« | Genesis 15 | » |
1 After these things, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a special dream, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your safe place. Your reward will be very great."
2 Then Abram said, "O Lord God, what will You give me? For I have no child. And the one who is to receive what belongs to me is Eliezer of Damascus."
3 Abram said, "Because You have not given me a child, one born in my house will be given all I have."
4 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, "This man will not be given what is yours. But he who will come from your own body will be given what is yours."
5 He took him outside and said, "Now look up into the heavens and add up the stars, if you are able to number them." Then He said to him, "Your children and your children's children will be as many as the stars."
6 Then Abram believed in the Lord, and that made him right with God.
7 God said to him, "I am the Lord Who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land for your own."
8 And Abram said, "O Lord God, how may I know that it will be mine?"
9 So the Lord said to him, "Bring Me a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a threeyear-old ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon."
10 Then Abram brought all these to Him, and cut them in two. And he laid each half beside the other. But he did not cut the birds.
11 When the meat-eating birds came down upon the dead animals, Abram made them go away.
12 When the sun was going down, Abram went into a sleep as if he were dead. And much fear and darkness came upon him.
13 God said to Abram, "Know for sure that your children and those born after them will be strangers in a land that is not theirs. There they will be servants and suffer for 400 years.
14 But I will punish the nation they will serve. And later they will come out with many riches.
15 You will live many years, die in peace and be buried.
16 Then your great great-grandchildren will return here. For the sins of the Amorite are not yet finished."
17 When the sun had gone down and it was very dark, a fire pot of smoke and a burning fire passed between these parts of animals.
18 The Lord made an agreement with Abram on that day. He said, "I have given this land to your children and to their children's children, from the river of Egypt as far as the big Euphrates River,
19 the land of the Kenite, the Kenizzite, the Kadmonite,
20 the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Rephaim,
21 the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Girgashite and the Jebusite."
The New Life Version (NLV)
The New Life Version (NLV) is a unique English translation of the Bible designed to be exceptionally easy to read and understand. First published in 1969, the NLV was created by Gleason Ledyard, a missionary and linguist, to make the Scriptures accessible to people who have limited English proficiency or are new to the language. Ledyard’s aim was to provide a Bible that even those with minimal education could read and comprehend, thus opening the door for a wider audience to engage with the biblical texts.
A defining characteristic of the New Life Version is its use of a limited vocabulary of about 850 basic English words, along with some necessary theological terms. This restricted vocabulary ensures that the language remains simple and straightforward, making the text accessible to young readers, new Christians, and those for whom English is a second language. The translators also avoided idiomatic expressions and complex sentence structures, further enhancing clarity and understanding. This makes the NLV a particularly valuable resource for educational and missionary work.
The NLV also emphasizes faithfulness to the original texts, despite its simplified language. The translation aims to maintain the integrity and message of the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts. By carefully choosing words that accurately convey the meaning of the original texts while ensuring simplicity, the NLV provides a balance between accessibility and fidelity. Additionally, the NLV includes explanatory footnotes and cross-references that help readers understand the context and deeper meanings of the passages, making it a useful tool for both personal study and group teaching.
However, the New Life Version is not without its critics. Some scholars and traditionalists argue that the limited vocabulary and simplified language can lead to a loss of nuance and depth found in the original texts. They suggest that the NLV’s focus on simplicity may sometimes oversimplify complex theological concepts. Despite these criticisms, the New Life Version remains a valuable translation for its intended audience, offering a clear and approachable rendition of the Bible that helps a wide range of readers engage with the Scriptures and grow in their faith.