The Message Remix: The Bible in Contemporary Language (Tan, Pocket-Size)

I can appreciate that this is far from a word-for-word translation. But word-for-word translation is not the gold standard of biblical scholarship that many make it out to be. The problem with literal translation is that while you can translate the words accurately, you have just ripped them out of their original context and culture and thrown them 2000 years into the future, and plopped them down on to a page for everyone to ooh and aah over. It's all very academically commendable that you can tell me that "in John Chapter 3 verse 15 Jesus says that 'whoever believes may in Him have eternal life'... that is according to a third century papyrus fragment which is also found in a fourth century uncial; but that third century papyrus also adds in the phrase 'will not perish' - but that isn't found in the fourth century Latin manuscripts, or the early Coptic or Syritic versions, so that phrase was probably added..."

Sorry, my eyes just glazed over. My mind was wandering... something about missing the forest for the trees. Someone very wise once warned about being too careful to strain out the gnat, while swallowing a camel...

Anyway, my point is, by every account, listening to Jesus speak was a life changing experience. This translation captures that essence - which carries crucial meaning and impact. Think of this contemporary example: Martin Luther King's "I have dream" speech. What makes it so powerful? The words are a part of it, certainly. But there is also the context of that unprecedented moment in time - that gathering. There is the very simple vocabulary he used - that conveys the sense that this man is "of the people". There is the rhythm. Those strong Baptist cadences that signal a call and response. That conveyed the sense that this was not just a political message - this is a spiritual message. All of those woven together, consciously or unconsciously, are used to shape our messages. They say, "THIS SENTENCE IS IMPORTANT. This one, not as important, but stay with me because I'm building to something good." Think of what would be missed if you didn't speak English, knew nothing about the 60's in America, but only had a word for word transcription of that speech. You might scratch your head wondering what all the fuss was about.

Get my drift? The truth is, anyone who studies language will tell you that we don't communicate words, or even sentences. We speak, we communicate, in paragraphs. A paragraph is an idea. We use sentences, or fragments of sentences to build paragraphs. If you really want to get to the heart of the Bible (yes, I'm finally coming back to that) you want to grab a hold of the paragraphs. Take those ancient Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic words and re-arrange them into meaningful paragraphs, one idea building on another, and you will have come back to what the original author was trying to get across. The ancient words are not (pardon the pun) " the message". They are the tools used get the message across to their contemporaries. If we want to experience that same message, we have to blow the dust off these words, and try to reconstruct the inspired, revolutionary, life altering meaning that burned in their author's hearts. The Message is a tool that can help in that regard. It's not the only tool, to be sure - but even if this was the only Bible you ever read, I think I can safely say that you will be the better for having experienced it.

Re: 5 stars - I mean, jeeze, if you don't give THE BIBLE five stars, you must have some pretty tough standards...


Great bible paraphrase   May 11, 2006
K. A. Paine (Boston, MA)
52 out of 53 found this review helpful

This is exactly what I was looking for: a bible in contemporary language that I could easily read while on a quick break from work, in a size I can stash in my bag, and in my favorite color!

What I like about this version of the Message is that the verses are numbered in the margins. The first issue of the Message wasn't numbered, and while I can understand that a paraprhase can be hard to number verse-for-verse, this one makes it easier to compare to another bible. I like to compare verses from the NIV to this one in my studies to get a better grip on just what is being said.

I love this bible, it's a great price and just perfect for what I needed.


Awesome   April 25, 2007
MindCreations (South Carolina)
47 out of 48 found this review helpful

I never could really pick up the Bible (King James version) and read it without becoming very confused and bored. I picked up this book several months ago and could not put it down. I could easily understand what was being said and what was going on and I kept wanting to read more. It affected me in a way that any other version just couldn't cut it. It's great for teens and the younger generation who just can't wrap themselves around the scriptures the way they are written in other versions.

What's also good is that when you are actually being able to read through the Bible smoothly and without trying to sit and understand what exactly this or that sentence means, you want to pick up that KJV or NIV version and compare it to what this one says.

People are concerned that "The Message" takes away from the Bible's originality. Well, I disagree. The Bible has been written and re-written many, many times. It has been translated many times. There is nothing wrong with reading it in a "contemporary language" versus any other version that is out there. People should feel NO shame in reading the Bible in a way that they are comfortable with, in a way that speaks to them personally. People have different opinions and people understand things differently. Not everyone can say that they believe everything in the same way, 100%. I think that the older generations are so used to the way that they grew up with Christianity that it is just shameful if the younger generation does it any differently.

"The Message" helped me with my faith and really grasping Christianity and understanding what all of it means. If it wasn't for this book I would have never picked up the Bible, I would have stayed uninterested in learning anything about Christianity. I am sure that others can say the same thing. I highly recommend it! :)


Refreshing and accurate   May 26, 2004
Robert Wormley (lakebay, wa United States)
102 out of 114 found this review helpful

I have been a christian my whole life, I am a seminary graduate with a masters in theology and I am sick of reading the bible! At least until I got the message. Reading it is a joy, the language is fresh and it reads like a novel.

If you want to study the bible get another version or some commentaries - that is not what The Message is intended for. But if you want to read the bible and enjoy it, book by book, in language as good as any best-selling novel, than The Message is for you.

By the way I have found the text of The Message to be surprisingly true to the original text. The author apparently ignored the way that english translations have always translated the bible and went directly back to the original. There are several instances where the NIV, NASB and KJV make changes to the text which are not true to the original - but each of these mistakes is not found in The Message. In most instances of contraversial passages I have found The Message to be better than most other translations. It isn't as accurate as the NRSV but it is as accurate at least in the passages I looked at as any other english translation such as the NIV or ESV, both of which have a reputation for being fairly reliable.

I am impressed, and its been a very long time since I was impressed with a translation of the Bible. Enjoy!


Print Size   December 16, 2006
K. Pexton (Millbrae, CA United States)
21 out of 22 found this review helpful

All the wonderful things stated about The Message are true, as far as I'm concerned. However, I bought it for a gift and the recipient found the type too small. It would be helpful if there were some way to determnel the size of print when you are purchasing online. I had to return the book and wasn't willing to reorder because this could become an expensive issue.