Book excerpt: The Message is a reading Bible translated from the original Greek and Hebrew Scriptures by scholar, pastor, author, and poet Eugene Peterson. Thoroughly reviewed and approved by twenty biblical scholars, The Message combines the authority of God's Word with the cadence and energy of conversational English. What makes The Message the best reading Bible? Discover for yourself. Feel the impact of a Bible translated into conversational English. Enjoy the familiar one-column design, like books you're used to. Find passages with The Message's unique verse-numbered paragraphs. See the big picture with "The Story of the Bible in Five Acts," alongside handcrafted timelines and charts. Keep your place with a satin ribbon marker. Come and delight in the unexpected passion and personality that fill God's Word.