to 
 
 Srotn f^e £t6rari? of 
 
 (profesBor T3?tffiam J^^^^ (&reen 
 
 (J$equeaf ^^ 6)? ^im to 
 f 5e £i6rati? of 
 
 (Jprtnceton ^^eofogtcaf ^eminarjj 
 
 BS\q5 
 .5.T7& 
 

THE 
 
 laoolt of latbtlation, 
 
 TKAXSLATEl) FROM AXCIKMT AUTHC»KITIES, 
 
~\v 
 
 eat.V\cs 
 
 THE 
 
 BOOK OF REVELATION, 
 
 TRANSLATED 
 
 ffxom ftit ^ntitnt @re^tt ^txt 
 
 BY 
 
 S. p. TREGELLES. 
 
 " — Adjuvante etiam codicum veritate, quam solera einendationis diliyeutia 
 procuravit ; veiiiat ita instructus ad ambigua Scripturanim discutienda atque 
 solvenda." 
 
 ACGUSTIXE. 
 
 LONDON : 
 SAMUEL BAGSTER AND SONS, 
 
 lo, PiTERNOSTER RoW ; WAREHOUSE FOR BiBLHS, XeW TESTAMENTS. 
 
 Prater Books, Lexicons, Grammars, Concordances, and 
 Psalters, in Ancient and Modern Languages. 
 
 m.dccc.xlix. 
 
TO THE READER. 
 
 Tlds Translation of t?ie BooJc of Revelation is executed 
 from the Greek Text according to the ancient authorities ; 
 so that there is not a single word which is not guaranteed by 
 Manuscript authority of at least twelve hundred years 
 OLD ; and by far the greater part is vouched for by MSS. of 
 
 fourteen hundred years OLD. 
 
 In the year 1844, 1 edited the Greek Text of the Book of 
 Revelation from ancient authorities, with an English 
 Translation adapted to the Greek Text so edited, and a 
 Critical Introduction.'^ I have been requested to publish 
 the English Translation in a separate form, in order that 
 it may be more conveniently used by those, who wish to 
 study this important book of Holy Scripture according as 
 it is given by the most ancient authorities. 
 
 In complying with the request thus made to me, I have 
 carefully revised the whole : — this revision has been carried 
 out both with respect to the authorities on which the Text 
 rests, and also with regard to the Translation into English. 
 
 I must refer the reader to " The Revelation in Greek 
 and English " for a detailed account of the object of the 
 revised Text and version, — the critical principles upon 
 which I have acted, and a statement of authorities con- 
 sulted in forming the text : — in the Introduction to that 
 work I entered into these particulars pretty fully. I may 
 
 <» "The Book of Revelation in Greek, edited from ancienl authorities; 
 with a new English version and various readings." — Bagster and Sons. 
 
ii. INTEODUCTION. 
 
 also refer to the " Prospectus of a Greek New Testament 
 now in preparation," subjoined to the translation now pub- 
 lished, for information on these subjects. 
 
 I may here briefly state, that I have long felt the impor- 
 tance of putting the English reader of the Word of God 
 into possession of the results of textual criticism ; and as 
 such criticism supplies just as many corrections of the text 
 of the Book of Revelation alone, as of all the Epistles of 
 St. Paul taken together, it became a matter of manifest 
 importance that tliis book should be given to the English 
 reader on the basis of the best authorities. 
 
 The general principle on which I act with regard to 
 textual criticism is, that the ancient authorities have a par- 
 amount importance. The ancient MSS. are the especial 
 authorities as to the words, their order, &c., while the 
 ancient versions, (especially those of which we know the 
 history, and which we possess in a good condition,) are im- 
 portant auxiliaries : earhj citations are not to be overlooked, 
 for they are often valuable as collateral testimonies. These 
 principles I sought to apply to the Book of Revelation in 
 editing the Greek Text, and the result of these principles 
 was communicated to the English reader in the Translation 
 which accompanied it. 
 
 The ancient MSS. however, which contain the Revelation 
 are very few : — they are — 
 
 A. Codex Alexandrinus in the British Museum ; proba- 
 bly of the early part of ihe/ifth century. 
 
 B. Codex Basilianus at Rome — formerly in the convent 
 of St. Basil, numbered 105; now in the Vatican Library 
 (20G6). This MS. is probably of the seventh century. 
 
 C. Codex Ephraemi at Paris. This MS. contains large 
 portions of the New Testament ; the vellum was used 
 afterwards as material on which to write some of the Greek 
 works of Ephraem the Syrian. Great pains have been 
 taken to bring the original writing to light. It probably 
 belongs to the early part of the fifth century. The portions 
 of the Revelation which it contains are about two-thirds of 
 the Book. 
 
INTRODUCTION. iii. 
 
 The text of A was published in 1786, by Woide, and 
 that of by Tischendorf, in 1843 : — that of B (which was 
 previously known very imperfectly) has been more recently 
 published by Tischendorf, in 1846 :«* the publication of this 
 text was thus subsequent to that of my edition of the Book 
 of Revelation in Greek and English, so that I had not 
 then the advantages which might be derived from B as 
 edited by Tischendorf. 
 
 I formed my text mostly on the basis of the readings of 
 these MSS ; paying particular attention to the agreement 
 of A and C, the oldest copies. Considerable use was also 
 made of a later MS., designated by critics 38, (no. 579 in 
 the Vatican Library,) on account of its general agreement 
 with the more ancient authorities.* 
 
 « The Greek Testament of Edvardus de MtiRALTO, with Prolegomena, 
 has just appeared: he says (p. xxvi.) " Apocalypsin e codice alio Vaticano 
 exhibuimus (olim Basileensi, 105). Hoc enim solum cum A et C unciale 
 extat apographum hujus libri preeter aliud Vaticanum hucusque igiiotiun, 
 quod Tischeudorfius editurus est." I notice this statement lest it should 
 mislead. The Vatican MS. of the ApocaljT)se which Tischendorf is said to 
 be about to edit, is this very Codex Basilianus now in the Vatican, which 
 Tischendorf has already published. It is however certain that E. de Muralto 
 has not followed this MS. with exactness. MSS. have been multiplied in 
 catalogues, from different notices of the same MS. having been mistaken for 
 different MSS.: I fear lest this misstatement of E. de Muralto may cause 
 the Codex Vaticanus, No. 2066, olim Basiliamis (not Basileensis) No. 105, to 
 be mentioned in critical works as two different MSS. 
 
 b The reading which I gave of Eev. v. 9, 10, may call for a note because 
 of observations which have been made upon it. 
 
 In ver. 10, I adopted the reading BaatXevovcri "they do reign," — the 
 only question is between this and the futm-e f3acn\ev(T0V(Tt ', the present 
 tense is however the reading of A. 38, and several other MSS., (and I notv 
 know it to be that of B) ; I therefore rejected the reading " they shall reign," 
 (though followed by many versions) as resting on weaker authority. But in 
 ver. 9,1 retained rjiia.^ ("thou hast redeemed os") although omitted by 
 A: — this was said to be an inconsistency; I was charged with making A to 
 be every thing in ver. 10, and nothing in ver. 9, This representation is far 
 from accurate: — in ver, 10, A has a great mass of consenting authority, in 
 ver. 9, it stands alone, — (for the Jithiopic version, cited for the same omis- 
 sion, seems from B ode's Latin rendering of it, to be here so loose a 
 Paraphrase as to prove nothing) — and thus giving A its full value, is it 
 sufficient alone to vouch for the omission of this word in a case like this ? 
 Omit "us" and the whole sentence appears easier (for ver. 10 is certainly 
 
iv. INTEODUCTION. 
 
 For an account of the origin of the common printed 
 Greek Text of the Revelation, (formed in part without any 
 MS. authority ivhatever,) I must also refer to the Intro- 
 duction to the Greek and English Revelation. No one 
 who understands the subject, can do other than admit the 
 importance of the application of sound criticism to the 
 text of Scripture, and especially to a book edited originally 
 with so little care as the Revelation. To deprecate this, is 
 really to avoid the light which God has in His Providence 
 vouchsafed, by which we might know the genuine words and 
 sentences of His Scripture. 
 
 In republishing the English Text of the Revelation, 
 revised, both as to readings and renderings, I have to men- 
 tion in what points it differs from that which was 
 previously edited. 
 
 Eirst then, with regard to the readings. 
 
 The text of the MSS. A and C has been carefully 
 re-examined so as to correct any former oversights. 
 
 The whole of B has been now available. 
 
 I know by personal observation several readings of the 
 MS. 38, at Rome, which others had not previously 
 noticed. 
 
 to be read in the third person), and to passages like this, Bengel's rule 
 peculiarly applies, " Proclivi lectioni pr.estat aedua." I only add 
 that Cjprian (in the third century) read " nos." 
 
 I have been charged with inserting rjixas without giving any authority. 
 How such a charge could be made by any one professing to know any 
 thing of textual criticism, it is hard to imagine. I have given as is usual 
 the authorities which seem to oppose the reading in the text :— that reading 
 resting on all MSS. and versions which have been collated, except those 
 cited for another reading or for an omission ; unless indeed it be some trifling 
 variation supported by evidence too slight to merit notice :— in this case one 
 MS. reads rjixiOV. 
 
 But it has been urged against me, that Lachmann and Tischendorf both 
 omit riLiLOL<S ill ^6'"- ^ i^ their editions:— I only answer, that I think that 
 they did it on insufficient authority. It is curious that Lachmann retain.^ 
 T<5 Oeo) rjiliiiV i" ^e>- 10, though the evidence for its omission is pre. 
 visely the same as that against ■w/xa5 in ^er. 9. 
 
 The reading which I gave of Rev. v. 9, 10, utterly overturned my own 
 previous thoughts about the passage. 
 
INTEODUCTION. v. 
 
 For the text of the most important MS. of the Latin 
 version of Jerome, I had before access only to the imperfect 
 and inaccurate collation published by Fleck : I have since 
 carefully collated the New Testament part of this MS. — the 
 Codex Amiatinus at Florence (of the sixth century), so 
 that I possess a certainty as to its readings. 
 
 And besides my critical materials having been increased, 
 in some important respects, since the Text had before been 
 published, I have also sought to carry out my criticail 
 principles with a steady hand. 
 
 At the time when I published the Greek and English 
 Revelation this was almost impossible; even Lachmann, 
 whose critical principles would lead him to follow the most 
 ancient MSS. yet more rigorously than I should do, — has 
 in the Revelation given many readings, for which at the 
 time when his edition was published, he could have no 
 ancient MS. authority, because none was then available. 
 
 In re-examining the readings of the most ancient MSS. 
 A and C, I have reconsidered all the places in which they 
 agree in a reading which I had formerly not followed, and 
 also all the readings in which either separately exhibits a 
 variation. Such passages require careful examination; for 
 it often happens that the words of a passage in the common 
 text have such a hold on the mind and memory, that the 
 involuntary feeling with regard to any change, is, that it 
 would take away all meaning from the words, — that they 
 could not be construed. 
 
 The most ancient documents may, it is true, agree in the 
 same certain, undoubted eiTors; and then on my principles 
 of criticism, (the particular point I believe on which, as to 
 this, I differ from Lachmann),* I should say that they ought 
 not to be followed, but such means of correction should be 
 used as are available. Even Lachmann acted thus in seve- 
 ral of those passages of the Revelation, in which the ancient 
 authority is numerically smal]. 
 
 * Tie other point on which I distinctively differ from Lachmann is, in the 
 range of admitted evidence ; I would use all the more ancient authorities — 
 MSS., versions, and citations. 
 
vi. INTRODUCTION. 
 
 But before a reading in which the ancient copies agree, 
 be absolutely rejected as an error, it must be examined 
 with entire freedom of mind from all traditional bias ; and 
 then I will venture to say, that the reading will often be 
 found a good one, both as to its grammatical sense and as 
 to its meaning, — that meaning however may be something 
 very different from what we have been accustomed to attach 
 to the passage. 
 
 A difficulty which we feel about an ancient reading may 
 have been felt by the copyists, and thus another reading 
 may have sprung from their correction. Many, if not 
 most, of the modem readings, when they differ from the 
 ancient, have originated in attempts to improve. 
 
 There were but a few places in which I did not follow 
 those readings in which A and C agreed ; but very few 
 indeed of these should I now regard as readings really 
 false. There are also several places (where C is defeptive,) 
 in which I should now follow A. The result however of 
 the re-examination and re-weigliing of the authorities has 
 been that of confirming the general text before given. 
 
 A striking instance how traditional misapprehension may 
 cause a reading to be judged unintelligible, is shewn in 
 2 Tim. iv. 1. The ancient authorities instead of Kara t^v 
 CTTK^, read koL rqv imcji. Many have supposed that with this 
 reading no sense could be given to the verse. But all the 
 difficulty has been caused by the false rendering, tradition- 
 ally ascribed to SiafxapTvpofxai, which is far more j&tly 
 rendered, especially in such a connection, by " I testify " 
 than by " I charge," see Acts xx. 21 and 24, (of course it is 
 fully admitted that such a phrase as " I testify that " such 
 a thing should be done, may be equivalent in its ultimate 
 bearing to "I charge that.") "Thee" has been supplied 
 in translating, as supposing Timothy to be addressed. 
 
