« | Jeremiah 42 | » |
1 Then all the leaders of the army came, and Johanan, and Azarias the son of Maasaiah, and all the people great and small,
2 to Jeremiah the prophet, and said to him, Let now our supplication come before your face, and pray to the Lord your God for this remnant; for we are left [but a] few out of many, as your eyes see.
3 And let the Lord your God declare to us the way in which we should walk, and the thing which we should do.
4 And Jeremiah said to them, I have heard [you.] Behold, I will pray for you to the Lord our God, according to your words; and it shall come to pass, [that] whatsoever word the Lord God shall answer, I will declare to you; I will not hide anything from you.
5 And they said to Jeremiah, Let the Lord be between us for a just and faithful witness, if we do not according to every word which the Lord shall send to us.
6 And whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil, we will hearken to the voice of the Lord our God, to whom we send you; that it may be well with us, because we shall hearken to the voice of the Lord our God.
7 And it came to pass after ten days, [that] the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah.
8 And he called Johanan, and the leaders of the army, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,
9 and he said to them, Thus says the Lord:
10 If you will indeed dwell in this land, I will build you, and will not pull [you] down, but I will plant you, and by no means pluck you up; for I have ceased from the calamities which I brought upon you.
11 Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid; be not afraid of him, says the Lord. For I am with you, to deliver you, and save you out of their hand.
12 And I will grant you mercy, and pity you, and will restore you to your land.
13 But if you say, We will not dwell in this land, that we may not hearken to the voice of the Lord;
14 for we will go into the land of Egypt, and we shall see no war, and shall not hear the sound of a trumpet, and we shall not hunger for bread; and there we will dwell-
15 then hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord:
16 If you set your face toward Egypt, and go in there to dwell; then it shall be [that] the sword in which you fear shall find you in the land of Egypt, and the famine in which you have regard, shall overtake you in Egypt; and there you shall die.
17 And all the men, and all the strangers who have set their face toward the land of Egypt to dwell there, shall be consumed by the sword, and by the famine; and there shall not one of them escape from the evils which I bring upon them.
18 For thus says the Lord: As My wrath has dropped upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so shall My wrath drop upon you, when you have entered into Egypt. And you shall be a desolation, and under the power of others, and a curse and a reproach; and you shall no more see this place.
19 Thus says the Lord concerning you the remnant of Judah: Enter not into Egypt, and now know for a certainty,
20 that you have wrought wickedness in your hearts, when you sent for me, saying, Pray for us to the Lord; and according to all that the Lord shall speak to you we will do.
21 And you have not hearkened to the voice of the Lord, with which He sent me to you.
22 Now therefore you shall perish by the sword and by famine, in the place in which you desire to dwell.
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.