« | Haggai 2 |
1 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the Word of the Lord came by Haggai the man of God, saying,
2 "Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, ruler of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the head religious leader, and to the rest of the people. Say to them,
3 'Who is left among you who saw this house of God as it was before in its greatness? And how does it look to you now? Is it anything like it was?
4 But now be strong, Zerubbabel,' says the Lord. 'Be strong, Joshua son of Jehozadak, head religious leader. And be strong, all you people of the land,' says the Lord. 'Do the work, for I am with you,' says the Lord of All.
5 'As I promised you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is with you. Do not be afraid.'
6 For the Lord of All says, 'Once again, in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.
7 I will shake all the nations so that the riches of all nations will come in. And I will fill this house with greatness,' says the Lord of All.
8 'The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' says the Lord of All.
9 'This house will be even greater than it was before,' says the Lord of All. 'And in this place I will give peace,' says the Lord of All."
10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month in the second year of Darius, the Word of the Lord came to Haggai the man of God, saying,
11 "The Lord of All says, 'Ask the religious leaders to decide about this:
12 If a man carries holy meat in the fold of his clothing, and this fold touches bread or hot food, or wine, oil, or any other food, will it become holy?' " The religious leaders answered and said, "No."
13 Then Haggai said, "If a man is unclean because he touched a dead body and touches any of these, will it become unclean?" And the religious leaders answered and said, "It will become unclean."
14 Then Haggai said, " 'So are these people, and so is this nation before Me,' says the Lord. 'And so is everything they have made. What they give there is unclean.
15 Now think about this from this day on. Think about how things were before one stone was placed on another in the house of the Lord.
16 When anyone came to a place where there were twenty baskets of grain, there would be only ten. When anyone came to a place to get fifty bottles of wine, there would be only twenty.
17 I destroyed you and everything you did with a strong-wind, disease, and hail. Yet you did not return to Me,' says the Lord.
18 'Think about this from this day on, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day when the base of the Lord's house was laid, think about this:
19 Is the seed still in the store-house? The vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not given any fruit. Yet from this day on I will bring good to you.' "
20 The Word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the twentyfourth day of the month, saying,
21 "Tell Zerubbabel, ruler of Judah, 'I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.
22 I will take the power away from kings and destroy the power of the nations. I will destroy war-wagons and their drivers. Horses and their horsemen will fall, every one by the sword of another.
23 On that day,' says the Lord of All, 'I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,' says the Lord. 'And I will make you like a ring for marking My name. For I have chosen you,' says the Lord of All."
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.