« | Deuteronomy 22 | » |
1 "If you see that your neighbor's ox or sheep is loose, you must not ignore it. Be sure to take it back to its owner.
2 If the owner does not live near you or if you don't know who it belongs to, take the ox or sheep to your house. Keep it there until the owner comes looking for it; then give it back.
3 You must do the same thing when you find anything that your neighbor might have lost. Don't try selling it to your neighbor—you must give it back.
4 "If your neighbor's donkey or ox has fallen down on the road, you must not ignore it. You must help your neighbor lift it up again.
5 "A woman must not wear men's clothes, and a man must not wear women's clothes. That is very disgusting to the Lord your God.
6 "You might be walking along a path and find a bird's nest in a tree or on the ground. If the mother bird is sitting with her baby birds or on the eggs, you must not take the mother bird with the babies.
7 You may take the babies for yourself, but you must let the mother go. If you obey these laws, things will go well for you, and you will live a long time.
8 "When you build a new house, you must build a wall around your roof. Then you will not be guilty for the death of a person who falls from the house.
9 "You must not plant seeds of grain in the same fields as your grapevines. Why? Because then they become useless —both the grapes and the grain produced by the seeds you planted.
10 "You must not plow with a ox and a donkey together.
11 "You must not wear cloth made by weaving together wool and linen.
12 "Tie several pieces of thread together. Then put these tassels on the four corners of the robes you wear.
13 "A man might marry a woman and have sexual relations with her. Then he might decide that he does not like her.
14 He might accuse her of doing wrong and say, 'I married this woman, but when we had sexual relations, I found she was not a virgin. ' By saying this against her, people might think bad things about her.
15 If this happens, the girl's father and mother must bring the proof that the girl was a virgin to the town elders at the meeting place of the town.
16 The girl's father must say to the leaders, 'I gave my daughter to this man to be his wife, but now he does not want her.
17 This man accused my daughter of doing wrong and said, "I did not find the proof that your daughter is a virgin." But here is the proof that my daughter was a virgin.' Then they should show the cloth to the town leaders.
18 Then the leaders of that town must take that man and punish him.
19 They must fine him 40 ounces of silver. They will give the money to the girl's father because her husband brought shame to an Israelite girl. And the girl will continue to be the man's wife. He cannot divorce her for the rest of his life.
20 "But what the husband said about his wife might be true. The wife's parents might not have the proof that she was a virgin. If this happens,
21 then the town leaders must bring the girl to the door of her father's house. Then the men of the town must kill her with stones, because she has done a shameful thing in Israel. She has acted like a prostitute in her father's house. You must remove this evil from your group.
22 "If a man is found having sexual relations with another man's wife, both of them must die—the woman and the man who had sexual relations with her. You must remove this evil from Israel.
23 "A man might meet a virgin girl engaged to another man. He might have sexual relations with her. If this happens in the city,
24 you must bring them both out to the public place near the gate of that city, and you must kill them with stones. You must kill the man, because he used another man's wife for sexual sin. And you must kill the girl, because she was in the city but did not call for help. You must remove this evil from your people.
25 "But if a man finds an engaged girl out in the field and forces her to have sexual relations with him, only the man must die.
26 You must do nothing to the girl. She did nothing that deserves the punishment of death. This is like someone attacking their neighbor and killing them.
27 The man found the engaged girl out in the field and attacked her. Maybe she called for help, but there was no one to help her.
28 "A man might find a virgin girl who is not engaged and force her to have sexual relations with him. If other people see this happen,
29 he must pay the girl's father 20 ounces of silver. And the girl will become the man's wife, because he used her for sexual sin. He cannot divorce her all his life.
30 "A man must not bring shame to his father by marrying his father's wife.
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.