Designed to read like a letter from God, "The Message" presents Scripture the way it originally appeared, as a naturally flowing narrative. Using only the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts, "The Message's" creator, Eugene Peterson, began by setting the New Testament, "Psalms", and proverbs in contemporary English, free of distracting verse numbers and stiff, formal language. The result has been a warm, highly readable paraphrase that reveals the richly personal nature of God's Word. The Old Testament followed, and the complete "Message Bible" was released in 2002. Used in both public preaching and private devotions, "The Message" has captured the hearts of millions of readers, enriching their understanding of Scripture and deepening their faith. In the mid-20th century, The Lockman Foundation saw the need for a new translation based upon the values that inspired the revered American Standard Version (ASV). Employing the same exacting word-for-word approach as the ASV, a world-class team of conservative translators and scholars drew on the strengths of its predecessor and on new Hebrew and Greek textual sources to produce an all-new translation. "The New American Standard Bible" (NASB) was released in its entirety in 1971, and was updated in 1995 to render it more understandable to modern-English readers. It is recognized as today's most accurate word-for-word translation. Its features include: the most literal translation and bestselling paraphrase together in one volume; the "NASB" and "The Message" side by side; instant comparison deepens your grasp of Scripture; and double-column format. If your translation of choice is the "New American Standard Bible" (NASB) and if you appreciate "The Message" for the freshness and clarity it brings to your reading of the Bible then you'll love "The Message/NASB Parallel Bible". Setting "The Message" and the "NASB" together for the first time ever, this Bible allows you to instantly compare Eugene Peterson's bestselling paraphrase and today's most literal word-for-word modern translation. "The Message/NASB Parallel Bible" features: the story-like flow and penetrating insights of "The Message"; emphasizing a narrative reading of the Bible, "The Message" is treasured by countless Christians for the way its contemporary language illuminates ageless truths; and the trustworthy, literal interpretation of the "Updated NASB", today's foremost word-for-word modern translation. The "NASB" is used by millions of people, from scholars to pastors to everyday Bible readers who appreciate a more literal translation of God's Word. It features a double-column format and a ribbon marker (leather edition only).