« | Amos 9 |
1 I saw the Lord standing on the altar: and He said, Strike the mercy seat, and the porch shall be shaken; and cut through into the heads of all; and I will slay the remnant of them with the sword: he who flees shall not escape, and he who escapes shall not be delivered.
2 Though they hid themselves in hell, from there shall My hand drag them forth; and though they go up to heaven, from there will I bring them down.
3 If they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, from there will I search them out and take them; and if they should go down from My presence into the depths of the sea, there will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them.
4 And if they should go into captivity before the face of their enemies, there will I command the sword, and it shall slay them; and I will set My eyes against them for evil, and not for good.
5 And the Lord, the Lord God Almighty, is He that takes hold of the land, and causes it to shake, and all that inhabit it shall mourn; and its destruction shall go up as a river, and shall descend as the river of Egypt.
6 [It is He] that builds His ascent up to the sky, and establishes His promise on the earth; who calls the water of the sea, and pours it out on the face of the earth; the Lord Almighty is His name.
7 Are not you to Me as the sons of the Ethiopians, O children of Israel? Says the Lord. Did I not bring Israel up out of the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Cappadocia, and the Syrians out of the deep?
8 Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the kingdom of sinners, and I will cut it off from the face of the earth; only I will not utterly cut off the house of Jacob, says the Lord.
9 For I [will] give commandment, and sift the house of Israel among all the Gentiles, as [grain] is sifted in a sieve, and yet a fragment shall by no means fall upon the earth.
10 All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, who say, Calamities shall certainly not draw near, nor come upon us.
11 In that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and will rebuild the ruins of it, and will set up the parts thereof that have been broken down, and will build it up as in the ancient days:
12 that the remnant of men, and all the Gentiles upon whom My name is called, may earnestly seek Me, says the Lord who does all these things.
13 Behold, the days come, says the Lord, when the harvest shall overtake the vintage, and the grapes shall ripen at seed time; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall be planted.
14 And I will turn the captivity of My people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities, and shall inhabit [them]; and they shall plant vineyards, and shall drink the wine from them; and they shall form gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
15 And I will plant them on their land, and they shall no more be plucked up from the land which I have given them, says the Lord God Almighty.
The Apostles’ Bible Complete (ABC)
The Apostles’ Bible Complete (ABC) is a modern translation of the Bible that strives to offer a clear and faithful rendering of the scriptures in contemporary language. This translation is designed to be accessible to a wide audience, providing an easy-to-read yet accurate version of the biblical text. The ABC translation aims to bridge the gap between the ancient languages in which the Bible was originally written and the modern vernacular, making it an ideal choice for both personal study and public reading.
One of the notable features of the Apostles’ Bible Complete is its dedication to maintaining the integrity of the original manuscripts. The translators of the ABC worked meticulously with the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts to ensure that their translation accurately reflects the original meaning and intent of the scriptures. By employing a balance of formal equivalence (word-for-word) and dynamic equivalence (thought-for-thought) translation techniques, the ABC aims to preserve the nuances and richness of the original languages while ensuring readability and clarity for modern readers.
The ABC also incorporates extensive cross-references and study aids to enhance the reader’s understanding of the biblical text. These tools include footnotes that provide historical and cultural context, as well as explanations of difficult or ambiguous passages. This approach helps readers to grasp the deeper meanings of the scriptures and to see how different parts of the Bible interconnect. The inclusion of these study aids makes the ABC particularly useful for those who are new to the Bible, as well as for more experienced readers who are looking to deepen their understanding of the text.
Despite its strengths, the Apostles’ Bible Complete has faced some criticisms. Some readers feel that the translation could benefit from further refinement in certain passages, as the balance between formal and dynamic equivalence can sometimes lead to inconsistencies in style and tone. Others have noted that while the study aids are helpful, they can occasionally overwhelm the main text, making it difficult to focus on the scripture itself. Nonetheless, the ABC remains a valuable and respected translation, appreciated for its commitment to accuracy, clarity, and accessibility, and for its ability to bring the ancient words of the Bible to life for contemporary readers.