« | Ezekiel 3 | » |
1 And He said to me, Son of man, eat what you find. Eat this roll, and go speak to the house of Israel.
2 So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that roll.
3 And He said to me, Son of man, cause your belly to eat, and fill your belly with this roll that I give you. Then I ate it; and in my mouth it was like honey for sweetness.
4 And He said to me, Son of man, go! Go up to the house of Israel and speak to them with My Words.
5 For you are not sent to a people of a deep lip and of a difficult language, but to the house of Israel;
6 not to many people of a deep lip and of a difficult language, whose words you cannot hear. Surely, if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you.
7 But the house of Israel will not listen to you, for they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are strong of forehead and hard of heart.
8 Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces and your forehead strong against their foreheads.
9 I have made your forehead as an adamant harder than flint. Do not be bowed down by their faces, though they are a rebellious house.
10 And He said to me, Son of man, receive all My Words which I shall speak to you in your heart, and hear with your ears.
11 And go! Go to those of the captivity, to the sons of your people, and speak to them, and tell them, So says the Lord Jehovah; whether they will hear or whether they will forbear.
12 And the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a sound of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of Jehovah from His place.
13 I also heard the sound of the wings of the living creatures touching one another, and the sound of the wheels along with them, and a sound of a great rushing.
14 So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of Jehovah was strong on me.
15 Then I came to the exiles at Tel-at-abib, who lived by the river Chebar. And I sat where they sat; and I also dwelt seven days, being stricken dumb among them.
16 And it happened at the end of seven days, even it happened that the Word of Jehovah came to me, saying,
17 Son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel. Therefore hear the Word of My mouth, and give them warning from Me.
18 When I say to the wicked, You shall surely die; and you do not give him warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked one shall die in his iniquity; but I will require his blood at your hand.
19 Yet if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.
20 And when the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and when I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you have not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand.
21 But if you warn the righteous so that the righteous does not sin, and if he does not sin, he shall surely live because he is warned; also you have delivered your soul.
22 And the hand of Jehovah was on me there. And He said to me, Arise, go out into the plain, and I will talk with you there.
23 Then I arose and went out into the plain; and, behold, the glory of Jehovah stood there, like the glory which I saw by the river Chebar. And I fell on my face.
24 And the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet; and spoke with me, and said to me, Go, shut yourself inside your house!
25 But you, O son of man, behold, they shall put bands on you and shall bind you with them, and you shall not go out among them.
26 And I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be dumb and shall not be one who warns them. For they are a rebellious house.
27 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, So says the Lord Jehovah: He who hears, let him hear; and he who stops his ears, let him stop; for they are a rebellious house.
The Modern King James Version (MKJV)
The Modern King James Version (MKJV) is a contemporary English translation of the Bible that aims to preserve the majesty and accuracy of the original King James Version (KJV) while updating its language for modern readers. Developed by Jay P. Green Sr. and first published in 1990, the MKJV seeks to maintain the literary beauty and doctrinal reliability of the KJV, making only necessary adjustments to archaic terms and phrases to enhance readability. This careful balance allows the MKJV to retain the classic feel of the KJV while making it more accessible to today’s audience.
One of the standout features of the MKJV is its commitment to formal equivalence, or word-for-word translation. The translators have meticulously preserved the structure and vocabulary of the KJV, only updating words and phrases that have become outdated or whose meanings have shifted over time. This approach ensures that the MKJV remains faithful to the original texts and maintains the theological and literary integrity of the KJV. By preserving the cadence and phrasing of the original, the MKJV offers a reading experience that is both familiar and refreshed for modern readers.
The MKJV also pays special attention to the textual basis of the translation. Like the KJV, it relies on the Textus Receptus for the New Testament and the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament. This adherence to traditional source texts underscores the MKJV’s commitment to continuity with the historic Christian tradition. The translation is designed to serve both devotional and scholarly purposes, providing a text that is suitable for study, teaching, and public reading in a variety of settings.
Despite its strengths, the Modern King James Version has faced some criticism. Some scholars and readers argue that the translation could benefit from a more extensive revision to fully embrace contemporary language, suggesting that the MKJV’s adherence to the structure and style of the KJV may still pose challenges for modern readers. Others appreciate the balance it strikes but note that it occupies a niche space, appealing primarily to those who have a strong attachment to the KJV. Nonetheless, the MKJV remains a respected and valued translation for those seeking a modern update of the KJV that honors its rich heritage and timeless message.