Revised Version that its text is superior to its margin, nor even that the Greek text on which it rests is the best attainable, the present Editor has adopted Westcott and Hort's Greek New Testament as "the purest Greek text," "the last and best edition of the Greek Testament," according to the ripened conviction of that competent authority, Dr. Philip Schaff, with whom probably most English and American scholars will agree. Westcott and Hort's text has been adhered to except in three places In Mark i., 1, their marginal reading has been adopted, because, as they themselves say, "neither reading [that which gives the words "Son of God," nor that which omits them] can be safely rejected." In Acts xi., 20, “Greeks,” i. c., Gentiles, has been preferred, as having intrinsic evidence, to "Grecian Jews," "the better attested reading." In John viii., 25, Westcott and Hort's text would require the translation "How is it that I even speak to you at all?" instead of that which is preferred in this volume. The translation here given, while based on the Revised Version, with constant reference to the King James' Version, freely varies from both. Wherever such readers as this volume was prepared for would be likely to be helped by a change of word, by an allowance of colloquialisms. in the English, corresponding to colloquialisms in the original Greek but excluded from the more dignified versions made for public use in the Church, by paraphrases or thought-translations instead of word-translations,— the endeavor has been to give such assistance. Wherever thoughtful children or youths might be expected to ask as to a word or a clause, "What does this mean?" the Editor has tried to anticipate the question and supply an answer, so removing difficulties. "Les Saints Évangiles" of Lasserre and "Das Neue Testament" of Weizsäcker have been constantly referred to by the Editor; and venturesome as the course taken by him has seemed, in departing from both the Authorized and the Revised Versions, he has been encouraged to go on in it by calling to mind some words of the Ever-Memorable John Hales: "Though I have a very great opinion of those men who did translate the Testament, yet I would be loth to be a loser by my reverence." Quotations from the Old Testament are indicated by the use of Italic type. A list of such quotations appears at the end of the volume. During the seven years or more in which the preparation of this volume has engaged most of the time that could be spared from the duties of a busy life, a great many authorities have been consulted, and many debts have been incurred to books and to scholars, too many to allow even a passing mention here. If there is anything good in the work, a general acknowledgment for it, as received from others, must suffice. For the innumerable faults that will appear in it, notwithstanding the pains that have been bestowed upon it, the Editor must bear the blame, qualified only by the fact that they occur in an endeavor to help beginners, among whom he would be content to include himself. Should any of the Young Readers for whom this volume is prepared desire to go further in the study of the New Testament, they may find the following list of books of some use: Dr. Marcus Dods' "Introduction to the New Testament"; Dr. Bernhard Weiss' "Introduction to the New Testament"; Dr. Edward Reuss' "History of the Sacred Scriptures of the New Testament," Houghton's translation; Archdeacon Farrar's "Life and Works of St. Paul," and his "Early Days of Christianity"; Prof. Sabatier's "The Apostle Paul"; "A New Testament Commentary for English Readers," edited by Bishop Ellicott; and the "Cambridge Bible for Schools." These golden words of Frederick Maurice may well be borne in mind: "If we have sufficient reverence for the Book to follow in the steps which it marks out for us, we may learn something from it. We shall not learn, even then, if we forget that all true words-the truest, most of all-only speak to us when they speak in us, when they awaken us to thought, self-questioning, wonder, hope. To imagine that any book, or any living voice can give, if there is not a receiver, or that it can give except according to the measure of the receiver, is to contradict all experience and all reason." EDWARD T. BARTLETT. DIVINITY SCHOOL, PHILADELPHIA, 9 June, 1892. |