 The verse in question stands thus in the older Greek 
 and Latin authorities : (the words ovv iyio and rov tcvpCov 
 are admitted not to be genuine.) 
 
INTRODUCTION. til 
 
 AiafiapTvpofxai evwTrtov rov Qeov koX 'lr)crov 'Kptcrrov tou 
 jacAA-OVTO? Kptvav ^wvTas koX v€Kpovs, kol ttjv €7rt(^av€tav 
 avTOU Kol Tr]v (iacnXuav auroO, 
 
 Testijicor coram Deo et Ghristo Jesu, qui judicaturm est 
 vivos ac mortuos, et adventum ipsitis et regnum ejus. 
 
 " I testify, in the presence of God and of Jesus Chi-ist, 
 who is to judge the quick and dead, both of his appearing 
 and his kingdom." 
 
 The sejise is simple ; very different however from that 
 which has been attached to the modern readings of the 
 verse ; but nothing has hindered the sense fi'om being at 
 once perceived, except traditional notions. 
 
 Truly there are other groundless traditions besides those 
 of the Church of Rome ! 
 
 In 1844 I said (Introduction p. xvi.) " Except in the 
 " Revelation, I suppose that we should not be obliged ever 
 " to resort to the more modern copies as the ground of a 
 " reading;" but this may now be carried farther : it may be 
 said that not even in the Revelation (the part, of which the 
 ancient copies are least numerous,) need we ever take the 
 ground of a reading from modern MSS. ; for in those 
 places in which I do not exactly follow A or C, the text of 
 B supplies what is needed ; so that I should now give the 
 Greek Text of this book without a single word for which I 
 could not show ancient authority ; the reader of this trans- 
 lation may rest satisfied, that he has here the version of a 
 text, of which every word rests on competent evidence of 
 twelve hundred years old at least ; and almost all on con. 
 senting evidence of fourteen hundred years old ; indeed 
 including the evidence of versions, all has authority of at 
 least this antiquity. "' 
 
 ^ Should any one compare this translation with the Greek Text formerly 
 published, he will see that other readings have been in some places adopted, 
 and that in some instances I have now received readings which I had before 
 marked as highly probable. The authority for the readings so adopted will 
 be found to be the MSS., A or C, either alone, or as consenting in their 
 
viii. INTRODUCTION. 
 
 As to differences in rendering which I hare now made, 
 little need be said. I have sought to give the full import 
 of the Greek as thoroughly as I could in English ; what- 
 ever appeared to admit of correction, I have endeavoured 
 to correct:" and to this end I have used all the assistance 
 which I could obtain: all such aid I thankfully acknowledge. 
 
 I have sought in revising my version to throw the 
 words more into the order of the Greek than was before the 
 case : the English idiom has however not been sacrificed in 
 order to efiect this object. This may be regarded as rather 
 unimportant ; but if there be a choice as to the order of 
 words, why should we not keep, as far as we can without 
 sacrificing the English, to the same order that we find in 
 the original ? The connection and order of words indicates 
 (at least in some instances,) the order of thoughts. 
 
 testimony. In one or tvvo places, however, I made formerly some mistake 
 as to the readings of these MSS. (For instance, as to A and C in Rev. xi. 
 19, and as to C. in Rev. xiii. 10.) 
 
 <* There are a few words which I have distinguished in translation. I 
 have used crown as the rendering of (TT€chavo<;, (commonly the mark of a 
 victor, or a bridal emblem) ; diadem, as that of StaS7?iU,a, the indication of 
 regal authority. 
 
 "Living creatm-e" is used for ^u)OV ', "beast" for OvOLOV. 
 
 Also ^taAT^ is rendered "bowl" to prevent the wrong ideas which would 
 attach to " vial." 
 
 " Endurance" is used for vTTOflOVrj, as more truly rendering the meaning 
 than "patience." 
 
 " Roll" has been employed to render BcBXlov (and its diminutives,) in 
 cases in which the form of the book is particularly pointed out. 
 
 In all cases in which the rendering given appears new, I request the 
 learned reader to compare the original carefully, before he supposes such 
 rendering to be incon-ect or doubtful : I have never sought novelty for its 
 own sake. 
 
 Absolute uniformity in rendering Greek words is impossible, unless not 
 only English language, but also all really accurate meaning be sacrificed for 
 the sake of bald uniformity of constixiing. Attention must always be paid to 
 words in their connection and mutual relations. I have sought uniformity 
 of rendering as far as it is pj-acticable. 
 
 Italics have been introduced as sparingly as they could be, with any regard 
 for perspicuity; and only for their proper object, to supply words which are 
 fully implied in the original. 
 
INTRODUCTION. ix. 
 
 As the nominative of the personal pronouns in Greek is 
 included in the verb, except when some emphasis attaches 
 to it, various plans have been adopted for denoting this 
 emphasis. 
 
 It has been here indicated by putting the pronouns in 
 capitals where they are expressed in the Greek ; this will 
 often exhibit an emphatic point in a sentence, and shew the 
 prominence which belongs to the nominative to the verb ; 
 — a prominence which in translation would otherwise be 
 lost. As the pronoun " I " cannot be pointed out in the 
 same way as the others, it has been marked by a black let- 
 ter " 5 " when it is expressed in the Greek by a separate 
 word.*^ 
 
 Every thing of this kind, which tends to cause a transla- 
 tion to express the original more adequately, is worthy of 
 notice, especially when a version of the word of God is in 
 question. 
 
 An inconvenience has been sometimes felt by the English 
 reader of my translation as formerly published, from varia- 
 tions in translation merely, as well as those of reading, having 
 been introduced without any distinguishing mark; — all 
 differences from our common English version of this book 
 have been supposed by some to be corrected readings of the 
 Greek. To obviate this ambiguity, as far as is in my 
 power, I have now marked all differences of reading, which 
 can appear in translation, (of whatever kind, whether 
 omsssion, insertion, or variation,) with an asterisk (--) ; all 
 other departures from the common English text may be 
 looked on as merely differences of translation. The only 
 exception is, with regard to the word "and" connecting 
 numerals: these appear to have been originally expressed 
 by letters used as numerals. Words, for the omission of 
 which there are probable grounds, are included within 
 brackets. 
 
 ^ This mode of distinguishing the pronouns, was, I believe, first used by 
 Mr. Taylor of Gower Street:— the same mode was suggested to me by the 
 Compositor. 
 
X. INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Every reader of tlie Book of Revelation in Greek is fami- 
 liar with the peculiarities of its style; the frequent 
 occurrence of anacoluthon, — the disregard of grammatical 
 concord, &c. These peculiarities are yet more striking in 
 ihe ancient Text than in the more recent copies. Although 
 hut few of these characteristics can be transfused into a 
 translation, yet a remark or two on some of them will not 
 he out of place here. 
 
 There is in the Apocalypse a vivid mixture of narrated 
 statement, and description as o^ present objects ; — John says 
 of certain things, " I saw ;" and then abruptly the scene is 
 made visible, as it were, to the eye of the reader, " behold :" 
 it is presented before him, as if he were called on to look 
 upon that which the sentence had begun by describing as 
 sometliing previously seen : — then abruptly we find simple 
 statement resumed ; — the words "I saw," are in many cases 
 not repeated, but still clauses of sentences come in as 
 dependent on such words understood. Besides these fea- 
 tures, we also find that John is often the person 
 addressed, and that he often narrates the words which he 
 heard above in the heavenly vision. I do not consider that 
 if these various points are rightly attended to, much 
 surprise will remain on any mind as to the style of the 
 Apocalypse. 
 
 In many cases, even in ordinary writing, the suhject 
 forms the style ; how peculiarly then must this then have 
 been the case with John in writing the Apocalypse ; — the 
 vividness and intensity of the subjects, cause the things 
 communicated to be presented so forcibly, that all other 
 considerations give way : grammatical constructions change 
 or are resumed, just as the subject seems to demand. If 
 these changes are observed in the light of whicli I have 
 jv.st spoken, it will illustrate, I believe, in some measure, 
 the vividness of this book. 
 
 These abrupt transitions are often not seen in trans- 
 lation ; I have however, where practicable, tried to indicate 
 tliem by introducing a dash ( — ) ; this may be a very 
 
INTEODUCTION. xi. 
 
 imperfect indication ; but a dash is not used in this trans- 
 lation for any other purpose. 
 
 Winer, in speaking of the solecisms in the Apocalypse, 
 has well observed, " They give to the style the appearance 
 " of more harshness, but may be explained as anacoluthon 
 "and mingling of two constructions, or in another. way, 
 " which should always have been adopted, ratJier than 
 " ascribe either to the ignorance of the ivriter, u'ho has dis- 
 " played a knouledge of grammatical rides in other much 
 " more difficult constructions. Examples analogous to most 
 " of these are found in Greek writers ; but they are not of 
 " so frequent occurrence as in the Apocalypse." — Idioms of 
 N. T. Agnew and Ebbeke's Translation, p. 188. He then 
 shews how the connection of thought is more attended to 
 than mere grammar. 
 
 In considering the difference of style in various writings 
 which are attributed to the same author, I do not think that 
 the nature of the writings themselves is in general suffi- 
 ciently taken into account. 
 
 St. John appears to have peculiarly moulded his style 
 according to the language of others which he records : — (I 
 make this remark without in any degree overlooking the 
 plenary character of Inspiration) : — and this one conside- 
 ration may cause all the difficulty to disappear which some 
 have found in comparing his Gospel with the Apocalypse. 
 In each of these works, the portion occupied by the recor- 
 ded language of others is considerable. In Bishop Lloyd's 
 Oxford Greek Testament, the number of lines in the 
 Apocalypse is 1460 ; of these 564 — nearly tivo-ffths of 
 the book — are the words of language which he records : 
 — in the same edition the number of lines in the Gos- 
 pel of St. John is 2340 ; of which 1370 are simply recorded 
 words. 
 
 I cannot in this place do more than mention the fact as 
 one which meets many objections : — the subject however is 
 one of considerable interest ; but I must leave it, and also 
 one of still greater importance, — the absolute evidence 
 
xii. INTRODUCTION. 
 
 furnished by the writers of the second centiny as to the 
 authorship of the Revelation." 
 
 I trust that my previous labour on the text and translation 
 of this book has not been unaccompanied with the blessing 
 of the Lord. It is He alone who can enable any student 
 of His word to form a correct and accurate judgment, 
 whether it be on doctrinal or on critical subjects : — and as 
 to the mere critical details of various readings, it is, I 
 heiieye, peculiarly needful that there should be in the mind 
 that freedom from all undue bias caused by preconceived 
 opinions, which God only can bestow. And just as the 
 Lord can enable a critic to labour in His fear, so can He 
 grant the results of such labour to be profitable to others. 
 Of late years much attention has been directed to this 
 book, — the special prophetic instruction of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ to His people whom He hath redeemed with His own 
 precious blood ; — every thing which can cause its text to 
 be known with greater accuracy, must, then, have its 
 value : — if the book be known as precious, it behoves us to 
 know with all the exactness possible, what the words are 
 in which the Holy Ghost gave the Scripture forth. Per- 
 haps the Church needs to have its attention still more 
 directed to this Book, on the reading and keeping of which, 
 Christ has pronounced His blessing. Then I would hum- 
 bly desire and pray, that this publication of its corrected 
 Text in English may be prospered to this end. 
 
 In editing the Greek and English Revelation, I avoided 
 all allusion to the important subject of interpretation : — 
 I stated in my Introduction, — "I have. avoided anything 
 " which might relate to the interpretation of the Revela- 
 " tion: — this was not my object, but it was simply to supply 
 " a text which might aid those, who, in subjection of mind 
 " to the word of God, are seeking the teaching of the Spirit 
 " to know the things that are here written. No thoughts 
 " of my own on the subject of interpretation, have, I 
 
 ** I hope before long to be able to bring this fully forward in a volume for 
 which I have made considerable preparation : — " Historic Evidence of the 
 Origin and Transmission of the Books of the Ntw Testamerit." 
 
INTEODUCTION. xiii. 
 
 " believe, in a single instance influenced my judgment as 
 " to the adoption of readings ; on the contrary, in many 
 " places preconceived thoughts on particular passages had 
 " to give way before what I saw, on sufficient grounds of 
 " evidence, to be ' the words of the Holy Ghost.' " 
 
 In re-editing this English version with some improve- 
 ments, I can assure the reader, that I have acted on the 
 same principle ; and I hope that in seeing evidence more 
 clearly, I have more thoroughly carried it out : and I be- 
 lieve that however various the systems of interpretation 
 may be, it neither has been found, nor will it be found, that 
 my endeavour to give the genuine text of the Revelation 
 has been biased by any of them. My object has been to 
 place the true text before the English reader of the Bible. 
 
