Advent Christmas

This page contains selected passages from the Open English Translation with the passage from the OET Readers’ Version on the left, and the OET Literal Version on the right. Minimal commentary is included (only some headings)—our aim is simply to conveniently list the passages in one place so that our readers can make up their own minds about what the writer of the passage was intending to communicate.

Readers’ Version

Literal Version

OET Isa 9:2-7

9:2 The coming king

2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a powerful light.

≈ The light has shone on those who’ve lived in a land of darkness.[ref]

3 You have multiplied the nation itself.

You’ve increased its happiness.

≈ They celebrate in front of you

like the happiness at harvest time.

≈ Like their excitement when dividing the plunder,

4 because you’ve shattered the chains on its neck,

and the stick whacking its shoulders.

You’ve broken the rod of his oppressor

like when you defeated Midyan.

5 Yes, every warrior’s boot treading loudly will be burnt,

along with every piece of clothing with blood on it,

6 because a child is born for us.

A son is given to us

≈ and the government will be on his shoulder.

He’ll be called ‘Amazing adviser’,

‘Greatest God’, ‘Forever father’, ‘Prince of peace’.

7 His government will be without borders—

with peace that’s never broken.

He’ll rule on David’s throne, and over his kingdom,

to establish it and sustain it with justice and with fairness from now onwards.

The zeal of Commander-in-chief Yahweh will do that.[ref]

9:2: Mat 4:16; Luk 1:79.

9:7: Luk 1:32-33.

2 [fn] you _will _multiply the_nation wwww[fn] you _will _magnify the_rejoicing they _will _rejoice to_your_face like_the _rejoicing _of at_harvest just_as people _are _glad when_divide_they plunder.

3 [fn] if/because DOM the _yoke _of its _burden _of_his and_DOM the _staff _of its _shoulder _of_his the _rod _of the_one _who_oppresses in/on/over_him/it you _will _shatter like_the _day _of Midyān.

4 [fn] if/because every _of boot which_marches with_shaking and_cloak rolled in_blood(s) and_it _will _be to_burning fuel _of a _fire.

5 [fn] if/because a _child he _will _be _born to/for_us a _son he _will _be _given to/for_us and_it _became the_dominion on shoulder _of_his and_he/it _called his/its_name a _wonder _of a _counsellor god mighty father _of perpetuity[fn] prince _of peace.

6 [fn] to_the _increase _of[fn][fn] of_the _dominion and_to_peace there_will_not_be an _end on the _throne _of Dāvid and_over his/its_kingdom to_establish DOM_her/it and_to_sustain_it in_justice and_in_righteousness from_now and_unto perpetuity the _zeal _of YHWH soldiers/messengers it _will _accomplish this.

7 [fn] a _message my_master he _has _sent in_Yaˊₐqoⱱ/(Jacob) and_it _will _fall on_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

9:2 Note: KJB: Isa.9.3

9:2 OSHB variant note: לא: (x-qere) ’ל֖/וֹ’: lemma_l n_1.0 morph_HR/Sp3ms id_23VmY ל֖/וֹ

9:3 Note: KJB: Isa.9.4

9:4 Note: KJB: Isa.9.5

9:5 Note: KJB: Isa.9.6

9:5 OSHB exegesis note: A single word in the text has been divided for exegesis.

9:6 Note: KJB: Isa.9.7

9:6 OSHB variant note: ל/םרבה: (x-qere) ’לְ/מַרְבֵּ֨ה’: lemma_l/4766 morph_HR/Ncmsc id_237TK לְ/מַרְבֵּ֨ה

9:6 OSHB note: Marks a consonant with an anomalous final form that is word-medial.

9:7 Note: KJB: Isa.9.8

OET Psa 96

96:1 Praise God—he deserves it

(1 Chr. 16:23-33)

96 Sing a new song to Yahweh.

≈ Let the whole world sing to Yahweh.

2 Sing to Yahweh and praise him.

≈ Tell others every day about how he saves us.

3 Talk about his greatness to those in other countries.

≈ Tell all the peoples about the incredible things that he’s done,

4 because Yahweh is wonderful and should be highly praised.

