To Korean readers
To the readers of "Message"
Preface to "Message"
Reviewer's note
Preface to the New Testament

Gospel of Matthew
Gospel of Mark
Gospel of Luke
Gospel of John
Acts of the Apostles
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
hebrews
Epistle of James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation

“200,000 readers have read the New Testament of The Message!”

This is a wireless gift edition of the New Testament "Message" chosen by 200,000 readers.
The format was changed to a compact size that can be held in the hand, making it easier to carry and read.
This is a 'wireless edition' that follows the 'Basic Hardcover Version' to be read with the Bible for worship, and the 'English-Korean Translation Version' to be read with the English Bible. It is a Bible for our time that can be held in one's hand, and forms a series with the 'Message' Old Testament Pentateuch that was published together.

"The Message" is a readable Bible written in everyday language.
"The Message" began with a pastor's passion to get his congregation reading the Bible.
“How refreshing it would be if church members could read the Bible in its original text…” I thought to myself, and began translating the book of Galatians into the everyday language used by church members so that they could get closer to the Bible.
Those who read the translation, which took a year to complete, found that the Bible was a book that could be read, understood, and read without any help.
Because the Bible was written in the language we use on the streets, in the marketplace, and at the dinner table, the everyday language we use with our families, friends, and colleagues.


"The Message" is a Bible that faithfully translates the original text of the Bible.
"The Message" is the culmination of a lifetime of experience by Eugene Peterson, a scholar who has spent his entire life reading, studying, and teaching the Bible in its original language, and who has also served as a pastor for 35 years.
Rather than a direct translation, of which there are already many good translations, he paraphrased the original text in contemporary language to convey its meaning more vividly and impressively.
I spent 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, on this translation project for 10 years.
In this way, "The Message" is a personal translation based on one person's theological, pastoral, and historical background, but it has been academically verified through the review of trusted Old and New Testament scholars in North America.

"The Message" is a Bible that follows the tradition of Bible translation.
William Tyndale, one of the greatest Bible translators of the 16th century, said he would translate the Bible so that “a boy who plows the field may read it.”
Following the tradition of translation that requires everyone to read it in the language of the time, the Bible has been constantly retranslated to suit new times and readers.
It was because of this precious tradition that everyone could access the gospel message through the Bible, which everyone could read.
The Message also follows the long history and tradition of Bible translation.

"The Message" is the Bible chosen by 10 million readers.
Since the publication of the New Testament in 1993 and the complete translation in 2002, 10 million readers in the English-speaking world alone have chosen to read "The Message."
As an excellent "auxiliary Bible" that supports and supplements the existing Bible, and as a "Bible next to the Bible" that brings the meaning of the text to life, "The Message" is the most widely read and quoted of all the Semantic Bibles.


"The Message" is the Bible for you.
Whether you are a first-time Bible reader or someone who has been reading for so long that it feels so familiar that it feels unfamiliar, someone who wants to study the Bible or someone who wants to meditate deeply on the Word alone, a preacher sharing the Word or a Sunday school teacher teaching the Bible, a seeker or non-believer who feels the need to read the Bible… “The Message” is the Bible for you.

Recommendation

Eugene Peterson's "The Message" is a devotional Bible.
Eugene Peterson is a truly remarkable biblical exegete and preacher, combining literary imagination with theological sophistication.
His rich literary imagination transcends theological rigidity, making all his writings always rich, free, and beautiful.
The Message is a storytelling Bible that retells the rigid narratives of the Bible in interesting and rich poetic language, presenting them as new stories brimming with fresh insight.
--- Pastor Lee Moon-sik | Sanul Church

I have been waiting for the publication of "The Message" for a very long time.
During my sabbatical year in 1996, I stayed at Regent College, where I met the author and read his books.
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed reading "Message" back then.
And since then, I have been waiting for the publication of the Korean version.
It's already been 15 years.
I am truly delighted with the publication of this book and recommend it.
Everyone, keep it next to you like a Bible and read it.
It will be a blessing and inspiration.
--- Pastor Jeong Ju-chae | Hyangsu Church

