Author of The Message bible dies at 85
Eugene Peterson, the pastor and writer who translated the bible into The Message version, has died at the age of 85.
“It feels fitting that his death came on a Monday, the day of the week he always honored as a Sabbath during his years as a pastor,” Peterson’s family said in a statement to NavPress, which published The Message.
“After a lifetime of faithful service to the church — running the race with gusto — it is reassuring to know that Eugene has now entered into the fullness of the Kingdom of God and has been embraced by eternal Sabbath.”
Peterson was the author of 35 books.
His latest, Every Step an Arrival: A 90-Day Devotional for Exploring God’s Word, was released earlier this month.
Peterson’s most famous work, however, is without a doubt The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language, in which he paraphrased the Scriptures into modern parlance with the goal of giving those distant from the Bible a more accessible take.
He retired from pastoring in 1991 and became a professor of spiritual theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia. He retired from there in 2006.
Peterson’s last years were spent studying and writing at his home in Montana, where he and his wife, Jan, lived in a home Peterson’s father built.
“Among his final words were, ‘Let’s go.’ And his joy: my, oh my; the man remained joyful right up to his blessed end, smiling frequently,” his family added.
“In such moments, it’s best for all mortal flesh to keep silence. But if you have to say something say this: ‘Holy, Holy, Holy.'”
Earlier this month, his son, Eric, revealed that Peterson was hospitalized due to heart failure and dementia and was in his last months of life.
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