EUGENE H. PETERSON is a writer, poet, and retired pastor. He has authored more than thirty-four books (not including The Message). He is Professor Emeritus of Spiritual Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia. Eugene also founded Christ Our King Presbyterian Church in Bel Air, Maryland, where he ministered for twenty-nine years. After teaching at a seminary, he created The Message, a vibrant Bible paraphrase that connects with today's readers like no other.

It took Peterson ten years to complete. He worked not from any English text but from the original Hebrew and Greek texts to guarantee authenticity. At the same time, his ear was always tuned to the cadence and energy of the English spoken every day on the streets. He lives with his wife, Jan, in Montana.