Just a question. Through out this thread there's been much postulating that the Message is in fact just as good as the Word of God, although it is clearly Peterson's paraphrase and his personal ideas about what the Word of God is saying--which is obviously what a paraphrase is--putting an idea or text into one's own words. It cannot be compared to the Greek--as Scott has shown by his inability to answer direct questions about the Greek. Because it is a paraphrase, the message would also be a reflection of any religious bias that Mr Peterson has.
Referring back to the KJV in Psalm 119:11 --my paraphrase---states that a person is supposed to hide the Word of God in their hearts so that they will not sin against God. The conclusion is that by knowing the Word of God, taking it in as heart and head knowledge, sin will be avoided, because of a heart desire to please God. Now the question is this: Peterson put the Greek into his own words, which is then the reworking and rewriting of the Word of God for publishing purposes which he stated and Navpress stated he did. He did not translate it word for word, so ..... which is the Word of God to be hidden in our hearts so as not to sin against God. Peterson's ideas about the Word of God or ? I have decided to quote the KJV this time:
2 Timothy 3
3 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Now from the message:
2Ti 3
13 Unscrupulous con men will continue to exploit the faith. They're as deceived as the people they lead astray. As long as they are out there, things can only get worse.
14 But don't let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers--
15 why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother's milk! There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
16 Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another--showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way.
17 Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.
If other scholars do not view The Message as a Bible, the Bible incidentally which is ultimately viewed by many as the inspired and kept Word of God, can we embrace Peterson's Message as being of the same caliber and same authority? Was it given by direct revelation of the Holy Spirit?
KJV
2 Peter 1
20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
message
2Pe 1
20 The main thing to keep in mind here is that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of private opinion.
21 And why? Because it's not something concocted in the human heart. Prophecy resulted when the Holy Spirit prompted men and women to speak God's Word.
2Pe 2
1 But there were also lying prophets among the people then, just as there will be lying religious teachers among you. They'll smuggle in destructive divisions, pitting you against each other--biting the hand of the One who gave them a chance to have their lives back! They've put themselves on a fast downhill slide to destruction,
2 but not before they recruit a crowd of mixed-up followers who can't tell right from wrong. They give the way of truth a bad name.
KJV
Ephesians 3
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
message
Eph 3
2 I take it that you're familiar with the part I was given in God's plan for including everybody.
3 I got the inside story on this from God himself, as I just wrote you in brief.
4 As you read over what I have written to you, you'll be able to see for yourselves into the mystery of Christ.
5 None of our ancestors understood this. Only in our time has it been made clear by God's Spirit through his holy apostles and prophets of this new order.
6 The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all their lives (what I've been calling outsiders and insiders) stand on the same ground before God. They get the same offer, same help, same promises in Christ Jesus. The Message is accessible and welcoming to everyone, across the board.
7 This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details.
If the Apostle Paul wrote that he, by direct revelation of the Holy Spirit--not their own ideas--, as well as the other apostles, wrote their various epistles to the new believers---does Peterson, who elimiates many verses, words, concepts and sound doctrine which is found in the Greek texts--does he present the Word of God as God Himself intended, in order to obtain sound doctrine and avoid sin?
KJV
1 Timothy 1
9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. 12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
message
1Ti 1
9 It's obvious, isn't it, that the law code isn't primarily for people who live responsibly, but for the irresponsible, who defy all authority, riding roughshod over God, life,
10 sex, truth, whatever!
11 They are contemptuous of this great Message I've been put in charge of by this great God.
12 I'm so grateful to Christ Jesus for making me adequate to do this work. He went out on a limb, you know, in trusting me with this ministry.
KJV
2 Timothy 4
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
message
2Ti 4
1 I can't impress this on you too strongly. God is looking over your shoulder. Christ himself is the Judge, with the final say on everyone, living and dead. He is about to break into the open with his rule,
2 so proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch. Challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don't ever quit. Just keep it simple.
3 You're going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food--catchy opinions that tickle their fancy.
4 They'll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages.
5 But you--keep your eye on what you're doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God's servant.
KJV
Titus 1
9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake...
Titus 2
1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
Tit 1
9 and have a good grip on the Message, knowing how to use the truth to either spur people on in knowledge or stop them in their tracks if they oppose it.
10 For there are a lot of rebels out there, full of loose, confusing, and deceiving talk. Those who were brought up religious and ought to know better are the worst.
11 They've got to be shut up. They're disrupting entire families with their teaching, and all for the sake of a fast buck.
Tit 2
1 Your job is to speak out on the things that make for solid doctrine.
