« | 2 Kings 2 | » |
1 And it came to pass, when LORD would take up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
2 And Elijah said to Elisha, Remain here, I pray thee, for LORD has sent me as far as Bethel. And Elisha said, As LORD lives, and as thy soul lives, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
3 And the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said to him, Do thou know that LORD will take away thy master from thy head today? And he said, Yes, I know it; hold ye your peace.
4 And Elijah said to him, Elisha, remain here, I pray thee, for LORD has sent me to Jericho. And he said, As LORD lives, and as thy soul lives, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
5 And the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came near to Elisha, and said to him, Do thou know that LORD will take away thy master from thy head today? And he answered, Yes, I know it; hold ye your peace.
6 And Elijah said to him, Remain here, I pray thee, for LORD has sent me to the Jordan. And he said, As LORD lives, and as thy soul lives, I will not leave thee. And the two went on.
7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood opposite them afar off. And the two stood by the Jordan.
8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two went over on dry ground.
9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said to Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee before I am taken from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
10 And he said, Thou have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so to thee, but if not, it shall not be so.
11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which divided them both apart. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen of it! And he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes, and tore them in two pieces.
13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and struck the waters, and said, Where is LORD, the God of Elijah? And when he also had smitten the waters, they were divided here and there, and Elisha went over.
15 And when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
16 And they said to him, Behold now, there are fifty strong men with thy servants. Let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master, lest the Spirit of LORD has taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send.
17 And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. Therefore they sent fifty men. And they sought three days, but did not find him.
18 And they came back to him while he remained at Jericho. And he said to them, Did I not say to you, Do not go?
19 And the men of the city said to Elisha, Behold, we pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the ground barren.
20 And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.
21 And he went forth to the spring of the waters, and cast salt therein, and said, Thus says LORD, I have healed these waters. There shall not be from there any more death or barren land.
22 So the waters were healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.
23 And he went up from there to Bethel. And as he was going up by the way, there came forth young lads out of the city, and mocked him, and said to him, Go up, thou baldhead; go up, thou baldhead.
24 And he looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in the name of LORD. And there came forth two she-bears out of the wood, and tore forty-two lads of them.
25 And he went from there to mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.
A Conservative Version (ACV)
A Conservative Version (ACV) of the Bible is a translation that aims to provide a conservative and literal interpretation of the biblical texts. Developed with a focus on maintaining fidelity to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts, the ACV emphasizes a word-for-word translation methodology. The goal is to preserve the subtleties and nuances of the original languages as accurately as possible. This approach results in a version of the Bible that seeks to remain true to the text's original meaning and context, appealing to readers who prioritize precision and doctrinal integrity.
The text of the Old Testament for A Conservative Version (ACV) came from the American Standard Version published in 1901. The main changes done for the ACV were the replacement of archaic words with more modern ones, except for the old English pronouns, which were kept because they are more communicative. The New Testament was translated from, The New Testament in the Original Greek According to the Byzantine-Majority Text form. That edition was compiled by Maurice A. Robinson and William G. Pierpont, and is of the Textus Receptus tradition from which came the King James Version.
The ACV was created in response to what its translators saw as a trend toward more liberal or dynamic-equivalence translations that prioritize readability over literal accuracy. The translators aimed to produce a text that adheres closely to the original languages, even if this makes the translation more challenging for contemporary readers. This reflects their belief in the importance of preserving the exact words and phrases used in the original scriptures. The ACV also employs traditional theological terminology and phrasing, avoiding modern slang and colloquial expressions in favor of language that conveys the gravity and solemnity of the biblical message.
While the ACV has found appreciation among conservative circles, it has faced criticism for its perceived rigidity and difficulty. Critics argue that its strict adherence to a word-for-word translation can make the text less readable and accessible, potentially alienating readers unfamiliar with the original languages or who prefer a more fluid translation. Despite these criticisms, the ACV remains a valued translation for those who prioritize a conservative and literal approach to Bible interpretation, supporting their doctrinal views with a text they believe closely reflects the original scriptures.