« | Jeremiah 16 | » |
1 And you shall not take a wife, says the Lord God of Israel.
2 And there shall be no son born to you, nor daughter in this place.
3 For thus says the Lord concerning the sons and daughters that are born in this place, and concerning their mothers that have born them, and their fathers that have begotten them in this land:
4 They shall die a grievous death. They shall not be lamented [over], nor buried; they shall be for an example on the face of the earth; and they shall be for the wild beasts of the land, and for the birds of the sky. They shall fall by the sword, and shall be consumed with famine.
5 Thus says the Lord: Enter not into their mourning feast, and go not to lament, and mourn not for them, for I have removed My peace from this people.
6 They shall not bewail them, nor make cuttings for them, and they shall not shave themselves [for them.]
7 And there shall be no bread broken in mourning for them in consolation over the dead; they shall not give one to drink a cup for consolation over his father or his mother.
8 You shall not enter into the banquet house, to sit with them to eat and to drink.
9 For thus says the Lord God of Israel: Behold, I [will] make the voice of joy to cease out of this place before your eyes, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride.
10 And it shall come to pass, when you report to this people all these words, and they shall say to you, Why has the Lord pronounced all these evils against us? What is our unrighteousness? And what is our sin which we have sinned before the Lord our God?
11 Then you shall say to them, Because your fathers forsook Me, says the Lord, and went after strange gods and served them, and worshipped them, and forsook Me, and kept not My law.
12 (And you sinned worse than your fathers- for behold, you walk everyone after the lusts of your own evil heart, so as not to listen to Me).
13 Therefore I will cast you off from this good land into a land which neither you nor your fathers have known. And you shall serve their other gods, who shall have no mercy upon you.
14 Therefore behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when they shall no more say, The Lord lives, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
15 but, The Lord lives, who brought up the house of Israel from the land of the north, and from all countries in which they were thrust out. And I will restore them to their own land, which I gave to their fathers.
16 Behold, I [will] send many fishermen, says the Lord, and they shall fish them; and afterward I will send many hunters, and they shall hunt them upon every mountain, and upon every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
17 For My eyes are upon all their ways; and their iniquities have not been hidden from My eyes.
18 And I will recompense double for their iniquity and their sins, whereby they have profaned My land with the carcasses of their abominations, and with their iniquities, whereby they have trespassed against My inheritance.
19 O Lord, You are my strength and my help, and my refuge in days of evil. To You the Gentiles shall come from the ends of the earth, and shall say, How worthless [were the] idols [which] our fathers procured for themselves, and there is no help in them.
20 Will a man make gods for himself, whereas these are no gods?
21 Therefore behold, I will at this time manifest My hand to them, and will make known to them My power; and they shall know that My name is the Lord.
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.