« | Isaiah 9 | » |
1 In the past, people thought the land of Zebulun and Naphtali was not important. But later, that land will be honored— the land along the sea, the land east of the Jordan River, and Galilee where people from other nations live.
2 Those people lived in darkness, but they will see a great light. They lived in a place as dark as death, but a great light will shine on them.
3 God, you will make the nation grow, and you will make the people happy. They will rejoice in your presence as they do at harvest time. It will be like the joy when people take their share of things they have won in war.
4 That will happen because you will lift the heavy yoke off their shoulders and take away their heavy burden. You will take away the rod that the enemy used to punish your people, as you did when you defeated Midian.
5 Every boot that marched in battle and every uniform stained with blood will be destroyed and thrown into the fire.
6 This will happen when the special child is born. God will give us a son who will be responsible for leading the people. His name will be "Wonderful Counselor, Powerful God, Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace."
7 His power will continue to grow, and there will be peace without end. This will establish him as the king sitting on David's throne and ruling his kingdom. He will rule with goodness and justice forever and ever. The strong love that the Lord All-Powerful has for his people will make this happen!
8 The Lord gave a command against Jacob and someone in Israel fell.
9 So all the people in Ephraim, including the ruler in Samaria, learned their lesson. Those people are very proud and boastful now. They say,
10 "Yes, those bricks fell, but we will rebuild with strong stone. Yes, those little trees were chopped down, but we will plant new trees. And they will be large, strong trees."
11 The Lord found someone to go up and fight against Rezin. The Lord stirred up his enemies.
12 As for Israel, the Arameans are in front of him and the Philistines are behind him. And they are both eating away at him. But even after all that, the Lord is still angry. His arm is still raised and ready to punish Israel.
13 The Lord punished the people, but they did not stop sinning and come back to him. They did not come to the Lord All- Powerful for help.
14 So the Lord cut off Israel's head and tail. He took away the branch and the stalk in one day.
15 (The head means the elders and important leaders. The tail means the prophets who told lies.)
16 Their guides are leading them the wrong way, so those who follow them will be destroyed.
17 All of them are evil. So the Lord is not happy with the young men, and he will not show mercy to their widows and orphans. That is because they are evil hypocrites; they tell lies. But even after all that, the Lord is still angry. His arm is still raised and ready to punish them.
18 That evil was like a small fire that started among the weeds and thorns and then spread to the larger bushes in the forest. Finally, it became a giant fire, and everything went up in smoke.
19 The Lord All-Powerful was angry, so the land was burned. The people were fuel for the fire. No one showed any compassion to anyone else.
20 People looked to the right and grabbed whatever they could, but they were still hungry. They grabbed whatever was on their left, but still they were not satisfied. So they turned on themselves and began to eat the bodies of their own children.
21 Manasseh fought against Ephraim, and Ephraim fought against Manasseh. Then both of them turned on Judah. But even after all that, the Lord is still angry. His arm is still raised and ready to punish them.
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.