It’s been awhile since I’ve done a “Manuscript Monday” even though I have still been increasing my resource library steadily. This time I am taking a different approach. I am going to talk about a manuscript I do not have and for good reason. Many English translations have attempted to not only “dumb down” the language, but remove context (Hebraic) and keep in line with a Christian theology with everything from ESV to KJV.

Far below any other translations I have read, The Message, must be the worst. The context of the Scriptures in this translation is terribly blurred. Many times, this version reads like a copy of Rolling Stone magazine. It may seem like a small matter making a “Scripture for Dummies” type translation, however this results in a severe distorting of the truth. This is, in part, why so many Christians today believe the Torah (Law) was legalism and the Tanakh (Old Testament) is a book of history giving accounts of the “God of the Hebrew Scriptures” who gave salvation by works. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Scriptures are ONE complete Jewish book written by ONE author. That author is the God of Avraham, Yitzchak (Issac) and Ya’akov (Jacob). I’ve listed some examples of how this modern “dumbed down” language translation destroys the context and “the message”. (pun intended) I’ve used The Scriptures 1998 as a comparative.

positive mention: Suprisingly many times, the paraphrase version, The Good News Bible, keeps the Jewish context whether purposely or by accident. Most times it does a much better job than the big hitters. (KJV, NASB, ESV)

Destroying the context that Adoani’s appointed times were “scheduled” at creation and therefore not limited to the Tanakh (OT).

Gen 1:14
God spoke: “Lights! Come out! Shine in Heaven’s sky! Separate Day from Night. Mark seasons and days and years,
The Message

And Elohim said, “Let lights come to be in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and appointed times, and for days and years,
The Scriptures

positive mention:
Then God commanded, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate day from night and to show the time when days, years, and religious festivals begin;
Good News Bible

Destroying the context of “New Testament” Sabbath keeping, being “reinstated”.

Hebrews 4:9
The promise of “arrival” and “rest” is still there for God’s people.
The Message

So there remains a Sabbath-keeping for the people of Elohim.
The Scriptures

positive mention:
As it is, however, there still remains for God’s people a rest like God’s resting on the seventh day.
Good News Bible

Destroying the context of Yeshua lying in the earth to support an immortal soul theology. (See Thief on the Cross.)

Luke 23:43
He said, “Don’t worry, I will. Today you will join me in paradise.”
The Message

And יהושע (Yeshua, in Hebrew font) said to him, “Truly, I say to you today, you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
The Scriptures

Destroying the context of the Jewish disciples. Heeeeeeere’s… Ya’akov Jacob James

Matt. 4:21
A short distance down the beach they came upon another pair of brothers, James and John, Zebedee’s sons. These two were sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, mending their fishnets. Jesus made the same offer to them,
The Message

And going on from there, He saw two other brothers, Ya’akov the son of Zavdai, and Yochannan his brother, in the boat with Zavdai their father, mending their nets. And He called them,
The Scriptures

Is this an 80’s power rock ballad?

Jude 2
Relax, everything’s going to be all right; rest, everything’s coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way!
The Message

Compassion, and peace, and love be increased to you.
The Scriptures

Umm… yeah okay?

Romans 11:1
Does this mean, then, that God is so fed up with Israel that he’ll have nothing more to do with them? Hardly. Remember that I, the one writing these things, am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham out of the tribe of Benjamin. You can’t get much more Semitic than that!
The Message

I say then, has Elohim rejected His people? Let it not be! For I also am a Yisraelite, of the seed of Avraham, of the tribe of Binyamin.
The Scriptures

Don’t go “tit-for-tat”. DOH!

Luke 6:30
If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.
The Message

“And give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away what is yours do not ask it back.
The Scriptures