the Lord would have me use. Its gotten to the point that I keep two different translations with me and my computer next to me while I work on Bible studies. I can be a bit obsessive, but I love to know the true word of God. I find most of the time, the NKJV works best for me.
Dear Melissa.
I appreciate your letter and your incredible determination to search out scripture as you do. I am a KJV only. Ask your mom! Though I have softened my tone. I know that a searching soul could find God in any one of those versions you listed. But, I think wanting or being a strong student of the Word, it is important to know what is exactly scripted by using the Greek and/or Hebrew so to know what the verse is saying.
I've read a book called "Which Version is the Bible" by Floyd Jones. Floyd has a PH.D as well as a TH.D and an humble man. Get this, before becoming a Christian he was a Paleontologist, Geophysicist, District Geophysicist and other positions then resigned and in 1974 and pursed biblical studies. He began to teach the Bible on Tuesday's and Thursday nights. He gave all his teaching tapes away free and in all those years supported his wife and two girls with teaching and never asked for a dime for his tapes. Obviously people were lead to support him. He said, "freely I've received, freely I give" and never was in want for money to provide for his family and told his wife the day he did not have the money to provide he would work a secular job. He never had too. That was amazing to me.
Here is something Floyd wrote in the book:
Certain scholars have altered the crucial doctrine of "preservation" to that of "restoration" – and most text critics do not believe that such restoration is even any longer possible. Moreover the fall out from this places another of the most basic doctrines under attack, the doctrine of the divine inspiration of the text. Consequently, in so doing, they have destroyed the faith of many such that no longer are certain that they do have God's Word in their hands. The teacher has perpetuated that which happened to him years before when he was the student. The evil cycle is now complete. We have turned full circle to a different pope.
Again, we are being asked to believe in the inspiration of Scripture without believing in the preservation of the sacred Writ. We are being taught at nearly all the conservative fundamental seminaries that God gave an inspired text but could not (or did not) quite protect or preserve it. As a result, part was lost somewhere along the way and text critics are supposedly engaged in the arduous process of restoring to the word the original readings.
…the only question the inquiring reader need ask himself is: "Is it reasonable that God gave man His pure infallible Word and then allowed it to become so corrupted over time that He (we) was left to call and rely upon unregenerate men to restore it? One can but wonder how a believing Christian scholar, pastor, or layman could allow himself to become so deceived as to fall into the snare of considering only the "originals" to be trustworthy. Most assuredly, their faith did not begin there. God "lost" portions of His Word? Was not that rather awkward of Him?
"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever" Isaiah 40:8"
(Which Version is the Bible, Floyd Jones, chapter 1, pge.19-20)
Colossians 1:14
Regarding the son, Jesus, from verse 13, we read:
"In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
(KJ)
In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (NAS, NIV, RSV)
Comment: "Through his blood" is deleted – a major difference! Beloved, if your "Bible" does not contain these three words, someone has tampered with it such that is no long the Word of God. If it is wrong here how can you be certain that many other omissions do not exist?
(Which Version is the Bible, Floyd Jones, chapter 2, pg. 21)
food for thought!
Allison
Wow Melissa,
It can be said with confidence you are your mother's child heehee you did a great job explaining the differences and a great answer. I too am a die hard NIV and have used other text at different time but I always come back to NIV.
Praying for Stockton for God's Word to bless her what ever the translation
Blessings
Lori
P.s Wish I were in California to see you Beth
I wrote the wrong name Praying for Searching with an Open heart for her to hear God's word no matter the Translation
Great job, Melissa! You explained that beautifully!
Gene Peterson was my in-laws pastor at Christ Our King Presbyterian Church in Bel Air, MD during the 80's.
He was amazing to hear, but sometimes my father in law would say he just went over his head!
I'm sure you know that since he is an expert in Greek and Hebrew, he started out I believe with the book of Galations…translating it from Greek to English in a way that his Bible Study group could apply it to their lives.
He made Galations come alive to people living in a town outside of Baltimore, MD so they could apply to their own lives.
He took some much needed sabbaticals during his time there to go to Montana and write and from what I remember, people wanted more and more of his "modern application" of the true Greek in other books of the NT.
He has been unfairly accused in certain areas of the U.S. and certain groups of changing God's word, etc. But you know how that goes.
He's a wonderful, spirit filled believer actually raised in a charismatic faith and he attended school with another excellent theologian that you spoke of – Gordon Fee.
I'm sure you already knew about Eugene Peterson…but just in case someone reads this that may be uncomfortable reading The Message at all – This helps in identifying him as totally competent and and someone who loves the scriptures and a desire for others to love them and understand them as well.
Love and blessings,
Teri
I've been blessed in California at the Living Proof Live. It blessed my socks off!
God is so gorgeous! Thanks so much for reminding me.
Karen
Thank you so much to the siesta who wrote this question & Melissa. I had wondered about the Message & was glad that you posted a response.
I really like Katie's suggestion about learning how to study a book of the Bible. I would really love it if either you, your sister, your mom or all of you would do a post(s) about this.
Thank you !!)