I think of Zhivago, sitting by the window in the castle, under the dim light, blowing on his cold hands and writing poetry.
And as we explore the layers of the Word, we come across a person who has been absorbed in translating each and every word of the Word into clear language.
Between the lines of "Message" are the tears, sighs, joys, and emotions he shed over the years of hardship.
The efforts of the translators and editors who tried to read even between the lines are also tear-jerking.
Abraham Joshua Heschel called modern man "a messenger who has lost the message."
For modern people like us, this one book will help us reclaim the original life we ​​have lost or forgotten.
I feel like I have gained another window through which I can deeply encounter the world of the Bible.
Pastor Kim Ki-seok | Cheongpa Church

Our church tries to use two translations when reading the Bible.
One is the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, and the other is a paraphrase called "The Message."
In particular, I hope you will actively utilize the Bible called “Message.”
Those who have already read the Bible many times will be able to discover new meanings by reading it in a new translation.
And those who are reading the Bible for the first time will be able to easily understand its meaning through this Bible translated into modern language.
We long for the rain of God's grace that He will give to our souls through His Word.
--- Pastor Jeong Hyeon-gu | Seoul Yeongdong Church

"The Message" vividly conveys the unchanging truth in ordinary, everyday words of our time.
"The Message," a faithful translation of the original text of the Bible, shines even brighter in a living language. Whether you're a first-time Bible reader or a longtime contemplator, it will be a precious conduit of deeply penetrating, living truth.
It will be of great use as a life-saving tool for the youth of this era and the next generation who will lead the future.
--- Pastor Oh Jeong-hyeon | Sarang Church

The Bible is the world's most precious book, filled with living information about God that cannot be found anywhere else. However, it is also not always an easy book for anyone whose native language is not the original language of the Bible.
Eugene Peterson brings us closer to the Bible through translations and paraphrases that reveal its precious meaning across cultural and time barriers.
Until a Korean version of "The Message" is published by Koreans, this book will be a blessing to us all.
Pastor Kim Hyung-guk | Nadulmok Church

I am confident that with the publication of "The Message," people living in both North and South Korea will come to know that the Bible is a book they can read and understand.
Eugene Peterson translated the Bible into the everyday language of ordinary people, yet with scholarly rigor, making God's Word "alive" to young and old, to those who have studied the Bible and to those who have never read it before.
"The Message" is a book that children can read and understand, and it is a blessing for scholars to read it as well.
I pray that God will use the "Message" to fill this Korean Peninsula with His living Word.
--- Pastor Oh Dae-won | Founder of Jesus Mission

What the church must remember in the postmodern era is that the medium becomes the message.
The most precious and essential medium the church has preserved is the Bible, the Word of God. While various translations have been published, many people still find revisions and revisions difficult.
It is true that the media of the Korean church is still difficult and inaccessible.
It would be a shame if the medium called the Bible were to convey the message that "the church is a difficult place."
Eugene Peterson's "The Message" has already created an explosive response in the English-speaking world.
I am glad that this "message" has been delivered to readers in our country as well.
While the translation presented a challenge of transcending language and cultural barriers, reviewing the Korean version confirmed that it faithfully conveyed the author's expressions with careful consideration, while also guiding us in a way that resonated with our emotions and circumstances.
We hope that "The Message" will become a new medium for encountering God, Emmanuel, who is with us, and that it will also convey the message that the doors of the church are wide open to all.
Kim Jung-an, IVF President, Korean Christian Students Association

“The Word became flesh...” The Word made flesh was the source of inspiration, insight, and power to create a new world at every turning point in history.
In the age of great reformation, there were words that were vivid and vibrant in the language of everyday life, the words of ordinary people.
Wycliffe's Bible, Luther's Bible, the Revised Version during the dark days of Japanese colonial rule, and now we have "The Message."
What kind of history will the Lord begin in our time? --- Lee Yun-bok | Joy Missionary Church President

The publication of The Message Bible has been long awaited.
Because it is an excellent Bible that allows us to understand the Bible in today's language.
I hope that through "The Message," many people will be able to understand the essence of the Bible in today's thoughts, language, and emotions.
It will be the best tool for understanding and meditating on the Bible in tangible language.
--- Han Cheol-ho, Standing Chairman of the Mission Korea Partners

