The Message 100 Bible Review

The Message is a Bible translation that is meant to be easy to read, using language from our generation.  It is translated by a pastor whose heart is to get people engaged reading the Bible.  I like reading The Message to help me to think about Scriptures in a new way, even though I typically use other versions for study.  The Message 100 is a Bible arranged in 100 readings, each beginning with an introduction of the content.  While the books of the Bible are all present, this version does some re-arranging of the order to aide in understanding.

Why 100 Readings?  Eugene Peterson has grouped the Scriptures into 100 content-related sections.  I like the reflections that he has written to begin each reading because they help to set up the main idea.  But be aware - this is not your typical devotional Bible.  For someone like myself who would have a difficult time reading through the Bible in one year, I definitely would fail doing it within 100 days.  In my opinion, these should not be thought of as "one-a-day" devotions, unless reading 17 pages of small print per day is something you have time to do!  Instead, I would suggest setting a comfortable pace for YOU, and then just enjoying the added reflections from the pastor when they appear.

This is not a Bible to be used for in-depth study.  There are no maps, footnotes, concordances, or indexes (other than where to locate the 100 readings and books of the Bible).  This is a version for reading and reflecting.  If you want to hear the Scriptures in a fresh, engaging way, I recommend The Message.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale Publishers in exchange for an honest review.