Eugene Peterson's

Message Bible
All ready for some more New Age Bible version mumbo-jumbo? Here's the latest – The
Message, "transliterated" by Eugene Peterson. The following is a dig aimed at the
authorized King James Bible is found at the NavPress website:

"One of the most striking features of the New Testament is that it was written in
the street language of the day. The idiom of the playground and marketplace not
the formal, lofty language of government decrees and historical documents..."

This insult indeed judges them. In it, we see that they don't consider God or His
commandments lofty or formal. Yet doesn't the Bible say that God is the Most High? Isn't
He the High and Lofty One? Isn't the Jesus Lord of lords and King of kings? Isn't He
majestic? Then why in the world would we use the worst of the English language to
describe Him? Why would we use "playground language"? Why wouldn't God's book be
written in lofty language? Lofty language is more consistent with God. Why wouldn't we use
the best for Him? We use the best in our textbooks, government documents, thesis papers--
why wouldn't we use the best for God Almighty?

Additionally, if The Message is so good, why try to put down the King James Bible? Why not
put down the NIV, NASV, RV or the NKJV? Because the Authorized Kings James is a
superior translation. The Message publishers attempt to pull down the best in order to exalt
their own poor transliteration.

There is so much wrong with this translation that it speaks for itself. Below, on the left side,
read the faithful, accurate King James Bible, on the right side, read the irreverent,
inaccurate message from The Message. Note their use of New Age mumbo-jumbo like
"energies" and "your inside world".

MATTHEW 5:1-8 – KJV MATTHEW 5:1-8 – TM

1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up
into a mountain: and when he was set, his
disciples came unto him:
2 And he opened his mouth, and taught
them, saying,
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven.
1 When Jesus saw his ministry drawing
huge crowds, he climbed a hillside... This is
what he said:
2 "You're blessed when you're at the end of
your rope. With less of you there is more of
God and his rule.
3 "You're blessed when you feel you've lost
what is most dear to you. Only then can you
be embraced by the One most dear to you.
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they
shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall
inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and
thirst after righteousness: for they shall be
filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall
obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they
shall see God.
4 "You're blessed when you're content with
just who you are no more, no less. That's the
moment you find yourselves proud owners
of everything that can't be bought.
5 "You're blessed when you've worked up a
good appetite for God. He's food and drink
in the best meal you'll ever eat.
6 "You're blessed when you care. At the
moment of being 'care-full,' you find
yourselves cared for.
7 "You're blessed when you get your inside
world your mind and heart put right. Then
you can see God in the outside world.

Which one is clearer? Which one has less words and less clouded meaning? How can
people using these two radically different Bibles have a Bible study without confusion?
Which of these KJV words don't you understand? In the next examples, The Message
verses are all jumbled up into paragraphs so it is not as easy to compare verse by verse,
yet you will be able to follow insofar as you can understand the mumbo-jumbo:

MATTHEW 5:13-16 – KJV MATTHEW 5:13-16 – TM

13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt
have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be
salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing,
but to be cast out, and to be trodden under
foot of men.
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is
set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it
under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it
giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that think I'm going to hide you under a bucket,
they may see your good works, and glorify do you? I'm putting you on a light stand.
your Father which is in heaven.
Jesus said, "Let me tell you why you are
here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that
brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If
you lose your saltiness, how will people
taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness
and will end up in the garbage.
"Here's another way to put it: You're here to
be light, bringing out the God-colors in the
world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're
going public with this, as public as a city on
a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't
Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a
light stand shine! Keep open house; be
generous with your lives. By opening up to
others, you'll prompt people to open up with

MATTHEW 5:43-48 – KJV
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate
thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, enemies. Let them bring out the best in you,
bless them that curse you, do good to them not the worst. When someone gives you a
that hate you, and pray for them which
despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your
Father which is in heaven: for he maketh
his sun to rise on the evil and on the good,
and sendeth rain on the just and on the
unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what can do that. If you simply say hello to those
reward have ye? do not even the publicans who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any
the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what
do ye more than others? do not even the
publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your
Father which is in heaven is perfect.
MATTHEW 6:1-4, 6 – KJV
1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before
men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have
no reward of your Father which is in
heaven.
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do
not sound a trumpet before thee, as the
hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the
streets, that they may have glory of men.
Verily I say unto you, They have their
reward.
God, this generous Father in heaven." (148
words)--[NOTE: I did not write this "148
words. I don't know what it means.")
MATTHEW 5:43-48 – TM
Jesus said, "You're familiar with the old
written law, 'Love your friend,' and its
unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm
challenging that. I'm telling you to love your
hard time, respond with the energies of
prayer, for then you are working out of your
true selves, your God-created selves. This is
what God does. He gives his best -- the sun
to warm and the rain to nourish -- to
everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the
nice and nasty. If all you do is love the
lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody
run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
"In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up.
You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it.
Live out your God-created identity. Live
generously and graciously toward others,
the way God lives toward you."
MATTHEW 6:1-4, 6 – TM
Jesus said, "Be especially careful when you
are trying to be good so that you don't make
a performance out of it. It might be good
theater, but the God who made you won't be
applauding.
"When you do something for someone else,
don't call attention to yourself. You've seen
them in action, I'm sure 'playactors' I call
them treating prayer meeting and street
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left
hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy
Father which seeth in secret himself shall
reward thee openly.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into
thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy
door, pray to thy Father which is in secret;
and thy Father which seeth in secret shall
reward thee openly.
corner alike as a stage, acting
compassionate as long as someone is
watching, playing to the crowds. They get
applause, true, but that's all they get. When
you help someone out, don't think about how
it looks. Just do it quietly and unobtrusively.
That is the way your God, who conceived
you in love, working behind the scenes,
helps you out. . . .
"Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet,
secluded place so you won't be tempted to
role-play before God. Just be there as
simply and honestly as you can manage.
The focus will shift from you to God, and you
will begin to sense his grace."

