Why do Bible translations differ?

¹All the people gathered themselves together as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded to Israel.

²Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.

³He read therein before the broad place that was before the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.

⁴Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

⁵Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:

⁶and Ezra blessed Yahweh, the great God. All the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with the lifting up of their hands. They bowed their heads, and worshiped Yahweh with their faces to the ground.

⁷Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stayed in their place.

⁸They read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading.

²⁶But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert.”

²⁷He arose and went; and behold, there was a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship.

²⁸He was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.

²⁹The Spirit said to Philip, “Go near, and join yourself to this chariot.”

³⁰Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

³¹He said, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” He begged Philip to come up and sit with him.

³²Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. As a lamb before his shearer is silent, so he doesn’t open his mouth.

³³In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away. Who will declare His generation? For his life is taken from the earth.”

³⁴The eunuch answered Philip, “Who is the prophet talking about? About himself, or about someone else?”

³⁵Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him Jesus.

³⁶As they went on the way, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Behold, here is water. What is keeping me from being baptized?”

³⁸He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

³⁹When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch didn’t see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing.

⁴⁰But Philip was found at Azotus. Passing through, he preached the Good News to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.

²⁵He said to them, “Foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!

²⁶Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?”

²⁷Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

²⁸They drew near to the village, where they were going, and he acted like he would go further.

²⁹They urged him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is almost evening, and the day is almost over.” He went in to stay with them.

³⁰When he had sat down at the table with them, he took the bread and gave thanks. Breaking it, he gave to them.

³¹Their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished out of their sight.

³²They said one to another, “Weren’t our hearts burning within us, while he spoke to us along the way, and while he opened the Scriptures to us?”

¹⁴But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.

¹⁵From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,

¹⁷that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

³⁶But the testimony which I have is greater than that of John, for the works which the Father gave me to accomplish, the very works that I do, testify about me, that the Father has sent me.

³⁷The Father himself, who sent me, has testified about me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form.

³⁸You don’t have his word living in you; because you don’t believe him whom he sent.

³⁹“You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me.

⁴⁰Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life.