FAQ

It must be said that there is no fundamental difference in the texts you have cited. Generally speaking, in such disputed passages, one should refer to the original and the two main ancient translations: the Greek (Septuagint) and the Latin (Vulgate). Strictly speaking, most Western translations were made from the Vulgate, which, in turn, was translated from one of the versions of the Hebrew text. The Septuagint was translated from another version of the Hebrew text, and most Eastern translations follow it in the majority of cases. There is some information about this on our website in the article "The Canon of Sacred Books" (RU).

One way or another, in this case, the point is that the call to "seal" the book (which is read in all major versions) does not mean a prohibition on reading its text. "Conceal" is an example of an extremely unfortunate expression in the Russian Synodal translation. The original, as well as the Greek and Latin texts (and the King James Version), say "close, shut, preserve." What is meant here is a command to the prophet to preserve the book from damage—but not to hide it from being read. Provided that the book remains undamaged, it will become a source of knowledge about God for many who read it. It is important to note that in the original text, it is not about knowledge in general (not about physics or chemistry), but about the knowledge of God: the original contains a very specific theological term.