 With regard to the use made of the Text which I have 
 edited, I may mention that in the later editions of " Horae 
 Apocalypticae, by the Rev. E. B. Elliott," continual refer- 
 ence is made to my text, and many things are so altered as 
 to be adapted to it; — my Text has also been used in 
 " Thoughts on the Apocalypse, by B. W. Newton :" per- 
 haps no two works on the Revelation difier more as to 
 principles of interpretation ; these facts will, I tliink, shew 
 that my labour has been connected with the Truth of God's 
 word, let the result be what it may : they will also shew 
 that my corrected text has been felt to be of use to those 
 whose attention has been directed to the Apocalypse. 
 
 I trust that this version of the Apocalypse may be regar 
 ded as a kind of specimen of the results of that criticism 
 which I wish to apply to the whole of the Greek New Tes- 
 tament. In recurring to the ancient authorities, I feel 
 that I approach, as near as the nature of the case will admit, 
 to the original fountains. That these authorities present 
 the New Testament Scripture in a simple and intelligible 
 form, let this translation be a proof to the mere English 
 reader. 
 
 If in any part of the New Testament it might have been 
 feared that a recurrence to the ancient authorities was im- 
 
 2 A 
 
xiv. INTRODUCTION. 
 
 possible, that part would have been the Apocalypse : — but 
 if in this book, of which the ancient MSS. are so few, this 
 can be done (and it is here done), it follows that we may 
 safely act on the same ground in all the rest of the New 
 Testament, in which the ancient MS. authorities are so 
 much more numerous. 
 
 What I propose in my Greek Testament, I have stated as 
 clearly as I could in my Prospectus. I only wish in this 
 place to remark on what may possibly be objected by those 
 unacquainted with Biblical Criticism, to this translation as 
 well as to my proposed work. It is possible — or rather, 
 probable — that some when they find an alteration or omis- 
 sion will suppose that some liberty has been taken with the 
 word of God. Thus the non-insertion of the words (true 
 and important in themselves, and found elsewhere in Scrip- 
 ture), "I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last," in 
 Rev. i. 11, might be thought to be a dangerous temerity. 
 But in this and in all such cases, the question is not that 
 of omitting part of the text, but of not inserting as part of 
 the text, words which come to us on no competent evidence : 
 to do this would be rather adding to the text. Had the 
 Apocalypse been printed originally from the best copies, 
 these words would not have been found in our translation ; 
 and in that case, all who are timid at what they consider 
 to be alterations and omissions, would have dreaded any 
 such insertions, and that too on good grounds. 
 
 The differences between the common text of the Apoca- 
 lypse and that here given, are greater than would be 
 occasioned by critical revision in any other part of the New 
 Testament. I do not feel that I have to justify myself as 
 to departures from the modern readings; the only thing 
 which can require justification is, when tho ancient readings 
 are not followed : — on tliis principle, a great responsibility 
 would rest on any who could deliberately defend the moderD 
 text. 
 
 All who know even the rudiments of Biblical Criticism 
 are aware that there are in tho Greek Testament what are 
 termed Disputed Passages. This expression does not mean 
 
INTRODUCTION. xv. 
 
 passages which are opposed by cavillers, (such as the Intro- 
 ductory Chapters of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke), 
 but passages about which there is at least some conflicting 
 evidence, or which are in the common text, though they rest 
 on no authority. Now it is with regard to Disputed Passa- 
 ges that a Critic is most liable to attack ; and this attack is 
 often made by those whose affection for the words which 
 they are accustomed to read, is greater than their ability to 
 weigh evidence, and to examine in each case, " What is 
 Truth with regard to the text of God's word ?" A critic 
 has said of such words :— " They have become so much 
 " associated with the communings of the soul, as well as 
 " with the perusal of the word of God, that it is like the 
 " tearing away of a limb to discard them without ceremony 
 " from the Text of the New Testament. But in this and 
 " all similar cases, we must be guided simply by evidence ; 
 " and according as we find it to preponderate, so must 
 *' our decisions be. Preconceived opinions and early asso- 
 " ciations must give way before the weight of testimony ; 
 " for we must not allow them to bias our judgments in 
 *' matters of important truth." — Dr. Davidson's Biblical 
 Criticism, p. 181. This writer then states the evidence, 
 and decides against the passage which he is discussing. 
 
 This is the manner in which I desire to act with regard 
 to each disputed passage : each must stand or fall according 
 to the evidence with which it comes. Let traditional feel- 
 ings be set aside, and the judgment will generally be 
 formed without much difficulty. If we have sufficient proof 
 that a passage was part of the known and genuine text in 
 the fourth century or earlier, then we may easily receive it; 
 if the early authorities differ, then they must be weighed 
 among themselves ; and even if we can arrive at no abso- 
 lute certainty, we may at a relative probability; — we shall 
 at least be able to say that the evidence seems to prepon- 
 derate one way or the other, and that all doubt must be 
 confined within such and such limits. But if MSS., ver- 
 sions, and early writers, give us no indication that the first 
 four centuries knew such or such a passage or phrase, then 
 
xvi. INTKODUCTION. 
 
 it is not temerity, it is not innovation, to reject sucli a 
 disputed passage as not coming to us with evidence on 
 which we can believe it to be really Holy Scripture.* 
 
 Some have sought to defend all, or almost all, of such 
 passages, which happen to be found in the common text. 
 Some probability, or some plausibility, has been brought 
 forward. This I regard as very injudicious. Had any of 
 the strange additions which stand in the Codex Bezse, been 
 printed in Stephens's text instead of being in his margin, 
 they would still probably have been in our copies, and such 
 defenders would no doubt have defended them. " Far from 
 " our thoughts be the notion, that all who wish well to the 
 " temple of our Faith are required to come, each man with 
 " his wooden prop, for the purpose of placing it against the 
 " walls of the edifice. Such means of support communicate 
 " to the building nothing but an appearance of weakness 
 " and deformity. Let every thing of the kind — and much 
 " there is — be cleared away ; and let no one be afraid of 
 "the consequences. The structure is ponderibus librata 
 " suis, — by its own weight made stedfast and immoveable." 
 Bp. Turton's " Defence of Porson's Literary Character." 
 p. 182. 
 
 If unwise defenders advocate the genuineness of words 
 which rest on no competent evidence, they unconsciously 
 weaken the authority of all testimony to the text of Scrip- 
 ture ; for they virtually lower that which is certain to the 
 level of that which is (to say the least), uncertain. Both 
 are brought to the same point, but the uncertain or ungen- 
 uine can never be really elevated. 
 
 ^ While these pages have beeu in the hands of the printer, I have received 
 Dr. Davidson's Introduction to the New Testament, Vol. 1.— I 
 refer to it in this place, because he considers in it all the principal passages in 
 the Gospfds, on which question has been raised, I do not profess entire 
 accordance with his conclusions : I rest strongly on the dii-ect and external 
 evidence ; but on this and on other 7nore important subjects, Dr. Davidson's 
 work directs the attention to the state of the questions. It has a peculiar im- 
 portance to the Biblical student, for it supplies a desideratum in our 
 language. The sooner it is completed the better. 
 
INTRODUCTION. x\ii. 
 
 These remarks may serve to meet objections to the Apoca- 
 lypse as now edited, and to the Greek Testament which I 
 have in progress. » 
 
 If any one should ask " Quis vituperavit ?" — Why defend 
 by anticipation ? I answer, that the experience of Biblical 
 Critics for the last fifteen hundred years is before me. 1 
 ■desire to defend what Bengel termed, "the ^^VQcions original 
 text of the New Testament," and I wa?/ be treated as Bengel 
 was for my pains. I contend for the truth of God's word, 
 — I leave results with Him. May He guard me from edi- 
 ting as His Scripture, one icord or syllable different from 
 the competent evidence which He has preserved and trans- 
 mitted. 
 
 Jerome in the latter part of the fourth century revised 
 the Latin version of the New Testament (then in a very 
 incorrect condition), by comparison with ancient Greek 
 Copies. But he knew what he had to expect in executing 
 such a work. " Quis enim doctus pariter vel indoctus cum 
 " in manus volumen assumserit, et a saliva quam semel 
 " imbibit, viderit discrepare quod lectitat, non statim erum- 
 " pat in vocem, me falsarium, me damans esse saorilegum, 
 " qui audeam in veteribus libris, addere, mutare, comgere?" 
 HiERONYMUs ad Damasum. 
 
 " Who, whether learned or unlearned, when he takes my 
 " book into his hands, and finds that what he reads differs 
 " from that to which he has been used, will not forthwith 
 " exclaim againt me as a falsifier, crying out that I am 
 " SACRILEGIOUS, for daring to add, or alter, or correct any 
 " thing in the ancient books." 
 
 Jerome used for the correction of the New Testament 
 ancient Greek copies, " JEvangelia...codicum Orcecorum emen- 
 data coUatione sed veterum ;" he afterwards translated the 
 Old Testament into Latin fi-om the Hebrew original. Many 
 
 « I wish to caU attention to a Remark which I have elsewhere made, that 
 " Honest criticism will exhibit the test of God's word with more exactness 
 but the Docti-ines will be found the same unchanged and unshaken." No 
 -one who values Scripture need be timid. 
 
xviii. INTRODUCTION. 
 
 looked on each of these works as an innovation ; they ob^ 
 Jected to the use of the Greek original to coiTcct the errors 
 then found in the Latin copies ; they thought that the Old 
 Testament should he rendered into Latin from the Septua- 
 gint Greek version (which the Church had commonly used) 
 and not fi'om the authentic Hehrew. 
 
 Some however appreciated the principle of recuning to 
 the ancient fountains ; and after about two hundred years 
 the work of Jerome was commonly used. Augustine, the 
 cotemporary of Jerome, was at first afraid of innovation ; 
 but afterwards he valued and used the new translations. 
 Indeed he fully admits the principle of Textual Criticism, 
 when (speaking of what an accomplished interpreter of 
 God's word should be,)he says, — " Being also aided by the 
 TRUTH OF MSS., ivhich a skilful diligence of emendation has 
 effected, let him come thus provided to discuss and to solve 
 doubtful passages of Scripture." — (De Doctrina Christiana 
 iii. 1.) True interpretation may depend on true reading. 
 
 In after ages, the work of Jerome, when through the 
 errors of transcribers it was itself in a corrupted condition, 
 has been canonized, errors of transcription and all, by 
 those who held just the same kind of traditional feeling, as 
 that which opposed his revised version when first executed. 
 
 The same race of traditional objectors opposed the New 
 Testament in Greek when first printed, as though it were 
 an innovation ; — the same race stigmatized Mill and his 
 labour of thirty years ; — they fnistrated the critical edition 
 undertaken by Bentley ; — they let loose their virulence 
 against Bengel and his accomplished edition. What won- 
 der then, if I should be assailed from some quarters in a 
 similar manner ? 
 
 But I continue my labour, be the consequences what 
 they may ; and I trust that God may grant me to bring my 
 work to a completion. I have one simple object before me, 
 — THE Text of Gcd's word in its Truth and Integrity ; 
 and however some may object, I humbly trust that my 
 work will be of real service to the Church of God, — to 
 
INTKODtJCTIOK. xbi. 
 
 those, at least, who value tradition less highly than they 
 
 do TRUTH, 
 
 How strongly traditional feeling may actuate a very 
 learned man, may be seen by the following quotation rela- 
 ting to Griesbach's New Testament. 
 
 " The perpetual, and, for the most part, needless cancel- 
 " lings, and alterations of all kinds, introduced by Griesbach 
 " from a few ancient, but altered MSS. and versions formed 
 " on such MSS,, evince a temerity that would have been 
 " not a little censurable even in editing a profane writer, 
 '* but which can scarcely be too strongly reprobated when 
 " exercised on the sacred volume." — Dr. Bloomfield's 
 Oreeh Testament, Pref. p. x. 
 
 This is strong language : — I trust that I do not venerate 
 the Word of God less highly than Dr. Bloomfield can; but 
 it would seem as though traditional bias had led him alto- 
 gether into misconception and misstatement. 
 
 I have not to defend Griesbach's critical principles, with 
 which in many points I do not agree : his labours however 
 are not to be despised. But Dr. Bloomfield's language 
 calls for remark. He speaks of " needless cancellings" and 
 " alterations ; " it is not cancelling part of the text, if words 
 are not inserted, which the text, as exbibited by the best 
 authorities, does not really contain : it is not making alter- 
 ations fi'om the true text, when sentences are given on the 
 authority of ancient documents, in preference to that of 
 those which are modern. The word "needless" is wholly 
 misplaced in such a case: in restoring a genuine text, 
 nothing which conduces to such an end can be needless. 
 
