« | Jeremiah 27 | » |
1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 Thus said the LORD to me; Make you bonds and yokes, and put them on your neck,
3 And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah;
4 And command them to say to their masters, Thus said the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Thus shall you say to your masters;
5 I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are on the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it to whom it seemed meet to me.
6 And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him.
7 And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him.
8 And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, said the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.
9 Therefore listen not you to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak to you, saying, You shall not serve the king of Babylon:
10 For they prophesy a lie to you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and you should perish.
11 But the nations that bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, those will I let remain still in their own land, said the LORD; and they shall till it, and dwell therein.
12 I spoke also to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.
13 Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the LORD has spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?
14 Therefore listen not to the words of the prophets that speak to you, saying, You shall not serve the king of Babylon: for they prophesy a lie to you.
15 For I have not sent them, said the LORD, yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might drive you out, and that you might perish, you, and the prophets that prophesy to you.
16 Also I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus said the LORD; Listen not to the words of your prophets that prophesy to you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the LORD's house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon: for they prophesy a lie to you.
17 Listen not to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: why should this city be laid waste?
18 But if they be prophets, and if the word of the LORD be with them, let them now make intercession to the LORD of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, go not to Babylon.
19 For thus said the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, and concerning the sea, and concerning the bases, and concerning the residue of the vessels that remain in this city.
20 Which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took not, when he carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem;
21 Yes, thus said the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that remain in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah and of Jerusalem;
22 They shall be carried to Babylon, and there shall they be until the day that I visit them, said the LORD; then will I bring them up, and restore them to this place.
The American King James Version (AKJV)
The American King James Version (AKJV) is a modernized adaptation of the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, which seeks to retain the majesty and accuracy of the original text while updating some of the archaic language to make it more accessible to contemporary readers. The AKJV was created by Michael Peter (Stone) Engelbrite in the late 20th century, aiming to preserve the classic beauty and literary excellence of the KJV while ensuring that the scripture remains comprehensible to modern audiences. Michael Peter (Stone) Engelbrite of True Grace Ministries, claims his version is a simple word for word update from the King James English.
This translation adheres closely to the text and structure of the KJV, making only minimal changes where necessary to update outdated terms and phrases. One of the significant features of the AKJV is its commitment to maintaining the same verse structure and traditional phrasing that has made the KJV so enduringly popular. By making modest updates to the language, such as replacing thee and thou with you and your, the AKJV provides a version of the Bible that feels familiar to those who have long cherished the KJV, while being more approachable for new readers. This careful balance allows the AKJV to honor the historical and literary legacy of the KJV while meeting the linguistic needs of readers of today.
The AKJV also seeks to remain faithful to the doctrinal and theological foundations of the KJV. By preserving the original text's meaning and intent, the AKJV provides a reliable translation for study, worship, and personal devotion. Its adherence to the Textus Receptus for the New Testament and the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament ensures that the translation remains consistent with the sources that have historically underpinned the KJV. This fidelity to the original manuscripts and theological perspectives of the KJV helps maintain the trust and respect that many readers have for this venerable translation.
Despite its strengths, the AKJV has not been without its criticisms. Some scholars and readers argue that the translation does not go far enough in updating the language, leaving certain passages still challenging for modern audiences. Others feel that any alteration to the KJV diminishes its historical and literary significance. Nonetheless, the AKJV remains a valuable resource for those who seek a Bible translation that bridges the gap between the time-honored KJV and the needs of contemporary readers, offering a version that is both reverent and readable.