The Message Deluxe Gift Bible (Leather-Look, Brown/Saddle Tan): The Bible in Contemporary Language

Absolutely love this.

Love that the OT is now included. Already had the original Message but originally it was only the NT. The faux leather cover feels & looks great & I can read this on a hectic or tiring or even a headachy day when I would be strongly tempted to put off reading for tomorrow & go to bed. It reads so much like a novel w/ it's everyday wording & paragraphs & not like numbered verses w/ phrases & wording of days gone by that it's easy to get caught up in reading it. The plain up to date phrases & wording are even more what you'd hear in everday talk than in The NLV. It's like light reading, but w/ the added effect of bringing the Bible stories & prophesies into a new perspective when put in normal language so it makes me see things from a new angle than when I read the age old well known verses in my traditional Bibles. It broadens my thinking into seeing more of the whole picture instead of just the overview. It's a total delight to read. I've never liked Psalms til I read some of it in this version, & now I can't wait to read more. It's the perfect Bible for young people to get them reading God's word & liking it. It would be a great gift for anyone new to the Bible or Christian living, as well as any Christian. I haven't replaced my other Bible & have no intention of it, but I do find myself eagerly comparing the two often & it is helping me to not read over well known verses in the same way as a person driving down a well known street in auto pilot w/o really "seeing" or paying attn because it's so well known. Puts a freshness into age old verses that's eye opening. When comparing to other versions, it is keeping w/ the meaning of older versions, but I had my doubts the 1st time I ever picked up & read parts of The Message some yrs ago. I did a lot of translation comparisons to prove The Message was not holding to the original Bible meanings, but it has proven itself to be on track in every instance. It's like David & Paul & all the rest of the Bible characters are just sitting across the table telling me what they wrote the same way the person next door & my own family talks. It's absolutely wonderful & the Bible I reach for when I'm too tired or short on time or have a bad headache but don't want to set aside my time in God's word for tomorrow. It's made me less of a procrastinator in reaching for a Bible when reaching for a Bible isn't what I really want to do sometimes. It also helps in familiarizing myself w/ the Bible in such ordinary terms that I believe the more I read this version that it will become 2nd nature to talk to others about what's in the Bible w/o thinking about how to phrase something or what to say because it's so natural. That was a kind of surprise too because I wasn't one of those people that you hear about that say they don't understand the KJV. I love this version for many reasons. It has a place in any Christian's life & especially non-Christians interested in learning about Christianity & in getting young people interested in their Bible.

Was a gift for a new Christian to be.recommended by friends.i wouldn’t mind one myself!

Based

This is my first Bible in English. I already have a Portuguese version and I really like the beautiful and accessible language. I'm very happy with my purchase.