« | Exodus 21 | » |
1 "Now these [are] the judgments which you shall set before them:
2 "If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing.
3 "If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he [comes in] married, then his wife shall go out with him.
4 "If his master has given him a wife, and she has borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself.
5 "But if the servant plainly says, 'I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,'
6 "then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.
7 " And if a man sells his daughter to be a female slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do.
8 "If she does not please her master, who has betrothed her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt deceitfully with her.
9 "And if he has betrothed her to his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters.
10 "If he takes another [wife,] he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marriage rights.
11 "And if he does not do these three for her, then she shall go out free, without [paying] money.
12 " He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.
13 "However, if he did not lie in wait, but God delivered [him] into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.
14 " But if a man acts with premeditation against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, you shall take him from My altar, that he may die.
15 " And he who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
16 " He who kidnaps a man and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, shall surely be put to death.
17 " And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
18 " If men contend with each other, and one strikes the other with a stone or with [his] fist, and he does not die but is confined to [his] bed,
19 "if he rises again and walks about outside with his staff, then he who struck [him] shall be acquitted. He shall only pay [for] the loss of his time, and shall provide [for him] to be thoroughly healed.
20 " And if a man beats his male or female servant with a rod, so that he dies under his hand, he shall surely be punished.
21 "Notwithstanding, if he remains alive a day or two, he shall not be punished; for he [is] his property.
22 " If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman's husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges [determine.]
23 "But if [any] harm follows, then you shall give life for life,
24 "eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
25 "burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
26 "If a man strikes the eye of his male or female servant, and destroys it, he shall let him go free for the sake of his eye.
27 "And if he knocks out the tooth of his male or female servant, he shall let him go free for the sake of his tooth.
28 " If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, then the ox shall surely be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox [shall be] acquitted.
29 "But if the ox tended to thrust with its horn in times past, and it has been made known to his owner, and he has not kept it confined, so that it has killed a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death.
30 "If there is imposed on him a sum of money, then he shall pay to redeem his life, whatever is imposed on him.
31 "Whether it has gored a son or gored a daughter, according to this judgment it shall be done to him.
32 "If the ox gores a male or female servant, he shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
33 " And if a man opens a pit, or if a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls in it,
34 "the owner of the pit shall make [it] good; he shall give money to their owner, but the dead [animal] shall be his.
35 " If one man's ox hurts another's, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and divide the money from it; and the dead [ox] they shall also divide.
36 "Or if it was known that the ox tended to thrust in time past, and its owner has not kept it confined, he shall surely pay ox for ox, and the dead animal shall be his own.
The New King James Version (NKJV)
The New King James Version (NKJV) is a modern translation of the Bible that seeks to preserve the stylistic and literary beauty of the original King James Version (KJV) while making it more accessible to contemporary readers. The project to create the NKJV began in 1975, spearheaded by Arthur Farstad and a team of over 130 scholars, theologians, and pastors. They aimed to maintain the traditional language and rhythm of the KJV while updating archaic terms and expressions to be more understandable for modern audiences. The translation was completed and published in 1982, offering a blend of reverence for the past and clarity for the present.
One of the defining features of the NKJV is its commitment to the Textus Receptus, the same Greek text underlying the New Testament of the KJV. This ensures a high degree of continuity between the two versions, making the NKJV familiar to those who have long cherished the KJV. However, the NKJV also considers findings from more recent scholarship and textual criticism, incorporating insights from the latest manuscripts and research. This approach helps to balance respect for the historical text with a recognition of the advancements in biblical studies.
The NKJV has been praised for its readability and poetic qualities, which make it suitable for both private study and public worship. Its translators worked diligently to preserve the lyrical and memorable phrasing of the KJV, which has deeply influenced English literature and religious practice. By modernizing the language without compromising the text’s inherent dignity and solemnity, the NKJV has become a popular choice among those who value both accuracy and elegance in their Bible reading.
Despite its strengths, the NKJV has faced criticism from some quarters. Critics argue that by adhering too closely to the Textus Receptus, it may not fully reflect the breadth of available manuscript evidence. Others feel that it may still be too archaic for some readers, especially those who are new to the Bible or who come from different linguistic backgrounds. Nonetheless, the NKJV remains a significant and respected translation, offering a bridge between the venerable tradition of the KJV and the needs of modern readers.