We've Got Mail is a modern translation of the New Testament letters (Romans-Jude) written with today's youth in mind. The book reads like a group of letters from a friend. The intent is to make these relevant letters of the Bible understood by new Christians without detracting from the purpose and doctrine of the original text.

We've Got Mail targets youth and new Christians who are just getting their footing in the faith and trying to relate to wordy passages that might sound a little out of date. The author works hard to reflect the New Testament letters' impact on today's believer. Sharing this book with a teen or new believer would be ideal. I think you could also adapt it really easily for a Sunday school setting or a Bible study. Reading a portion from We've Got Mail would be a good start, and then a teacher could expound on the heart of the message through discussion. Comparing the wording with other Bible translations would also create a really deep study of the epistles.

While reviewing We've Got Mail, I frequently went back to other translations to see how this version would hold up. I found We've Got Mail to be more respectful of doctrine and Biblical intent than The Message translation and other modern paraphrases. I even liked it better than my New Living version. The letters are simplified for clarity, not reworded in a way that breaks Biblical context. The author, Rev. Warren C. Biebel Jr., respects the intelligence of the reader to grasp challenging passages, but he takes away the work in doing so. Without using slang or modern references that break flow, he breaks down Scripture in a more personal and relational way.

I read We've Got Mail as if I was reading a monologue. I felt connected to the writers and their messages as I never had been before. Their story came alive and began to look less distant from my own story. What Christian today hasn't faced a trial of some sort? Paul really speaks to all sides of the trial. He gives an inside point of view from his prison cell, he considers the possibility that his trials may cause others to doubt God's goodness, and he sets an example that is as pertinent today as it was when each letter was penned. It's all worth understanding.

There are a few editing errors in the book near the (a word or two missing from a sentence). It is usually obvious what's missing, and you won't have to struggle to figure the sentence out. Overall, We've Got Mail does an excellent job of building enthusiasm and increasing understanding of God's Word to us. It's a well-priced, excellent resource for those who are seeking a better grasp of the epistles.

Product review by Heather Randall, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, June 2010