Customer Reviews

The Daily Message: Through the Bible in One Year

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Message is a very readable translation. Eugen Peterson does a good job of 'translating' the text. There is some personal interpretation, but that's ok if it causes one to read and dig deeper. I purchased this particular 'in a year' version for my mother in law. I have the standard book and it is quite readable. For reasons I do not know, the one year version was printed in teeny, tiny, almost need a microscope font. My mother in law cannot see it at all. I have 20/20 and must squint and focus to read it.

I just received this for Christmas. I love the translation, but I want to caution people that the print is really, really small. I think it's 8 pt. So, now I'm wondering if I can actually read it, or if the eyestrain will be too much. Caveat emptor.

I make it a practice to read a different version of the bible every year. This version is written in every day language and easier to understand than some. Each day takes about 10-15 minutes and includes part of the Psalms with several reflective questions following the reading. I rated it a '4' because the print is small. If you are looking for an easy to read paraphrase, this is a good choice.

I have given 6 of these away and everyone who recieved one has loved it. It has added a whole new dimension to their quiet times and understanding of the scriptures. I highly recommend it.

This is a different type of "through the Bible in one year" Bible. There are actually six days of readings per week and one day of suggested reflection. The Bible is presented Old to New Testament broken up into daily segments, so there are not Old and New Testament readings each day. I love the modern language. You will not see chapters/verses as in most Bibles. What you get is continuity and I have found that to be interesting and very helpful in getting the "big picture" view of events. I recommend it.

Well written and easy to follow. I look forward to my daily reading and find I am finally understanding all the major players I've heard about all these years and how they fit together. I think I will actually complete the goal of reading the bible in one year thanks to this text!

My husband and I are hooked on the Message Bible and I was happy to see it in this format for such a wonderful low price...in the bookstores they are expensive! I love that it's a "daily reading" and that it has Psalms as part of each reading (and other NT books further on I noticed). Our church is traditional with the KJV which I still love, but the Message brings God's word to life in a whole new way for our personal consumption and devotion time.

I read the entire NIV each year for about 17 years. Then I switched to the TNIV, which was refreshing for a few years. However, I gradually grew weary of my daily bible readings. My eyes saw the verses, but my brain too often decided that it had already delved into their meaning. Eugene Peterson's translation is terrific for recharging the will to listen carefully for God's voice in his word. This version gives six readings per week. It allows one day per week for meditation (or for catching up on a missed day). It is nice to just flip open the page to today's date instead of consulting one of the many bible reading schedules that are available.
Petersen often translates Hebrew names, which is something I wish other translations would do more often. The Jews knew what the names meant, and clearly names were more important to them than they are in our culture. Also helpful are English translations of some of the Hebrew names of God.

Living languages change continually. It is important to resist trying to latch on to one translation for so long that the language used is so different from day to day usage that the message is lost. Peterson is a scholar and a pastor. He studied and taught the original Hebrew and Greek. He also preached the word for decades.
This is not some lightweight paraphrase. Enjoy!

I've spent the last 35 years reading through the Bible in one form or another. Reading charts. Study Bibles. One Year Bibles. Nothing compares to The Daily Message. It was complied by Eugene Peterson, a theologian and working pastor of forty years. It took him ten years to put together. Even in the information age, it will remain impactful for many, many years to come. It's the kind of language you hear on the radio, or on the television, or out in the community. It's fresh; vibrant; grabs your attention immediately. Even the novice reader is immediately impacted. It's broken into small passages so the reader doesn't become overwhelmed. Read the daily suggestions, or only parts of them. The important thing is to read. Just read. Read the most important conversation of your life. Read your conversation with God.

The book is good - and does have a lot of text to cover each day. I find that I like the fact that it mixes old and new testament writings, and ties the two together well. Of course it enriches my spiritual life so I have to say it is a great book.