 But the most ancient authorities are described as being 
 " a few altered MSS. and versions, formed on such MSS." 
 The MSS. of the fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries are 
 indeed few ; but these primary authorities which give con- 
 senting testimony against the modern text are ALL the 
 documents of that age which have come to us : these are 
 the authorities which Dr. Bloomfield so repeatedly calls 
 '■ slender." As to the charge of their being " altered," it 
 
XX. INTRODUCTION. 
 
 should have been entered into fully, or else not made. But 
 can any one believe that«^^ the older documents have been 
 altered? That in the early centuries the Christians in 
 various countries conspired to alter needlessly their sacred 
 books ? Can it be tha t no extremely old documents have 
 come down to us, which do not exhibit these alterations ? 
 (The word " altered" cannot mean, altered in more modern 
 times). To which will the word "altered" most fitly apply, 
 to the older Greek documents, or to those of later ages, 
 written mostly at Constantinople or Mount Athos, when 
 the Greek Emph-e and Greek influence were contracted to 
 narrow limits ? 
 
 But in speaking of " versions formed on such MSS.," 
 Dr. Bloomfield admits a very important point : — the ancient 
 translations are witnesses for the ancient text : who can 
 suppose that the ancient translations, such as those of 
 Jerome, the Egyptian versions, &c. — made in widely difier- 
 ent countries should conspire in the use of " altered" MSS ? 
 The truth is, that the most ancient MSS., versions, and 
 citations, supply a threefold cord of generally consenting 
 testimony, in opposition to the modern readings. 
 
 With regard to " temerity," I think that far more is 
 e\dnced by any man, who receives readings on late evidence 
 or on none at all, than by him who adheres to that which 
 is both good and ancient. A profane writer ought to be 
 edited on principles of textual criticism, of just the same 
 kind, as those which it is desired to apply to the New Tes- 
 tament. How thankful would an editor of Herodotus or 
 Thucydides be, if he had a MS. to use, of the age and 
 character of some of those which contain the New Testa- 
 ment : we should soon see its text followed, to the utter 
 rejection of that which is modern. But on Dr. Bloomfield's 
 principles we should neglect ancient classical MSS. (e.g. 
 the precious Vatican fragments of Dion Cassius) for the 
 sake of modern copies ! 
 
 Now there is a work which was first printed from modern 
 MSS., and which was perpetuated for a while in reprints of 
 these modern texts ; and this work was afterwards printed 
 
INTRODUCTION. xxi. 
 
 on the authority of an ancient MS. ; the consequence 
 has been, that this ancient text has entirely superseded the 
 modern text previously cui-rent. The ancient text founded 
 on this MS. is that which is habitually used. This work is 
 the Septuagint version of the Old Testament ; the early 
 printed editions from modern MSS. are the Coinplutensian 
 and the Aldine, — 'the ancient text which has superseded 
 them is that of the Roman edition, (1586) — now the cur- 
 rent text of the Septuagint, — taken from the Vatican MS., 
 — one of those very docur&ents which Dr. Bloomlield would 
 stigmatize as being " altered." ! 
 
 One page before that from which I have quoted, Dr. 
 Bloomfield speaks of those, who, "in the Critical and 
 " Philological departments,... evince an insufficient acquaint- 
 " ance with the enlightened principles of the gi-eat Critics 
 " of the school of Bentley and Hemsterhusius, Parson, 
 " and Hermann." 
 
 Who can more oppose the critical principles of Bentley, 
 than one who can so loudly decry the authority of ancient 
 copies as evidences of the Text ? Are not Dr. Bloomfield's 
 critical principles just the same of those of Bentley's deter- 
 mined opponents, — those fierce adversaries who succeeded 
 in the disgraceful triumph of frustrating Bentley's Critical 
 Edition of the New Testament ? 
 
 I fully accord with Dr. Bloomfield's strong remarks on 
 the application of Conjectural Criticism to the Text of the 
 New Testament ; this he terms " at once unnecessary (with 
 so many MSS.) and presumptuous ; nay, foolish :" (p. x- 
 note) — and yet, — what can be said? Dr. Bloomfield has, in 
 some instances — (e.g. Mark ix. 12, and 1 Cor. ii. 9,) indulged 
 in Conjecture, in that which he rightly terms unncessary, 
 presumptuous, and foolish (the Italics are his own) : — in 
 one place he inserts a conjectural reading in his text ; in 
 another he conjecturally marks a word as one to be cancel- 
 led. In Luke ii. 2, the ivhole verse is marked as though it 
 should be omitted on conjecture, and another conjectural 
 alteration is suggested. (Dr. Bloomfield's alteration of the 
 
xxii. INTRODUCTION. 
 
 text of this verse I suppose to be unintentional, but tbe 
 grammatical meaning is changed.) Other marks of conjec- 
 ture ai-e given in his text, and enforced in his notes. Is 
 not this real temerity ? is not this the introduction of 
 alterations and cancellings, and that needlessly ? 
 
 Not one word did Griesbach insert, alter, or cancel 
 from conjecture : " nil mutetur e conjectura" 
 
 Thus then it is ; an Editor may shut his eyes to the light 
 o{ good and ancient evidence presented before him; and, 
 though protesting against conjecture, his feet may be 
 entangled in that very snare. 
 
 Had Dr. Bloomfield's conceptions on the subject of 
 Textual Criticism been more clear and correct, — more in 
 accordance with those of Bentley and Porson, his useful 
 edition of the Greek Testament would have possessed far 
 greater utility. 
 
 Far be it from me to speak disrespectfully of Dr. Bloom- 
 field, or of his work : I do not think however that textual 
 criticism is the department of literary labour for which his 
 mind is fitted. Bp. Turton speaks of no one in such high 
 terais as he does of Dr. Hey ; and yet, as to his skill in 
 critical inquiries, he says, " I doubt whether his mind was 
 completely formed for inquiries of that kind. He scarcely 
 ever, I think, attempted criticism with success." — Vindica- 
 tion OF PoRSON, p. 206. 
 
 Bp. Turton had no wish to disparage Dr. Hey : — (in 
 eulogizing him he departs from his subject for about five 
 pages,) — I have no intention in these remarks to tinder- 
 value the learning or labours of Dr. Bloomfield. I only 
 wish to shew how traditional misconception may lead into 
 remarkable inconsistency with regard to Textual Criticism. 
 
 It would be an object worthy of much labour to give 
 even one sentence of the Bible more accurately, to bring 
 foi-\s'ard the words of even one passage with more correct- 
 ness ; those who can understand this fact may be able to 
 appreciate this revised Text of the Revelation ; it is for 
 tliose who value God's word that I have prepared it, — for 
 
INTEODUCTION. xxiii. 
 
 thoee, who, resting on the precious blood of Christ, desire 
 to know more accurately what that word teaches ; — and 
 may God graciously grant His blessing on its being used 
 by such. " Blessed is he that readeth, and those who hear 
 the words of this prophecy, and keep the things which are 
 written therein : for the time is at hand." 
 
 As an instance of the result of labour purely critical, in a 
 passage where every Christian reader may in some measure 
 appreciate it, I may refer to Rev. xxii. 14 : — all majfeel the 
 difference between the statements of the readings : " Bles- 
 sed ARE THOSE WHO WASH THEIR ROBES, that they may have 
 EIGHT to the tree of life, and may enter in through the 
 gates into the city ;" — how different from " Blessed are they 
 that do His commandments, that they may have right to 
 the tree of life," &c. The common text can be understood 
 hj means of other Scriptures in such a way as not to con- 
 tradict grace ; but a soul that values the salvation which 
 God has provided in the blood of Christ, finds in the 
 declaration, " Blessed are those who wash their robes," tliat 
 on which it can repose, as having the gospel of the grace of 
 God in Christ's redemption, brought before it with a rich 
 unction. 
 
 How beautifully have we thus the holiness of those 
 gates of pearl, through which nothing that defileth shall 
 ever enter, set in immediate connection with that cleansing 
 through which a title is given to enter in, as ransomed, 
 forgiven, and saved. Thoughts are presented to us of holi- 
 ness, grace, and redemption, in the harmony, in which it 
 has pleased God to manifest them ! We can contemplate 
 the holiness of the heavenly city, without one feeling which 
 hinders the joy of the soul as trusting in Christ. The 
 believer may now rejoice in saying, " Worthy is the 
 Lamb :" — he may feel the worthiness of Jesus to be his 
 title to enter in, even before the very throne of God, — to 
 be presented there in robes washed and made white in the 
 blood of the Lamb. 
 
 To me it would be a reward for years of toil, to be the 
 means of bringincf one such text forward with the full li^fht 
 
xxiv. INTRODUCTION. 
 
 of clear and certain evidence bearing on it ; and if in a 
 case like this, we may feel refreshment of spirit from a 
 result of criticism, may we not pay all attention to such 
 results with regard to other subjects in the Scripture, whe- 
 ther precepts or prophecies ? 
 
 But I would not be misunderstood : — doctrinal bias is no 
 ground from which to form conclusions as to the text of 
 God's word : the doctrine of a text may be true and pre- 
 cious, but the text not genuine : I refer to Rev. xxii. 14, as 
 shewing that the mere principles of criticism properly ap- 
 plied, may result in illustration of truths wliich are known 
 and felt to be most precious. 
 
 And no one need fear the results of sound criticism ; 
 God, who caused His Scripture to be written by the inspi- 
 ration of the Holy Ghost, has so providentially watched 
 over its transmission, that He has preserved to us certain, 
 historical evidence, enough to satisfy all honest inquirers. 
 And so with regard to its text; He has caused that we 
 should possess the needed evidence for forming a judgment 
 as to what the inspired Apostles actually wrote ; and having 
 this evidence thus placed before us in the providential care 
 of God, we need no more fear the fair results of this kind 
 of testimony, as bearing on the text of Scripture, than we 
 do the results of that which relates to the ti-ansmission of 
 the BooTiS themselves. 
 
 Plymouth, 
 
 Nov. 22nd, 1848. S. P. T. 
 
 Explanation of marks used. 
 
 An asterisk * is inserted whenever the ancient text differs 
 from the modern, whether in omission, insertion, or change. 
 
 A dash ( — ) is employed to mark the abrupt changes of 
 construction, found in the Greek, 
 
 Words enclosed within brackets [ ] are those which rest 
 on doubtful authority. 
 
POSTSCRIPT 
 
 To A Prospectus of a Critical Edition of the New 
 Testament now in preparation. 
 
 The object with which my Prospectus was issued, was 
 principally to give information, and to gain information : to 
 give information to those who are interested in Biblical 
 studies of the work which I have in hand, and to gain 
 information myself from such, on subjects connected with 
 this work. 
 
 This object has been already met by my Prospectus, to a 
 considerable degree, in both respects : I have to thank those 
 who have kindly interested themselves about my work, to 
 many of whom I am wholly unknown, except as engaged 
 in Critical study, bearing on the Text of the Word of God. 
 
 In reply to all inquiries, I wish here to state, that when- 
 ever it may please God to enable me to complete my work, 
 I intend to publish it by subscription : with this view I 
 should wait until a sufficient list of subscribers should be 
 obtained to guarantee the expense of publication : it would 
 be premature for me to say anything at present, as to 
 price, &c. 
 
 In generally expressing my thanks for the communica- 
 tions which I have received, I wish to state distinctly that 
 I shall still be gi-ateful for information which may at all 
 bear on ancient MSS., Versions, or Biblical works. I have 
 to thank all who have kindly brought my Prospectus into 
 notice, and amongst these I am bound especially to mention 
 the Rev. T. H. Horne, to whose kindness I am also 
 indebted for the use of the magnificent edition of the 
 Coptic Gospels (with Arabic in a parallel column), pub- 
 lished by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. 
 The Coptic MSS. used for this edition were collated by the 
 Rev. J. R. T. Lieder, Missionary at Cairo, and it has been 
 kindly lent me for the purpose of collating this Coptic Text 
 with those of Schwartze and Wilkins. 
 
XXVI, 
 
 Since my Prospectus was issued, the larger edition of the 
 Greek New Testament by Edvardus de Muralto, with Pro- 
 legomena, &c. has been published. There is however no 
 precise indication of what he gives as the readings of the 
 Vatican MS., on his own certain knowledge. We can only 
 approximate to accuracy with regard to the readings of this 
 most important MS. When the collation of Bartolocci 
 (in MS. at Paris), that executed /o?' Bentley, and that by 
 Birch, differ, the discrepancy must be stated, and reasons 
 may be found for forming a judgment ; when the collations 
 agree, we may generally be satisfied ; but still it is certain 
 that all of these collations in several places give, not the 
 original readings of the MS., but the correctious of a later 
 hand. I can hear nothing of the publication of the Text 
 of this MS. by Cardinal Ma.t, being likely to take place : 
 Cardinal Mai himself informed me, in Mai'ch 1846, that 
 his would not be a fac-simile edition, but a Greek Testa- 
 ment, critically edited, /or general use, like Mill's, ^" Com 
 me V edition Anglaise de Mill," ) the text mostly formed on 
 that of the Vatican MS., with various readings. 
 
