The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-04-04
THE REVISED NEW TESTAMENT.

ii L
1t is singular that the Protestants
are so reluctant to accept the Revised
New Testament-and, / may add, the
Old Testament as well. The transla-
4iop that has been in use now for nearly
three centuries, known as the King
flames translation. has come to be re-
garded as. pre-eminently, the Bible,
and to touch the English text is to
commit sacrilege. Yet that translation
was made by the Bishops and clergy OF
the Church of England, to the eXclu-
sion Of the other denominations;
whereas. the new version, or transla-
ton. was made within the last twenty
years by the conjoint labors of all or
fhodox Protestant denominations The
work originated with the Church
of England: but all the Eng
fish speaking, orthodox Protes-
tant denominations were invited
to participate, and did participate in
it, through their most learned ana abie
divines.
Americans. no less than Englishmen,
and scholars from the English colonies,
took part in the great work, and years
were spent on it before it's completion.
"A
that the recent translators have had
advantages which Sgere not possessed
by those who made King James trans
Iation. in the beginning of the seven
teenth century. 1t is said. also hat
the Greek language IS better under
stood at this day than IL WAS at fit:' {
time.
The translation made in King James
e,,,., 50 1R.xs snf o.
renderings of the Testament into Eng
1ish. under instructions to follow, par
ticularlv. the one known as the "Bish-
OBS Bible.'' The British, or Encyclo-
pedia Britannica, states briefly, the his
tory of the authorized Translation,
as follows:
eThe proposal to undertake a new
translation of the Bible originated with
DIR. John Reynolds, of Corpus Christi
College, Oxford, in 1903, and was fa-
yorably entertained by King James,
who appointed ffty-four learned men to
perform the work. Only forty-seyen
however, were actually engaged in the
labor. They were divided into six
companies, who met at different, places,
having their respective tasks assigned
them. They entered upon their task
in 1907, and for three years they were
closely engaged in the work. The
translators in King James time says
Selden, took an excellent way. That
part of the Bible was given to him
who was most excellent in such ton
que, and then they met together, and
one read the translation, the rest
holding in their hands some Bible,
either of the learned tongues, or of
French, Spanish or Italian. If they
found any fault they spoke, and II
not, they read on
The translators were enjoined TO fol-
low the Bishops Bible, which had
been in use for thirty odd years, and
not to depart from it except in cases
where fidelity to the originals required
it. The Encyclopedia adds: sIt is un-
necessary to pronounce any eulogium
on the translation, which, it has been
Justly said, far surpasses every other
English version of the entire Bible, in
the characteristic qualities of simplic-
ity, energy, and purity of style, as also
in uniform fidelity to the original "
same writer remarks. "A revision of
The same writer remarks: revision
of it, however, is now wanted, or rather
n new translation from the Hebrew and
Greek. based upon it. /"
The Encyclopedia fails to furnish the
names of the translators; and Bishop
Burnet, who came later, but in the
same country, wrote that: ITO whom
that work was committed, or how
it proceeded, i know not; for the ac-
count of these things has not been
preserved, nor conveyed to us with that
care that the Importance of the thing
required"
The Church of England had not been
separated from that Of Rome but
about half a century when the King
James revision was made; and there
were almost no dissenting denomina-
tions developed; although there were
many who held TO Presbyterian and
Baptist ideas, and were prosecuted for
doing 50. The revision was made,
therefore, by clergymen of the Church
of England, to the exclusion of all
others.
The preface to the new reyisal gives
the following account of the authori-
ties upon which the translators Of the
seventeenth century relied.
"Of the many points of interest con
nected with the Translation Of 1911
two require special notice; first, the
Greek Text, which it appears to have
represented; and. secondly, the charac
ter of the Translation itself.
!. With regard to the Greek Text, il
would appear that, if to some extern
the Translators exercised an indepen
dent Judgment it was mainly in choos
ing among readings contained in the
principal editions Of the Greek Tex
that had appeared in the sixteenth cen
fury. Wherever they seem to have fol
lowed reading which is not fount
in any of those editions, their render
ing may probably be traced to the Lat
in Vulgate.
Their chief guides appeal
to have been the later editions o
Stephanus and of Beza, and also, to ;
certain extent, the Complutesioi
certain extent, the Comprehension
PolepIoft. All these were founded
for The most part on manuscripts o
lat. date. few in number, and used will
little critical skill But in those day
it could hardly have been otherwise