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NIV/The Message Parallel Bible
The Message Designed to read like a letter from God, The Message presents Scripture the way it originally appeared, as a naturally flowing narrative. Using only the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts, The Message's creator, Eugene Peterson, began by setting the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs in contemporary English, free of distracting verse numbers and stiff, formal language. The result has been a warm, highly readable paraphrase that reveals the richly personal nature of God's Word. The Old Testament followed, and the complete Message Bible was released in 2002. Used in both public preaching and private devotions, The Message has captured the hearts of millions of readers, enriching their understanding of Scripture and deepening their faith. The New International Version (NIV) The New International Version (NIV) is today's most read, most trusted English Bible translation. Since its release in 1973, the NIV has sold over 160 million copies. The goal of the NIV translation team was to produce a contemporary translation whose accuracy, clarity and literary quality would make it ideal for public and private reading, teaching, preaching, memorizing and liturgical use. Today the NIV is accepted by more denominations than any other translation and is supported by a library of reference resources unmatched by any other translation. The most read, most trusted translation and bestselling paraphrase together in one volume * The NIV and The Message side by side * Instant comparison deepens your grasp of Scripture * Double-column format If your translation of choice is the New International Version (NIV) and if you appreciate The Message for the freshness and clarity it brings to your reading of the Bible then you'll love The Message/NIV Parallel Bible. Setting The Message and the NIV together for the first time ever, this Bible allows you to instantly compare Eugene Peterson's bestselling paraphrase and today's most read, most trusted modern translation. NIV/The Message Parallel Bible features: * The clarity, accuracy and trustworthiness of the NIV. A careful union of word-for-word and thought-for-thought translational approaches, the NIV is today's foremost modern translation, used by scholars, pastors, students and Bible readers across the world. * The story-like flow and penetrating insights of The Message. Emphasizing a narrative reading of the Bible, The Message is treasured by countless Christians for the way its contemporary language illuminates ageless truths. * Double-column format. * Ribbon marker (leather edition only).
2176 pages, Hardcover
First published October 21, 2004
97 people are currently reading
238 people want to read
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* They are officially published under that name
* They are traditional stories not attributed to a specific author
* They are religious texts not generally attributed to a specific author
Books whose authorship is merely uncertain should be attributed to Unknown.
See also: Anonymous
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
January 10, 2025
I only read Revelation this time for a book I am reading. This is my bible choice of many. Great book in terms of influence for writers and spiritual awareness.
December 24, 2020
What a great year it’s been for reading! This year I read the whole Bible once, the Psalms multiple times, two translations of the New Testament, and three translations of the Gospels. My reading was aided by Leland Ryken’s Literary Introductions to the Books of the Bible and, especially, the animated video series from The Bible Project, which I respect very highly.
Though I always look at something from the Bible every day, it had been some time since I’d committed to a full read-through in one year. To keep things interesting this year, I chose to read through Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase, The Message. This was a bit of a fun challenge for myself, because I remember when that version was published and I (being even snobbier than I am now) disdained it, not wanting the Bible to feel so colloquial and common. Obviously I’ve changed in the years since, because I really enjoyed it this year. Much of the Old Testament comes through beautifully, and the Gospels are especially fantastic in Peterson’s version. The epistles didn’t shine quite as brightly for me, and the Psalms were much harder to take. But overall, I found The Message to be quite good.
The edition I read is a side-by-side volume with the NIV and The Message, and that was an excellent way to get into The Message, being able to quickly glance over to the NIV to see how a phrase looks in a translation style I’m more familiar with.
