The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-09-07
Omr Contributors.
The Revised Version of the
New Testament.
BY REV. H. C. ALEXANDER, D. D.

1t has already been mentioned that
owing to the state of Greek scholarship
at that time certain errors in translation
appear in King James's Version with a
steadiness approaching to uniformity.
Notice has already been taken of the fact
that these characteristic blemishes have
been almost entirely removed from the
Revision. Other blunders of more
casual nature have also been obviated
These mistakes viewed at large may be
thrown into classes. Under this head
however, your own editorials have left
little new to say. The first class that we
shall refer to following the order OBJ
served by Professor Roberts) are mistakes
IN the rendering of Greek words. Thus
instead of "Simon the Canaanite," we
now have "Simon the Cananean," an
swering to Aramaic term for "Zeaiot."
Instead of INSTRUCTED" at Matt. xiv: s,
we now read "put forward" which con-
veys the just sense of the original. He
rodias, as Trench points out, doubtless
had to bring all her influence to bear on
the reluctant girl. The word "for" is
correctly substituted at Matt. XIV: 81, for
the word "yet." The argument of the
Syrophenician woman, which is wholly
overlooked by the Authorized Version, is
derived from the very illustration by
which she had been seemingly rebuffed.
AT Matt. XVI: Is, the rendering is made
to conform to that of Zach. XII: II (where
the same Greek verb occurs in the Xxx
by substituting the term "aceighed" for
the term covenanted."
Luke iii: %, is now intelhgibly and
accurately rendered, "And Jesus him
self, a0he'a he began Ito teach), was about
thirty years of age" The word at Luke
TX 80, rendered "aohem they aOere awake"
is now represented by the expression,
" haOaalg remained awake" There NAV
be some hesitation here, but DIR. Roberts
might have supported the new rendering
by an opposite passage in Herodian,
where Off our recollection is not at fault)
the phrase occurs diagregoresamtes d1a
passes tes aauctoS. 1t was the income and
not the assets of the Pharisee that is re-
terred to by the verb now translated
get" (nstead of possess) at Luke xviii
IL. Only the perfect tense requires, or
even allows, the rendering of the older
Version. Luke xxi Sc, is made more
exact as well as more graphic by the Vic
torlan scholars. The freight CHANGING
to fall on the apostle, disclosed to the
sharp gaze of the maid, the companion of
the Galilean. The meaning of the word
at Luke xiv: 25, is tolerably well
brought out by foolish men" instead of
"fools."
The strange, though liberal, rendering
at John TX: II, is now replaced by the
satisfactory words to be found in the new
Version. The connexion at John x: IA
Is, between the two verses is much
cleared up by the revisers. The trans
position of the words sat still, +" at John
XII: 20, removes the ambiguity of the
older phrase.
1t should be distributed tongues" in
stead of "cloven tongues" at Acts ii 8.
Accordingly the Revision has it tongues
parting asunder Tor parting anao1ao
thema)." At Acts iii: 19, 20, the rem
dering should be Gin order that" instead
of "when." The revisers correctly rem
der, "thot so times of refreshing may
come from the presence of the Lord, and
that he may send, etc. Acts XVI: %,
has been ably discussed in one of your
instructive editorials. Whilst the rem
dering "o1nao8t thou persuadest me, etc.,
may be justly regarded, to say the least
doubtful, the form given by the new YER
sion to the ambiguous Greek, with but
little persuasion thou wouldest fain make
me Christian, is by no means abso-
lutely certain, and indeed is exegetically
considered far from being completely sat-
isfactory.
We now come to the epistles. The
Revision is right at Rom. iii 25, in the
rendering, "6ecause of the PASSING over
Of the sins done qforetinse IN the for5ear-
once of God." The universal opinion Of