« | Ezekiel 12 | » |
1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
2 Son of man, you dwell in the midst of the iniquities of those who have eyes to see, and see not; and have ears to hear, and hear not; because they are a provoking house.
3 You therefore, son of man, prepare yourself baggage for going into captivity by day in their sight; and you shall be led into captivity from your place into another place in their sight; that they may see that they are a provoking house.
4 And you shall carry forth your baggage, baggage for captivity, by day before their eyes; and you shall go forth at evening, as a captive goes forth, in their sight.
5 Dig for yourself into the wall [of the house], and you shall pass through it in their sight.
6 You shall be lifted up on [men's] shoulders, and shall go forth in secret; you shall cover your face, and shall not see the ground, because I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.
7 And I did thus according to all that He commanded me; and I carried forth my baggage for captivity by day, and in the evening I dug through the wall for myself, and I went out secretly; I was taken up on [men's] shoulders before them.
8 And the word of the Lord came to me in the morning, saying,
9 Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the provoking house, said to you, What are you doing?
10 Say to them, Thus says the Lord God, the Prince and the Ruler in Israel, even to all the house of Israel who are in the midst of them:
11 say, I am performing signs: as I have done, so shall it be to him; they shall go into banishment and captivity.
12 And the prince in the midst of them shall be borne upon shoulders, and shall go forth in secret through the wall, and shall dig, so that he may go forth thereby; he shall cover his face, so that he may not be seen by [anyone], and he himself shall not see the ground.
13 And I will spread out My net upon him, and he shall be caught in My snare, and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; but he shall not see it, though he shall die there.
14 And I will scatter to every wind all his assistants round about him, and all that help him; and I will draw out a sword after them;
15 And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I have scattered them among the nations; and I will disperse them into the countries.
16 And I will leave among them [a few] men in number [spared] from the sword, and from famine, and pestilence; that they may declare all their iniquities among the nations where they have gone; and they shall know that I am the Lord.
17 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
18 Son of man, eat your bread with sorrow, and drink [your] water with torment and affliction.
19 And you shall say to the people of the land, Thus says the Lord to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, on the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread in scarcity, and shall drink their water in desolation, that the land may be desolate with all that it contains, for all that dwell in it are ungodly.
20 And their inhabited cities shall be laid utterly waste, and the land shall be desolate; and you shall know that I am the Lord.
21 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
22 Son of man, what is your parable on the land of Israel, that you say, The days are long, [and] the vision has perished?
23 Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord: I will even set aside this parable, and the house of Israel shall by no means use this parable [again]; for you shall say to them, The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision.
24 For there shall no more be any false vision, nor anyone prophesying flatteries in the midst of the children of Israel.
25 For I the Lord will speak My words; I will speak and perform [them], and will delay no more, for in your days, O provoking house, I will speak the word, and will perform [it], says the Lord.
26 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
27 Son of man, behold, the provoking house of Israel boldly say, The vision which this man sees is for many days, and he prophesies for times afar off.
28 Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord: Henceforth none of My words shall linger, which I shall speak: I will speak and do, says the Lord.
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.