The Common English Bible

[Rippon2]

Colossians 2:6-8

So live in Christ Jesus the Lord in the same way as you received him.
Be rooted and built up in him, be established in faith, and overflow
with thanksgiving just as you were taught. See to it that nobody
enslaves you with philosophy and foolish deception, which conform
to human traditions and the way the world thinks and acts rather
than Christ.

 

[Rippon2]

I Peter 1:3,4

May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be blessed!
On account of his vast mercy, he has given us new birth. You
have been born anew into a living hope through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead. You have a pure and enduring
inheritance that cannot perish --- an inheritance that is presently
kept safe in heaven for you.

 

[Rippon2]

2 Peter 1:16-18

We didn't repeat crafty myths when we told you about the powerful
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Quite the contrary, we witnessed
his majesty with our own eyes. He received honor and glory from
God the Father when a voice came to him from the magnificent
glory, saying, 'This is my dearly loved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.'
We ourselves heard this voice from heaven while we were with him
on the holy mountain mountain.

 

[Rippon2]

Romans 8:31-39

So what are we going to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He didn't spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. Won't he also freely give us all things with him?
Who will bring a charge against God's elect people? It is God who acquits them. Who is going to convict them? It is Christ Jesus who died, even more, who was raised, and who also is at God's right side. It is Christ Jesus who also pleads our case for us.
Who will separate us from Christ's love? Will we be separated by trouble, or distress, or harassment, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

We are being put to death all day long
for your sake.
We are are treated like sheep for slaughter.

But in all these things we win a sweeping victory through the one who loved us. I'm convinced that nothing can separate us from God's love in Christ Jesus our Lord: not death or life, not angels or rulers, not present things or future things, not powers or height or depth, or any other thing that is created.

 

[alexander284]

I especially like Romans 8:37, in the CEB.

 

[Rippon2]

I especially like Romans 8:37, in the CEB.

I do too, "...a sweeping victory through the one who loved us."

 

[Rippon2]

James 2:18-26

Someone might claim, 'You have faith and I have action.' But how can I see your faith apart from your actions?
Instead, I'll show you my faith by putting it into practice in faithful action. It's good that you believe that God is
one. Ha! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble with fear. Are you so slow? Do you need to be shown
that faith without actions has no value at all? What about Abraham, our father? Wasn't he shown to be righteous
through his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? See, his faith was at work along with his actions.
In fact, his faith was made complete by his faithful actions. So the scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham
believed God, and God regarded him as righteous. What is more, Abraham was called God's friend. So you see
that a person is shown to be righteous through faithful actions and not through faith alone. In the same way, wasn't Rahab the prostitute shown to be righteous when she received the messengers as her guests and then sent them on by another road? As the lifeless body is dead, so faith without actions is dead.

 

[Rippon2]

You may be wondering about verse 19 where a part of the verse reads :" Ha! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble with fear."

It reminds me of Tyndale's translation of Genesis 3:4 :"Tush, ye shall not dye."

 

[alexander284]

I do too, "...a sweeping victory through the one who loved us."

Yes, I believe this is preferable to the typical "we are more than conquerors."

After all, what exactly does that mean? How does one go about understanding (or explaining to others) what it means to be "more than conquerors?"

It sounds impressive, though, right?

 

[Rippon2]

Revelation 3:20

Look! I'm standing at the door and knocking.
If any hear my voice and open the door,
I will come in to be with them, and will have
dinner with them, and they will have dinner
with me.

 

[alexander284]

Revelation 3:20

Look! I'm standing at the door and knocking.
If any hear my voice and open the door,
I will come in to be with them, and will have
dinner with them, and they will have dinner
with me.

"Dinner." Hmmmm ... that's an way of putting it. Simple, modern, understandable. An interesting choice. Not bad.

 

[Rippon2]

"Dinner." Hmmmm ... that's an way of putting it. Simple, modern, understandable. An interesting choice. Not bad.

Well, the KJV had "sup with" so...

Here are some other renderings of that verse.

NCV : Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you, and you will eat with me.

NRSV : Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.

NJB : Look, I am standing at the door, knocking. If one of you hears me calling and opens the door, I will come in to share a meal at that person's side.

