« | Jeremiah 4 | » |
1 If Israel will return to Me, says the Lord, he shall return: and if he will remove his abominations out of his mouth, and fear before Me, and swear,
2 The Lord lives, with truth, in judgment and righteousness, then shall nations bless by him, and by him they shall praise God in Jerusalem.
3 For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Break up fresh ground for yourselves, and sow not among thorns.
4 Circumcise yourselves to your God, and circumcise your hardness of heart, you men of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem, lest My wrath go forth as fire, and burn, and there be none to quench it, because of the evil of your devices.
5 Declare in Judah, and let it be heard in Jerusalem. Say, Sound the trumpet in the land; cry aloud: say, Gather yourselves together, and let us enter into the fortified cities.
6 Gather up [your wares] and flee to Zion. Hasten, stay not: for I will bring evils from the north, and great destruction.
7 The lion has gone up from his lair, he has roused [himself] to the destruction of the nations, and has gone forth out of his place, to make the land desolate; and the cities shall be destroyed, so as to be without inhabitant.
8 For these things gird yourselves with sackcloth and lament, and howl; for the anger of the Lord has not turned away from you.
9 And it shall come to pass in that day, says the Lord, that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the priests shall be amazed, and the prophets shall wonder.
10 And I said, O sovereign Lord, verily You have deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, There shall be peace; whereas behold, the sword has reached even to their soul.
11 At that time they shall say to this people and to Jerusalem, [There is] a spirit of error in the wilderness: the way of the daughter of My people is not to purity, nor to holiness.
12 [But] a spirit of full vengeance shall come upon Me; and now I declare My judgments against them.
13 Behold, he shall come up as a cloud, and his chariots as a tempest. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us, for we are in misery!
14 Cleanse your heart from wickedness, O Jerusalem, that you may be saved; how long will your grievous thoughts be within you?
15 For a voice of one publishing from Dan shall come, and trouble out of Mount Ephraim shall be heard of.
16 Remind the nations; behold, they have come. Proclaim [it] in Jerusalem, that bands are approaching from a land afar off, and have uttered their voice against the cities of Judah.
17 As keepers of a field, they have surrounded her; because you, says the Lord, have neglected Me.
18 Your ways and your devices have brought these things upon you; this is your wickedness, for [it is] bitter, for it has reached to your heart.
19 I am pained in my bowels, my bowels, and the sensitive powers of my heart. My soul is in great commotion, my heart is torn. I will not be silent, for my soul has heard the sound of a trumpet, the cry of war, and of distress: it calls on destruction.
20 For all the land is distressed. Suddenly [my] tabernacle is distressed, my curtains have been torn in two.
21 How long shall I see fugitives, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
22 For the princes of My people have not known Me, they are foolish and unwise children. They are wise to do evil, but [how] to do good they have not known.
23 I looked upon the earth, and behold, [it was] not; and to the sky, and there was no light in it.
24 I beheld the mountains, and they trembled, and [I saw] all the hills in commotion.
25 I looked, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the sky were scared.
26 I saw, and behold, Carmel was desert, and all the cities were burnt with fire at the presence of the Lord, and at the presence of His fierce anger they were utterly destroyed.
27 Thus says the Lord, The whole land shall be desolate; but I will not make a full end.
28 For these things let the earth mourn, and let the sky be dark above. For I have spoken, and I will not relent; I have purposed, and I will not turn back from it.
29 The whole land has recoiled from the noise of the horseman and the bent bow; they have gone into the caves, and have hidden themselves in the groves, and have gone up upon the rocks: every city was abandoned, no man dwelt in them.
30 And what will you do? Though you clothe yourself with scarlet, and adorn yourself with golden ornaments; though you adorn your eyes with paint, your beauty [shall be] in vain. Your lovers have rejected you, they seek your life.
31 For I have heard your groaning as the voice of a woman in travail, as of her that brings forth her first child; the voice of the daughter of Zion shall fail through weakness, and she shall lose the strength of her hands, [saying], Woe is me, for my soul faints because of the slain!
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.