 I shall be most thankful to receive any information rela- 
 tive to this most important of all Biblical Documents. 
 
 I may here mention that the Librarians at St. ISIark's, 
 at Venice, who kindly afforded me the fullest access to all 
 that I wanted there, were Dr. Giuseppe Valentinelli 
 and Signer Andrea Baretta : when my Prospectus was 
 printed I had not the memorandum of their names by me. 
 Those who know how Montfaucon was ti-eated a century 
 and half ago at the Library of St. Mark's (see his 
 " Diarium Italicum," p. 41), will understand how gladly I 
 acknowledge this courtesy. I know by experience what 
 Montfaucon describes, for I have met elseivhere with the 
 same kind of exclusion. 
 
 I add a word on tlie important principle of using ancient 
 authorities exclusively as evidences of the true Text. 
 
 In hardly any passage would any Critical Editor admit a 
 reading without some ancient authority ; in such cases the 
 ancient documents become the real authorities ; all others 
 are simply additions, which in no way increase the amount 
 of evidence which ought to weigh. 
 
 This may be called using only a part of the Critical 
 materials, but it is in fact what we should do in the inves 
 tigation of Truth on any other subject. One eye-witness 
 is competent to give evidence, while ten thousand hearsay 
 
reporters wonld be excluded. The point is the same aa 
 when early and ancient historians are compared. If all 
 early historians (and some of them nearly cotemporaries) 
 say one thing, and late obscm'e writers another, who will 
 hesitate as to his choice ? 
 
 If a reading have no ancient vouchers,— if there be no 
 trace of it in ancient MS., ancient version, or early citation, 
 would it be other than temerity (almost amounting to 
 conjecture), if its claims were pressed ? What, if it were 
 supported by a host of modern copies, the ancient authori- 
 ties would be all of them witnesses against it. Who would 
 defend an erratum in a printed work, because of its being 
 found in the mass of recent copies ? 
 
 Where there are variations, the only thing which can 
 prove any reading to be truly ancient, is the fact of its res- 
 ting on some ancient voucher. Gbiesbach well observed, 
 " Perhaps we shall soon have to think of lessening our 
 " Critical aids, rather than of increasing them without 
 " limit. ..Those indeed who carry on Criticism as though it 
 " were a mechanical art, are delighted with so numerous an 
 " army of MSS." — Symbolse Criticae, Pref p. 2. Of course 
 the modern copies are those which may be safely left to the 
 mechanical critics. Griesbach says elsewhere (New Testa- 
 ment, Prolegomena, p. Ixi.) " There is no need to repeat 
 " again and again, that readings, which, looked at in them- 
 " selves, we judge to be tbe better, are not to be preferred, 
 " unless authenticated by at least some ancient testimonies'^ 
 
 Preparing for Publication, 
 
 Historic Evidence of the Origin and Transmission 
 OF THE Books of the New Testament. 
 
 This work is intended to furnish a satisfactory account 
 of the authorship, transmission, &c. of the writings which 
 we possess collectively in the New Testament, — to show that 
 they have been always received as genuine on grounds of 
 positive evidence, such as admits of no more doubt or un- 
 certainty than that which we can entertain, as to the 
 authorship of Sargeant's " Life of Henry Marttn," or 
 of Newton's " Cardiphonia." 
 
XXVlll. 
 
 While occupied in preparations for the Critical Edition 
 of the Greek New Testament, which (if the Lord will), 1 
 hope to publish^ the greater part of the materials for tlais 
 volume of " Histoiic Evidence," have been collected ; no 
 small part of the work is written, and 1 expect that (without 
 interfering with my more important occupation,) the whole 
 will be completed in a few months. 
 
 There are many Christians to whom such a volume will, 
 I believe, be useful ; there are many who if they hear a 
 doubt or cavil raised, feel that it is (to say the least,) un- 
 satisfactory not to know how to meet the cavil : their own 
 confidence may not be shaken even in the slightest degree ; 
 but still they cannot do other than desire to know where 
 the fallacy of the objection lies. Although the needed in- 
 formation may be gained from many critical works, yet I 
 am not aware of any work which precisely supplies what is 
 needed to this end ; what is needed, is an accurate account, 
 but rather popular than critical, so as to be altogether in- 
 telligible to those who are not accustomed to critical 
 studies. 
 
 It is my wish to supply this want, not so much indeed in 
 meeting objections, as in bringing foi-ward that which is 
 positive ; that which, if held fast, will give to the mind an 
 intelligent apprehension of the certain grounds on which 
 the New Testament Scriptures are received : shewing that 
 we possess the same kind of absolute evidence for the New 
 Testament Scriptures, which we have for other genuine 
 works of antiquity, only with tenfold strength. 
 
 It is a fact that cavils are raised : it is a fact that such 
 cavils under vaiious Philosophic disguises are more and 
 more circulated; it is useless to shut our eyes to these facts; 
 we must meet this condition of things by showing intelli- 
 gently, the gi'ounds which demonstrate the genuineness of 
 the records of that religion which gives us all our hopes 
 through the one perfect sacrifice of the Son of God, to whom 
 the Scripture testifies. 
 
 I intend to consider in one part of the volume the author- 
 ity of the New Testament, as deduced from its genuineness, 
 and as absolutely inspired by the Holy Ghost, and also the 
 proof which the New Testament affords to the authority of 
 the Old. 
 
THE REVELATION. 
 
 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, which 
 God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things 
 which must come to pass speedily ; and which he sig- 
 nified, having sent by his angel, unto his servant John : 
 who hath testified the word of God, and the testimony 
 of Jesus Christ, * what things soever he saw. Blessed 
 is he who readeth, and those who hear the words of the 
 prophecy, and keep the things which are written 
 therein : for the time is nigh. 
 
 JOHN to the seven churches which are in Asia: 
 Grace he unto you, and peace, from him who is, and 
 who was, and who is to come; and from the seven 
 Spirits that * are in the presence of his thi'one ; and 
 from Jesus Christ, — the faithful Witness, the First-bom 
 * of the dead, and the Piince of the kings of the earth. 
 
 Unto him that * loveth us, and hath * freed '^ us from 
 our sins by his own blood, — and he hath made * for us 
 *a kingdom, — priests unto Him who is his God and 
 Father ; to him he glory and dominion for ever and 
 ever. Amen. 
 
 « " And hath washed ' is the reading of some authorities, but not of the 
 most ancient MSS. 
 
Ch. I. 7. THE REVELATION. 
 
 7 Behold, he cometh with clouds ; and every eye 
 shall see him, and those who pierced him : and all the 
 tribes of the laud shall wail at him. Even so, 
 Amen. 
 
 8 " $ am the Alpha and the Omega,"* saith the Lord* 
 God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the 
 Almighty. 
 
 9 $ John, -your brother and fellow-partaker in the 
 tribulation and =i'^ kingdom and endui'ance '^' in Jesus, was 
 in the isle that is called Patmos because of the word of 
 
 10 God and *the testimony of Jesus.* I was in the 
 Spirit on the Lord's day; and I heard behind me a 
 
 11 great voice, as of a trumpet, saying,"= "What thou 
 seest, write in a book, and send unto the * seven 
 churches ;- unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto 
 Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto 
 Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea." 
 
 12 And I turned to see the voice that * was speaking 
 with me. And having turned, I saw seven candlesticks 
 
 13 of gold ; and in the midst of the * candlesticks one like 
 unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment reachiug 
 to the foot, and girt about at the breasts with a girdle of 
 
 14 gold. His head and his hairs ivere white as white wool, 
 
 15 as snow ; and his eyes as a flame of fire ; and his feet 
 like unto fine brass glowing with fire, as in a furnace ; 
 
 16 and his voice as the voice of many waters : — and having 
 in his right hand seven stars : — and out of his mouth 
 proceeding a sharp two-edged sword : and his counten- 
 ance as tne sun stiineth in his strength. 
 
 •2 
 
THE REVELATION. Ch. II. 6. 
 
 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. i7 
 And he laid his right hand upon me, saying, -i'- " Fear 
 not ; 5 am the First and the Last, and THE LIVING i8 
 ONE ; and I have been dead, and behold, I am living 
 for ever and ever :* and I have the keys of * death and 
 of hades. Write ^ therefore the things which thou hast ly 
 seen, and the things which are, and the things which 
 are about to come to pass hereafter ; the mystery of 20 
 the seven stars which thou hast seen upon my nght 
 hand, and the seven candlesticks of gold. The seven 
 stars are the angels of the seven chui'ches : and the 
 seven candlesticks * are the seven churches. 
 
 II. "Unto the angel of the church *who is *in 
 Ephesus write ; 
 
 " These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars 
 in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the 
 seven candlesticks of gold; I know thy works, and 
 ^ labour, and thy endurance, and that thou canst not bear 
 those who are evil : and thou hast tried those who call 
 themselves apostles, and are not, and hast found them 
 liars : and thou hast * endurance, and hast borne for my 
 name's sake, and * hast not been wearied. * Nevertheless 
 I have this against thee, that thou hast left thy first love. 
 Remember, therefore, whence thou hast fallen, and 
 repent, and do the first works ; otheiivise I am coming 
 unto thee, * and I will remove thy candlestick out of its 
 place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that 
 3 
 
Ch. II. r. THE REVELATION. 
 
 thou Latest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which {- 
 also hate. 
 
 7 " He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit 
 saith unto the churches ; To him that overcometh will 
 I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in *the 
 paradise of God. 
 
 8 " And unto the angel of the church * in Smyrna 
 write ; 
 
 " These things saith the First and the Last, who hath 
 
 9 heen dead, and hath lived ; I know - thy tribulation, and 
 poverty, (but thou art rich,) and I know the blasphemy 
 * from those who say that they are Jews, and are not, 
 
 10 but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear ->' not the things 
 which thou art about to suffer: behold, the devil is 
 about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be 
 tried, and -'- may have tribulation ten days : be thou 
 faithful unto death, and I will give unto thee the crown 
 of life. 
 
 11 " He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit 
 saith unto the churches ; He that overcometh shall not 
 be hurt of the second death. 
 
 12 " And unto the angel of the church in Pergamos, 
 write ; 
 
 " These things saith he who hath the sharp two-edged 
 
 i.T sword ; I know * where thou dwellest, even where 
 
 the throne of Satan is: and thou boldest fast my 
 
 name, and hast not denied my faith ; and in those 
 
 4 
 
THE REVELATION. Ch. II. 20. 
 
 days- ivas Antipas my witness, =5= my faithfiil one, who 
 was killed among- you, where Satan clwelleth. But I i* 
 have a few things against thee, that thou hast there 
 those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught 
 Balak to cast a stumhlinghlock before the children of 
 Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit 
 fornication : so thou also hast those that hold the 15 
 doctrine of the Nicolaitanes -!' in like manner. Repent i6 
 ^ therefore ; otherwise, I am coming unto thee quickly, 
 and will fight with them by the sword of my mouth. 
 
 " He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit i7 
 saith unto the chui'ches ; To him that overcometh will 
 I give ^' of the hidden manna, and I will give unto him 
 a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, 
 which none knoweth save he that receiveth it. 
 
 " And unto the angel of the chui'ch * who is in is 
 Thyatira write; 
 
 " These things saith the Son of God, who hath his 
 eyes as a flame of fire, and his feet are like unto fine 
 brass ; I know thy works, and love, and "^ faith, and 19 
 service, and thy endurance, and thy works,* the 
 last to be more in number than the first. Notwith- 20 
 standing I have -•' this against thee, that thou * lettest 
 alone « the woman Jezebel ; — * who calleth herself 
 a prophetess, *and she teacheth and deceiveth my 
 
 <^ " Thy wife Jezebel " is the reading of some good authorities ; " the 
 woman" is however the reading of C. 38, etc, with the Vulgate, and most 
 of the other ancient versions. 
 
Ch. III. 21. THE REVELATION. 
 
 servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrifi- 
 
 21 ced unto idols. And I have given her space to repent, 
 and she -willeth not to repent of her fornication. 
 
 22 Behold, I cast her into a bed, and those who commit 
 adultery with her into great tribulation, except they 
 
 23 repent of -her deeds. And I will kill her children 
 with death ; and all the churches shall know that 1i am 
 he who searcheth the reins and hearts : and I will give 
 
 24 unto every one of you according to your works. But 
 unto you I say, *the rest that are in Thyatira, as 
 many as have not this doctrine, * who have not known 
 the depths of Satan, (how they speak,) I * lay not upon 
 
 2-') you any other burden ; but that which ye have hold fast 
 
 till I come. 
 2c " And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my 
 
 works unto the end, — I will give to him authority over 
 
 27 the nations • and he shall rule them with a rod of iron ; 
 
 28 as the vessels of a potter are broken to shivers : even 
 as $ also have received of my Father. And I will 
 
 29 give unto him the morning star. He that hath an 
 ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the 
 churches. 
 
