« | Exodus 11 | » |
1 The Lord said to Moses, "I will bring trouble upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt one more time. After that he will let you go. He will not only let you go, but he will make you leave.
2 Tell the people that each man should ask his neighbor and each woman ask her neighbor for things made of silver and gold."
3 Then the Lord gave the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians. And the man Moses was respected in the land of Egypt, in the eyes of Pharaoh's servants and the people.
4 Moses said, "The Lord says this: 'About midnight I will go through Egypt.
5 And all the first-born in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne to the first-born of the servant girl grinding the grain, and even the first-born of the cattle.
6 There will be loud crying in all the land of Egypt, more than has ever been heard before or will ever be heard again.
7 Not even a dog will make a sound against those of Israel, man or animal, so you may know that the Lord divides Egypt from Israel.'
8 All these who are your servants will come to me and bow in front of me. They will say, 'Go away, you and all the people who follow you.' After that I will go." And he went away from Pharaoh very angry.
9 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Pharaoh will not listen to you. So I will do more powerful works in the land of Egypt."
10 Moses and Aaron did all these great works in front of Pharaoh. But the Lord made Pharaoh's heart hard. He did not let the people of Israel leave his land.
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.