« | Leviticus 4 | » |
1 The Lord said to Moses,
2 "Say to the people of Israel, 'If a person sins without meaning to, by not obeying what the Lord has told us to do, these are the rules he must follow.
3 If the chosen religious leader sins and so brings guilt on the people, let him give to the Lord a bull that is perfect. It is a sin gift for the sin he has done.
4 He will bring the bull to the door of the meeting tent before the Lord. He will lay his hand on the head of the bull, and kill the bull before the Lord.
5 Then the chosen religious leader is to take some of the bull's blood and bring it to the meeting tent.
6 The religious leader will put his finger in the blood and put some of the blood seven times before the Lord and in front of the curtain of the holy place.
7 And the religious leader will put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of sweet-smelling perfume in the meeting tent before the Lord. Then he will pour out all of the bull's blood at the base of the altar of burnt gifts at the door of the meeting tent.
8 He will take from it all the fat of the bull of the sin gift, the fat that covers the inside parts, and all the fat that is on the inside parts,
9 and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and the part on the liver, which he will take off with the kidneys,
10 just as these are taken from the bull of the peace gift. The religious leader is to burn them on the altar of burnt gifts.
11 But the bull's skin and all its flesh, its head, legs, inside parts and its waste,
12 all the rest of the bull, he is to bring to a clean place away from the tents, where the ashes are poured out. There he will burn it on wood with fire. It will be burned where the ashes are poured out.
13 'If all the people of Israel sin and do not obey what the Lord has told them, without meaning to and without knowing about it, they are guilty.
14 When their sin becomes known, the people will give a bull from the herd for a sin gift. They will bring it in front of the meeting tent.
15 Then the leaders of the people will lay their hands on the bull's head before the Lord. And the bull will be killed before the Lord.
16 The chosen religious leader will take some of the bull's blood to the meeting tent.
17 There the religious leader will put his finger in the blood and put it seven times before the Lord and in front of the curtains.
18 He will put some of the blood on the horns of the altar before the Lord in the meeting tent. And he will pour out all the blood at the base of the altar of burnt gifts at the door of the meeting tent.
19 He will take all its fat from it and burn it on the altar.
20 He will do the same with the bull as he did with the bull of the sin gift. So the religious leader will pay for their sins. And they will be forgiven.
21 Then he will bring the bull away from the tents and burn it as he burned the first bull. It is the sin gift for all the people.
22 'When a leader sins without meaning to, by doing any of all the things the Lord God has told us not to do, he becomes guilty.
23 If his sin is made known to him, he will bring for his gift a male goat that is perfect.
24 He will lay his hand on the head of the male goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt gifts before the Lord. It is a sin gift.
25 Then the religious leader will take some of the blood of the sin gift with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt gifts. He will pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar of burnt gifts.
26 He will burn all its fat on the altar like the fat of the peace gifts. So the religious leader will pay the price for the man's sin. And he will be forgiven.
27 'If anyone among the people of the land sins without meaning to, by doing any of the things the Lord said not to do, he becomes guilty.
28 If his sin is made known to him, he will bring for his gift a female goat that is perfect, for the sin he has done.
29 He will lay his hand on the head of the sin gift, and kill the sin gift at the place of burnt gifts.
30 The religious leader will take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt gifts. He will pour out all the rest of its blood at the base of the altar.
31 Then he will take all its fat, just as the fat was taken from the peace gifts. And the religious leader will burn it on the altar for a pleasing smell to the Lord. So the religious leader will pay for his sin. And he will be forgiven.
32 'If he brings a lamb for a sin gift, he will bring a female lamb that is perfect.
33 He will lay his hand on the head of the sin gift, and kill it for a sin gift in the place where they kill the burnt gifts.
34 The religious leader will take some of the blood of the sin gift with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt gifts. He will pour out all the rest of its blood at the base of the altar.
35 Then he will take all its fat, just as the lamb's fat is taken from the peace gifts. The religious leader will burn it on the altar, on the gifts by fire to the Lord. So the religious leader will pay for him the price for the sin he has done. And he will be forgiven.
The New Life Version (NLV)
The New Life Version (NLV) is a unique English translation of the Bible designed to be exceptionally easy to read and understand. First published in 1969, the NLV was created by Gleason Ledyard, a missionary and linguist, to make the Scriptures accessible to people who have limited English proficiency or are new to the language. Ledyard’s aim was to provide a Bible that even those with minimal education could read and comprehend, thus opening the door for a wider audience to engage with the biblical texts.
A defining characteristic of the New Life Version is its use of a limited vocabulary of about 850 basic English words, along with some necessary theological terms. This restricted vocabulary ensures that the language remains simple and straightforward, making the text accessible to young readers, new Christians, and those for whom English is a second language. The translators also avoided idiomatic expressions and complex sentence structures, further enhancing clarity and understanding. This makes the NLV a particularly valuable resource for educational and missionary work.
The NLV also emphasizes faithfulness to the original texts, despite its simplified language. The translation aims to maintain the integrity and message of the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts. By carefully choosing words that accurately convey the meaning of the original texts while ensuring simplicity, the NLV provides a balance between accessibility and fidelity. Additionally, the NLV includes explanatory footnotes and cross-references that help readers understand the context and deeper meanings of the passages, making it a useful tool for both personal study and group teaching.
However, the New Life Version is not without its critics. Some scholars and traditionalists argue that the limited vocabulary and simplified language can lead to a loss of nuance and depth found in the original texts. They suggest that the NLV’s focus on simplicity may sometimes oversimplify complex theological concepts. Despite these criticisms, the New Life Version remains a valuable translation for its intended audience, offering a clear and approachable rendition of the Bible that helps a wide range of readers engage with the Scriptures and grow in their faith.