« | Deuteronomy 14 | » |
1 "You are the children of the Lord your God. When someone dies, you must not cut yourselves or shave your heads to show your sadness.
2 This is because you are different from other people. You are the Lord's special people. From all the people in the world, the Lord your God chose you to be his own special people.
3 "Don't eat anything that the Lord hates.
4 You may eat these animals: cattle, sheep, goats,
5 deer, gazelles, roe deer, wild sheep, wild goats, antelopes, and mountain sheep.
6 You may eat any animal that has hooves divided into two parts and that chews the cud.
7 But don't eat camels, rabbits, or rock badgers. These animals chew the cud, but they don't have split hooves. So these animals are not a clean food for you.
8 And you must not eat pigs. Their hooves are divided, but they don't chew the cud. So pigs are not a clean food for you. Don't eat any meat from pigs. Don't even touch a pig's dead body.
9 "You may eat any kind of fish that has fins and scales.
10 But don't eat anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales. It is not a clean food for you.
11 "You may eat any clean bird.
12 But don't eat any of these birds: eagles, vultures, buzzards,
13 red kites, falcons, any kind of kite,
14 any kind of raven,
15 horned owls, screech owls, sea gulls, any kind of hawk,
16 little owls, great owls, white owls,
17 desert owls, ospreys, cormorants,
18 storks, any kind of heron, hoopoes or bats.
19 "All insects with wings are unclean, so don't eat them.
20 But you may eat any clean bird.
21 "Don't eat any animal that has died by itself. You may give the dead animal to the foreigner in your town, and he can eat it. Or you may sell the dead animal to a foreigner. But you yourselves must not eat the dead animal, because you belong to the Lord your God. You are his special people. "Don't cook a baby goat in its mother's milk.
22 "Every year you must be sure to save one-tenth of all the crops that grow in your fields.
23 Then you must go to the place the Lord chooses to be the home for his name. You will go there to be with the Lord your God. At that place you will eat the tenth of your crops—one-tenth of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the first animals born in your herds and flocks. In this way you will always remember to respect the Lord your God.
24 But that place might be too far for you to travel to. Maybe you will not be able to carry one-tenth of all the crops that the Lord has blessed you with. If that happens,
25 sell that part of your crops and take the money with you to the special place the Lord has chosen.
26 Use the money to buy anything you want—cattle, sheep, wine or beer or any other food. Then you and your family should eat and enjoy yourselves there in that place with the Lord your God.
27 But don't forget the Levites living in your town. Share your food with them because they don't have a share of the land like you have.
28 "At the end of every three years, you must gather one-tenth of your harvest for that year. Store this food in your towns.
29 This food is for the Levites, because they don't have any land of their own. This food is also for other people in your towns that need it—for foreigners, widows, and orphans. If you do this, the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV) is a Bible translation specifically designed to be accessible and comprehensible for people with limited reading skills or those for whom English is a second language. Originally published in 1987 by the World Bible Translation Center, the ERV was initially developed to serve the deaf community, using a simplified vocabulary and straightforward sentence structures. The goal of the ERV is to make the scriptures understandable to a wide range of readers, ensuring that everyone can grasp the essential messages of the Bible without being hindered by complex language or archaic terms.
One of the defining characteristics of the ERV is its commitment to clarity and simplicity. The translators employed a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, focusing on conveying the meaning of the original texts in plain, everyday English. This approach ensures that readers can easily comprehend the Bible’s teachings and narratives, making it a valuable resource for children, new Christians, and those with limited literacy skills. The ERV avoids technical theological terms and instead uses language that is commonly spoken, making it accessible for personal study and public reading alike.
The ERV also pays careful attention to the cultural and contextual nuances of the original manuscripts. The translators sought to present the Bible’s messages in a way that is relevant and meaningful to contemporary readers while maintaining faithfulness to the original texts. This cultural sensitivity helps bridge the gap between ancient scriptures and modern readers, allowing them to connect more deeply with the biblical stories and teachings. Additionally, the ERV includes helpful footnotes and cross-references that provide further explanation and context, enhancing the reader’s understanding of the text.
Despite its strengths, the ERV has faced some criticism from those who prefer more traditional or literal translations. Critics argue that the simplified language and thought-for-thought approach can sometimes result in a loss of depth and richness found in the original texts. Some theologians believe that the ERV’s emphasis on accessibility may lead to oversimplification of complex theological concepts. Nonetheless, the Easy-To-Read Version remains a highly valuable translation for its target audience, offering a clear and approachable rendition of the Bible that helps people of all backgrounds engage with and understand the scriptures.