« | Ezekiel 14 | » |
1 And there came to me men of the people of Israel, of the elders, and sat before me.
2 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
3 Son of man, these men have conceived their devices in their hearts, and have set before their faces the punishment of their iniquities: shall I indeed answer them?
4 Therefore speak to them, and you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord: Any man of the house of Israel, who shall conceive his devices in his heart, and shall set the punishment of his iniquity before his face, and shall come to the prophet; I the Lord will answer him [according to the things] in which his mind is entangled,
5 that he should turn aside the house of Israel, according to their hearts that are estranged from Me in their thoughts.
6 Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Be converted, and turn from your [evil] practices, and from all your sins, and turn your faces back again.
7 For any man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, who shall separate himself from Me, and conceive his imaginations in his heart, and set before his face the punishment of his iniquity, and come to the prophet to inquire of him concerning Me; I the Lord will answer him, [according to the things] in which he is entangled.
8 And I will set My face against that man, and will make him desolate and ruined, and will cut him off from the midst of My people; and you shall know that I am the Lord.
9 And if a prophet should cause to err and should speak, I the Lord have caused that prophet to err, and I will stretch out My hand upon him, and will utterly destroy him from the midst of My people Israel.
10 And they shall bear their iniquity according to the trespass of him that asks; and it shall be in like manner to the prophet according to the trespass,
11 that the house of Israel may not go astray from Me, and that they may no more defile themselves with any of their transgressions; so shall they be My people, and I will be their God, says the Lord.
12 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
13 Son of man, if a land shall sin against Me by committing a trespass, then will I stretch out My hand upon it, and will break its staff of bread, and will send forth famine upon it, and cut off man and beast from it.
14 And though these three men should be in the midst of it, Noah, Daniel, and Job, they [alone] would be delivered by their righteousness, says the Lord.
15 If again I bring evil beasts upon the land, and take vengeance upon it, and it is ruined, and there be no one to pass through for fear of the wild beasts;
16 and [if] these three men should be in the midst of it, [as] I live, says the Lord, neither sons nor daughters shall be saved, but these only shall be saved, and the land shall be destroyed.
17 Or again if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Let the sword go through the land; and I cut off from them man and beast;
18 though these three men were in the midst of it, as I live, says the Lord, they shall not deliver sons or daughters, but they only shall be saved themselves.
19 Or [if] again I send pestilence upon that land, and pour out My wrath upon it in blood, to destroy from off it man and beast;
20 and should Noah, Daniel, and Job be in the midst of it, [as] I live, says the Lord, there shall be left [them] neither sons nor daughters; [only] they by their righteousness shall deliver their souls.
21 Thus says the Lord: And if I even send upon Jerusalem My four severe judgments- the sword, famine, evil beasts, and pestilence, to destroy from out of it [both] man and beast;
22 yet behold, [there shall be] men left in it, those that escaped, who [shall] lead forth of it sons and daughters- behold, they [shall] go forth to you, and you shall see their ways and their thoughts, and you shall mourn over the evils which I have brought upon Jerusalem, [even] all the evils which I have brought upon it.
23 And they shall comfort you, because you shall see their ways and their thoughts; and you shall know that I have not done in vain all that I have done in it, 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.