« | Ezekiel 31 | » |
1 And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, that the word of LORD came to me, saying,
2 Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude, Whom are thou like in thy greatness?
3 Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a forest-like shade, and of high stature, and its top was among the thick boughs.
4 The waters nourished it. The deep made it to grow. The rivers of it ran round about its plantation, and it sent out its channels to all the trees of the field.
5 Therefore its stature was exalted above all the trees of the field, and its boughs were multiplied, and its branches became long because of many waters, when it shot them forth.
6 All the birds of the heavens made their nests in its boughs, and under its branches all the beasts of the field brought forth their young, and under its shadow dwelt all great nations.
7 Thus it was beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches, for its root was by many waters.
8 The cedars in the garden of God could not dim it. The fir trees were not like its boughs, and the plane trees were not as its branches, nor was any tree in the garden of God like it in its beauty.
9 I made it beautiful by the multitude of its branches, so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied it.
10 Therefore thus said lord LORD: Because thou are exalted in stature, and he has set his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height,
11 I will even deliver him into the hand of the mighty one of the nations. He shall surely deal with him; I have driven him out for his wickedness.
12 And strangers, the terrible of the nations, have cut him off, and have left him. Upon the mountains and in all the valleys his branches are fallen, and his boughs are broken by all the watercourses of the land. And all the peoples of the earth have gone down from his shadow, and have left him.
13 All the birds of the heavens shall dwell upon his ruin, and all the beasts of the field shall be upon his branches,
14 to the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves in their stature, neither set their top among the thick boughs, nor that their mighty ones stand up on their height, even all that drink water. For they are all delivered to death, to the nether parts of the earth, in the midst of the sons of men, with those who go down to the pit.
15 Thus says lord LORD: In the day when he went down to Sheol I caused a mourning. I covered the deep for him. And I restrained the rivers of it, and the great waters were stayed. And I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him.
16 I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall when I cast him down to Sheol with those who descend into the pit. And all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, were comforted in the nether parts of the earth.
17 They also went down into Sheol with him to those who are slain by the sword, yea, those who were his arm, that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the nations.
18 To whom are thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? Yet thou shall be brought down with the trees of Eden to the nether parts of the earth. Thou shall lie in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, says lord LORD.
A Conservative Version (ACV)
A Conservative Version (ACV) of the Bible is a translation that aims to provide a conservative and literal interpretation of the biblical texts. Developed with a focus on maintaining fidelity to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts, the ACV emphasizes a word-for-word translation methodology. The goal is to preserve the subtleties and nuances of the original languages as accurately as possible. This approach results in a version of the Bible that seeks to remain true to the text's original meaning and context, appealing to readers who prioritize precision and doctrinal integrity.
The text of the Old Testament for A Conservative Version (ACV) came from the American Standard Version published in 1901. The main changes done for the ACV were the replacement of archaic words with more modern ones, except for the old English pronouns, which were kept because they are more communicative. The New Testament was translated from, The New Testament in the Original Greek According to the Byzantine-Majority Text form. That edition was compiled by Maurice A. Robinson and William G. Pierpont, and is of the Textus Receptus tradition from which came the King James Version.
The ACV was created in response to what its translators saw as a trend toward more liberal or dynamic-equivalence translations that prioritize readability over literal accuracy. The translators aimed to produce a text that adheres closely to the original languages, even if this makes the translation more challenging for contemporary readers. This reflects their belief in the importance of preserving the exact words and phrases used in the original scriptures. The ACV also employs traditional theological terminology and phrasing, avoiding modern slang and colloquial expressions in favor of language that conveys the gravity and solemnity of the biblical message.
While the ACV has found appreciation among conservative circles, it has faced criticism for its perceived rigidity and difficulty. Critics argue that its strict adherence to a word-for-word translation can make the text less readable and accessible, potentially alienating readers unfamiliar with the original languages or who prefer a more fluid translation. Despite these criticisms, the ACV remains a valued translation for those who prioritize a conservative and literal approach to Bible interpretation, supporting their doctrinal views with a text they believe closely reflects the original scriptures.