« | Joshua 3 | » |
1 And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and departed from Shittim; and they came as far as the Jordan, and lodged there before they crossed over.
2 And it came to pass after three days, [that] the scribes went through the camp;
3 and they commanded the people, saying, When you shall see the ark of the covenant of the Lord our God, and our priests and the Levites bearing it, you shall depart from your places, and you shall go after it.
4 But let there be a distance between you and it; you shall stand as much as two thousand cubits [from it]. Do not draw near to it, that you may know the way which you are to go; for you have not gone the way before.
5 And Joshua said to the people, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow, for tomorrow the Lord shall do wonders among you.
6 And Joshua said to the priests, Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and go before the people. And the priests took up the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and went before the people.
7 And the Lord said to Joshua, This day do I begin to exalt you before all the children of Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so will I also be with you.
8 And now charge the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, As soon as you shall enter on a part of the water of the Jordan, then you shall stand in the Jordan.
9 And Joshua said to the children of Israel, Come here, and hear to the word of the Lord our God.
10 Hereby you shall know that the living God [is] among you, and will utterly destroy from before our face the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, the Amorite, the Girgashite, and the Jebusite.
11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passes over the Jordan.
12 Choose for yourselves twelve men of the sons of Israel, one of each tribe.
13 And it shall come to pass, when the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth shall rest in the water of the Jordan, the water of the Jordan [below] shall fail, and the water coming down from above shall stop.
14 And the people removed from their tents to cross over the Jordan, and the priests bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord before the people.
15 And when the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord entered the Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord were dipped in part of the water of the Jordan (now the Jordan overflowed all its banks about the time of wheat harvest),
16 then the waters that came down from above stopped; there stood one solid heap very far off, as far as the region of Zaretan, and the lower part came down to the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, till it completely failed; and the people stood opposite Jericho.
17 And the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood on dry land in the midst of the Jordan; and all the children of Israel went through on dry land, until all the people had completely gone over the Jordan.
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.