To some, it is a no brainer that when it comes to the Word of God, it is important to be as accurate as possible. To many Christians, myself included, the Bible is inerrant and is inspired by the Holy Spirit as penned by the original authors. So when it comes to the many translations of the Bible, we need to be careful so that we can better understand what God has for us through His Word.
What is a Paraphrase Translation?
While it is obvious that A word-for-word translation would be the most accurate, there is nothing that can be completely accurate. There are words in the Greek and Hebrew that just can’t be accurately translated into the English or other languages. This doesn’t mean that we don’t try, though. I suggest getting a Word for Word translation, because I do not trust many of the thought-for-thought translations.
A paraphrase translation of the Bible can be compared to a “thought for thought” translation as decided by the author, by matching what he or she believes that particular passage means. This can be dangerous for many reasons.
- The author could be totally off base in his thinking and therefore miss the whole point ;
- The author’s personal convictions and views could skew the meaning so that a separate agenda could be fulfilled instead of the truth. This could be purposefully or indirectly, and ;
- Many false doctrines exist in a lot of paraphrase translations because the Word get’s dumbed down in order to draw people in by a novel-esque way of writing instead of holding true to the Holy Spirit and its original intentions.
There are many popular translations that use this method, but The Message bible as penned by Eugene Peterson is by far the most popular. It has been criticized, and rightly so, as being very New Age in message by pushing this agenda in the form of the “translation” of Scripture. Here are a few examples:
The source refers to The Message Bible as “The Mess”
º THE MASTER PLAN OF THE MESSAGE º
The first blast from The Mess attacks the “Lord.”
The “Lord” occurs a whopping 7970 times in the KJB — more than any other noun. Of the 8,000-plus different words used in the KJB, the “Lord” ranks 14th among the most occurrences (number 13 is the single letter “a”). Only helper words such as “the”; “of”; “in”; “to”; et. al. occur more often.
The Mess contains the “Lord” only 71 times! The “Lord” ranks 1087th among words in The Mess. It appears the same number of times as words like “question” or “reputation.”
In the New Testament, (ironically, the Testament of the “Lord” Jesus Christ) the “Lord” appears a skimpy 23 times in The Mess. The Mess NEVER directly honors Jesus Christ as Lord. The “Lord Jesus” occurs 118 times in the King James Bible. The “Lord Jesus Christ” occurs 84 times in the King James Bible. The phrase “Lord Jesus Christ” or “Lord Jesus” is not in The Mess! The outright denial of the “Lord” Jesus has never occurred in ANY translation.
Let us clarify something . . . the total amputation of the “Lord Jesus” is no accident. It is not an issue of translation or Greek manuscripts. It is not a matter of updating archaic words or making it easier to understand. It was a deliberate and intentional doctrinal decision to remove the “Lord Jesus.”
And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord. . .
John 20:13
It is interesting that Judas Iscariot never calls Jesus “Lord.”
The Bible states 13 times Judas “betrayed” the Lord Jesus; Judas was possessed of Satan (Luke 22:3); Jesus Christ calls Judas “a devil” (John 6:70); Jesus calls Judas the “son of perdition” (John 17:12 – which is also the title of the antichrist in 2 Thess. 2:3). The Bible describes hell as Judas’ “own place” (Acts 1:25).
Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I?. . .
Matthew 26:25, KJB
Judas always addressed Jesus as “Master” — never “Lord.” Following the footsteps of Judas the “betrayer,” the Mess also “betrays” the Lord, always calling Jesus “Master” – never “Lord”!
Another partner in the “Master Jesus” plan is the New Age religion. The root of the New Age Movement (NAM) teaches during various “ages,” teachers or guides arise called “Masters.” Helena Blavatsky, the guru of the modern-day New Age Movement, wrote extensively of these enlightened “masters.” In the 1980’s, the book Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow by Constance Cumbey, exposed the New Age Movement. Mrs. Cumbey defines the mystic new age as:
A vast organizational network today, the New Age Movement received its modern start in 1875 with the founding of the Theosophical Society by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky. . . Strongly propounding the theory of evolution, they also believed in the existence of ‘masters’ who were either spirit beings or fortunate men more highly ‘evolved’ than the common herd. (Cumbey, Constance, Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow, p. 44)
In his best selling book, A Crash Course on the New Age Movement, author Elliot Miller describes the new age Jesus as:
The New Age Jesus became ‘the Christ’ only after purifying himself of ‘bad karma’ through many incarnations, and even now (as many New Agers believe) he is only one of several ‘masters’. . . (Miller, Elliot. A Crash Course on the New Age Movement, p. 30)
Second only to Blavatasky in the New Age hierarchy, is Alice Bailey. Author Constance Cumbey says Bailey, “. . . did more than anyone, except perhaps H. P. Blavatsky, to build the foundations for the ‘New Age’.” (Cumbey, Constance, Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow, p. 49) In 1922 Alice Bailey formed Lucifer Trust Publishing, which was later renamed to the subtle Lucis Trust Publishing. Bailey wrote extensively on the “Master Jesus.” The following quote are but one of the hundreds of references to the New Age “Master Jesus”:
“There is a growing and developing belief that Christ is in us, as He was in the Master Jesus. . .”
(Bailey, Alice, The Externalization of the Hierarchy, p. 592)
New age researchers quickly discover the Jesus of the New Age is not the “Lord” Jesus but “Master” Jesus:
Jesus to the New Age is a man who ascended to be a Master. . .
(Understanding the New Age, Watchman Fellowship Inc.) A basic tenet of the New Age thinking is that of the Master Jesus. . .
