« | Leviticus 6 | » |
1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
2 When any of you sin and commit a trespass against the LORD by deceiving a neighbor in a matter of a deposit or a pledge, or by robbery, or if you have defrauded a neighbor,
3 or have found something lost and lied about it-- if you swear falsely regarding any of the various things that one may do and sin thereby--
4 when you have sinned and realize your guilt, and would restore what you took by robbery or by fraud or the deposit that was committed to you, or the lost thing that you found,
5 or anything else about which you have sworn falsely, you shall repay the principal amount and shall add one-fifth to it. You shall pay it to its owner when you realize your guilt.
6 And you shall bring to the priest, as your guilt offering to the LORD, a ram without blemish from the flock, or its equivalent, for a guilt offering.
7 The priest shall make atonement on your behalf before the LORD, and you shall be forgiven for any of the things that one may do and incur guilt thereby.
8 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
9 Command Aaron and his sons, saying: This is the ritual of the burnt offering. The burnt offering itself shall remain on the hearth upon the altar all night until the morning, while the fire on the altar shall be kept burning.
10 The priest shall put on his linen vestments after putting on his linen undergarments next to his body; and he shall take up the ashes to which the fire has reduced the burnt offering on the altar, and place them beside the altar.
11 Then he shall take off his vestments and put on other garments, and carry the ashes out to a clean place outside the camp.
12 The fire on the altar shall be kept burning; it shall not go out. Every morning the priest shall add wood to it, lay out the burnt offering on it, and turn into smoke the fat pieces of the offerings of well-being.
13 A perpetual fire shall be kept burning on the altar; it shall not go out.
14 This is the ritual of the grain offering: The sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD, in front of the altar.
15 They shall take from it a handful of the choice flour and oil of the grain offering, with all the frankincense that is on the offering, and they shall turn its memorial portion into smoke on the altar as a pleasing odor to the LORD.
16 Aaron and his sons shall eat what is left of it; it shall be eaten as unleavened cakes in a holy place; in the court of the tent of meeting they shall eat it.
17 It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it as their portion of my offerings by fire; it is most holy, like the sin offering and the guilt offering.
18 Every male among the descendants of Aaron shall eat of it, as their perpetual due throughout your generations, from the LORD's offerings by fire; anything that touches them shall become holy.
19 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
20 This is the offering that Aaron and his sons shall offer to the LORD on the day when he is anointed: one-tenth of an ephah of choice flour as a regular offering, half of it in the morning and half in the evening.
21 It shall be made with oil on a griddle; you shall bring it well soaked, as a grain offering of baked pieces, and you shall present it as a pleasing odor to the LORD.
22 And so the priest, anointed from among Aaron's descendants as a successor, shall prepare it; it is the LORD's-- a perpetual due-- to be turned entirely into smoke.
23 Every grain offering of a priest shall be wholly burned; it shall not be eaten.
24 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
25 Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying: This is the ritual of the sin offering. The sin offering shall be slaughtered before the LORD at the spot where the burnt offering is slaughtered; it is most holy.
26 The priest who offers it as a sin offering shall eat of it; it shall be eaten in a holy place, in the court of the tent of meeting.
27 Whatever touches its flesh shall become holy; and when any of its blood is spattered on a garment, you shall wash the bespattered part in a holy place.
28 An earthen vessel in which it was boiled shall be broken; but if it is boiled in a bronze vessel, that shall be scoured and rinsed in water.
29 Every male among the priests shall eat of it; it is most holy.
30 But no sin offering shall be eaten from which any blood is brought into the tent of meeting for atonement in the holy place; it shall be burned with fire.
The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) is a highly respected English translation of the Bible that was first published in 1989 by the National Council of Churches. It was developed as an update to the Revised Standard Version (RSV) of 1952, with the goal of incorporating the latest biblical scholarship and addressing changes in the English language. The NRSV is renowned for its accuracy, literary quality, and ecumenical approach, making it a preferred choice for both academic study and liturgical use across various Christian denominations.
One of the primary features of the NRSV is its commitment to being a literal, or word-for-word, translation while also ensuring that the text is clear and comprehensible for modern readers. The translation team, which included scholars from diverse religious backgrounds, aimed to produce a text that faithfully represents the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts. This dedication to precision and clarity makes the NRSV an excellent resource for in-depth study and theological reflection, as it strives to convey the exact meaning of the original texts.
The NRSV is also notable for its inclusive language, which seeks to reflect the diversity of the contemporary Christian community. The translators took great care to avoid gender-specific language when the original texts did not explicitly require it, making the text more inclusive and accessible to all readers. This approach has been particularly appreciated in academic and liturgical settings, where sensitivity to gender and inclusivity are important considerations. The NRSV’s attention to inclusive language helps ensure that all readers can see themselves reflected in the biblical narrative.
Despite its many strengths, the NRSV has faced some criticism, particularly from those who prefer more traditional translations. Critics argue that the use of inclusive language can sometimes lead to interpretations that differ from the original intent of the texts. Additionally, some conservative scholars and readers feel that the NRSV’s ecumenical approach may result in compromises on certain theological nuances. Nonetheless, the New Revised Standard Version remains a highly valued translation, widely used in churches, seminaries, and universities for its scholarly rigor, literary excellence, and commitment to inclusivity.