 III. " And unto the angel of the church in Sardis 
 write ; 
 
 " These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits 
 of God, and the seven stars ; I know thy works, that 
 thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be 
 watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that 
 
 6 
 
THE REVELATION. Ch. III. 10 
 
 * were about to die : for I have not found thy works 
 complete before * my God. Remember, therefore, how 
 thou hast received and heard ; and observe, and 
 repent. If, therefore, thou shalt not watch, I will come 
 [on thee] as a thief, and thou shalt not know at what 
 hour I will come upon thee. * But thou hast a few 
 names *in Sardis, which have not defiled their gar- 
 ments ; and they shall walk with me in white : because 
 they are worthy. 
 
 "He that overcometh shall *thus be clothed in 
 white garments ; and I will not blot out his name out of 
 the book of life, and I will confess his name in the 
 presence of my Father, and in the presence of his 
 angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the 
 Spirit saith unto the churches. 
 
 " And unto the angel of the church in Philadelphia 
 write ; 
 
 " These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, 
 he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no 
 one * shall shut, * that shutteth, and no one openeth ; 
 I know thy works : behold, I have set before thee an 
 open door, * which no one can shut : because thou hast 
 a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not 
 denied my name. Behold, I make those of the syna- 
 gogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews, and are 
 not, but do lie ; behold, I will make them to come and 
 worship before thy feet, and know that 5 have loved 
 thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my endurance, 
 7 
 
Ch. III. 11. THE REVELATION. 
 
 $ also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, 
 which is about to come upon the whole world, to try 
 
 1 1 those who dwell upon the earth. * I am coming 
 quickly : hold fast that which thou hast, that none 
 take thy crown. 
 
 12 "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the 
 temple of my God, and he shall never more go out : and 
 I will write upon him the name of my God, and the 
 name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem, — 
 * that which descendeth out of heaven from my God : and 
 
 13 I will write upon him my new name. He that hath 
 an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the 
 churches. 
 
 14 " A.nd unto the angel of the church * in Laodicea 
 write ; 
 
 " These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true 
 
 lo Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God ; I know 
 
 thy works, that thou art neither cold not hot : I would 
 
 16 thou wert cold or hot. Thus because thou art luke- 
 warm, and neither =^=hot nor cold, I am about to spue 
 
 17 thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, ' I am rich, 
 and have become enriched, and have need of nothing ;' 
 and knowest not that thou art the wretched one, 
 
 18 and * the miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked : 1 
 counsel thee to buy of me gold refined from the fire, that 
 thou mayest be enriched ; and white garments, that 
 thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy 
 nakedness may not be manifested, and eyesalve *to 
 
 8 
 
THE REVELATION. Ch. IV. 5. 
 
 anoint thine eyes that thou mayest see. As many 19 
 as I love, 5 rebuke and chasten : be zealous there- 
 fore, and repent. .Behold, I stand at the door, and 20 
 knock : if any one hear my voice, and open the door, 
 I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he 
 with me. 
 
 " To him that overcometh will I give to take his 21 
 seat with me in my throne, even as $ also have over- 
 come, and have taken my seat with my Father in his 
 throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the 22 
 Spirit saith unto the churches." 
 
 IV. Afteb these things I saw, and, behold, 
 a door opened in heaven : and the first voice which 
 I heard, ivas as it were of a trumpet speaking with 
 me ; — sajang, " Come up hither, and I will show thee 
 things which must be hereafter." 
 
 * Immediately I was in the Spirit: and, behold, 
 a throne was set in heaven, and upon the throne one 
 sitting. And he that was sitting * was like in appear- 
 ance to a jasper-stone, and a sardine : and tJiere was a 
 rainbow round about the throne, — like in appearance to 
 an emerald. And round about the throne ivere twenty- 
 four tlirones : — and upon the * twenty-four thrones * / 
 saiv elders sitting, clothed in white garments ; and 
 *on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the 
 throne proceed lightnings and * voices and thunderings : 
 and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the 
 9 
 
Ch. IV. 6. THE REVELATION. 
 
 6 throne, which are the seven Spirits of God : and 
 before the throne * as it were a sea of glass like unto 
 ciystal : and in the midst of the throne, and around 
 the throne, four living creatures full of eyes before 
 
 7 and behind. And the first living creature ivas like 
 a lion, and the second living creature like a calf, and 
 the third living creature having the face as * of a man, 
 and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle. 
 
 8 And the four living creatures each of them had six 
 wings round about him ; and within they are full of eyes : 
 and they have no rest day and night, — saying, " Holy, 
 holy, holy, Lord God the Almighty, who was, and who 
 
 9 is, and who is to come." And when the li^dng crea- 
 tures give glory and honour and thanks to him that 
 
 10 sitteth on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, the 
 twenty-four elders fall down before liim that sitteth on 
 the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and 
 ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 
 
 11 " Thou art worthy, O Lord and *oui' God, to receive 
 glory and honour and power : because thou hast created 
 all things, and because of thy pleasure they * were and 
 have been created." 
 
 V. And I saw in the right hand of liim that sitteth 
 on the throne a roll written within and on the backside, 
 
 2 firmly sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty 
 angel proclaiming with a loud voice, " ^Vho *is worthy 
 
 3 to open the roll, and to loose the seals thereof ?" And 
 no one was able in heaven, nor on the earth, neither 
 under the earth, to open the roll, neither to look 
 
 10 
 
THE REVELATION. Ch. V. 11. 
 
 therein. And $ wept much, because no one was 
 found worthy to open *the roll, neither to look 
 therein. And "one of the elders saith unto me, " Weep 
 not : behold, the Lion * that is of the tribe of Juda, 
 the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the roll, 
 *and the seven seals thereof." 
 
 And * behold "• and in the midst of the throne and of 
 the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, 
 a Lamb, standing, as it had been slain, having seven 
 horns and seven eyes, which are the [seven] Spirits of 
 God * sent forth into all the earth. And he came and 
 took * the roll out of the right hand of him that sitteth 
 upon the throne. 
 
 Arid when he took the roll, the four living creatures 
 and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, 
 having each * a harp and bowls of gold full of incense, 
 which are the prayers of the saints. And they sing a 
 new song, saying, 
 
 " Thou art worthy to take the roll, and to open the 
 seals thereof: because thou hast been slain, and hast 
 redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every tribe, 
 and tongue, and people, and nation ; and thou hast 
 made * them unto our God * a kingdom and & priests : 
 and *they reign on the earth." 
 
 And I saw, and I heard the voice of many angels 
 around the throne and the living creatures and the 
 
 ^ " And I saw in the midst" is a reading supported by many authorities, 
 but not by the most ancient. 
 
 * Thus in the most ancient authorities Greek and Latin; others read 
 " Kings and Priests." 
 11 
 
Ch. V. 12. THE REVELATION. 
 
 elders : and the number of them ^vas myriads of 
 
 12 myriads, and thousands of thousands ; saying with a 
 loud voice, " Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain 
 to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and might, 
 
 13 and honour, and glory, and blessing." And every crea- 
 ture which is in heaven, and * on the earth, and under 
 the earth, and on the sea, * and all things that are in 
 them, heard I saying, " Unto him that sitteth upon 
 the throne, and unto the Lamb, be blessing, and honour, 
 
 14 and glory, and dominion, for ever and ever." And the 
 four living creatures said, "Amen." And * the elders 
 fell down and worshipped.* 
 
 VI. And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the 
 * seven seals, and I heard one of the four living crea- 
 tures saying, as it were *with a voice of thunder, 
 
 2 " Come."* And I saw, and behold a white horse : and 
 he that sat on him having a bow ; and a crown was 
 given imto him : and he went forth conquering, and to 
 conquer. 
 
 3 And when he opened the second seal, I heard the 
 
 4 second living creature sajing, " Come."* And there 
 came forth another, a red horse : and to him that sat on 
 him was it given to take peace from the earth, and 
 that they should slay one another : and there was 
 given unto him a great sword. 
 
 5 And when he opened the third seal, I heard the 
 third living creature saying, " Come."* And I saw, 
 and behold a black horse ; and he that sat on him having 
 
THE KEVELATION. Ch. VI. 12. 
 
 a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard *as it 
 were a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, 
 saying, " A measure of wheat for a penny, and three 
 measures of barley for a penny ; and see thou hurt not 
 the oil and the wine." 
 
 And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard [the 
 voice of] the fourth living creature saying, " Come."* 
 And I saw, and behold a pale horse : and he that sat 
 on him was called Death, and Hades * followed with 
 him. And there was given unto a them authority over 
 the fourth part of the earth, * to kill with sword, and 
 with famine, and with death, and by the beasts of the 
 earth. 
 
 And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the 
 altar the souls of those that had been slain because of 
 the word of God, and because of the testimony which 
 they held : and they * cried with a loud voice, saying, 
 "How long, O Master, the holy one and true, dost 
 thou not judge and take vengeance for our blood *from 
 those that dwell on the earth ?" And there was given 
 unto * them severally a white robe ; and it was said 
 unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, 
 until both their fellow-servants and their brethren, that 
 were about to be killed as they also had been, shall 
 have been completed. 
 
 And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and * there 
 was a great earthquake ; and the sun became black as 
 
 <*" Given unto him," is the reading of some authorities, hut not of the most 
 ancient. 
 
 13 c 
 
Ch. VI. 13. THE REVELATION. 
 
 sackcloth of hair, and the ^- whole of the moon became 
 as blood ; and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, 
 even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs, when 
 shaken by a mighty wind. And * the heaven was 
 separated from its place as a scroll when it rolleth itself 
 together ; and every mountain and island were moved 
 out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and 
 the great men, and the * chief captains, and the rich 
 men, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and 
 * freeman, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks 
 of the mountains ; and they say to the mountains and 
 the rocks, " Fall on us, and hide us from the face of 
 him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of 
 the Lamb : because the great day of '^ his wrath hath 
 come ; and who is able to stand ?" 
 
 VII. * After this I saw four angels standing on the 
 four corners of the earth, holding the four ^vinds of the 
 earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor 
 on the sea, nor on any tree. 
 
 And I saw another angel * ascending from the sun- 
 rising, having the seal of the living God : and he cried 
 with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was 
 given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying. " Hurt not 
 the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed 
 the servants of our God upon their foreheads." 
 
 « " Their wrath," is a reading supported by ancient authorities, about 
 equal to that riven above. 
 
 14 
 
THE REVELATION. Ch. VII. 13. 
 
 And I heard the number of the sealed : an hundred 4 
 and forty-four thousand sealed, out of every tribe of the 
 children of Israel. Of the tribe of Juda, twelve thou- ^ 
 sand sealed ; Of the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand ;* 
 Of the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand;* Of the tribe e 
 of Aser, twelve thousand ; - Of the tribe of Nepthalim, 
 twelve thousand ; * Of the tribe of Manasses, twelve 
 thousand ; * Of the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand ; * 7 
 Of the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand ; "^ Of the tribe of 
 Issachar, twelve thousand ; -^ Of the tribe of Zebulon, 8 
 twelve thousand ; * Of the tribe of Joseph, twelve 
 thousand ; =*= Of the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand 
 sealed. 
 
 After these things I saw, and *a great multitude, 9 
 which no one could number, out of every nation, and 
 tribes, and peoples, and tongues, standing in the pre- 
 sence of the throne and in the presence of the Lamb, 
 — * clothed with white robes, — and palms in their 
 hands ; and *they cry with a loud voice, saying, " Sal- lo 
 vation to our God who sitteth upon the throne, and 
 unto the Lamb." And aU the angels stood around the u 
 throne, and around the elders and the four living crea- 
 tures ; and they fell before the throne on their faces, 
 and worshipped God, saying, " Amen : Blessing, and 12 
 glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and 
 power, and might, he unto our God for ever and ever. 
 [Amen.]" 
 
 And one of the elders answered, sapng unto me, 13 
 '' These that have been arrayed in white robes, what are 
 15 
 
Ch. VII. 14. THE REVELATION. 
 
 H they? and whence did they come ?" And I said unto 
 him, * " My lord, thou knowest." And he said to me, 
 " These are those who come out of [the«] great tribu- 
 lation, and have washed their robes, and made * them 
 
 15 white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they 
 in the presence of the throne of God, and sene him 
 day and night in his temple ; and he that sitteth on 
 
 16 the throne shall be a covert over them.* They shall 
 hunger no more, neither thii-st any more ; neither shall 
 
 17 the sun light on them, nor any heat. Because the 
 Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall be their 
 shepherd, and shall lead them unto living fountains of 
 waters ; and God shall wipe away every tear from their 
 eyes." 
 
 VIII. And when he opened the seventh seal, there 
 was silence in heaven as it were half an hour. 
 
 And I saw the seven angels who stand in the pre- 
 sence of God ; and there were given mito them seven 
 trumpets. And another angel came and took his stand 
 at the altar, having a censer of gold ; and there was 
 given unto him much incense, that he should give it for 
 the prayers of all the saints upon the altar of gold 
 
 oThe articles in this passage are of doubtful authority': but even if genuine, 
 little could be rested on the insertion ; for 0\ii^tf , like virofiovri and all 
 similar words, would take the article in Greek, when we should not insert 
 it in English. 
 
