« | Isaiah 38 | » |
1 In those days Hezekiah was sick to death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, Thus says LORD, Set thy house in order, for thou shall die, and not live.
2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to LORD,
3 and said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept greatly.
4 Then the word of LORD came to Isaiah, saying,
5 Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus says LORD, the God of David thy father. I have heard thy prayer. I have seen thy tears. Behold, I will add to thy days fifteen years.
6 And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.
7 And this shall be the sign to thee from LORD, that LORD will do this thing that he has spoken:
8 Behold, I will cause the shadow on the steps, which has gone down on the dial of Ahaz with the sun, to return backward ten steps. So the sun returned ten steps on the dial on which it had gone down.
9 The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness:
10 I said, In the noontide of my days I shall go into the gates of Sheol. I am deprived of the residue of my years.
11 I said, I shall not see LORD, even LORD in the land of the living. I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world.
12 My dwelling is removed, and is carried away from me as a shepherd's tent. I have rolled up, like a weaver, my life. He will cut me off from the loom. From day even to night thou will make an end of me.
13 I quieted myself until morning. As a lion, so he breaks all my bones. From day even to night will thou make an end of me.
14 Like a swallow or a crane, so I chattered. I moaned as a dove. My eyes fail with looking upward. O LORD, I am oppressed, be thou my surety.
15 What shall I say? He has both spoken to me, and himself has done it. I shall go softly all my years because of the bitterness of my soul.
16 O LORD, by these things men live, and wholly therein is the life of my spirit. Therefore recover thou me, and make me to live.
17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness. But thou have by love for my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption. For thou have cast all my sins behind thy back.
18 For Sheol cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee. Those who go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day. The father to the sons shall make known thy truth.
20 LORD is ready to save me. Therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of LORD.
21 Now Isaiah had said, Let them take a cake of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, and he shall recover.
22 Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of LORD?
A Conservative Version (ACV)
A Conservative Version (ACV) of the Bible is a translation that aims to provide a conservative and literal interpretation of the biblical texts. Developed with a focus on maintaining fidelity to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts, the ACV emphasizes a word-for-word translation methodology. The goal is to preserve the subtleties and nuances of the original languages as accurately as possible. This approach results in a version of the Bible that seeks to remain true to the text's original meaning and context, appealing to readers who prioritize precision and doctrinal integrity.
The text of the Old Testament for A Conservative Version (ACV) came from the American Standard Version published in 1901. The main changes done for the ACV were the replacement of archaic words with more modern ones, except for the old English pronouns, which were kept because they are more communicative. The New Testament was translated from, The New Testament in the Original Greek According to the Byzantine-Majority Text form. That edition was compiled by Maurice A. Robinson and William G. Pierpont, and is of the Textus Receptus tradition from which came the King James Version.
The ACV was created in response to what its translators saw as a trend toward more liberal or dynamic-equivalence translations that prioritize readability over literal accuracy. The translators aimed to produce a text that adheres closely to the original languages, even if this makes the translation more challenging for contemporary readers. This reflects their belief in the importance of preserving the exact words and phrases used in the original scriptures. The ACV also employs traditional theological terminology and phrasing, avoiding modern slang and colloquial expressions in favor of language that conveys the gravity and solemnity of the biblical message.
While the ACV has found appreciation among conservative circles, it has faced criticism for its perceived rigidity and difficulty. Critics argue that its strict adherence to a word-for-word translation can make the text less readable and accessible, potentially alienating readers unfamiliar with the original languages or who prefer a more fluid translation. Despite these criticisms, the ACV remains a valued translation for those who prioritize a conservative and literal approach to Bible interpretation, supporting their doctrinal views with a text they believe closely reflects the original scriptures.