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Synopsis
"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why; so that no one need by destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life." Those familiar with any part of the Bible will recognize John 3:16, with a mind-altering difference. The words are fresh, new, and sound like the 21st century. That's because they are from The Message, a presentation of the Word of God crafted for the modern age. Eugene H. Peterson, translator and editor, learned from his years of teaching and pastoring that most people, through familiarity or frustration with the Bible, were missing the whole message of Scripture, "the Word that God uses to create and save us, heal and bless us, judge and rule over us." So, he set out to give us that Word in language we use every day - an audio Bible that would penetrate our hearts and minds, transforming us day by day into the person God desires us to be. For more than 6 million readers,...
Library Journal
The Bible is great reading, and The Message is very good listening. Peterson, a pastor and scholar, spent 12 years translating the Bible into contemporary language, and the audio version of his critically acclaimed book is storytelling at its best. Kelly Ryan Dolan's narration is fired with enthusiasm and excitement, although hearing Jesus respond to Satan's desert challenge with "Beat it, Satan," is a bit disconcerting. In a 2002 Christianity Today interview, the author admits to being a "reluctant participant" in this work, preferring Greek and Hebrew translations for his own devotional reading. As a pastor, however, he began this paraphrase translation as a way of making a difficult work more accessible to the people he served, and he has succeeded masterfully. The reading is far from your average Sunday rendering, different enough for the listener to find new and clarifying meanings in what is often difficult text. An excellent introduction to the New Testament, as well as a way to invite reluctant students into a deeper understanding of the book, this is recommended for public and school libraries, especially young adult collections.-Barbara J. Kenney, Roger Williams Univ., Bristol, RI Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.