As I said in another review recently, I believe people respond to the Bible according to what they assume it’s supposed to be. Related to that, I think it’s easy for people to take small sections of the Bible and assume that they can extrapolate from that bit to the whole book, and then from that idea of the whole book to the very concept of God. This can be true of people who abhor God and the Bible and of people who love God and the Bible. The answer to this shallow understanding is to take on the Bible as a whole book, and to do the work of digging deeper than just the immediate surface impressions. Even though the books of the Bible were written by different people, and across hundreds of years and many square miles, the Bible tells one unified story. Our task, if we really want to understand it—not blindly accepting it or blindly scorning it—is to learn about the original cultural and historical contexts, to ask all the hard questions of the Bible and then seek the answers, rather than ignoring those questions or assuming that the very posing of such questions destroys the idea of God. For all of these reasons, I recommend reading the Bible straight through, assisted by additional study tools that open up the fascinating contexts and connections. It’s a book like no other, and it rewards serious contemplation and study.
The Bible Project YouTube channel
The daily reading plan I followed this year
Though I always look at something from the Bible every day, it had been some time since I’d committed to a full read-through in one year. To keep things interesting this year, I chose to read through Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase, The Message. This was a bit of a fun challenge for myself, because I remember when that version was published and I (being even snobbier than I am now) disdained it, not wanting the Bible to feel so colloquial and common. Obviously I’ve changed in the years since, because I really enjoyed it this year. Much of the Old Testament comes through beautifully, and the Gospels are especially fantastic in Peterson’s version. The epistles didn’t shine quite as brightly for me, and the Psalms were much harder to take. But overall, I found The Message to be quite good.
The edition I read is a side-by-side volume with the NIV and The Message, and that was an excellent way to get into The Message, being able to quickly glance over to the NIV to see how a phrase looks in a translation style I’m more familiar with.
As I said in another review recently, I believe people respond to the Bible according to what they assume it’s supposed to be. Related to that, I think it’s easy for people to take small sections of the Bible and assume that they can extrapolate from that bit to the whole book, and then from that idea of the whole book to the very concept of God. This can be true of people who abhor God and the Bible and of people who love God and the Bible. The answer to this shallow understanding is to take on the Bible as a whole book, and to do the work of digging deeper than just the immediate surface impressions. Even though the books of the Bible were written by different people, and across hundreds of years and many square miles, the Bible tells one unified story. Our task, if we really want to understand it—not blindly accepting it or blindly scorning it—is to learn about the original cultural and historical contexts, to ask all the hard questions of the Bible and then seek the answers, rather than ignoring those questions or assuming that the very posing of such questions destroys the idea of God. For all of these reasons, I recommend reading the Bible straight through, assisted by additional study tools that open up the fascinating contexts and connections. It’s a book like no other, and it rewards serious contemplation and study.
The Bible Project YouTube channel
The daily reading plan I followed this year
July 1, 2012
Ok so if you want a book that will change your life, this is it!
It's a great love story with romance and battles, good and evil, real life stories of people! I'll give away the ending... Love wins! The main subjects.. God.. His blessed son Jesus whom was sacrificed as the Lamb and took all my iniquities for ever and ever. And the Holy Spirit, who is with me always. There is the Devil. Satan. He is the Prince of the World. But he's a liar. He's relentless. Still, when I read John 3:16 I cried.I first read it at 19 and then said yes to Jesus. I love this book and daily re-read it.
It's a great love story with romance and battles, good and evil, real life stories of people! I'll give away the ending... Love wins! The main subjects.. God.. His blessed son Jesus whom was sacrificed as the Lamb and took all my iniquities for ever and ever. And the Holy Spirit, who is with me always. There is the Devil. Satan. He is the Prince of the World. But he's a liar. He's relentless. Still, when I read John 3:16 I cried.I first read it at 19 and then said yes to Jesus. I love this book and daily re-read it.
January 15, 2008
It is nice to be able to compare the NIV and Message together. I am much too lazy to sit down with two books. I actually will take this to church and hear the preacher give commentary on a passage that is quite close to the Message. The Message is obviously easier to understand but I like how it unveils a lot of the historically specific terms and events right in the passage.
May 22, 2019
The way I think the Text should be read in today’s time.
November 9, 2021
I highly recommend it.
January 5, 2025
This is the second time I am reading this version of the bible. It is the 15th time I am reading the entire bible.