 * No other rendering of these words is, I believe, admissible :— the 
 expression is parallel to the Hebrew in Exod. xl. 35. 
 
 16 
 
THE REVELATION. Ch. VIII. 12. 
 
 which was before the throne. And the smoke of the 
 incense went up for the prayers of the saints, out of 
 the hand of the angel in the presence of God. And 
 the angel took the censer, and filled it from the fire of 
 the altar, and cast it into the earth : and there were 
 * thunderings, and lightnings, and voices, and earth- 
 quake. 
 
 And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets 
 prepared themselves to sound. 
 
 And the first * sounded, and there were hail and fire 
 mingled with blood, and they were cast into the earth : 
 *and the third of the earth was burned up, and the 
 third of the trees was burned up, and all green grass 
 was burned up. 
 
 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a 
 great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea ; 
 and the third of the sea became blood ; and there died 
 the third of the creatures which were in the sea, — which 
 had life ; and the third of the ships were destroyed. 
 
 And tlie third angel sounded, and there fell from 
 heaven a great star, burning as it were a lamp, and it 
 fell upon the third of the rivers, and upon the fountains 
 of waters ; and the name of the star is called Worm- 
 wood : and the third of the waters became wormwood ; 
 and many men died of the waters, because they were 
 made bitter. 
 
 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third of the 
 sun was smitten, and the third of the moon, and the 
 third of the stars; in order that the third of them 
 17 
 
Ch. VIII. 13. THE REVELATION. 
 
 might be darkened, and the day might not shine the 
 third of it, and the night likewise. 
 3 And I saw, and heard an * eagle flying in the 
 mid-heaven, saying with a loud voice, " Woe, woe, woe, 
 to those who dwell upon the earth, by reason of the rest 
 of the voices of the trumpet of the thi'ee angels, who 
 are about to sound !" 
 
 IX. And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star 
 from heaven fallen unto the earth : and there was given 
 
 2 to him the key of the pit of the abyss. And he opened 
 the pit of the abyss, and there arose a smoke out of 
 the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace ; and the sun 
 and the air were darkened from the smoke of the pit. 
 
 3 And out of the smoke there came forth locusts upon 
 the earth : and unto them was given power, as the 
 
 4 scoi^pions of the earth have power. And it was said 
 unto them that they should not hurt the grass of the 
 earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree ; but 
 the men * who have not the seal of God on [their] 
 
 5 foreheads. And it was given to them that they should 
 not kill them, but that they should be tormented five 
 months : and their torment was as the torment of a scor- 
 
 6 pion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall 
 men seek death, and not find it ; and shall desire to 
 die, and death * fleeth from them. 
 
 7 And the likenesses of the locusts ivere like unto 
 horses prepared for war ; and there were on their heads 
 as it were crowns like unto gold, and their faces were as 
 
 8 the faxies of men. And they had hair as the hair of 
 
 18 
 
THE REVELATION. Ch. IX. 19. 
 
 women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 
 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of ^ 
 iron ; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of 
 chariots of many horses rushing to battle. And they lo 
 have tails like unto scorpions, and stings ; * and their 
 authority in their tails was to hurt men five months. 
 * They have over them a king, the angel of the abyss, ii 
 whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek 
 he hath his name Apollyon. 
 
 The one woe is past ; behold, there come two woes 12 
 more hereafter. 
 
 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice 13 
 from the [four] horns of the altar of gold which is 
 before God, — saying to the sixth angel, * " Thou who 14 
 hast the trumpet, loose the four angels that have been 
 bound at the great river Euphrates." And the four 15 
 angels were loosed, that had been prepared for the 
 hour, and day, and month, and year, that they should 
 kill the third part of men. And the number of the le 
 armies of the horsemen was two myriads of myriads : 
 * (I heai'd the number of them). And thus I saw the ^^ 
 horses in the vision, and those that sat on them, having 
 breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and like unto brim- 
 stone : and the heads of the horses were as the heads of 
 lions ; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke 
 and brimstone. By these three * plagues was the third is 
 part of men killed, by reason of the fire, and * the smoke, 
 and *the brimstone, which proceed out of their mouths. 
 For the power of the * horses is in their mouth, * and 19 
 19 
 
Ch. IX 20. THE REVELATION. 
 
 ill their tails : for their tails were like unto serpents, and 
 had heads, and with them they do hurt. 
 
 io And the rest of the men who were not killed by 
 these plagues, repented *not of the works of their 
 hands, that they should not worship the demons, and 
 *the idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, 
 and wood : which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk : 
 
 21 neither repented they of their murders, nor of their 
 sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. 
 
 X. And I saw another a mighty angel descending 
 from heaven, clothed with a cloud : and *the rainbow 
 was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, 
 
 2 and his feet as pillars of fire : — and * having in his 
 hand a little roll opened : and he set liis right foot upon 
 
 3 the sea, and the left on the earth, and cried with a loud 
 voice, even as when a lion roareth ; and when he cried, 
 
 4 the seven thunders uttered their voices. And when 
 the seven thunders had spoken, *I was about to write : 
 and I heard a voice from heaven saying, * " Seal up 
 those things w^hich the seven thunders have spoken, and 
 winte them not," 
 
 5 And the angel whom I saw standing upon the sea 
 and upon the earth, lifted up his * right hand to 
 
 6 heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, 
 who created the heaven, and the tliiugs that are 
 therein, and the earth, and the things that are therein, 
 and the sea, and the tilings that are therein, " There 
 
 7 shall be no longer delay : but in the days of the voice of 
 
 20 
 
THE EEVELATION. Ch. XI. 5. 
 
 the seventh angel, when he should be about to sound, — 
 the mystery of God * hath been completed, as he hath 
 given glad tidings to his servants the prophets." 
 
 And the voice which I heard from heaven — * I heard s 
 again speaking with me, and saying, " Go, take the 
 roll which is opened in the hand of the angel who 
 standeth upon the sea and upon the earth." And I » 
 went unto the angel, saying unto him, " Give me the 
 little roll." And he saith unto me, " Take it, and eat 
 it up ; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but in thy 
 mouth it shall be sweet as honey." And I took the lo 
 little roll out of the hand of the angel and ate it up ; 
 and it was in my mouth sweet as honey : and when I had 
 eaten it, my belly was made bitter. And '•■ it was said ii 
 unto me, " Thou must prophesy again against peoples, 
 and nations, and tongues, and many kings." 
 
 XI. And there was given me a reed like unto a 
 rod:* — saying, ** Kise, and measure the temple of 
 God, and the altar, and those who worship therein. 
 And the court which is without the te^oiple cast out, 2 
 and measure it not ; because it is given unto the Gen- 
 tiles : and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty 
 and two months. 
 
 " And I will endow my two witnesses, and they 3 
 shall prcphesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days, 
 clothed in sackcloth." These are the two olive trees, * 
 and * the two candlesticks that stand in the presence of 
 the *Lord of the earth. And if any one desireth to s 
 21 
 
Ch. XL 6. THE REVELATION. 
 
 hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth and 
 devoureth their enemies : and if any one desireth to 
 
 6 hurt them, thus must he be killed. These have autho- 
 rity to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their 
 prophecy : and they have authority over the vraters to 
 turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with ever}^ 
 plague, as often as they will. 
 
 7 And when they shall have completed their testimony, 
 the beast that ascendeth out of the abyss shall make 
 war with them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 
 
 8 And their dead "" body shall lie in the street of the great 
 city, which is called spiritually Sodom and Egypt, 
 where * their Lord also was crucified. 
 
 9 And some of the peoples and tribes and tongues and 
 nations * see their dead * body three days and an half, 
 and * do not suffer their dead bodies to be put into * a 
 
 10 sepulchre. And those that dwell upon the earth 
 * rejoice over them, and make merry ; and they shall 
 send gifts to one another ; because those two prophets 
 tormented those that dwell on the earth. 
 
 11 And after the three days and an half the breath of 
 life from God entered into them, and they stood upon 
 their feet ; and great fear fell upon those who saw 
 
 12 them. And they heard a great voice from heaven 
 saying unto them, " Come up hither." And they 
 ascended up to heaven in the cloud ; and their enemies 
 
 i:} beheld them. And in that hour was there a great 
 earthquake, aud the tenth of the city fell, and in the 
 earthquake were killed seven thousand names of men ; 
 
 22 
 
THE REVELATION. Ch. XII. 2. 
 
 and the rest were affrighted, and gave glor}^ to the 
 God of heaven. 
 
 The second woe is past ; behold, the third woe i* 
 cometh speedily. 
 
 And the seventh angel sounded ; and there were 15 
 great voices in heaven — sa}dng, * " The sovereignty of 
 the world hath become the sovereignty of our Lord 
 and of his Christ ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." 
 
 And the twenty-four elders, who sit in tho presence of le 
 God on their thrones, fell upon their faces, and worship- 
 ped God, saying, " We give thee thanks, Lord God, the 17 
 Almighty, the one who is, and who was ; * because thou 
 hast taken thy great power, and hast reigned. And the 1^ 
 nations have been angered, and thy wrath hath come, 
 and the time of the dead, to be judged, and to give the 
 reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the 
 saints, and those who fear thy name, the small and the 
 great ; and to destroy those who destroy the earth." 
 
 And the temple of God * which is heaven was i^ 
 opened, and there was seen the ark of his covenant in 
 his temple ; and there were lightnings, and voices, and 
 thunderings, and earthquake, and great hail. 
 
 XII. And a geeat wonder was seen in heaven ; 
 a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her 
 feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars : and 
 being with child, she crieth out, travailing and pained 
 to be delivered. 
 23 
 
Ch. XII. 3. TKE REVELATION. 
 
 3 And there was seen another wonder in heaven ; and 
 behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten 
 
 4 horns, and upon his heads seven diadems. And his 
 tail draweth the third part of the stars of heaven, 
 and did cast them to the earth ; and the dragon stood 
 before the woman who was about to be delivered ; that 
 he might devour her child when she had brought it 
 
 5 forth. And she brought forth a man-child, who is to 
 rule all the nations with a rod of iron : and her child 
 
 e was caught up unto God and * unto his throne. And 
 the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a 
 place prepared by God, that there they should nourish 
 her a thousand two hundred and sixty days. 
 
 7 And there was war in heaven : Michael and his 
 angels* — to war *with the dragon; and the dragon 
 
 8 warred and his angels ; and * he prevailed not ; neither 
 y was their place found any more in heaven. And the 
 
 great dragon was cast out, the old serpent, that is called 
 the Devil, and Satan, who deceiveth the whole world : 
 he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast 
 
 10 out with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, 
 saying, " Now hath come the salvation, and the power, 
 and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his 
 Christ : because the accuser of our brethren hath been 
 cast out, who accused them before our God day and night. 
 
 11 And THEY overcame him because of the blood of the 
 Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony ; 
 
 12 and they loved not their life even unto death. There- 
 fore, rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. 
 
 24 
 
THE REVELATION. Ch. XIII. 4. 
 
 Woe to - the earth and to the sea ! because the devil 
 hath come down unto you, havmg great wrath, knowing 
 that he hath but a short time." 
 
 And when the dragon saw that he was cast out unto 
 he earth, he persecuted the woman who brought forth 
 the raan-child. And there were given to the woman 
 *the tw^o wings of the great eagle, that she might fly 
 into the wHdemess, into her place, where she is 
 nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from 
 the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of 
 his mouth, after the woman, water as a flood, that he 
 might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And 
 the earth helped the woman ; and the earth opened her 
 mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon 
 cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was wroth 
 with the woman, and went to make war with the rest of 
 her seed, who keep the commandments of God, and 
 have the testimony of ^' Jesus. 
 
 XIII. And -he stood upon the sand of the sea ; and 
 I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having * ten horns 
 and seven heads, and upon his horns ten diadems, and 
 upon his heads ^- names of blasphemy. And the beast 
 which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet as 
 those of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion : 
 and the dragon gave him his power, and his throne, and 
 great authority. — And *Z saiv one of his heads as it 
 were slain to death ; and his deadly wound was healed ; 
 and all the earth was astonished after the beast. And 
 they worshipped the dragon * because he gave the 
 25 D 
 
Ch. XIII. 5. THE REVELATION. 
 
 authority unto the beast : and they worshipped the 
 beast, saying, " Who is like unto the beast?* and vrho 
 is able to make ^var w'ith him ?" 
 i And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great 
 and * blasphemous "things; and authority was given 
 
 6 unto him to act - forty and two months. And he 
 opened his mouth in * blasphemies against God, to 
 blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, * those who 
 
 7 dwell in heaven. ''And it was given unto him to make 
 war with the saints, and to overcome them ; and there 
 was given unto him authority over exerj tribe, *and 
 people, and tongue, and nation. And all that dwell up- 
 on the eartli shall worship him, — ''•'he '^ whose name hath 
 not been written, from the foundation of the world, in 
 
 •1 the book of life of the Lamb slain. If any one hath an 
 
 10 eai', let him hear. If any one ^be for capti\dty, he 
 goeth away ; if any one will kill with the sword, with 
 the sword must he be killed. Here is the endurance 
 and the faith of the saints. 
 
