« | Leviticus 6 | » |
1 The Lord said to Moses,
2 "A person might sin against the Lord by doing one of these sins: He might lie about what happened to something he was taking care of for someone else, or he might lie about a promise he made. He might steal something or cheat someone.
3 He might find something that had been lost and then lie about it. He might make a promise before the Lord about something and not mean it, or he might do some other sin.
4 If he does any of these things, he is guilty of sin. He must bring back whatever he stole or whatever he took by cheating. He must bring back the thing he took care of for someone else. He must bring back what he found and lied about
5 or what he made a false promise about. He must pay the full price plus an extra one-fifth of the value of what he took. He must give the money to the true owner on the day he brings his penalty offering.
6 He must bring his penalty to the priest -- a male sheep from the flock, one that does not have anything wrong with it and that is worth the correct amount. It will be a penalty offering to the Lord.
7 Then the priest will perform the acts to remove that person's sin so he will belong to the Lord, and the Lord will forgive him for the sins that made him guilty."
8 The Lord said to Moses,
9 "Give this command to Aaron and the priests: 'These are the teachings about the whole burnt offering: The burnt offering must stay on the altar all night until morning, and the altar's fire must be kept burning.
10 The priest must put on his linen robe and linen underclothes next to his body. Then he will remove the ashes from the burnt offering on the altar and put them beside the altar.
11 Then he must take off those clothes and put on others and carry the ashes outside the camp to a special clean place.
12 But the fire must be kept burning on the altar; it must not be allowed to go out. The priest must put more firewood on the altar every morning, place the whole burnt offering on the fire, and burn the fat of the fellowship offerings.
13 The fire must be kept burning on the altar all the time; it must not go out.
14 "'These are the teachings about the grain offering: The priests must bring it to the Lord in front of the altar.
15 The priest must take a handful of fine flour, with the oil and all of the incense on it, and burn the grain offering on the altar as a memorial offering to the Lord. Its smell is pleasing to him.
16 Aaron and the priests may eat what is left, but it must be eaten without yeast in a holy place. They must eat it in the courtyard of the Meeting Tent.
17 It must not be cooked with yeast. I have given it as their share of the offerings made to me by fire; it is most holy, like the sin offering and the penalty offering.
18 Any male descendant of Aaron may eat it as his share of the offerings made to the Lord by fire, and this will continue from now on. Whatever touches these offerings shall become holy.'"
19 The Lord said to Moses,
20 "This is the offering Aaron and the priests must bring to the Lord on the day they appoint Aaron as high priest: They must bring two quarts of fine flour for a continual grain offering, half of it in the morning and half in the evening.
21 The fine flour must be mixed with oil and cooked on a griddle. Bring it when it is well mixed. Present the grain offering that is broken into pieces, and it will be a smell that is pleasing to the Lord.
22 One of the priests appointed to take Aaron's place as high priest must make the grain offering. It is a rule forever that the grain offering must be completely burned to the Lord.
23 Every grain offering made by a priest must be completely burned; it must not be eaten."
24 The Lord said to Moses,
25 "Tell Aaron and the priests: 'These are the teachings about the sin offering: The sin offering must be killed in front of the Lord in the same place the whole burnt offering is killed; it is most holy.
26 The priest who offers the sin offering must eat it in a holy place, in the courtyard of the Meeting Tent.
27 Whatever touches the meat of the sin offering must be holy, and if the blood is sprinkled on any clothes, you must wash them in a holy place.
28 The clay pot the meat is cooked in must be broken, or if a bronze pot is used, it must be scrubbed and rinsed with water.
29 Any male in a priest's family may eat the offering; it is most holy.
30 But if the blood of the sin offering is taken into the Meeting Tent and used to remove sin in the Holy Place, that sin offering must be burned with fire. It must not be eaten.
The New Century Version (NCV)
The New Century Version (NCV) is a contemporary English translation of the Bible designed to be easily understandable and accessible to a broad audience. First published in 1987 by Thomas Nelson, the NCV originated from a project aimed at creating a simplified English translation for children. Over time, the scope of the translation expanded to cater to readers of all ages, including those with limited English proficiency and those new to the Bible. The NCV’s primary goal is to communicate the truths of Scripture in clear, everyday language that resonates with modern readers.
A notable feature of the NCV is its use of dynamic equivalence, or thought-for-thought translation philosophy. This approach prioritizes conveying the meaning and intent of the original texts over maintaining a strict word-for-word correspondence. By doing so, the NCV aims to make the Bible’s messages more relatable and easier to understand, especially for those who may find traditional translations challenging. The translation team worked diligently to balance accuracy with readability, ensuring that the essence of the biblical texts is preserved while making them more accessible to contemporary audiences.
The NCV also includes various study aids and features designed to enhance comprehension and engagement with the biblical text. These include introductions to each book of the Bible, footnotes that provide historical and cultural context, and cross-references that help readers see connections between different parts of Scripture. Additionally, the NCV often employs gender-neutral language where appropriate, aiming to be inclusive and respectful of modern sensibilities while remaining faithful to the original texts.
Despite its strengths, the New Century Version has faced some criticism from those who prefer more traditional or literal translations. Critics argue that the dynamic equivalence approach can sometimes result in a loss of nuance and depth found in the original languages. Additionally, some theologians express concern that the simplified language may not fully capture the richness and complexity of certain theological concepts. Nonetheless, the NCV remains a valuable resource for many readers, particularly those seeking a clear and approachable version of the Bible that helps them connect with and understand its timeless messages.