« | Isaiah 42 | » |
1 Behold My Servant, whom I uphold; My Elect, in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit on Him; He shall bring out judgment to the nations.
2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed He shall not break, and a smoking wick He shall not quench; He shall bring out judgment to truth.
4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged until He has set judgment in the earth; and the coasts shall wait for His Law.
5 So says Jehovah God, He who created the heavens and stretched them out, spreading out the earth and its offspring; He who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it.
6 I Jehovah have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand, and will keep You, and give You for a covenant of the people, for a Light of the nations;
7 to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness out of the prison house.
8 I am Jehovah; that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to graven images.
9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they happen, I cause you to hear.
10 Sing to Jehovah a new song; His praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and its fullness; coasts and their peoples.
11 Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voice, the villages where Kedar dwells. Let the dwellers of the rock sing, let them shout from the mountain tops.
12 Give glory to Jehovah and declare His praise in the coastlands.
13 Jehovah goes out as a warrior, He stirs up zeal like a man of wars; He shouts, yea, roars; He overcomes His enemies.
14 I have kept silence from forever; I have been still and refrained Myself. Now I will cry like a woman in pangs of labor, I will pant and gasp at once.
15 I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their plants. And I will make the rivers coastlands, and I will dry up the pools.
16 And I will bring the blind by a way they knew not; I will lead them in paths they have not known; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. I will do these things to them, and not forsake them.
17 They are turned back, they are greatly ashamed, those who trust in graven images and who say to the images, You are our gods.
18 Hear, deaf ones; and blind ones look to see.
19 Who is blind but My servant? Or deaf, as My messenger whom I sent? Who is blind as he who is perfect, and blind as Jehovah's servant?
20 You see many things, but do not pay attention. Your ears are open, but not any hears.
21 Jehovah is well pleased for His righteousness sake; He will magnify the Law and make it honorable.
22 But this is a people robbed and spoiled; all of them snared in holes, and they are hidden in prison-houses; they have been taken, and none delivers them; a prize, and none says, Give back.
23 Who among you will hear this? He will listen and hear for the time to come?
24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to robbers? Did not Jehovah, against whom we have sinned? For they would not walk in His ways, nor did they obey His Law.
25 So He has poured on him the fury of His anger, and the strength of battle. And it has set him on fire all around, yet he did not know; and it burned him, yet he did not lay it to heart.
The Modern King James Version (MKJV)
The Modern King James Version (MKJV) is a contemporary English translation of the Bible that aims to preserve the majesty and accuracy of the original King James Version (KJV) while updating its language for modern readers. Developed by Jay P. Green Sr. and first published in 1990, the MKJV seeks to maintain the literary beauty and doctrinal reliability of the KJV, making only necessary adjustments to archaic terms and phrases to enhance readability. This careful balance allows the MKJV to retain the classic feel of the KJV while making it more accessible to today’s audience.
One of the standout features of the MKJV is its commitment to formal equivalence, or word-for-word translation. The translators have meticulously preserved the structure and vocabulary of the KJV, only updating words and phrases that have become outdated or whose meanings have shifted over time. This approach ensures that the MKJV remains faithful to the original texts and maintains the theological and literary integrity of the KJV. By preserving the cadence and phrasing of the original, the MKJV offers a reading experience that is both familiar and refreshed for modern readers.
The MKJV also pays special attention to the textual basis of the translation. Like the KJV, it relies on the Textus Receptus for the New Testament and the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament. This adherence to traditional source texts underscores the MKJV’s commitment to continuity with the historic Christian tradition. The translation is designed to serve both devotional and scholarly purposes, providing a text that is suitable for study, teaching, and public reading in a variety of settings.
Despite its strengths, the Modern King James Version has faced some criticism. Some scholars and readers argue that the translation could benefit from a more extensive revision to fully embrace contemporary language, suggesting that the MKJV’s adherence to the structure and style of the KJV may still pose challenges for modern readers. Others appreciate the balance it strikes but note that it occupies a niche space, appealing primarily to those who have a strong attachment to the KJV. Nonetheless, the MKJV remains a respected and valued translation for those seeking a modern update of the KJV that honors its rich heritage and timeless message.