« | James 5 |
1 Listen, you rich men! Cry about the troubles that will come to you.
2 Your riches are worth nothing. Your fine clothes are full of moth holes.
3 Your gold and silver have rusted. Their rust will speak against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have saved riches for yourselves for the last days.
4 See! The men working in your fields are crying against you because you have kept back part of their pay. Their cries have been heard by the Lord Who hears His people.
5 You have had everything while you lived on the earth and have enjoyed its fun. You have made your hearts fat and are ready to be killed as an animal is killed.
6 You have killed men who are right with God who were not making it hard for you.
7 Christian brothers, be willing to wait for the Lord to come again. Learn from the farmer. He waits for the good fruit from the earth until the early and late rains come.
8 You must be willing to wait also. Be strong in your hearts because the Lord is coming again soon.
9 Do not complain about each other, Christian brothers. Then you will not be judged. See! The Judge is standing at the door.
10 See how the early preachers spoke for the Lord by their suffering and by being willing to wait.
11 We think of those who stayed true to Him as happy even though they suffered. You have heard how long Job waited. You have seen what the Lord did for him in the end. The Lord is full of lovingkindness and pity.
12 My Christian brothers, do not
13 Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone happy? He should sing songs of thanks to God.
14 Is anyone among you sick? He should send for the church leaders and they should pray for him. They should pour oil on him in the name of the Lord.
15 The prayer given in faith will heal the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.
16 Tell your sins to each other. And pray for each other so you may be healed. The prayer from the heart of a man right with God has much power.
17 Elijah was a man as we are. He prayed that it might not rain. It did not rain on the earth for three and one-half years.
18 Then he prayed again that it would rain. It rained much and the fields of the earth gave fruit.
19 My Christian brothers, if any of you should be led away from the truth, let someone turn him back again.
20 That person should know that if he turns a sinner from the wrong way, he will save the sinner's soul from death and many sins will be forgiven.
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.