The Message (MSG) and J.B. Phillips’ New Testament are both loose, readable renderings of Scripture, but they come from very different eras and aims. The Message is a modern American paraphrase that restates the Bible in contemporary idiom, while Phillips is a mid-twentieth-century British translation that tried to make the Greek of the New Testament sound natural in English without fully abandoning older wording. If you want a fresh, conversational voice that reads like a letter written to your neighbor, MSG usually fits better. If you want a classic, dignified English New Testament that still reads more directly than older translations, Phillips may suit you.
Background
The Message was produced by Eugene Peterson, a pastor and professor, and published in installments before appearing as a complete Bible. Peterson worked on it alone rather than through a committee, which gives the text a single distinctive voice. It was built on his long experience of preaching and pastoring, and it was meant to help ordinary readers hear the Bible as something spoken to them directly.
J.B. Phillips was an Anglican clergyman and translator in England. His New Testament was first published in parts beginning in the 1940s, and he revised it over the following decades. He wrote in part because he saw young people struggling with the older English of the familiar versions, and his goal was to let the sense of the Greek come through in clear modern English.
Translation Method
Both works are generally described as paraphrases rather than strictly word-for-word translations. The Message goes further in this direction than almost any other widely read Bible. Peterson often restates an entire passage in new images and everyday comparisons, so a single sentence in the original may become several sentences in English. This makes the text vivid and quick to read, though it also means you will sometimes be reading Peterson’s interpretation as much as the original wording.
Phillips is also free in places, but it stays closer to the structure of the Greek sentences and to the terms the New Testament writers used. Where MSG tends to rephrase, Phillips tends to clarify. For readers who want to follow the shape of the original argument while still avoiding archaic English, this middle position can be a helpful balance.
Reading Level and Style
MSG reads in a plain, colloquial American style with short sentences, idioms and frequent contemporary references. Many readers, including new believers and teenagers, find it immediately approachable. Some older readers find the casual tone distracting, especially in passages of worship or deep theological weight, and may feel the familiar cadences of Scripture have been flattened.
Phillips has a more formal but still modern English style. Its sentences are generally longer than MSG’s and more closely shaped by traditional English prose, so it can feel more like a standard book and less like a conversation. Readers who grew up with older Bibles often find Phillips a comfortable middle ground between the old and the new.
A Verse to Compare
Matthew 11:28
“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.
(WEB)
Here both translators aim at the warmth of Jesus’ invitation to the weary. MSG tends to present the invitation in a direct, personal tone, as if Jesus were speaking to someone sitting across the table from him, and it leans into the image of rest as a relief from heavy loads. Phillips keeps closer to the original structure, presenting the same call with clear, plain English that avoids both archaic phrasing and modern slang. Reading the two side by side can show you how each treats the balance between faithfulness to the wording and freshness of expression.
Who Should Use It
Choose MSG if you want a devotional companion that makes familiar passages feel new and conversational, or if you are introducing a younger reader to Scripture. Its limits are that it is an interpretive paraphrase, so it is best used alongside a more literal translation when you study a passage closely. Peterson’s choices sometimes shape the meaning in ways you may want to check.
Choose Phillips if you want a clear, dignified New Testament that stays nearer the sentence structure of the Greek while reading smoothly in English. It is well suited to reading the Gospels or Epistles straight through. Its limits are that it covers only the New Testament, and its English, while modern for its time, now carries a mid-century flavor that some readers find slightly dated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Message a complete Bible?
Yes, The Message eventually appeared as a complete Bible, including the Old and New Testaments. It is still a paraphrase, so readers who want a literal rendering usually pair it with another version.
Is Phillips only the New Testament?
Yes, J.B. Phillips translated the New Testament and not the Old Testament. Readers often use it as a companion to a fuller Bible for the New Testament readings.
Which is easier for a beginner?
MSG is generally the easier read because its style is casual and contemporary. Phillips is also accessible, though its sentences are longer and more formal in feel.
