« | Ezekiel 5 | » |
1 "And you, son of man, take a sharp sword, take it as a barber's razor, and pass [it] over your head and your beard; then take scales to weigh and divide the hair.
2 "You shall burn with fire one-third in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are finished; then you shall take one-third and strike around [it] with the sword, and one-third you shall scatter in the wind: I will draw out a sword after them.
3 "You shall also take a small number of them and bind them in the edge of your [garment.]
4 "Then take some of them again and throw them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire. From there a fire will go out into all the house of Israel.
5 " Thus says the Lord GOD: 'This [is] Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations and the countries all around her.
6 'She has rebelled against My judgments by doing wickedness more than the nations, and against My statutes more than the countries that [are] all around her; for they have refused My judgments, and they have not walked in My statutes.'
7 "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Because you have multiplied [disobedience] more than the nations that [are] all around you, have not walked in My statutes nor kept My judgments, nor even done according to the judgments of the nations that [are] all around you' --
8 "therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Indeed I, even I, [am] against you and will execute judgments in your midst in the sight of the nations.
9 'And I will do among you what I have never done, and the like of which I will never do again, because of all your abominations.
10 'Therefore fathers shall eat [their] sons in your midst, and sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments among you, and all of you who remain I will scatter to all the winds.
11 'Therefore, [as] I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'surely, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will also diminish [you;] My eye will not spare, nor will I have any pity.
12 'One-third of you shall die of the pestilence, and be consumed with famine in your midst; and one-third shall fall by the sword all around you; and I will scatter another third to all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.
13 ' Thus shall My anger be spent, and I will cause My fury to rest upon them, and I will be avenged; and they shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken [it] in My zeal, when I have spent My fury upon them.
14 'Moreover I will make you a waste and a reproach among the nations that [are] all around you, in the sight of all who pass by.
15 'So it shall be a reproach, a taunt, a lesson, and an astonishment to the nations that [are] all around you, when I execute judgments among you in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I, the LORD, have spoken.
16 'When I send against them the terrible arrows of famine which shall be for destruction, which I will send to destroy you, I will increase the famine upon you and cut off your supply of bread.
17 'So I will send against you famine and wild beasts, and they will bereave you. Pestilence and blood shall pass through you, and I will bring the sword against you. I, the LORD, have spoken.' "
The New King James Version (NKJV)
The New King James Version (NKJV) is a modern translation of the Bible that seeks to preserve the stylistic and literary beauty of the original King James Version (KJV) while making it more accessible to contemporary readers. The project to create the NKJV began in 1975, spearheaded by Arthur Farstad and a team of over 130 scholars, theologians, and pastors. They aimed to maintain the traditional language and rhythm of the KJV while updating archaic terms and expressions to be more understandable for modern audiences. The translation was completed and published in 1982, offering a blend of reverence for the past and clarity for the present.
One of the defining features of the NKJV is its commitment to the Textus Receptus, the same Greek text underlying the New Testament of the KJV. This ensures a high degree of continuity between the two versions, making the NKJV familiar to those who have long cherished the KJV. However, the NKJV also considers findings from more recent scholarship and textual criticism, incorporating insights from the latest manuscripts and research. This approach helps to balance respect for the historical text with a recognition of the advancements in biblical studies.
The NKJV has been praised for its readability and poetic qualities, which make it suitable for both private study and public worship. Its translators worked diligently to preserve the lyrical and memorable phrasing of the KJV, which has deeply influenced English literature and religious practice. By modernizing the language without compromising the text’s inherent dignity and solemnity, the NKJV has become a popular choice among those who value both accuracy and elegance in their Bible reading.
Despite its strengths, the NKJV has faced criticism from some quarters. Critics argue that by adhering too closely to the Textus Receptus, it may not fully reflect the breadth of available manuscript evidence. Others feel that it may still be too archaic for some readers, especially those who are new to the Bible or who come from different linguistic backgrounds. Nonetheless, the NKJV remains a significant and respected translation, offering a bridge between the venerable tradition of the KJV and the needs of modern readers.