« | Leviticus 4 | » |
1 Then the LORD said to Moses,
2 "Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. This is how you are to deal with those who sin unintentionally by doing anything that violates one of the LORD's commands.
3 "If the high priest sins, bringing guilt upon the entire community, he must give a sin offering for the sin he has committed. He must present to the LORD a young bull with no defects.
4 He must bring the bull to the LORD at the entrance of the Tabernacle, lay his hand on the bull's head, and slaughter it before the LORD.
5 The high priest will then take some of the bull's blood into the Tabernacle,
6 dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD in front of the inner curtain of the sanctuary.
7 The priest will then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar for fragrant incense that stands in the LORD's presence inside the Tabernacle. He will pour out the rest of the bull's blood at the base of the altar for burnt offerings at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
8 Then the priest must remove all the fat of the bull to be offered as a sin offering. This includes all the fat around the internal organs,
9 the two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. He must remove these along with the kidneys,
10 just as he does with cattle offered as a peace offering, and burn them on the altar of burnt offerings.
11 But he must take whatever is left of the bull-- its hide, meat, head, legs, internal organs, and dung--
12 and carry it away to a place outside the camp that is ceremonially clean, the place where the ashes are dumped. There, on the ash heap, he will burn it on a wood fire.
13 "If the entire Israelite community sins by violating one of the LORD's commands, but the people don't realize it, they are still guilty.
14 When they become aware of their sin, the people must bring a young bull as an offering for their sin and present it before the Tabernacle.
15 The elders of the community must then lay their hands on the bull's head and slaughter it before the LORD.
16 The high priest will then take some of the bull's blood into the Tabernacle,
17 dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD in front of the inner curtain.
18 He will then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar for fragrant incense that stands in the LORD's presence inside the Tabernacle. He will pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar for burnt offerings at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
19 Then the priest must remove all the animal's fat and burn it on the altar,
20 just as he does with the bull offered as a sin offering for the high priest. Through this process, the priest will purify the people, making them right with the LORD, and they will be forgiven.
21 Then the priest must take what is left of the bull and carry it outside the camp and burn it there, just as is done with the sin offering for the high priest. This offering is for the sin of the entire congregation of Israel.
22 "If one of Israel's leaders sins by violating one of the commands of the LORD his God but doesn't realize it, he is still guilty.
23 When he becomes aware of his sin, he must bring as his offering a male goat with no defects.
24 He must lay his hand on the goat's head and slaughter it at the place where burnt offerings are slaughtered before the LORD. This is an offering for his sin.
25 Then the priest will dip his finger in the blood of the sin offering and put it on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings. He will pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
26 Then he must burn all the goat's fat on the altar, just as he does with the peace offering. Through this process, the priest will purify the leader from his sin, making him right with the LORD, and he will be forgiven.
27 "If any of the common people sin by violating one of the LORD's commands, but they don't realize it, they are still guilty.
28 When they become aware of their sin, they must bring as an offering for their sin a female goat with no defects.
29 They must lay a hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place where burnt offerings are slaughtered.
30 Then the priest will dip his finger in the blood and put it on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings. He will pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
31 Then he must remove all the goat's fat, just as he does with the fat of the peace offering. He will burn the fat on the altar, and it will be a pleasing aroma to the LORD. Through this process, the priest will purify the people, making them right with the LORD, and they will be forgiven.
32 "If the people bring a sheep as their sin offering, it must be a female with no defects.
33 They must lay a hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place where burnt offerings are slaughtered.
34 Then the priest will dip his finger in the blood of the sin offering and put it on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings. He will pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
35 Then he must remove all the sheep's fat, just as he does with the fat of a sheep presented as a peace offering. He will burn the fat on the altar on top of the special gifts presented to the LORD. Through this process, the priest will purify the people from their sin, making them right with the LORD, and they will be forgiven.
The New Living Translation (NLT)
The New Living Translation (NLT) is a modern English translation of the Bible that aims to make the Scriptures accessible and engaging for contemporary readers. First published in 1996 by Tyndale House Publishers, the NLT was conceived as an effort to create a translation that combines both accuracy and readability. Unlike many other translations that focus on a word-for-word rendering of the original texts, the NLT employs a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, also known as dynamic equivalence. This approach prioritizes conveying the meaning and message of the original texts in a way that is natural and understandable in modern English.
One of the defining features of the NLT is its commitment to clarity and simplicity. The translators, a team of over 90 evangelical scholars, aimed to create a text that would be approachable for a wide audience, including those who may find traditional translations challenging to read. The NLT’s language is contemporary and conversational, making it particularly effective for public reading, teaching, and personal study. This emphasis on readability helps ensure that the profound messages of the Bible are easily grasped and retained by readers from various backgrounds and levels of biblical knowledge.
The NLT also incorporates a rich array of study aids designed to enhance the reader’s understanding of the biblical text. These include book introductions, footnotes, cross-references, and explanatory notes that provide historical, cultural, and theological context. These features are particularly useful for readers who seek a deeper comprehension of the Scriptures and their application to modern life. The translation also includes clear and concise headings that help guide readers through the narrative and thematic structure of each book, making it easier to follow and comprehend the overall message.
Despite its many strengths, the New Living Translation has faced some criticism, particularly from those who favor more literal translations. Critics argue that the dynamic equivalence approach, while making the text more readable, can sometimes result in a loss of the precise nuances and literary qualities of the original languages. Some scholars believe that certain theological concepts might be oversimplified in the process of making the text more accessible. Nevertheless, the NLT remains one of the most popular and widely used translations today, valued for its readability, clarity, and ability to convey the timeless truths of the Bible in a way that resonates with contemporary readers.