« | Ezekiel 5 | » |
1 And you, son of man, take a sword sharper than a barber's razor; you shall procure it for yourself, and shall bring it upon your head, and upon your beard; and you shall take a pair of scales, and shall separate the hair.
2 A fourth part you shall burn in the fire in the midst of the city, at the fulfillment of the days of the siege. And you shall take a fourth part, and burn it up in the midst of it. And a fourth part you shall cut with a sword round about it. And a fourth part you shall scatter to the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.
3 And you shall take a few of them, and wrap them in the fold of your garment.
4 And you shall take of these again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them up with fire. From there shall come forth fire, and you shall say to the whole house of Israel,
5 Thus says the Lord: This is Jerusalem: I have set her and the countries round about her in the midst of the nations.
6 And you shall declare My ordinances to the lawless one from out of the nations; and My statutes [to the sinful one] of the countries round about her, because they have rejected My ordinances, and have not walked in My statutes.
7 Therefore thus says the Lord: Because your occasion [for sin has been taken] from the nations round about you, and you have not walked in My statutes, nor kept My ordinances, no, you have not even done according to the ordinances of the nations round about you; therefore thus says the Lord:
8 Behold, I am against you, and I will execute judgment in the midst of you in the sight of the nations.
9 And I will do in you things which I have not done, and the like of which I will not do again, for all your abominations.
10 Therefore the fathers shall eat [their] children in the midst of you, and children shall eat [their] fathers; and I will execute judgments in you, and I will scatter all that are left of you to the four winds.
11 Therefore, [as] I live, says the Lord; surely, because you have defiled My holy things with all your abominations, I also will reject you; My eye shall not spare, and I will have no mercy.
12 A fourth part of you shall be cut off by pestilence, and a fourth part of you shall be consumed in the midst of you with famine; and [as for another] fourth part of you, I will scatter them to all the winds; and a fourth part of you shall fall by the sword round about you, and I will draw out a sword after them.
13 And My wrath and My anger shall be accomplished upon them: and you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken in My jealousy, when I have accomplished My anger upon them.
14 And I will make you desolate, and your daughters round about you, in the sight of everyone that passes through.
15 And you shall be mourned over and miserable among the nations round about you, when I have executed judgments in you in the vengeance of My wrath. I, the Lord, have spoken.
16 And when I have sent against them shafts of famine, then they shall be consumed, and I will break the strength of your bread.
17 So I will send forth against you famine and evil beasts, and I will take vengeance upon you; and pestilence and blood shall pass through upon you; and I will bring a sword upon you round about. I, the Lord, have spoken.
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.