« | Deuteronomy 26 | » |
1 And it shall be, when you have entered into the land which the Lord your God gives you to inherit, and you have inherited it, and you have dwelt upon it,
2 that you shall take of the first of the fruits of your land, which the Lord your God gives you, and you shall put them into a basket, and you shall go to the place which the Lord your God shall choose to have His name called there.
3 And you shall come to the priest who shall be in those days, and you shall say to him, I testify this day to the Lord my God, that I have come into the land which the Lord swore to our fathers to give to us.
4 And the priest shall take the basket out of your hands, and shall set it before the altar of the Lord your God;
5 and he shall answer and say before the Lord your God, My father abandoned Syria, and went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a small number, and became there a mighty nation and a great multitude.
6 And the Egyptians afflicted us, and humbled us, and imposed hard tasks on us,
7 and we cried to the Lord our God, and the Lord heard our voice, and saw our humiliation, and our labor, and our affliction.
8 And the Lord brought us out of Egypt Himself with His great strength, and His mighty hand, and His outstretched arm, and with great visions, and with signs, and with wonders.
9 And He brought us into this place, and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.
10 And now behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which you gave me, O Lord, a land flowing with milk and honey; and you shall leave it before the Lord your God, and you shall worship before the Lord your God;
11 and you shall rejoice in all the good [things] which the Lord your God has given you, [you] and your family, and the Levite, and the stranger that is within you.
12 And when you have completed all the tithing of your fruits in the third year, you shall give the second tenth to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow; and they shall eat it in your cities, and be merry.
13 And you shall say before the Lord your God, I have fully collected the holy things out of my house, and I have given them to the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow, according to all commands which You have commanded me: I did not transgress Your command, and I did not forget it.
14 And in my distress I did not eat of them, I have not gathered of them for an unclean purpose, I have not given of them to the dead; I have hearkened to the voice of the Lord our God, I have done as You have commanded me.
15 Look down from Your holy house, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel, and the land which You have given them, as You swore to our fathers, to give to us a land flowing with milk and honey.
16 On this day the Lord your God charged you to keep all the statutes and judgments; and you shall observe and do them, with all your heart, and with all your soul.
17 You have chosen God this day to be your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to observe His statutes and judgments, and to hearken to His voice.
18 And the Lord has chosen you this day, that you should be to Him a peculiar people, as He said, to keep His commands;
19 and that you should be above all nations, as He has made you renowned, and a boast, and glorious, that you should be a holy people to the Lord your God, as He has spoken.
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.