Christianity is a religion of revelation in which God the Creator personally reveals His inner self.
The Bible is a book that contains God's eternal truth in the limited language of human beings, and is God's communication that has been designed to be understood by ordinary people.
However, many translations throughout history have made the mistake of isolating the common person from the message of the Bible by being cumbersome or insisting on classical expressions.
As time passed, the Revised Version of the Bible became a book that was difficult for modern people to read.
The long-standing conflict between reformers who insist on a modern translation and conservatives who insist on maintaining the existing translation has been growing increasingly distant from modern people's understanding of the Bible. Seeing Eugene Peterson's "The Message" translated into Korean is welcome news, like a shower after a long drought.
Through this excellent "Bible next to the Bible," we hope that readers will be blessed with God's Word becoming familiar and richly alive in their lives.
--- Jeong Min-yeong | Vice President, Wycliffe Bible Translators International

We welcome the availability of "Message" in Korean, a comfortable and engaging read that preserves the rhythm and idiomatic meaning of the original language.
Although the rhythm and nuance have changed somewhat when translated into Korean, I would gladly recommend it as a supplementary Bible for those who wish to hear the Bible as a living message.
--- Kwon Young-seok, Standing Representative of the Academy Evangelization Council

Translation is treason.
And on top of that, it's a double translation! He deserves to be punished for treason.
This book is the result of a bold conspiracy to read the original text of the Bible in modern Korean language, using Eugene Peterson as an excuse.
It seems that many successful professional translators and trusted Bible scholars have been mobilized one after another in this uproar.
I was shocked by the distribution of this book by the publisher who had masterminded the operation so quickly and boldly.
I am already worried that there will be quite a few young people and new believers who will be swayed by the "Message."
How long has it been since I've felt such an extraordinary thrill? --- Yang Hee-song | Chief Planner, Cheongoram Academy

The Revised Version of the Bible, honestly, is a bit difficult, but I had no choice but to carry it around with me because everyone uses it.
Other modern Bibles, frankly, are a bit bland and have many disappointing aspects, so I only used them occasionally as references, like the English Bible.
Eugene Peterson's "The Message" Bible is, frankly, the first Bible in a long time that makes me want to sit down and read it through like a book and meditate on it.
If you don't believe me, read Romans 12:1-2 right now! --- Seo Jae-seok | Young2080 CEO

What makes "The Message" unique from other easy-to-translate Bibles is its literary quality, which transcends translation and paraphrase.
"The Message" is a wonderful revival of the rigid narrative of the Bible, a truly welcome gift to Christians living in this age.
"The Message" is a masterpiece that builds on Peterson's academic foundation, his 30 years of pastoral ministry, and his literary talent.
But paradoxically, "The Message" is not Eugene Peterson's book.
Because he is an interpreter, not a creator.
God speaks, and Pastor Peterson is just another tool to convey that message in understandable language.
The only way to repay this grace is to let the words prepared by this wise local pastor come to life within us.
--- The late Ahn Su-hyeon, author of "That Foolish Young Doctor"

A "message" is like a bridge.
It bridges the gap between the Bible and people, allowing us to hear the truth in a vivid tone, as if it were spoken in everyday life.
--- Ha Deok-gyu | CCM artist

Eugene Peterson did not separate everyday life, people, and spirituality.
The "Message" is alive with a passionate love for all people and a consistent craftsmanship toward Him.
He put into practice the love and compassion that Jesus showed by becoming human through “The Message.”
--- Hong Soon-kwan | CCM artist

I was waiting for the publication of "Message" as one of its readers.
The author's warm and kind consideration seems to be contained in every single sentence.
Thanks to this, I can travel to every corner of the Bible that I had not easily been able to see with "The Message," and my heart flutters as I read, and it brings excitement at every step of the journey called life.
Thank you.
Thank you for introducing me to a good book… … .
--- Joshua | CCM Artist

God spoke to us on our level, using human language.
It is likely in this context that the New Testament was written in Koine (plain) Greek.
"The Message" fully captures the amazing grace of the Incarnation, speaking to us in everyday language that everyone can understand.
--- Jo Jun-mo | CCM artist, professor of international language and literature at Handong Global University

