Zechariah 1 | » |
1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of LORD came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying,
2 LORD was greatly displeased with your fathers.
3 Therefore say thou to them, Thus says LORD of hosts: Return to me, says LORD of hosts, and I will return to you, says LORD of hosts.
4 Be ye not as your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried, saying, Thus says LORD of hosts: Return ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings, but they did not hear, nor hearken to me, says LORD.
5 Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever?
6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? And they turned and said, Like as LORD of hosts thought to do to us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so he has dealt with us.
7 Upon the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of LORD came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying,
8 I saw in the night, and, behold, a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom. And behind him there were horses, red, sorrel, and white.
9 Then I said, O my lord, what are these? And the heavenly agent who talked with me said to me, I will show thee what these are.
10 And the man who stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom LORD has sent to walk to and fro through the earth.
11 And they answered the agent of LORD who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sits still, and is at rest.
12 Then the agent of LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long will thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou have had indignation these seventy years?
13 And LORD answered the agent who talked with me with good words, comforting words.
14 So the heavenly agent who talked with me said to me, Cry thou, saying, Thus says LORD of hosts: I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.
15 And I am very greatly displeased with the nations that are at ease. For I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.
16 Therefore thus says LORD: I have returned to Jerusalem with mercies. My house shall be built in it, says LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth over Jerusalem.
17 Cry yet again, saying, Thus says LORD of hosts: My cities shall yet overflow with prosperity, and LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.
18 And I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and, behold, four horns.
19 And I said to the heavenly agent who talked with me, What are these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.
20 And LORD showed me four smiths.
21 Then I said, What are these coming to do? And he spoke, saying, These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head. But these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations, which lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.
A Conservative Version (ACV)
A Conservative Version (ACV) of the Bible is a translation that aims to provide a conservative and literal interpretation of the biblical texts. Developed with a focus on maintaining fidelity to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts, the ACV emphasizes a word-for-word translation methodology. The goal is to preserve the subtleties and nuances of the original languages as accurately as possible. This approach results in a version of the Bible that seeks to remain true to the text's original meaning and context, appealing to readers who prioritize precision and doctrinal integrity.
The text of the Old Testament for A Conservative Version (ACV) came from the American Standard Version published in 1901. The main changes done for the ACV were the replacement of archaic words with more modern ones, except for the old English pronouns, which were kept because they are more communicative. The New Testament was translated from, The New Testament in the Original Greek According to the Byzantine-Majority Text form. That edition was compiled by Maurice A. Robinson and William G. Pierpont, and is of the Textus Receptus tradition from which came the King James Version.
The ACV was created in response to what its translators saw as a trend toward more liberal or dynamic-equivalence translations that prioritize readability over literal accuracy. The translators aimed to produce a text that adheres closely to the original languages, even if this makes the translation more challenging for contemporary readers. This reflects their belief in the importance of preserving the exact words and phrases used in the original scriptures. The ACV also employs traditional theological terminology and phrasing, avoiding modern slang and colloquial expressions in favor of language that conveys the gravity and solemnity of the biblical message.
While the ACV has found appreciation among conservative circles, it has faced criticism for its perceived rigidity and difficulty. Critics argue that its strict adherence to a word-for-word translation can make the text less readable and accessible, potentially alienating readers unfamiliar with the original languages or who prefer a more fluid translation. Despite these criticisms, the ACV remains a valued translation for those who prioritize a conservative and literal approach to Bible interpretation, supporting their doctrinal views with a text they believe closely reflects the original scriptures.