Zephaniah 1 | » |
1 The word of the Lord which came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amoriah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah.
2 Let there be an utter cutting off from the face of the land, says the Lord.
3 Let man and cattle be cut off; let the birds of the air and the fish of the sea be cut off; and the ungodly shall fail, and I will take away the transgressors from the face of the land, says the Lord.
4 And I will stretch out My hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will remove the names of Baal out of this place, and the names of the priests;
5 and them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and swear by the Lord, and them that swear by their king;
6 and them that turn aside from the Lord, and them that seek not the Lord, and them that cleave not to the Lord.
7 Be fearful before the Lord God; for the day of the Lord is near; for the Lord has prepared His sacrifice, and has sanctified His guests.
8 And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, that I will take vengeance on the princes, and on the king's house, and upon all that wear strange apparel.
9 And I will openly take vengeance on the porches in that day, [on the men] that fill the house of the Lord their God with ungodliness and deceit.
10 And there shall be in that day, says the Lord, the sound of a cry from the gate of men slaying, and a howling from the second [gate], and a great crashing from the hills.
11 Lament, you that inhabit the [city] that has been broken down, for all the people have become like Canaan; and all that were exalted by silver have been utterly destroyed.
12 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will search Jerusalem with a lamp, and I will take vengeance on the men that despise the things committed to them; but they say in their hearts, The Lord will not do any good, neither will He do any evil.
13 And their power shall be for a spoil, and their houses for utter desolation; and they shall build houses, but shall not dwell in them; and they shall plant vineyards, but shall not drink the wine of them.
14 For the great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and very speedy; the sound of the day of the Lord is made bitter and harsh.
15 A mighty day of wrath is that day, a day of affliction and distress, a day of desolation and destruction, a day of gloominess and darkness, a day of clouds and vapor,
16 a day of the trumpet and cry against the strong cities, and against the high towers.
17 And I will greatly afflict the men, and they shall walk as blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord; therefore He shall pour out their blood as dust, and their flesh as dung.
18 And their silver and their gold shall by no means be able to rescue them in the day of the Lord's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealously; for He will bring a speedy destruction on all them that inhabit the land.
The Apostles’ Bible Complete (ABC)
The Apostles’ Bible Complete (ABC) is a modern translation of the Bible that strives to offer a clear and faithful rendering of the scriptures in contemporary language. This translation is designed to be accessible to a wide audience, providing an easy-to-read yet accurate version of the biblical text. The ABC translation aims to bridge the gap between the ancient languages in which the Bible was originally written and the modern vernacular, making it an ideal choice for both personal study and public reading.
One of the notable features of the Apostles’ Bible Complete is its dedication to maintaining the integrity of the original manuscripts. The translators of the ABC worked meticulously with the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts to ensure that their translation accurately reflects the original meaning and intent of the scriptures. By employing a balance of formal equivalence (word-for-word) and dynamic equivalence (thought-for-thought) translation techniques, the ABC aims to preserve the nuances and richness of the original languages while ensuring readability and clarity for modern readers.
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Despite its strengths, the Apostles’ Bible Complete has faced some criticisms. Some readers feel that the translation could benefit from further refinement in certain passages, as the balance between formal and dynamic equivalence can sometimes lead to inconsistencies in style and tone. Others have noted that while the study aids are helpful, they can occasionally overwhelm the main text, making it difficult to focus on the scripture itself. Nonetheless, the ABC remains a valuable and respected translation, appreciated for its commitment to accuracy, clarity, and accessibility, and for its ability to bring the ancient words of the Bible to life for contemporary readers.