The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language

The most popular selling paraphrase on the market today — millions sold! A uniquely fresh Bible-reading experience.

Meant to be a reading Bible rather than a study Bible, The Message brings to life familiar passages by converting the original languages into the tone and the rhythms of modern-day American speech while retaining the idioms and meaning of the original languages.

Readability: Fourth grade reading level. An easy-to-read, modern-language paraphrase
Translator: Eugene H. Peterson
Translation Philosophy/Format: Thought-for-thought
Notes: This paraphrase was translated using contemporary idioms as well as the rhythms and tone of contemporary English to communicate the original author's intent to the modern reader. New Testament published in 1993, Old Testament in 2002.

Sample Passage: "We're not, understand, putting ourselves in a league with those who boast that they're our superiors. We wouldn't dare do that. But in all this comparing and grading and competing, they quite miss the point. We aren't making outrageous claims here. We're sticking to the limits of what God has set for us. But there can be no question that those limits reach to and include you." 2 Corinthians 10:13