It is a great thrill to read Eugene Peterson's "The Message" "Old Testament" in Korean.
Because it allows us to hear the meaning of the Old Testament written in Hebrew in a new way in our own written language today.
There is a great temporal, spatial, and cultural distance between the world of the Old Testament and us today.
Eugene Peterson's "The Message" allows us to skip this distance in one breath.
It not only allows us to hear the words proclaimed then as the words proclaimed to us today, but also helps us to understand precisely what they mean.
We experience passages from the Old Testament that we once found difficult to understand, and then we realize, "Ah! So that's what they meant."
In that respect, Eugene Peterson's "The Message" can be said to be a "Bible interpreted through meaning."
As readers participate in the feast of the Word he has laid out, they share the poet's confession that God's Word is "muttered in his mouth all day long" (Psalm 119:97).
--- Professor Wang Dae-il | Old Testament Studies, Methodist Theological University

One of the important contributions of the Reformation was to establish a Bible-centered faith by translating the Bible, which was considered the exclusive property of priests, into the languages ​​of each country and allowing laypeople to read the Bible directly.
In Korea, there is a tradition of using the Revised Version of the Bible for worship, and although various Bibles have been recently distributed, there are still obstacles that make it difficult for believers to read the Bible easily.
In this context, the Bible's "Message" next to the Bible cannot but be welcome, as it plays a role in bringing the Bible closer to believers.
While reviewing the Pentateuch, I felt the comfort of hearing the stories of the Bible translated into simple, everyday language, and coming across as comprehensive.
We hope that "The Message" will be a friendly companion to Korean-speaking believers as they enter the mysterious world of the Bible.
--- Professor Bae Jeong-hun | Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary, Old Testament Studies

As the Ethiopian finance minister was reading the Old Testament while walking through the wilderness, Philip, an evangelist from the church in Jerusalem, approached him and asked him:
“Do you understand what I am reading?” The Ethiopian eunuch replied, “How can I understand without someone to help me?”
This episode does a great job of illustrating the role of Eugene Peterson's "The Message."
As one verse of the hymn we sing says, "The Message" is an excellent interpreter who makes God's Word easy to understand and understand.
It is an incarnational Bible translated from the language of heaven into easy-to-understand everyday language.
Nothing could be better than this.
--- Professor Ryu Ho-jun | Old Testament Studies, Baekseok University

The Bible is the greatest of the classics.
Everyone knows that a classic is a book that must be read, but reading a classic is literally a classic, and it is also a book that is not easy to read.
No one would dispute that the Bible is a book that should be read forever.
However, it is also a book that is not as well understood as it is read with passion.
A book that solves this problem once and for all has finally been published.
This book falls in the middle ground between translation that focuses on the form of the text (form-consistent translation) and paraphrasing that focuses on the reader (content-consistent translation).
A literal translation is not easy to grasp the meaning, and a paraphrase is likely to deviate from the original meaning.
However, "Message" is an excellent result that miraculously overcomes these two limitations and revives the meaning of the text in modern language.
It is almost as if God, the original author of the Bible, is speaking to us in our own language.
I highly recommend this as it is the best Bible available today.
--- Professor Cha Jun-hee | Old Testament Studies, Hansei University

The virtue of "Message" is twofold.
Above all, it allows you to read the Bible without any obstruction.
The Bible, which used to feel difficult and distant due to outdated expressions and tone that are rarely used, can now be encountered in everyday language through "The Message."
Now we meet people who speak the same language as we do in Genesis and Exodus.
And we come to expect the God who worked in their lives to work in our lives as well.
As we read through the seemingly complex regulations of Leviticus and Deuteronomy without any hesitation, we come to a clearer understanding of the kind of life God desires.
This is the first well-known virtue of the "Message".
However, the second virtue of the "Message" is of an opposite nature to the first virtue.
“The Message” often stops us from reading the Bible.
This happens when you feel something different from the Bible you have known so far. The more you have read the Bible over the years, the more often you will stop in your tracks because of the unfamiliarity.
One of the reasons we have difficulty hearing God's word is because we are too "accustomed" to it.
Familiar words are no longer heard.
I'm not excited anymore.
But the "Message" makes God's word strange.
I thought I already knew the Bible well, but it seems like it's telling me things I've never heard before.
Are these words in the Bible? Making the Word strange—this is the second virtue of "The Message."
If this unfamiliarity becomes an opportunity to carefully examine what the Bible truly says, then "The Message" has successfully fulfilled its mission as "the Bible next to the Bible."
Every encounter is unfamiliar at first.
But the joy you experience in that encounter will soon turn the unfamiliarity into excitement.
I hope that all readers will be able to enjoy the heavenly blessing of reading God's word with a thrilling heart through "The Message."
--- Professor Jeon Seong-min | Old Testament Studies, Westminster Theological Seminary

