« | Deuteronomy 9 | » |
1 "Hear, O Israel! You are crossing over the Jordan today to take the land that belongs to nations greater and stronger than you, with big cities with walls as high as heaven.
2 The people there are strong and tall, the sons of Anakim. You know of them and have heard it said, 'Who can stand in front of the sons of Anak?'
3 But know today that it is the Lord your God Who is crossing over before you as a fire that destroys everything. He will destroy them and bring them down before you. So you may drive them out and be quick to destroy them, just as the Lord has told you.
4 But after the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say in your heart, 'The Lord has brought me in to take this land because I am right and good.' It is because of the sin of these nations that the Lord is driving them out in front of you.
5 It is not because of your being right with God that you are going to take their land. But it is because of the sin of these nations that the Lord your God is driving them out in front of you. By this the Lord is proving that He keeps the promise He made to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
6 Understand that it is not because you are right with God that the Lord your God is giving you this good land for your own, for you are a strong-willed people.
7 "Remember and do not forget how you made the Lord your God angry in the desert. You have gone against the Lord from the day you left the land of Egypt until you came to this place.
8 Even at Mount Sinai you made the Lord angry. The Lord was so angry with you that He would have destroyed you.
9 I went up the mountain to receive the pieces of stone, the Laws of the agreement which the Lord had made with you. I stayed on the mountain forty days and nights. I did not eat bread or drink water.
10 Then the Lord gave me the two pieces of stone written by the finger of God. On them were all the words the Lord had spoken with you on the mountain from the fire on the day of the meeting.
11 At the end of forty days and nights the Lord gave me the two pieces of stone, the Laws of the agreement.
12 Then the Lord said to me, 'Get up. Hurry and go down from here. For your people whom you brought out of Egypt have become very sinful. They have been quick to turn away from what I told them. They have made a false god for themselves.'
13 And the Lord said to me, 'I have seen these people. See, they are strong-willed.
14 Let Me alone, so I may destroy them and destroy their name from under heaven. I will make you into a nation that will be greater and stronger than they.'
15 So I turned and came down from the mountain while the mountain was burning with fire. The two pieces of stone of the agreement were in my two hands.
16 And I saw that it was true that you had sinned against the Lord your God. You had made for yourselves a calf out of gold. You had been quick to turn away from what the Lord had told you.
17 So I took the two pieces of stone and threw them from my hands, and broke them in front of your eyes.
18 Then again I fell down before the Lord for forty days and nights. I did not eat bread or drink water, because of all the sin you had done. You did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord and made Him angry.
19 I was afraid of the anger of the Lord which was burning against you to destroy you. But the Lord listened to me again.
20 The Lord was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him. So I prayed for Aaron at the same time also.
21 Then I took your sinful thing, the calf you had made, and burned it with fire and crushed it. I ground it into pieces until it was as fine as dust. And I threw its dust into the river that flowed down from the mountain.
22 "You made the Lord angry again at Taberah, Massah and Kibroth-hattaavah.
23 The Lord sent you from Kadesh-barnea, saying, 'Go and take for your own the land I have given you.' But you went against what the Lord your God told you to do. You did not believe Him or listen to His voice.
24 You have gone against the Lord from the day I first knew you.
25 "So I fell down before the Lord and lay forty days and nights, because the Lord had said He would destroy you.
26 I prayed to the Lord, saying, 'O Lord God, do not destroy Your people, Your chosen nation, whom You have set free by Your power and brought out of Egypt with a strong hand.
27 Remember Your servants, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Do not look at the strong will or sin or wrong-doing of these people.
28 Or the land You brought us from may say, "The Lord was not able to bring them into the land He promised them. Because he hated them, He brought them out to kill them in the desert."
29 Yet they are Your people, Your chosen nation, whom You have brought out by Your great power and Your long arm.'
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.