« | Psalm 120 | » |
1 (A song for worship.) When I am in trouble, I pray,
2 "Come and save me, LORD, from deceitful liars!"
3 What punishment is fitting for you deceitful liars?
4 Your reward should be sharp and flaming arrows!
5 But I must live as a foreigner among the people of Meshech and in the tents of Kedar.
6 I have spent too much time living among people who hate peace.
7 I am in favor of peace, but when I speak of it, all they want is war.
The Contemporary English Version (CEV)
The Contemporary English Version (CEV) is a modern Bible translation that aims to make the scriptures accessible and understandable to a broad audience, including children and those with limited English proficiency. Published by the American Bible Society in 1995, the CEV emphasizes clarity, readability, and ease of comprehension. Unlike more literal translations, the CEV uses a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, which focuses on conveying the original meaning of the text in a way that is clear and straightforward for contemporary readers.
One of the key features of the CEV is its use of everyday language and simple sentence structures. The translators avoided theological jargon and archaic terms, instead opting for language that is commonly used in daily conversation. This makes the CEV particularly well-suited for public reading, educational settings, and outreach programs where the audience might not be familiar with traditional biblical language. The translation strives to communicate the essence of the biblical message without the barriers that complex language can sometimes create.