Mr.Emu,
You almost threw me for a moment.
When I read the translation of Exodus you posted I did indeed skim over it because truthfully I have read most of the accepted versions of it ..even recently.
When prompted to "read Closely" I noticed the wording was nothing I`d seen and couldn`t figure where it came from so I re-traced this thread and noticed it is from "The Message" Bible. (I had intitially thought you were refering to the actual "message" of the verse but now I see it is a Bible.
The message is not a translation of the Bible it is one pastors paraphrasing of the NT.
He himself states it is paraphrasing and wrote it because.." I kept asking myself, if Isaiah or John were writing what they wrote for these people I am living with, how would they say it?"
How would they say it in English?
How does Peterson have a clue as to how they would say it in English considering he doesn`t know who "They" are, "They" didn`t speak English, and "They" are dead hundreds of years dead.
One mans paraphrasing of a book may very well make a book more readable and lord knows the Bible can use a bit more readability and I offer kudos to Mr.Peterson for doing so .
But
There should ne a huge disclaimer on every one of these "interpretations" warning what it really is so as not to mislead anyone.
The first link below has a link to The Message online, just start reading anywhere and you`ll see the liberties taken with the text are far to liberal to be taken as Biblical verse.
Petersons Bible is the only one to use this "Pass On to Them" nonsense.
he`s clearly taking liberties .
The original Greek no where says anything even close to this.
KJV
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me;
The Message
Don't bow down to them and don't serve them because I am GOD your God, and I'm a most jealous God, punishing the children for any sins their parents pass on to them to the third, and yes, even to the fourth generation of those who hate me.
It`s amazing to me how Gods word becomes so pliable for a Christian when it suits their purpose but it`s engraved in stone when they deem it to be.
If thats the best you`ve got Mr.Emu...:banghead3
The original verse stands as it was written.
You are indeed punished for the sins of your forefathers for at least 3-4 generations in
Exodus 20:5.
But then it is contradicted in
Ezekeil 18:19 and you are not punished for the sins of your forefathers.
It is a direct contradiction.
http://beta.biblegateway.com/versions/index.php?action=getVersionInfo&vid=65&lang=2
http://www.atu2.com/news/connections/peterson/
http://www.navpress.com/BibleProducts/