« | Matthew 8 | » |
1 Jesus came down from the hill, and a large crowd followed him.
2 Then a man sick with leprosy came to him. The man bowed down before Jesus and said, "Lord, you have the power to heal me if you want."
3 Jesus touched the man. He said, "I want to heal you. Be healed!" Immediately the man was healed from his leprosy.
4 Then Jesus said to him, "Don't tell anyone about what happened. Go and show yourself to the priest. And offer the gift that Moses commanded for people who are made well. This will show everyone that you are healed."
5 Jesus went to the city of Capernaum. When he entered the city, an army officer came to him and begged for help.
6 The officer said, "Lord, my servant is very sick at home in bed. He can't move his body and has much pain."
7 Jesus said to the officer, "I will go and heal him."
8 The officer answered, "Lord, I am not good enough for you to come into my house. You need only to give the order, and my servant will be healed.
9 I know this, because I understand authority. There are people who have authority over me, and I have soldiers under my authority. I tell one soldier, 'Go,' and he goes. I tell another soldier, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and my servant obeys me."
10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. He said to those who were with him, "The truth is, this man has more faith than anyone I have found, even in Israel.
11 Many people will come from the east and from the west. These people will sit and eat with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in God's kingdom.
12 And those who should have the kingdom will be thrown out. They will be thrown outside into the darkness, where people will cry and grind their teeth with pain."
13 Then Jesus said to the officer, "Go home. Your servant will be healed the way you believed he would." Right then his servant was healed.
14 Jesus went to Peter's house. He saw that Peter's mother-in-law was in bed with a high fever.
15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her. Then she stood up and began to serve him.
16 That evening people brought to Jesus many people who had demons inside them. He spoke and the demons left the people. He healed all those who were sick.
17 So Jesus made clear the full meaning of what Isaiah the prophet said, "He took away our diseases and carried away our sicknesses."
18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he told his followers to go to the other side of the lake.
19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you any place you go."
20 Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes to live in. The birds have nests. But the Son of Man has no place to rest."
21 Another of Jesus' followers said to him, "Lord, I will follow you too, but let me go and bury my father first."
22 But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and let those who are dead bury their own dead."
23 Jesus got into a boat, and his followers went with him.
24 After the boat left the shore, a very bad storm began on the lake. The waves covered the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.
25 The followers went to him and woke him. They said, "Lord, save us! We will drown!"
26 Jesus answered, "Why are you afraid? You don't have enough faith." Then he stood up and gave a command to the wind and the water. The wind stopped, and the lake became very calm.
27 The men were amazed. They said, "What kind of man is this? Even the wind and the water obey him!"
28 Jesus arrived at the other side of the lake in the country of the Gadarene people. There, two men who had demons inside them came to him. They lived in the burial caves and were so dangerous that no one could use the road by those caves.
29 They came to Jesus and shouted, "What do you want with us, Son of God? Did you come here to punish us before the right time?"
30 Near that place there was a large herd of pigs feeding.
31 The demons begged Jesus, "If you make us leave these men, please send us into that herd of pigs."
32 Jesus said to them, "Go!" So the demons left the men and went into the pigs. Then the whole herd of pigs ran down the hill into the lake, and all were drowned.
33 The men who had the work of caring for the pigs ran away. They went into town and told the people everything that happened, especially about the men who had the demons.
34 Then the whole town went out to see Jesus. When the people saw him, they begged him to leave their area.
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.