« | Ezekiel 43 | » |
1 The man led me to the east gate.
2 There the Glory of the God of Israel came from the east. God's voice was loud like the sound of the sea. The ground was bright with the light from the Glory of God.
3 The vision that I saw was like the vision I saw by the Kebar Canal. I bowed with my face to the ground.
4 The Glory of the Lord came into the Temple through the east gate.
5 Then the Spirit picked me up and brought me into the inner courtyard. The Glory of the Lord filled the Temple.
6 I heard someone speaking to me from inside the Temple. The man was still standing beside me.
7 The voice from the Temple said to me, "Son of man, this is the place with my throne and footstool. I will live in this place among the people of Israel forever. The family of Israel will not ruin my holy name again. The kings and their people will not bring shame to my name by committing sexual sins or by burying the dead bodies of their kings in this place.
8 They will not bring shame to my name by putting their threshold next to my threshold, and their doorpost next to my doorpost. In the past, only a wall separated them from me. So they brought shame to my name every time they sinned and did those terrible things. That is why I became angry and destroyed them.
9 Now let them take their sexual sins and the dead bodies of their kings far away from me. Then I will live among them forever.
10 "Now, son of man, tell the family of Israel about the Temple. Then, when they learn about the plans for the Temple, they will be ashamed of their sins.
11 And they will be ashamed of all the bad things they have done. Let them know the design of the Temple. Let them know how it should be built, where the entrances and exits are, and all the designs on it. Teach them about all its rules and all its laws. Write these things for everyone to see, so they can obey all the laws and rules for the Temple.
12 This is the law of the Temple: The whole area surrounding it on the top of the mountain is most holy. This is the law of the Temple.
13 "And these are the measurements of the altar in cubits using the long measurement. There was a gutter all the way around the base of the altar. It was 1 cubit deep, and each side was 1 cubit wide. There was a rim around the edge 1 span high. This is how tall the altar was:
14 From the ground to the lower ledge, the base measured 2 cubits. It was 1 cubit wide. It measured 4 cubits from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge. It was 2 cubits wide.
15 The place for the fire on the altar was 4 cubits high. The four corners were shaped like horns.
16 The place for the fire on the altar was 12 cubits long by 12 cubits wide. It was perfectly square.
17 The ledge was also square, 14 cubits long by 14 cubits wide. The border around it was?cubit wide. (The gutter around the base was 1 cubits wide.) The steps going up to the altar were on the east side."
18 Then the man said to me, "Son of man, this is what the Lord God says: 'These are the rules for the altar: At the time you build the altar, use these rules to offer burnt offerings and to sprinkle blood on it.
19 You will give a young bull as a sin offering to the men from Zadok's family. These men are the priests from the tribe of Levi. They are the men who serve me by bringing the offerings to me.'" This is what the Lord God said.
20 "You will take some of the bull's blood and put it on the altar's four horns, on the four corners of the ledge, and on the rim around it. In this way you will make the altar pure.
21 Then take the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the proper place in the Temple area, outside the Temple building.
22 "On the second day you will offer a male goat that has nothing wrong with it. It will be for a sin offering. The priests will make the altar pure the same way they made it pure with the bull.
23 When you have finished making the altar pure, you will offer a young bull that has nothing wrong with it and a ram from the flock that has nothing wrong with it.
24 Then you will offer them before the Lord. The priests will sprinkle salt on them. Then they will offer the bull and ram up as a burnt offering to the Lord.
25 You will prepare a goat every day for seven days for a sin offering. Also, you will prepare a young bull and a ram from the flock. These animals must have nothing wrong with them.
26 For seven days the priests will make the altar pure and ready for use in worshiping God.
27 On the eighth day, and every day after that, the priests must offer your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar. Then I will accept you." This is what the Lord God said.
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.