« | Deuteronomy 18 | » |
1 "The Levite religious leaders of the family group of Levi will have no share of the land given to Israel. They will live on the gifts given to the Lord by fire.
2 They will have no share of the land among their brothers. The Lord is their share, as He promised them.
3 "When the people bring their gifts, a bull or a sheep, the religious leader is to be given the shoulder, the parts of the face, and the stomach.
4 Give him the first of your grain, your wine, and your oil, and the first wool of your sheep.
5 For the Lord your God has chosen him and his sons from all your families, to stand and serve in the name of the Lord forever.
6 "If a Levite comes whenever he desires from any of the towns in Israel to the place the Lord chooses,
7 then he may work in the name of the Lord his God, like all his brother Levites who stand there before the Lord.
8 They will all eat the same share of food, except what they receive from what is sold of their fathers' lands.
9 "When you go into the land the Lord your God gives you, do not learn to follow the hated and sinful ways of those nations.
10 There must not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire, or uses secret ways, or does witchcraft, or tells the meaning of special things, or is a witch,
11 or uses secret power on people, or helps people talk to spirits, or talks to spirits himself, or talks with the dead.
12 For the Lord hates whoever does these things. And because of these hated things, the Lord your God will drive them out from in front of you.
13 You must be without blame before the Lord your God.
14 For these nations that you are about to take listen to those who do witchcraft and use secret ways. But the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so.
15 "The Lord your God will give you a man who speaks for God like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.
16 This is what you asked of the Lord your God at Sinai on the day of the meeting, when you said, 'Do not let me hear the voice of the Lord my God again. Do not let me see this fire any more, or I will die.'
17 And the Lord said to me, 'They have spoken well.
18 I will give them a man who speaks for God like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth. And he will make known to them all that I tell him.
19 He will speak in My name. And I will punish whoever will not listen to him.
20 But that man of God will die who is not careful and speaks in My name what I did not tell him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods.'
21 You may say to yourselves, 'How can we know which words the Lord has not spoken?'
22 When a man who speaks for God speaks in the name of the Lord, and what he says does not come true, that word is not from the Lord. The man has spoken on his own. Do not be afraid of him.
The New Life Version (NLV)
The New Life Version (NLV) is a unique English translation of the Bible designed to be exceptionally easy to read and understand. First published in 1969, the NLV was created by Gleason Ledyard, a missionary and linguist, to make the Scriptures accessible to people who have limited English proficiency or are new to the language. Ledyard’s aim was to provide a Bible that even those with minimal education could read and comprehend, thus opening the door for a wider audience to engage with the biblical texts.
A defining characteristic of the New Life Version is its use of a limited vocabulary of about 850 basic English words, along with some necessary theological terms. This restricted vocabulary ensures that the language remains simple and straightforward, making the text accessible to young readers, new Christians, and those for whom English is a second language. The translators also avoided idiomatic expressions and complex sentence structures, further enhancing clarity and understanding. This makes the NLV a particularly valuable resource for educational and missionary work.
The NLV also emphasizes faithfulness to the original texts, despite its simplified language. The translation aims to maintain the integrity and message of the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts. By carefully choosing words that accurately convey the meaning of the original texts while ensuring simplicity, the NLV provides a balance between accessibility and fidelity. Additionally, the NLV includes explanatory footnotes and cross-references that help readers understand the context and deeper meanings of the passages, making it a useful tool for both personal study and group teaching.
However, the New Life Version is not without its critics. Some scholars and traditionalists argue that the limited vocabulary and simplified language can lead to a loss of nuance and depth found in the original texts. They suggest that the NLV’s focus on simplicity may sometimes oversimplify complex theological concepts. Despite these criticisms, the New Life Version remains a valuable translation for its intended audience, offering a clear and approachable rendition of the Bible that helps a wide range of readers engage with the Scriptures and grow in their faith.