September 20, 2025
Took me over three years, but so worth it!
September 19, 2014
I asked for a Bible in The Message. Eugine Peterson has a way of giving the Bible a clearer voice. He brings poetry back into God's word. Verses that I've read and heard and memorized a million times over are renewed in The Message. It gives me a chance to stop and think about them again instead of gliding over them like I'm prone to do.
My brother bought me this parallel Bible because he knew the importance of having a tested and trusted translation to balance out Eugine's creative side. Fair enough. I've enjoyed comparing the two, digging a little deeper into what's being said and how I understand it.
But what I've really appreciated in this edition of the Bible (and really, why I'm writing this review) are the introductions to each book of the Bible. Each introduction is as insightful and profound as a sermon and as compact as a daily devotional. I have highlighted the introductions as much as I highlight the actual Biblical text. The footnotes throughout the Bible are also very helpful.
All in all, I have been able to go to deeper depths in my daily Bible reading with this parallel Bible. It may not be very portable (that's what the Bible App is for), but it is a fantastic tool for digging deeper into God's word.
My brother bought me this parallel Bible because he knew the importance of having a tested and trusted translation to balance out Eugine's creative side. Fair enough. I've enjoyed comparing the two, digging a little deeper into what's being said and how I understand it.
But what I've really appreciated in this edition of the Bible (and really, why I'm writing this review) are the introductions to each book of the Bible. Each introduction is as insightful and profound as a sermon and as compact as a daily devotional. I have highlighted the introductions as much as I highlight the actual Biblical text. The footnotes throughout the Bible are also very helpful.
All in all, I have been able to go to deeper depths in my daily Bible reading with this parallel Bible. It may not be very portable (that's what the Bible App is for), but it is a fantastic tool for digging deeper into God's word.
September 24, 2010
this book is my fav. of all. It gave an amzing lutheran foundation to my life, and without it, i dont know what i would do. It taught me that God sent his son to die, and take away our sins, and rose from the dead! How amazing is this book! I reccomend this book for absolutely EVERYONE!!!
Currently reading
April 3, 2011Committed to reading Message yearly readin plan. So far staying on track with lots of help. Learning lots and having fun studying maps of locations as I am reading this history book of God's. Amazing stories of love and forgiveness and compassion.
November 26, 2011
What could be better than the Bible in a modern language paraphrase streamlined for comprehension? Having the Bible in a modern language paraphrase streamlined for comprehension alongside a traditional word-for-word, phrase-for-phrase translation for study.
Buy this Bible.
Buy this Bible.
August 10, 2016
This was given to me by my "brother" at work. My version is purple with a beautiful bookcase he bought me to go with it.
Sometimes trying to understand the verbage of the bible is a little disconcerting. This version tells you what they are saying, then translates into every day English.
Sometimes trying to understand the verbage of the bible is a little disconcerting. This version tells you what they are saying, then translates into every day English.
September 24, 2015
When I do Bible studies I often look at a number of translations. These two are my consistent favorites. Great to have them in one volume! -Amos Smith (author of Healing The Divide: Recovering Christianity's Mystic Roots)
January 21, 2023
This is a great side-by-side comparison between two modern versions of the Bible. It's written in a way that the layperson can easily read and understand with a wonderful reference section including footnotes and a glossary.
May 13, 2008
I try to live by it, even though I do mess up a LOT.
June 9, 2010
I love to read God's Word and get a fresh persepective from the Message. Makes my mind think!
Read
June 8, 2012This is my favorite Bible. I love the message translation. It makes reading the Bible more understandable, but I still use the NIV often. We use the NIC at church and for reading the new testament.
March 15, 2012
GO THE BIBLE!
March 13, 2013
Reading daily a chapter in Proverbs, and reading through other books in the bible chapter by chapter.
April 27, 2013
I try to read a little of the Bible everyday.
January 16, 2015
Love the side by side NIV and Message translations
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews