Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-03-17
The Revised Bible.

Interest in the Anglo-American Bible re-
vision deepens as the time of the compile.
ton and publication of the revised Bible
draws near. The work of revision has now
been going on about eight years under the
direction and cooperation of about eighty
of the best Bible scholars of England and
America. The work is so far advanced that
the revised Bible will probably be published
within the year now passing. The New
Testament is so complete that an edition of
it is already in the course of publication by
well known and responsible house in one
of our cities. This edition will appear in a
few weeks, and the whole Bible follow it in
no very long time.
This revision not only illustrates the pro-
gress which has been made in Bible study
and general knowledge of the Bible, but it
marks no less the advance of comfy and
fellowship between the different branches
of the church that rests on the Bible. The
revision has been made by the union of two
nations and by the harmonious working
together Of different branches of the evan
gelic church in these two nations. 1t is the
first international and INSTRUMENTATION
effort in the history of the translation of the
Bible, and signals the coming of that time
when the prayer of our Lord shall be an-
swered and his people shall have attained to
the unity of the faith and the knowledge OF
the Son of God. They shall be one as he and
the Father are one.
The present and the older English versions
for public use in churches came forth from
the church of England, before the other evan
gelical denominations were organized and
before the American people had acquired an
independent existence.
The object Of this Bible enterprise has
been to adapt King James version-the com,
mon version--to the present state of the
English language, without changing the
idiom or words further than is required by
the present state of Biblical scholarship and
knowledge, both of which have made great
advances since l6ll-the time of King
James version-and especially within the
last quarter of a century. This advance has
been made in Biblical geography and knowl-
edge of Bible times by the opening of Bible
lands and the east generally, as well as by the
perfection Of Hebrew and Greek philology.
1t has not been the intention or wish of
the revisers to make new translation or YER
sion, but careful revision of the received
version, so excellent and highly esteemed
wherever the English language is known.
Their aim has been to make the new Bible
read like the old one, and preserve the sa.
cred associations that have grown up with
and into the old. Within these limits, all
necessary and desirable corrections and i'm
provements, it has been hoped, might be Sc
cured and good version made better; a
clear and accurate version clearer and more
acceptable; the Oldest and purest text being
used in all cases. In short, it was hoped
and expected that the revisers would be able
to give, in pure English language, the near
est possible equivalent for the Word of God
as it came to men in olden time under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit that our
language is capable of giving. They hoped
to do for the nineteenth century what King
James version did for the seventeenth cen
tury. This hope, say they who know and
are the best judges, has been well realized.
The revised Bible, save in the way it is
printed, would hardly be known by the or.
binary reader from the old ono.