« | Hebrews 3 | » |
1 Therefore, holy brethren, who share in a heavenly call, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession.
2 He was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in God's house.
3 Yet Jesus has been counted worthy of as much more glory than Moses as the builder of a house has more honor than the house.
4 (For every house is built by some one, but the builder of all things is God.)
5 Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later,
6 but Christ was faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if we hold fast our confidence and pride in our hope.
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, when you hear his voice,
8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness,
9 where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years.
10 Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, `They always go astray in their hearts; they have not known my ways.'
11 As I swore in my wrath, `They shall never enter my rest.'"
12 Take care, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.
13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we share in Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end,
15 while it is said, "Today, when you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."
16 Who were they that heard and yet were rebellious? Was it not all those who left Egypt under the leadership of Moses?
17 And with whom was he provoked forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom did he swear that they should never enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient?
19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
The Revised Standard Version (RSV)
The Revised Standard Version (RSV) is a widely respected English translation of the Bible that was first published in 1952 by the National Council of Churches. It was developed as a revision of the American Standard Version (ASV) of 1901, with the primary aim of providing a more accurate and readable text while retaining the literary qualities of its predecessor. The RSV sought to modernize the language of the ASV without sacrificing its faithfulness to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts, making it a significant milestone in the history of English Bible translations.
One of the key features of the RSV is its commitment to formal equivalence, or a word-for-word translation approach. This method ensures that the translation closely mirrors the structure and wording of the original texts, allowing readers to engage more directly with the biblical languages. The translators of the RSV were guided by the latest biblical scholarship of their time, and they endeavored to produce a text that was both accurate and elegant. This combination of precision and literary quality has made the RSV a popular choice for both academic study and liturgical use.
The RSV also stands out for its ecumenical appeal. It was one of the first translations to be accepted across a wide range of Christian denominations, including Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox traditions. This broad acceptance was partly due to the inclusive approach of the translation committee, which included scholars from various religious backgrounds. The RSV’s ecumenical nature helped it gain widespread usage in churches, seminaries, and universities, fostering a greater sense of unity among different Christian communities.
Despite its many strengths, the RSV has faced some criticism over the years. Some conservative scholars and readers have expressed concerns about certain translation choices, arguing that they reflect modernist theological perspectives. Additionally, the RSV’s use of archaic language in certain passages has been a point of contention for those seeking a more contemporary rendering of the Bible. Nonetheless, the Revised Standard Version remains a highly respected and influential translation, valued for its accuracy, literary excellence, and broad ecumenical acceptance. It continues to serve as a foundation for later revisions and translations, such as the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) and the English Standard Version (ESV).