KNT : Look! I'm standing here, knocking at the door. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to them and eat with them, and they with me.
______________________________________________________________________________________________

I prefer the wording of the NRSV.

 

[Rippon2]

Psalm 11

I have taken refuge in the Lord.
So how can you say to me,
'Flee to the hills like a bird
because the wicked
have already bent their bows;
they've already strung their arrows;
they are ready to secretly shoot
those whose heart is right?'
When the very bottom of things falls out,
what can a righteous person
possibly accomplish?
But the Lord is in his holy temple.
The Lord! His throne is in heaven.
His eyes see --------
his vision examines all of humanity.
The Lord examines
both the righteous and the wicked;
his very being hates
anyone who loves violence.
God will rain fiery coals and sulfur
on the wicked;
their cups will be filled
with nothing but a scorching hot wind
because the Lord is righteous!
He loves righteous deeds.
Those whose heart is right
will see God's face.'

 

[Rippon2]

Psalm 14

Fools say in their hearts, There is no God.
They are corrupt and do evil things;
not one of them does anything good.
The Lord looks down from heaven on humans
to see if anyone is wise,
to see if anyone seeks God,
but all of them have turned bad.
Everyone is corrupt. No one does good ---
not even one person!
Are they dumb, all these evildoers,
devouring my people
like they are eating bread
but never calling on the Lord?
Count on it: they will be in utter panic
because God is with the righteous generation.
You evildoers may humiliate the plans of those who suffer,
but the Lord is their refuge.
Let Israel's salvation come out of Zion!
When the Lord changes his people's circumstances
for the better, Jacob will rejoice; Israel will celebrate.

 

[Rippon2]

Psalm 20

I pray that the Lord answers you and whenever you are in trouble.
Let the name of Jacob's God protect you.
Let God send help to you from the sanctuary and support you from Zion.
Let God recall your many grain offerings;
let him savor your entirely burned offerings.
Let God grant what is in your heart and fulfill all your plans.
Then we will rejoice that you've been helped.
We will fly our flags in the name of our God.
Let the Lord fulfill all your requests!
Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed one;
from his heavenly sanctuary,
answering with mighty acts of salvation
achieved by his strong hand.
Some people trust in chariots,
others in horses;
but we praise the Lord's name.
They will collapse and fall,
but we will stand up straight and strong,
Lord, save the king!
Let him answer us when we cry out!
Let him answer us when we cry out!

 

[alexander284]

I think they do an outstanding job on the Psalms.

 

[Rippon2]

I think they do an outstanding job on the Psalms.

We shall see. I haven'r read all 150 chapters of that book in the CEB. Have you read more of the Psalms as rendered by the CEB, or are you basing your appreciation on the three passages of the Psalms that I have posted?

 

[Rippon2]

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd.
I lack nothing.
He lets me rest in grassy meadows;
he leads me to restful waters;
he keeps me alive.
He guides me in proper paths
for the sake of his good name.
Even when I walk
through the darkest valley
I fear no danger
because you are with me.
Your rod and staff ---
they protect me.
You set a table for me
right in front of my enemies.
You bathe my head in oil;
my cup is so full it spills over!
Yes, goodness and faithful love
will pursue me all the days of my life,
and I will live in the Lord's house
as long as I live.

 

[alexander284]

We shall see. I haven'r read all 150 chapters of that book in the CEB. Have you read more of the Psalms as rendered by the CEB, or are you basing your appreciation on the three passages of the Psalms that I have posted?

I'm basing it on what you've posted so far. (I know, just "the tip of the iceberg," eh?)

 

[alexander284]

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd.
I lack nothing.
He lets me rest in grassy meadows;
he leads me to restful waters;
he keeps me alive.
He guides me in proper paths
for the sake of his good name.
Even when I walk
through the darkest valley
I fear no danger
because you are with me.
Your rod and staff ---
they protect me.
You set a table for me
right in front of my enemies.
You bathe my head in oil;
my cup is so full it spills over!
Yes, goodness and faithful love
will pursue me all the days of my life,
and I will live in the Lord's house
as long as I live.

Unusual. Certainly not traditional. Sounds strange to the ear, due to its unconventional phraseology. Still a valid rendering, though,