MATTHEW 6:9-13 – KJV MATTHEW 6:9-13 – TM

6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our With a God like this loving you, you can pray
Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy very simply. Like this: Our Father in heaven,
name. Reveal who you are.
6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in Set the world right; Do what's best – as
earth, as it is in heaven. above, so below.
6:11 Give us this day our daily bread. Keep us alive with three square meals.
6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving
our debtors. others.
6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
deliver us from evil: For thine is the You're in charge! You can do anything you
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for want! You're ablaze in beauty! Yes. Yes.
ever. Amen. Yes.

ROMANS 5:7-10 – KJV ROMANS 5:7-10 – TM

5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will We can understand someone dying for a
one die: yet peradventure for a good man person worth dying for, and we can
some would even dare to die. understand how someone good and noble
could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God
5:8 But God commendeth his love toward put his love on the line for us by offering his
us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ Son in sacrificial death while we were of no
died for us.
5:9 Much more then, being now justified by use whatever to him.
his blood, we shall be saved from wrath
through him. Now that we are set right with God by
means of this sacrificial death, the
5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we consummate blood sacrifice, there is no
were reconciled to God by the death of his longer a question of being at odds with God
Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall in any way. If, when we were at our worst,
be saved by his life. we were put on friendly terms with God by
the sacrificial death of his Son, now that
we're at our best, just think of how our lives
will expand and deepen by means of his
resurrection life!

ROMANS 5:20-21, 6:6-9 – KJV ROMANS 5:20-21– TM

5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the
offence might abound. But where sin
abounded, grace did much more abound:
5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death,
even so might grace reign through
righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus
Christ our Lord.
Sin didn't, and doesn't, have a chance in
competition with the aggressive forgiveness
we call grace. When it's sin versus grace,
grace wins hands down. All sin can do is
threaten us with death, and that's the end of
it. Grace, because God is putting everything
together again through the Messiah, invites
us into life-a life that goes on and on and on,
world without end. . . .

Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life

was nailed to the Cross with Christ, a
decisive end to that sin-miserable life no
longer at sin's every beck and call! What we
believe is this: If we get included in Christ's
sin-conquering death, we also get included
in his life-saving resurrection. We know that
when Jesus was raised from the dead it was
a signal of the end of death-as-the-end.
Never again will death have the last word.

PHILIPPIANS 2:1-6 – KJV PHILIPPIANS 2:1-6 – TM

2:1 If there be therefore any consolation in
Christ, if any comfort of love, if any
fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and
mercies,
2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded,
If you've gotten anything at all out of
following Christ, if his love has made any
difference in your life, if being in a
community of the Spirit means anything to
you, if you have a heart, if you care then do
having the same love, being of one accord,
of one mind.
2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or
vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each
esteem other better than themselves.
2:4 Look not every man on his own things,
but every man also on the things of others.
2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also
in Christ Jesus:
2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought
it not robbery to be equal with God:
PHILIPPIANS 2:12-16 – KJV
2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have
always obeyed, not as in my presence only,
but now much more in my absence, work
out your own salvation with fear and
trembling.
2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both Do everything readily and cheerfully no
to will and to do of his good pleasure.
2:14 Do all things without murmurings and
disputings:
2:15 That ye may be blameless and
harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, didn't go to all this work for nothing.
in the midst of a crooked and perverse
nation, among whom ye shine as lights in
the world;
2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I
may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have
not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
PHILIPPIANS 4:4-9 – KJV
4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I
say, Rejoice.
me a favor: Agree with each other, love each
other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push
your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your
way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help
others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with
getting your own advantage. Forget
yourselves long enough to lend a helping
hand.
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus
thought of himself. He had equal status with
God but didn't think so much of himself that
he had to cling to the advantages of that
status no matter what. Not at all.
PHILIPPIANS 2:12-16 – TM
Be energetic in your life of salvation,
reverent and sensitive before God. That
energy is God's energy, an energy deep
within you, God himself willing and working
at what will give him the most pleasure.
bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go
out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of
fresh air in this squalid and polluted society.
Provide people with a glimpse of good living
and of the living God. Carry the light-giving
Message into the night so I'll have good
cause to be proud of you on the day that
Christ returns. You'll be living proof that I
PHILIPPIANS 4:4-9 – TM
Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean,
revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to
4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all all you meet that you're on their side,
men. The Lord is at hand. working with them and not against them.
Help them see that the Master is about to
4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing arrive. He could show up any minute!
by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray.
known unto God. Let petitions and praises shape your worries
into prayers, letting God know your
4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth
concerns. Before you know it, a sense of
all understanding, shall keep your hearts
God's wholeness, everything coming
and minds through Christ Jesus.
together for good, will come and settle you
4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are down. It's wonderful what happens when
true, whatsoever things are honest, Christ displaces worry at the center of your
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever life
things are pure, whatsoever things are
lovely, whatsoever things are of good Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do
report; if there be any virtue, and if there be best by filling your minds and meditating on
any praise, think on these things. things true, noble, reputable, authentic,
compelling, gracious the best, not the worst;
4:9 Those things, which ye have both the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise,
learned, and received, and heard, and seen not things to curse.
in me, do: and the God of peace shall be
with you.

I don't know how anybody can say this is right. Nevertheless, even after reading this
comparison, some people will still defend each Bible version as being true and right. They
can't all be right because they contradict each other. These people don't want to face the
facts – they are proud and are so determined to be "right" even in the face of facts. A wise
man will consider his ways, but the fool won't. He'll keep going on in his folly – and paying
the price.

When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth,

he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest!