« | Zechariah 3 | » |
1 Then he showed me Joshua the head religious leader standing before the angel of the Lord. And Satan was standing at his right side to blame him.
2 The Lord said to Satan, "May the Lord's Word be sharp against you, Satan! May the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem speak sharp words against you! Is not this a burning stick saved from the fire?"
3 Now Joshua was dressed in dirty clothes and standing in front of the angel.
4 The angel said to those who were standing in front of him, "Take off his dirty clothes." And he said to him, "See, I have taken your sin away from you, and will dress you in beautiful clothes."
5 Then I said, "Let them put a clean covering on his head." So they put a clean covering on his head and dressed him in clothes, while the angel of the Lord was standing by.
6 The angel of the Lord told Joshua in strong words,
7 "The Lord of All says, 'If you will walk in My ways and do My work, then you will rule My house and everything around it. And I will give you a place among these who are standing here.
8 Now listen, Joshua the head religious leader, and your friends who are sitting in front of you are men who show a part of the good things to come in the future. See, I am going to bring My Servant the Branch.
9 See the stone that I have set in front of Joshua. There are seven eyes on that one stone, and I will cut writings on it,' says the Lord of All. 'And I will take away the sin of that land in one day.
10 In that day,' says the Lord of All, 'every one of you will ask his neighbor to come sit under his vine and under his fig tree.' "
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.