So That We May Read

During the 1960s Kenneth Taylor, a father of ten children, dedicated hour after hour to writing a paraphrase of the Bible so that "his own children could better grasp Scripture's message." The result? The Living Bible.

During the 1990s Eugene Peterson, a pastor of Christ our King Presbyterian Church, dedicated hour after hour to writing a paraphrase of the Bible so that his congregation would better understand the message of Scripture. The result? The Message Bible.

Taylor and Peterson are but two of the lovers of God's Word who dedicated hours to bring the Word to people. Translators continue today to work to produce Bibles in language after language.

Why such effort?

Because Taylor, Peterson, Phillips, as well as many other individuals and publishing houses want as many people as possible to read the Good News of God. They know the importance of reading / hearing the inspired words of God that are true and useful.

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2 Timothy 3:14-17 (NIV)
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Augustine (AD 354 - AD 430) writes in Confessions about his experience of hearing from God (through the voice of a child singing a song while at play). The child was singing "Take and Read." So, Augustine picked up a copy of Paul's writings and read. Upon reading, Augustine experienced change. In his own words . . .

"No further would I read, nor did I need; for instantly, as the sentence ended - by a light, as it were, of security infused into my heart, - all the gloom of doubt vanished away."
(http://www.bible-researcher.com/tolle-lege.html)

We each will do well, with Bible in hand, to heed the words of the singing child.

Take and Read!

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