« | Revelation 9 | » |
1 The fifth angel blew his trumpet. Then I saw a star fall from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the deep hole that leads down to the bottomless pit.
2 Then the star opened the hole leading to the pit. Smoke came up from the hole like smoke from a big furnace. The sun and sky became dark because of the smoke from the hole.
3 Then locusts came out of the smoke and went down to the earth. They were given the power to sting like scorpions.
4 They were told not to damage the fields of grass or any plant or tree. They were to hurt only those who did not have God's mark on their foreheads.
5 They were not given the power to kill them but only to cause them pain for five months—pain like a person feels when stung by a scorpion.
6 During those days people will look for a way to die, but they will not find it. They will want to die, but death will hide from them.
7 The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something that looked like a gold crown. Their faces looked like human faces.
8 Their hair was like women's hair. Their teeth were like lions' teeth.
9 Their chests looked like iron breastplates. The sound their wings made was like the noise of many horses and chariots hurrying into battle.
10 The locusts had tails with stingers like scorpions. The power they had to give people pain for five months was in their tails.
11 They had a ruler, who was the angel of the bottomless pit. (His name in Hebrew is Abaddon. In Greek it is Apollyon. )
12 (The first terror is now past. There are still two other terrors to come.)
13 The sixth angel blew his trumpet. Then I heard a voice coming from the horns on the four corners of the golden altar that is before God.
14 It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Free the four angels who are tied at the great river Euphrates."
15 These four angels had been kept ready for this hour and day and month and year. The angels were set free to kill a third of all the people on the earth.
16 I heard how many troops on horses were in their army. There were 200,000,000.
17 In my vision, I saw the horses and the riders on the horses. They looked like this: They had breastplates that were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow like sulfur. The heads of the horses looked like heads of lions. The horses had fire, smoke, and sulfur coming out of their mouths.
18 A third of all the people on earth were killed by these three plagues coming out of the horses' mouths: the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur.
19 The horses' power was in their mouths and also in their tails. Their tails were like snakes that have heads to bite and hurt people.
20 The other people on earth were not killed by these plagues. But these people still did not change their hearts and turn away from worshiping the things they had made with their own hands. They did not stop worshiping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood— things that cannot see or hear or walk.
21 They did not change their hearts and turn away from killing other people or from their evil magic, their sexual sins, and their stealing.
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.