The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-10-05
Our Contributors.
The Revised Version of the
New Testament.
BY REV. H. c. ALEXANDER, D. D.

InlS CONSIDERATION OF words and their
meanings, in the old version and the new,
even when restricted to alleged mistakes,
might be carried on indefinitely. This
is, however, the branch of the subject
which has been most written about, and
after word or two more the topic should
be changed In the paraphrase, or very
free translation, of Col. ii %, given in
former number, it would be more exact
to remove the brackets enclosing the
words, really tend" as they are not
supplied but answer to the substantive
verb. Literally the expression would
stand, (which things having indeed a
show, ETC., are really towards the salts
faction of the flesh" The Greek words
for "are -. towards" (esti pros), COR
respond automatically with the English
phrase "tead to,0arzs" The word "real-
ly," in the adversative clause, is involved
In the concessive participial clause pre-
ceding. The term "bowls" which the
Revisers have substituted in place of
"phials" at Rev. XIV: 7, etc., has been
sharply criticized in some quarters, but
rather, it is to be presumed, in most in
stances on the score of its taste than on
the score of its accuracy. If your patient
readers will turn now to James iii: 4, 5,
they will End changes which whilst not
perhaps distinct violations of good taste
(Which is not now under discussion), or
of the law of accuracy, are changes that
can scarcely be regarded as great inn
provements in either respect. This pas
sage may bespeak our notice again Just
now the point is accuracy in the render
ing. Without taking exception under
this head to anything in verse 4, CROUCH
winds, we grant, is an improvement on
81 fierce winds'O a critic might question
the terms wood and wheel" in verses
sand 6. The word "matter" in the Au-
thorized Version is confessedly too gene
raj, but it is submitted that "wood" is pos
slbly rather too specific; the term ".fuel''
might have hit the sense very nicely,
leaving it debateable what sort of fuel it
was. Fire-wood and "fuel" are the
renderings in Sheldon Green's New Tes-
lament Lexicon. The obscure word trans
lated mature" is left as it is in the Au-
thorized Version, with "birth" as an al
Tentative rendering in the margin; but
the equally obscure word rendered
wheel by the Revisers, should hardly
have been changed from "course" Gas it
is given in King James,, term which
happily expresses the literal sense, and
repeats the ambiguous reference, of the
Greek (trochos).
We now come to mistakes in Greek
Grammar. DR.. Roberts sums these up as
mistakes in relation to the article, and
mistakes in the rendering of the Greek
Oer6 and the Greek propositions. Most
of these errors, as has been said, are reg
ularly characteristic of the Authorized
Version, and have been repaired with
characteristic uniformity in the Revision.
The first class are mistakes in reference
to the article. These are in general ad-
mirably handled in the companion. The
Importance of these deviations from lexi-
cal no less than from grammatical recti-
tude will appear at once from an imagi-
nary example. 1t makes all the differ
ence whether one says, Death brought
sin on man, Death brought sin on
the man, or simply death brought sin
on man." In many cases Though by no
means in alD the choice lies between the
definite and the indefinite articles in
English. Everything may depend here
on the result of this election. Professor
Roberts at this point aptly refers to the
reply Of Charles James Fox who, when
once complimented on his marvellous
fuency, rejoined, II never want q word
but Pitt never wants the word" The
Greek, unlike the English, has only the
definite article. The Version of 1911 is
almost always at fault in the treatment
of the article. Sometimes the article is
enormously omitted in, the Authorized
Version. 1t is conceded that there are
instances in which the Greek article
should be passed over in translation but
such instances are exceptiona1 and occur