« | Genesis 7 | » |
1 Then the LORD said to Noah, "Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen [that] you [are] righteous before Me in this generation.
2 "You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that [are] unclean, a male and his female;
3 "also seven each of birds of the air, male and female, to keep the species alive on the face of all the earth.
4 "For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made."
5 And Noah did according to all that the LORD commanded him.
6 Noah [was] six hundred years old when the floodwaters were on the earth.
7 So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons' wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the flood.
8 Of clean animals, of animals that [are] unclean, of birds, and of everything that creeps on the earth,
9 two by two they went into the ark to Noah, male and female, as God had commanded Noah.
10 And it came to pass after seven days that the waters of the flood were on the earth.
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
12 And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights.
13 On the very same day Noah and Noah's sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark --
14 they and every beast after its kind, all cattle after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort.
15 And they went into the ark to Noah, two by two, of all flesh in which [is] the breath of life.
16 So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the LORD shut him in.
17 Now the flood was on the earth forty days. The waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth.
18 The waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth, and the ark moved about on the surface of the waters.
19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered.
20 The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered.
21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man.
22 All in whose nostrils [was] the breath of the spirit of life, all that [was] on the dry [land,] died.
23 So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who [were] with him in the ark remained [alive.]
24 And the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days.
The New King James Version (NKJV)
The New King James Version (NKJV) is a modern translation of the Bible that seeks to preserve the stylistic and literary beauty of the original King James Version (KJV) while making it more accessible to contemporary readers. The project to create the NKJV began in 1975, spearheaded by Arthur Farstad and a team of over 130 scholars, theologians, and pastors. They aimed to maintain the traditional language and rhythm of the KJV while updating archaic terms and expressions to be more understandable for modern audiences. The translation was completed and published in 1982, offering a blend of reverence for the past and clarity for the present.
One of the defining features of the NKJV is its commitment to the Textus Receptus, the same Greek text underlying the New Testament of the KJV. This ensures a high degree of continuity between the two versions, making the NKJV familiar to those who have long cherished the KJV. However, the NKJV also considers findings from more recent scholarship and textual criticism, incorporating insights from the latest manuscripts and research. This approach helps to balance respect for the historical text with a recognition of the advancements in biblical studies.
The NKJV has been praised for its readability and poetic qualities, which make it suitable for both private study and public worship. Its translators worked diligently to preserve the lyrical and memorable phrasing of the KJV, which has deeply influenced English literature and religious practice. By modernizing the language without compromising the text’s inherent dignity and solemnity, the NKJV has become a popular choice among those who value both accuracy and elegance in their Bible reading.
Despite its strengths, the NKJV has faced criticism from some quarters. Critics argue that by adhering too closely to the Textus Receptus, it may not fully reflect the breadth of available manuscript evidence. Others feel that it may still be too archaic for some readers, especially those who are new to the Bible or who come from different linguistic backgrounds. Nonetheless, the NKJV remains a significant and respected translation, offering a bridge between the venerable tradition of the KJV and the needs of modern readers.