« | Leviticus 19 | » |
1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2 "Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: 'You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God [am] holy.
3 ' Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and keep My Sabbaths: I [am] the LORD your God.
4 ' Do not turn to idols, nor make for yourselves molded gods: I [am] the LORD your God.
5 ' And if you offer a sacrifice of a peace offering to the LORD, you shall offer it of your own free will.
6 'It shall be eaten the same day you offer [it,] and on the next day. And if any remains until the third day, it shall be burned in the fire.
7 'And if it is eaten at all on the third day, it [is] an abomination. It shall not be accepted.
8 'Therefore [everyone] who eats it shall bear his iniquity, because he has profaned the hallowed [offering] of the LORD; and that person shall be cut off from his people.
9 ' When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest.
10 'And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather [every] grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I [am] the LORD your God.
11 ' You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.
12 'And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I [am] the LORD.
13 ' You shall not cheat your neighbor, nor rob [him.] The wages of him who is hired shall not remain with you all night until morning.
14 'You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your God: I [am] the LORD.
15 ' You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.
16 'You shall not go about [as] a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I [am] the LORD.
17 ' You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.
18 'You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I [am] the LORD.
19 ' You shall keep My statutes. You shall not let your livestock breed with another kind. You shall not sow your field with mixed seed. Nor shall a garment of mixed linen and wool come upon you.
20 'Whoever lies carnally with a woman who [is] betrothed to a man as a concubine, and who has not at all been redeemed nor given her freedom, for this there shall be scourging; [but] they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.
21 'And he shall bring his trespass offering to the LORD, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, a ram as a trespass offering.
22 'The priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the LORD for his sin which he has committed. And the sin which he has committed shall be forgiven him.
23 ' When you come into the land, and have planted all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as uncircumcised. Three years it shall be as uncircumcised to you. [It] shall not be eaten.
24 'But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, a praise to the LORD.
25 'And in the fifth year you may eat its fruit, that it may yield to you its increase: I [am] the LORD your God.
26 ' You shall not eat [anything] with the blood, nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying.
27 'You shall not shave around the sides of your head, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard.
28 'You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I [am] the LORD.
29 ' Do not prostitute your daughter, to cause her to be a harlot, lest the land fall into harlotry, and the land become full of wickedness.
30 ' You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I [am] the LORD.
31 ' Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I [am] the LORD your God.
32 ' You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I [am] the LORD.
33 ' And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him.
34 'The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I [am] the LORD your God.
35 ' You shall do no injustice in judgment, in measurement of length, weight, or volume.
36 'You shall have honest scales, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin: I [am] the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
37 ' Therefore you shall observe all My statutes and all My judgments, and perform them: I [am] the LORD.' "
The New King James Version (NKJV)
The New King James Version (NKJV) is a modern translation of the Bible that seeks to preserve the stylistic and literary beauty of the original King James Version (KJV) while making it more accessible to contemporary readers. The project to create the NKJV began in 1975, spearheaded by Arthur Farstad and a team of over 130 scholars, theologians, and pastors. They aimed to maintain the traditional language and rhythm of the KJV while updating archaic terms and expressions to be more understandable for modern audiences. The translation was completed and published in 1982, offering a blend of reverence for the past and clarity for the present.
One of the defining features of the NKJV is its commitment to the Textus Receptus, the same Greek text underlying the New Testament of the KJV. This ensures a high degree of continuity between the two versions, making the NKJV familiar to those who have long cherished the KJV. However, the NKJV also considers findings from more recent scholarship and textual criticism, incorporating insights from the latest manuscripts and research. This approach helps to balance respect for the historical text with a recognition of the advancements in biblical studies.
The NKJV has been praised for its readability and poetic qualities, which make it suitable for both private study and public worship. Its translators worked diligently to preserve the lyrical and memorable phrasing of the KJV, which has deeply influenced English literature and religious practice. By modernizing the language without compromising the text’s inherent dignity and solemnity, the NKJV has become a popular choice among those who value both accuracy and elegance in their Bible reading.
Despite its strengths, the NKJV has faced criticism from some quarters. Critics argue that by adhering too closely to the Textus Receptus, it may not fully reflect the breadth of available manuscript evidence. Others feel that it may still be too archaic for some readers, especially those who are new to the Bible or who come from different linguistic backgrounds. Nonetheless, the NKJV remains a significant and respected translation, offering a bridge between the venerable tradition of the KJV and the needs of modern readers.