≈ He should be revered more than all other gods,

5 because all the gods of the other nations are just idols,

but it’s Yahweh who made the universe.

6 There’s splendour and majesty in his presence.

≈ Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

7 Give honour to God all you various clans.[ref]

Praise Yahweh for his splendour and strength.

8 Give Yahweh the honour that his reputation deserves.

Bring an offering and come into his courtyards.

9 Bow down to Yahweh in your best clothes.

Tremble in front of him, all the earth. TOO LITERAL

10 Tell all the nations that Yahweh reigns.

He put the planet in its place and nothing will shake it.

He will judge each people group with fairness.

11 Let the skies be glad and let the land be happy.

≈ Let the oceans and everything in them roar.

12 Let the countryside and everything in it celebrate.

≈ Let the trees in the forest shout with joy

13 for Yahweh to see as he arrives,

because he’s coming to judge the earth.

He’ll judge the world with total fairness

and judge all the people with faithfulness.

96:7-9: Psa 29:1-2.

96 Sing to/for_YHWH a _song new sing to/for_YHWH Oh _all _of the_earth/land.

2 Sing to/for_YHWH bless his/its_name bear _news from_day to_day salvation _of_his.

3 Recount among_nations glory _of_his in_all the_peoples wonders _of_his.

4 If/because is_great YHWH and_is_to _be _praised exceedingly is_to _be _feared he above all _of gods.

5 If/because all _of the _gods _of the _peoples are_worthless _idols and_YHWH the_heavens he _made.

6 Splendour and_majesty are_before _of_him strength and_splendour are_in_sanctuary _of_his.

7 Ascribe to/for_YHWH Oh _clans _of peoples ascribe to/for_YHWH glory and_strength.

8 Ascribe to/for_YHWH the _glory _of his/its_name lift _up an _offering and_come to_courts _of_his.

9 Bow _down to/for_YHWH in_adornment _of holiness tremble from_before _of_him Oh _all _of the_earth/land.

10 Say among_nations YHWH he _reigns also it _is _established the_world not it _will _be _shaken he _will _judge peoples with_uprightness(es).

11 Let _them _rejoice the_heavens and_let _it _be _glad the_earth/land let _it _thunder the_sea and_what _of_fills _it.

12 the_field Let _it _exult and_all that in/on/over_him/it then all _of they _will _shout _for _joy the_trees _of the_forest.

13 To_(the)_face _of/in _front _of/before YHWH if/because he_is_coming if/because he_is_coming to_judge the_earth/land he _will _judge the_world in_righteousness and_peoples in_faithfulness _of_his.

OET Tit 2:11-14

11 This is because God’s grace which offers salvation to all people has appeared 12 and teaches us that when we distance ourselves from ungodliness and worldly lusts, we can live sensibly and justly and devoutly in the present age. 13 Then we can look forward to the blessing of the majestic appearance of our great God and saviour, Yeshua the messiah 14 who gave himself for us in order to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify us into his chosen people, eager to do good things.[ref]

2:14: a Psa 130:8; b Exo 19:5; Deu 4:20; 7:6; 14:2; 1Pe 2:9.

11 For/Because the grace of_ the _god has _appeared, salvation to _all people,

12 instructing us that having _disowned the ungodliness and the worldly lusts, we _may _live sensibly and justly and devoutly in the present age,

13 waiting _for the blessed hope, and the_appearing of _the glory of _the great god and saviour of _us, Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa), chosen _one /messiah

14 who gave himself for us, in _order _that he _may _redeem us from all lawlessness, and may _purify to _himself a_people chosen, zealous of _good works.

OET Luke 2:1-20

2:1 Yeshua’s birth in Bethlehem

(Mat. 1:18-25)

2 At that time, Caesar Augustus sent a decree that everyone throughout the empire needed to register in a census. 2 (This census was conducted when Quirinius was the governor of Syria.) 3 Everyone had to officially register in the city where they were born.

