"Commencing Demagogues, Ending Tyrants"

I managed to read the Bible cover to cover this late summer and fall. I am ashamed to admit that ---though I have managed to pass college classes on "The New Testament," "Basic Cristian Beliefs," and "The Teachings of Jesus", and though I have listened to hundreds of Christian sermons as a Methodist preacher's kid and as a student at a holiness college that required attendance at three weekly chapel services, and though I attended years of Sunday School and weeks of Vacation Bible School --- I had never before read the Bible straight through. My mother praises Peterson's translation called "The Message" as an accurate translation in language very accessible to modern English speakers, so that is the version I read. It was sometimes startling to hear the "message" of the Bible expressed through modern idiom, but I found it very understandable. 

Recently I had reason to look up one of the Federalist Papers to try to understand Hamilton's explanation and arguments about a section of the Constitution. I found the essay very difficult to understand. Perhaps it was my pleasure at having the Bible in accessible language that made me wonder if there were a "Message" version of the Federalist Papers. Turns out there is more than one. I found this one in pdf form online and compared a few paragraphs with the original and decided it seemed a helpful "translation" even though it was produced by a libertarian group.

The Federalist Papers are important to the understanding of the Constitution. They make clear the motivation of Hamilton, Madison, and Jay as they promoted huge changes in American government. Fully understood, they can clear up some common confusion and outright misinterpretation of the Constitution.

During the current presidential administration I have read many wrongheaded (IMO, of course) screeds about the Electoral College and the Second Amendment, in particular. 

Therefore I have been pleased to discover these "modern" Federalist Papers. Here is a passage from Federalist #1 and the same passage from the "modern" version.

“…the vigor of government is essential to the security of liberty; that, in the contemplation of a sound and well-informed judgment, their interest can never be separated; and that a dangerous ambition more often lurks behind the specious mask of zeal for the rights of the people than under the forbidden appearance of zeal for the firmness and efficiency of government. History will teach us that the former has been found a much more certain road to the introduction of despotism than the latter, and that of those men who have overturned the liberties of republics, the greatest number have begun their career by paying an obsequious court to the people; commencing demagogues, and ending tyrants.”

Rewritten in more modern language:

“A healthy government is essential to secure liberty. A strong government and liberty can never be separated. Dangerous ambition is more often masked by a zeal for the rights of the people than the zeal for a firm and efficient government. History teaches us that most men who have overturned the liberties of republics began their career by proclaiming their devotion to the people. They gain position by arousing people’s prejudices and end as tyrants.”

This looks like an accurate rewording of the original to me.

So I'm gonna read 'em.