« | Ezekiel 4 | » |
1 And you, son of man, take a brick, and set it before your face, and portray on it the city, [even] Jerusalem.
2 And you shall besiege it, and build works against it, and throw up a mound round about it, and pitch camps against it, and set up engines round about.
3 And take to yourself an iron pan, and you shall set it [for] an iron wall between you and the city. And you shall set your face against it, and it shall be in a siege, and you shall besiege it. This is a sign to the children of Israel.
4 And you shall lie upon your left side, and lay the iniquities of the house of Israel upon it, according to the number of the hundred and fifty days [during] which you shall lie upon it; and you shall bear their iniquities.
5 For I have appointed you their iniquities for a number of days, for a hundred and ninety days: so you shall bear the iniquities of the house of Israel.
6 And you shall accomplish this, and [then] you shall lie on your right side, and shall bear the iniquities of the house of Judah for forty days: I have appointed you a day for a year.
7 So you shall set your face to the siege of Jerusalem, and shall strengthen your arm, and shall prophesy against it.
8 And behold, I have prepared bonds for you, and you may not turn from your one side to the other, until the days of your siege shall be accomplished.
9 Take also wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and grain; and you shall cast them into one earthen vessel, and shall make them into loaves for yourself; and you shall eat them a hundred and ninety days, according to the number of the days which you sleep on your side.
10 And you shall eat your food by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shall you eat them.
11 And you shall drink water by measure, even from time to time you shall drink the sixth part of a hin.
12 And you shall eat them [as] a barley cake; you shall bake them before their eyes in man's dung.
13 And you shall say, Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Thus shall the children of Israel eat unclean things among the Gentiles.
14 Then I said, By no means, Lord God of Israel! Surely my soul has not been defiled with uncleanness, nor have I eaten that which has died of itself, or was torn by beasts from my birth until now; neither has any corrupt flesh entered into my mouth.
15 And He said to me, Behold, I have given you dung of oxen instead of man's dung, and you shall prepare your loaves upon it.
16 And He said to me, Son of man, behold, I break the support of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight and in poverty, and shall drink water by measure, and in a state of ruin;
17 that they may want bread and water; and a man and his brother shall be brought to ruin, and they shall pine away in their iniquities.
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.