4 Because Yosef was a descendant of King David, he left the town of Nazareth in the Galilee region and went down to David’s town of Bethlehem in Yudea 5 to register along with Maria, his pregnant fiancée. 6 While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to give birth 7 and so Maria bore her first son and wrapped him in strips of cloth and slept him in an empty feeding trough, because they had missed out on the guest room.

2:8 The shepherds and the messengers

8 In that same area, there were some shepherds staying out in the fields where they kept watch over their flocks at night. 9 A messenger sent by Yahweh approached them, and Yahweh’s radiance shone around them, and they were very frightened. 10 “Don’t be scared,” the messenger told them, “because I’m bringing you a good message that will bring great happiness to all people 11 because a saviour for all people was born today in David’s town. He’s the messiah, Yahweh, 12 and this is how you’ll know him: you’ll find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and sleeping in a feeding trough.”

13 Then suddenly lots of heavenly soldiers joined the messenger, praising God and saying, 14 “Let all honour be given to God in the highest, and peace on earth to all people along with good will.”

15 Then as the messengers left them and went up into the sky, the shepherds said to each other, “Well, we’ll certainly go into Bethlehem so we can see what this was about that Yahweh has let us know about.”

16 So they hurried into town and asked around to find Maria and Yosef, and also the baby sleeping in the feeding trough. 17 When they met them, they explained what they’d been told about the young baby. 18 Everyone who heard this was amazed at what the shepherds told them, 19 but Maria treasured all of these messages in her heart and often thought about them. 20 Finally the shepherds returned back to their fields—they were worshipping and praising God for what they’d heard and how they’d seen it exactly like they’d been told.

2 And it _became in the those days, a_decree came _out from Kaisar Augustus/(Sebastos), all the inhabited _world to _be _registering.

2 (This registration first became when_ Kuraʸnios _governing the Suria/(ʼArām).
)

3 And all were _going to _be _registering, each to the city of _himself.

4 And Yōsaʸf/(Yōşēf) went _up also, from the Galilaia/(Gālīl) out _of the_city of _Nazaret, to the Youdaia to the_city of _Dawid/(Dāvid), which is _being _called Baʸthleʼem/(Bēyt-leḩem), because _of that him to _be from the_household and family of _Dawid,

5 to _register with Maria/(Miryām), which having _been _betrothed to _him, being pregnant.

6 And it _became at the time them to _be there, were _fulfilled the days of _the child her to _bear.

7 And she _bore the son of _her the firstborn, and swaddled him, and laid him in a_manger, because was not a_place for _them in the guest _room.

8 And shepherds were in the the same region, lodging _in _the _fields and keeping watch the by _night over the flock of _them.

9 And an_messenger of_the_master approached to _them, and the_glory of_the_master shined _around them, and they _were _afraid with_ great _fear.

10 And the messenger said to _them:
Be_ not _fearing, because/for see, I _am _good _message _preaching to _you _all great joy, which will _be to _all the people,

11 because today a_saviour was _born to _you _all, who is the_chosen _one /messiah, the_master, in the_city of _Dawid.

12 And this is the sign to _you _all:
you _all _will _be _finding a_baby having _been _swaddled, and lying in a_manger.

13 And suddenly a_multitude of_the_ heavenly _army became with the messenger, praising the god and saying,

14 Glory to_god in the_highest, and peace on earth among humans with _good _pleasure.

15 And it _became as the messengers went _away from them into the heaven, the shepherds were _saying to one _another:
We _may_ indeed _pass _through as _far _as Baʸthleʼem/(Bēyt-leḩem), and we _may _see the message this the thing having _become, which the master made _known to _us.

16 And came having _hurried, and sought _out the both Maria/(Miryām) and the Yōsaʸf/(Yōşēf), and the baby, lying in the manger.

17 And having _seen, they _made _known concerning the saying which having _been _spoken to _them, concerning the this little _child.

18 And all the ones having _heard, marvelled concerning the things having _been _spoken by the shepherds to them.

19 But the Maria was _treasuring all the these messages, considering them in the heart of _her.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising the god for all things which they _heard and saw, as was _spoken to them.

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