"The Message" is the most dynamic recent translation of the Bible I know of.
"The Message" is a Bible that even children can understand.
Those who have read the Bible extensively will see Jesus' words in a whole new light through this "Message."
--- Billy Graham

"The Message" is a Bible that conveys the original voice of the Bible in vivid language.
I highly recommend it.
--- Richard Foster, author of "Spiritual Training and Growth"

Eugene Peterson's "The Message," a perfect blend of scholarly rigor and vivid expression, stands out among the many Bible translations and is a truly outstanding Bible.
The logical flow, vibrant emotions, and implied meanings of the original text of the Bible are brilliantly revived.
--- James I.
Packer | Author of "Knowing God"

"The Message" is a book that comes from Peterson's pastoral experience of trying to convey God's word to his congregation.
Those who will benefit most from "The Message" are those who have read the Bible but have put it aside because they do not understand it.
He is also a person who thinks deeply and seeks the truth, but is not yet ready to accept the word.
Surprisingly, the "Message" reaches them powerfully in everyday language and becomes a living word.
--- Dallas Willard, author of "The Divine Conspiracy"

“The Message” is the Bible speaking in the everyday language of today.
Eugene Peterson's exceptional sense of language is a unique characteristic of "The Message."
--- Gordon Fee | Professor of New Testament, Regent College

"The Message" is a very useful book for both believers and those seeking faith.
Because it conveys the unchanging Word of God using language and sentences that we can all understand.
I highly recommend "The Message" to anyone looking to take a step forward on their spiritual journey.
--- Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor, Willow Creek Community Church

"Message" captivates me and makes me feel amazingly alive.
"The Message" is full of wonder and excitement, true human language and emotion.
--- Frederick Buechner, author of "The Journey to God"

Pastor Peterson, hello. I'm Bono, the singer for the group U2.
My band and I would like to express our gratitude for the effort you put into translating the Bible text so beautifully.
It's really so wonderful.
There have been many excellent translations over the years, but this is the first Bible that speaks to me in my own language.
10 years is a really long time.
Should I get some rest now? Bye.
--- Bono | Lead singer of the rock group U2

In "Message," I not only read the words, but also hear the voice behind the words.
The "Message" opens the door wide to enter the Bible, as it is read by our eyes and heard by our ears.
--- Michael Card | CCM Artist

"The Message" is a book you can't put down once you pick it up.
You keep reading because you're curious to see what happens next, and as you read, you're constantly surprised.
The fresh perspective and format of "The Message" will give you a quick, easy-to-read experience of the facts about Jesus.
--- Amy Grant | CCM Artist

It seems like a long time ago that I first encountered this book, which opened my eyes to a fresh and new way of looking at the stories of the Bible.
Now my name is on the list of countless people who want to read "The Message."
"Message" is a very precious friend to me.
--- Max Lucado, author of "Like Jesus"

I read a passage from "The Message," read it again, and think about it.
'Ah, so that's what it meant!' Peterson gave us the gift of a lifetime.
--- Rebecca Piffatt, author of "Light and Salt"

Amazing! I always carry "Message" with me.
"Message" is a treasure you'll want to take out and look at wherever you go.
--- Joni Erickson Tada, author of "The Tears of God"

I thank God for giving me the “message.”
Eugene Peterson's "The Message" helped the church read the Bible anew.
---“Christianity Today”