« | Isaiah 49 | » |
1 Hearken to Me, you islands; and attend, you Gentiles; after a long time it shall come to pass, says the Lord; from my mother's womb He has called my name;
2 and He has made my mouth as a sharp sword, and He has hid me under the shadow of His hand; He has made me as a choice shaft, and He has hid me in His quiver;
3 and said to me, You are My servant, O Israel, and in you I will be glorified.
4 Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have given my strength for vanity and for nothing; therefore is my judgment with the Lord, and my labor before my God.
5 And now thus says the Lord, who formed me from the womb to be His own servant, to gather Jacob to Him and Israel. I shall be gathered and glorified before the Lord, and my God shall be my strength.
6 And He said to me, [It is] a great thing for you to be called My servant, to establish the tribes of Jacob, and to recover the dispersion of Israel; behold, I have given you for the covenant of a race, for a light of the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the end of the earth.
7 Thus says the Lord that delivered you, the God of Israel, Sanctify him that despises his life, him that is abhorred by the nations that are the servants of princes; kings shall behold him, and princes shall arise, and shall worship him, for the Lord's sake; for the Holy One of Israel is faithful, and I have chosen you.
8 Thus says the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you; and I have formed you, and given you for a covenant of the nations, to establish the earth, and to cause to inherit the desert heritages;
9 saying to them that are in bonds, Go forth; and [bidding] them that are in darkness, show themselves. They shall be fed in all the ways, and in all the paths [shall be] their pasture.
10 They shall not hunger, neither shall they thirst; neither shall the heat nor the sun strike them; but He that has mercy on them shall comfort [them], and by fountains of waters shall He lead them.
11 And I will make every mountain a passage, and every path a pasture to them.
12 Behold, these shall come from far; [and] these from the north and the west, and others from the land of the Persians.
13 Rejoice, you heavens; and let the earth be glad; let the mountains break forth [with] joy; for the Lord has had mercy on His people, and has comforted the lowly ones of His people.
14 But Zion said, The Lord has forsaken me, and, The Lord has forgotten me.
15 Will a woman forget her child, so as not to have compassion upon the offspring of her womb? But if a woman should even forget these, yet I will not forget you, says the Lord.
16 Behold, I have painted your walls on My hands, and you are continually before Me.
17 And you shall soon be built by those by whom you were destroyed, and they that made you desolate shall go forth from you.
18 Lift up your eyes round about, and look on them all; behold, they are gathered together, and have come to you. [As] I live, says the Lord, you shall clothe yourself with them all as with an ornament, and put them on, as a bride in her attire.
19 For your deserted and marred and ruined [places] shall now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that devoured you shall be removed far from you.
20 For your sons whom you have lost shall say in your ears, The place [is too] narrow for me; make room for me that I may dwell.
21 And you shall say in your heart, Who has begotten me these? Whereas I [was] childless, and a widow; but who has brought up these for me? And I was left alone; but from where did these come to me?
22 Thus says the Lord, [even] the Lord, Behold, I lift up My hand to the nations, and I will lift up My signal to the islands; and they shall bring your sons in [their] bosom, and shall bear your daughters on [their] shoulders.
23 And kings shall be your nursing fathers, and their princesses your nurses, they shall bow down to you on the face of the earth, and shall lick up the dust of your feet; and you shall know that I am the Lord, and they that wait on Me shall not be ashamed.
24 Will anyone take spoils from a giant? And if one should take [a man] captive unjustly, shall he be delivered?
25 For thus says the Lord, If one should take a giant captive, he shall take spoils, and he who takes [them] from a mighty [man] shall be delivered; for I will plead your cause, and I will deliver your children.
26 And they that afflicted you shall eat their own flesh; and they shall drink their own blood as new wine, and shall be drunk; and all flesh shall perceive that I am the Lord that delivers you, and that upholds the strength of Jacob.
The Apostles’ Bible Complete (ABC)
The Apostles’ Bible Complete (ABC) is a modern translation of the Bible that strives to offer a clear and faithful rendering of the scriptures in contemporary language. This translation is designed to be accessible to a wide audience, providing an easy-to-read yet accurate version of the biblical text. The ABC translation aims to bridge the gap between the ancient languages in which the Bible was originally written and the modern vernacular, making it an ideal choice for both personal study and public reading.
One of the notable features of the Apostles’ Bible Complete is its dedication to maintaining the integrity of the original manuscripts. The translators of the ABC worked meticulously with the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts to ensure that their translation accurately reflects the original meaning and intent of the scriptures. By employing a balance of formal equivalence (word-for-word) and dynamic equivalence (thought-for-thought) translation techniques, the ABC aims to preserve the nuances and richness of the original languages while ensuring readability and clarity for modern readers.
The ABC also incorporates extensive cross-references and study aids to enhance the reader’s understanding of the biblical text. These tools include footnotes that provide historical and cultural context, as well as explanations of difficult or ambiguous passages. This approach helps readers to grasp the deeper meanings of the scriptures and to see how different parts of the Bible interconnect. The inclusion of these study aids makes the ABC particularly useful for those who are new to the Bible, as well as for more experienced readers who are looking to deepen their understanding of the text.
Despite its strengths, the Apostles’ Bible Complete has faced some criticisms. Some readers feel that the translation could benefit from further refinement in certain passages, as the balance between formal and dynamic equivalence can sometimes lead to inconsistencies in style and tone. Others have noted that while the study aids are helpful, they can occasionally overwhelm the main text, making it difficult to focus on the scripture itself. Nonetheless, the ABC remains a valuable and respected translation, appreciated for its commitment to accuracy, clarity, and accessibility, and for its ability to bring the ancient words of the Bible to life for contemporary readers.