(Yungen, Ray. A Time of Departing, p. 112)
º MASTER JESUS IN THE MESSAGE º
The Mess calls Jesus “Master” over 400 times and the unique New Age phrase “Master Jesus” appears 76 times! The only other Bible I found “Master Jesus” in was the New Age Bible titled The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus Christ!
The following examples (among many) of the “Master Jesus” in The Mess loudly echo the Judas-inspired, New Age doctrine of the “Master Jesus.”
As the rocks rained down, Stephen prayed, “Master Jesus, take my life.”
Acts 7:59 Then some of the men from Cyprus and Cyrene who had come to Antioch started talking to Greeks, giving them the Message of the Master Jesus.
Acts 11:20 And what we believe is that the One who raised up the Master Jesus will just as certainly raise us up with you, alive.
2 Corinthians 4:14 He who testifies to all these things says it again: “I’m on my way! I’ll be there soon!” Yes! Come, Master Jesus! The grace of the Master Jesus be with all of you. Oh, Yes!
Revelation 22:20-21
The Bible in 1 Corinthians 12:3 warns against spiritual counterfeits such as The Mess that deny Jesus is the “Lord.” Notice how the Mess attempts to cover its tracks by perverting the same verse.
Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. 1 Cor. 12:3, KJB For instance, by using your heads, you know perfectly well that the Spirit of God would never prompt anyone to say “Jesus be damned!” Nor would anyone be inclined to say “Jesus is Master!” without the insight of the Holy Spirit. 1Cor. 12:3, The Mess
º THE MASTER GOD º
Not content with propagating the NAM “Master Jesus,” The Mess continues its “master” plan. The “Lord God” occurs 546 times in the King James Bible. The “Lord God” briefly appears 9 times in the Mess. The Mess replaces the “Lord God” with “Master God.” I could not find the “Master God” in any other Bible version.
Again, notice the new age, mystic tone of the “Master God” in the Mess.
Abram said, “Master GOD, how am I to know this, that it will all be mine?”
Genesis 15:8 King David went in, took his place before GOD, and prayed: “Who am I, my Master GOD, and what is my family, that you have brought me to this place in life?
2 Samuel 7:18 He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Master GOD, only you know that.”
Ezekiel 37:3
The Mess travels to “loony land” deleting the “Lord.” Rather than correctly translate the “Lord God,” The Mess crafts the gobbledygook phrase “God, God.” It also deceitfully slips in a comma attempting to justify the goofy Mess.
GOD passed in front of him and called out, “GOD, GOD, a God of mercy and grace, endlessly patient–so much love, so deeply true—
Exodus 34:6 Attention, Israel! GOD, our God! GOD the one and only!
Deuteronomy 6:4
| VERSE | THE MESSAGE BIBLE | KING JAMES BIBLE |
| Psalm 27:1 | Light, space, zest– that’s GOD! | The Lord is my light. . . |
| John 3:19-21 | God-light | Light (3 times) |
| Luke 2:32 | God-revealing light | light |
| John 1:5, 7, 9 | Life-Light (3 times) | light |
| Psalms 36:9 | fountain of cascading light | fountain of life |
| Deuteronomy 33:2 | He radiated light | he shined forth |
| Matthew 17:15 & Luke 9:34 | a light-radiant cloud | a bright cloud |
| Job 24:13 | the light-filled path | the paths |
| 1 John 1:7 | God himself being the light | he is in the light |
| John 12:36 | the light will be within you | the children of light |
| Act 26:23 | first rays of God’s daylight | Nothing |
| Philippians 2:15 | Carry the light-giving Message into the night | shine as lights in the world |
| James 1:17 | first rays of God’s daylight | Every good gift. . . cometh down from the Father of lights, |
| Revelation 2:1 | the golden seven-lights’ circle | seven golden candlesticks |
| Revelation 2:5 | your light from the golden circle. | thy candlestick out of his place |
| Revelation 22:5 | The shining of God, the Master, is all the light anyone needs | the Lord God giveth them light |
—- Source
So, for any person putting any form of stock into the Word of God, it is important to be as accurate as possible. When it comes to studying about God’s dealings with His people and what He expects from us, let’s get on board and get the right gear for study. The Holy Spirit will reveal His word to our Hearts, but we have to do our part and not get a book that is perverted with propaganda.
Where False Doctrine and Heresy in the Modern Church World Get PWND
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7 Comments, Comment or Ping
Matt Oxley
i was always partial to direct translation, Strong’s in hand of course…I was a fan of the Darby and the YLT though, good for perspective…my favorite bible though was my Finnis J Dake KJV
Matt Oxleys last blog post..What if I am wrong about all of this?
Oct 20th, 2008
Tony
Oh the memories, right Matt!
Thanks for your comment! I am a Dake fan also!
Tonys last blog post..Personal : Fall Family Pictures
Oct 20th, 2008
Matt Oxley
i knew there was some Dake in you …lol
Matt Oxleys last blog post..What if I am wrong about all of this?
Oct 20th, 2008
Tony
touche, Matt, touche
Tonys last blog post..Personal : Fall Family Pictures
Oct 20th, 2008
Bingkee
I am for literal word-for-word translation. I want to know what exactly that means.
Bingkees last blog post..IF AMERICANS CAN BE RICHER THAN GOD
Oct 22nd, 2008
Tim
Good post on dynamic vs. formal equivalence! For me, there are several reasons I choose to read the Bible I read. A few of them being the translation method, as stated in this post, and the original texts from which it was translated. Great to see more Christians in the Blogosphere! Keep it up!
Tims last blog post..I Got A New Toy….
Nov 21st, 2008
Tony
Thanks, Tim!
Nov 21st, 2008
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