 11 And I saw another beast coming up out of the 
 earth ; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake 
 
 12 as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the authority of the 
 
 " •■ Great things and blasphemies," is the readiug of some authorities. 
 
 * The clause " Audit was given unto him to make var with the saints, 
 and to overcome them," is omitted in the most ancient MSS., A and C, and 
 also by Iieuaeus; but as all the ancient versions contain them, the omission 
 wa.s j)robably occasioned by the two following clauses (in the Greek) com- 
 mencing with precisely the same words ; a transcriber, in such cases, 
 eontinually passed from one clause to another. 
 
 <^ The most ancient authorities read the relative thus in the singular ; so 
 too.lrenicus in the second centtiry ; " cvjns nomen." 
 
 26 
 
THE EEVELATION. Ch. XIV. 1. 
 
 first beast in his presence, and he causeth the earth and 
 those who dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose 
 deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, 13 
 so that he maketh even fire to come down from heaven 
 on the earth in the sight of men ; and he deceiveth i^ 
 those that dwell on the earth in consequence of the 
 wonders, which were given to him to do in the presence 
 of the beast ; saying to those who dwell on the earth, 
 that they should make an image to the beast, '-•'^'^who 
 hath the wound by a sword, and did live. And it was i5 
 given to him to give breath unto the image of the beast, 
 that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause 
 that whosoever would not worship the image of the beast 
 should be killed. And he causeth all, the small and ^^ 
 the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and 
 the bond, to receive a mark on their right hand, or on 
 their * forehead : [and] that no one be able to buy or i7 
 sell, save he that hath the mark, *the name of the 
 beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom, is 
 Let him that hath understanding count the number of 
 the beast : for it is the number of a man ; and his num- 
 ber * is 666. ^ 
 
 XIV. And I saw, and, behold, *the Lamb standing 
 on the moimt Sion, and with him an hundred forty and 
 
 <^ This change iu the gender of the relative (as found in the ancient 
 authorities) is worthy of obsei-vation. 
 
 ^ We know from Irenseus that this number was expressed in Greek 
 letters, (y^s). He speaks of a different reading V15 [616], (which is 
 found in C), and he rests for the time reading 6i56, on the authority of " cor- 
 rect and old copies," and the iufoi-matiou of those who had known the 
 Apostle : " qui facie ad faciem Joannem videinmt." 
 
 27 
 
Ch. XIV. 2. THE REVELATION. 
 
 four thousand, having =;=liis name and his Father's name 
 written on their forelieads. And I heard a voice from 
 heaven, as the voice of many -waters, and as a voice of 
 great thunder : and the voice * which I heard was as 
 that of harpers haqoing with their harps : and they sing 
 as it were a new song in the presence of the throne, and 
 in the presence of the four living creatures and the 
 elders : and no one was able to learn the song but the 
 hundred forty and four thousand, who have been re- 
 deemed from the earth. These are those who have not 
 been defiled with women ; for they are \-irgins, those 
 who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth : these 
 have been redeemed from among men, a first-fruit to 
 God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found 
 no * falsehood : - they are without blemish. * 
 
 And I saw another angel flying in the mid-heaven, 
 having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto those that 
 dwell on the earth, and unto every nation, and tribe, 
 and tongue, and people, — saying with a loud voice, 
 " Fear God, and give glory to him : because the hour 
 of his judgment is come : and worship him that made 
 the heaven, and the earth, and sea, and fountains of 
 waters. " 
 
 And another, *a second angel followed, saying, 
 "Fallen* is Babylon the great, * who* made all *the 
 nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornica- 
 tion." 
 
 And * another, a third angel followed them, saying 
 with a loud voice, " If any one worshippeth the beast 
 
 28 
 
THE REVELATION. Ch. XIV. 18. 
 
 and his image, and receiveth his mark on his forehead, 
 or on his hand, he also shall drink of the wine of the lo 
 wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into 
 the cup of his indignation ; and he shall be tormented 
 with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy 
 angels, and in the presence of the Lamb : and the smoke ii 
 of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever : and 
 they have no rest day and night, who worship the beast 
 and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of 
 his name," 
 
 Here is the endurance of the saints ; — * here are 12 
 those that keep the commandments of God, and the 
 faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven say- is 
 ing, * " Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the 
 Lord from henceforth : Yea, saith the Spirit, that they 
 * shall rest from their labours ; * for their works do 
 follow them." 
 
 And I saw, and behold a white cloud, and upon the 14 
 cloud — I saw one sitting like unto the Son of man, — 
 having on his head a crown of gold, and in his hand a 
 sharp sickle. x\nd another angel came out of the tem- 15 
 pie, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the 
 cloud, " Thrust in thy sickle, and reap ; because the 
 time * to reap is come ; because the harvest of the earth 
 is ripened." And he that sat on the cloud thiiist in his le 
 fickle on the earth ; and the earth was reaped. 
 
 And another angel came out of the temple which is ^7 
 111 heaven, he also having a sharp siclde. And another is 
 angel came out from the altar, who hath authority over 
 29 
 
Ch. XIV. 19. THE REVELATION. 
 
 fire ; and he cried with a lond voice to him that had the 
 sharp sickle, saying, " Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and 
 gather the clusters of the vine of the earth ; for her 
 
 ig grapes are fully ripe." And the angel thrust in his 
 siclde into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, 
 and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 
 
 20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and 
 blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse 
 bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred 
 furlongs. 
 
 XV. And I saw another wonder in heaven, great 
 and mai'vellous, seven angels having the seven last 
 plagues ; because in them hath been completed the 
 wrath of God. 
 
 2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire, 
 and those that had gotten the victoiy from the beast, 
 and from his image, and * from the number of his name, 
 standing on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. 
 
 3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, 
 and the song of the Lamb, saying, " Great and man'el- 
 lous are thy works, Lord God, the Almighty : righteous 
 
 4 and true are thy ways, thou King of the * nations. Who 
 shall not fear, ^ Lord, and glorify thy name ? because 
 thou only art holy : because all the nations shall come 
 and worship in thy presence ; because thy judgments 
 have been manifested." 
 
 5 And after these thuigs I saw, and * the temple of the 
 5 tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened : and 
 
 30 
 
THE REVELATION. Ch. XVI. 6, 
 
 the seven angels who had the seven plagues, came out 
 of the temple, clothed in pure * bright '^ linen, and gird- 
 ed about their breasts with girdles of gold. And one of 
 the four living creatures gave unto the seven angels 
 seven bowls of gold, full of the wrath of God, who liveth 
 for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with 
 smoke from the glory of God, and from his power ; and 
 no one was able to enter into the temple, till the seven 
 plagues of the seven angels were completed. 
 
 XVI. And I heard a great voice out of the temple, 
 saying to the seven angels, " Go forth, and pour out 
 the * seven bowls of the wrath of God into the earth." 
 
 And the first departed, and pom-ed out his bowl *into 
 the earth ; and there was a noisome and grievous sore 
 upon the men who had the mark of the beast, and upon 
 those who worshipped his image. 
 
 And the second * poured out his bowl into the sea ; 
 and it became blood as of a dead man ; and every living 
 soul died — "'^ as respects the things in the sea. 
 
 And the third * poured out his bowl into the rivers 
 and *the fountains of waters ; and they became blood. 
 And I heard the angel of the water saying, " Righteous 
 art thou, *the one who is, and who was, *the holy one, 
 because thou hast judged thus. Because they have shed 
 the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given 
 
 ^ '^ A pure bright stone,' is the reading of the most ancient MSS,, and 
 some of the versions. This, if it be the true reading, must be compared with 
 Dan. X. 6. The reading given above is that of B, which differs by but a 
 single letter from that of A and C . 
 
 31 
 
Ch. XVI. 7. THE REVELATION. 
 
 7 ihem blood to drink ; * they are worthy." And I heard 
 ■*the altar saying, "Even so, Lord God the Al- 
 mighty, true and righteous are thy judgments." 
 
 ♦> And the fourth * poured out his bowl upon the sun ; 
 
 and it was given unto it to scorch men with fire. And 
 men were scorched with great scorching, and blasphemed 
 the name of God, who hath authority over these plagues : 
 and they repented not to give him glory. 
 
 1^ And the fifth * poured out his bowl upon the throne 
 of the beast ; and his kingdom was darkened, and they 
 
 . : gnawed their tongues for pain, and they blasphemed the 
 (jod of heaven because of their pains and of their sores, 
 and repented not of their deeds. 
 
 12 And the sixth * poured out his bowl upon the great 
 river, the Euphrates ; and the water thereof was dried 
 up, that the way of the kings who are from the sun- 
 
 13 rising, might be prepared. And I saw come out of the 
 mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, 
 and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three 
 
 14 unclean spirits *as it were frogs. For they are spirits 
 of demons, working miracles, that go forth unto the 
 kings of * the whole world, to gather them to * the bat- 
 
 15 tie of *the great day of God the Almighty. " Behold, 
 I come as a thief; blessed is he that watcheth, and 
 keepeth his garments, lest he walk -naked, and they see 
 
 16 liis shame." And he gathered them together into the 
 place which is called in Hebrew Armagedon. 
 
 17 And the seventh * poured out his bowl *upon the 
 air ; and there came a [great] voice out of the temple,* 
 
 32 
 
THE REVELATION, Ch. XVIL 5. 
 
 from the throne, saying, " It is done." And there were i8 
 
 * lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and there 
 was a great earthquake, such as was not since ^ man 
 was upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, so 
 great. And the great city was divided into three parts, ly 
 and the cities of the nations fell ; and Babylon the 
 great was remembered before God, to give unto her the 
 cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And 20 
 every island fled away, and the mountains were not 
 found. And a great hail, as it were stones of a talent 21 
 weight, fell out of heaven upon men : and men blas- 
 phemed God because of the plague of the hail ; because 
 the plague thereof is exceedingly great. 
 
 XVII. And theee came one of the seven angels 
 who had the seven bowls, and talked with me, saying, 
 
 * " Come hither ; I will shew unto thee the judgment 
 of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters : 
 with whom the kings of the earth have committed for- 2 
 nication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been 
 made dinink with the wine of her fornication." And s 
 he carried me away into the wilderness in the spirit : 
 and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, full of 
 names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 
 And the woman ^^was clothed in purple and scarlet, 4 
 and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, 
 having a cup of gold in her hand full of abominations 
 
 — and the filthiness of her fornication, and upon her 5 
 forehead a name written, a Mysteiy, Babylon the 
 33 
 
Ch. XVII 0. THE REVELATION. 
 
 Great, the Mother of the Harlots and the 
 Abominations of the Earth. And I saw tlie woman 
 drunken with the l)lood of the saints, and with the blood 
 of the martyrs of Jesus : and I wondered when I saw 
 her, with great wonder. 
 
 And the angel said unto me, " Wherefore didst thou 
 wonder ? U will tell thee the mysteiy of the woman, 
 and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven 
 heads and the ten horns. 
 
 * " The beast that thou sawest, was, and is not, and 
 is to ascend out of the abyss, and to go into perdition : 
 and those who dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose 
 names were not written in the book of life from the 
 foundation of the world, when they behold the beast, 
 because he was, and is not, and * sliall be present. 
 
 " Here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven 
 heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth; 
 and there are seven kings : the five are fallen, * the 
 one is, the other is not yet come ; and when he shall 
 have come, he must continue a short space. And the 
 beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is 
 of the seven, and goeth into perdition. 
 
 " And the ten horns w^iich thou sawest are ten kings, 
 who have "not yet received a kingdom ; but they receive 
 authority as kings at one hour with the beast. 
 
 " These have one mind, and give their power and 
 14 authoritv unto the beast. These shall make war with 
 
 * Or, " have not received," as found iu tiie most ancient copy and some 
 versions. 
 
 34 
 
 13 
 
THE REVELATION. Ch. XVIII. 4. 
 
 the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them : because 
 he is Lord of lords, and King of kings : and those who 
 are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful." 
 
 And he saith unto me, " The waters which thou is 
 sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multi- 
 tudes, and nations" and tongues. And the ten horns le 
 which thou sawest * and the beast, these shall hate the 
 harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and 
 shall eat her flesh, and bum her with fire. For God 17 
 hath put into their hearts to fulfil his mind, [and to 
 make one mind,] and to give their kingdom unto the 
 beast, until the words of God shall be completed. 
 
 " And the woman whom thou sawest, is that great is 
 citj, which holdeth sovereignty over the kings of the 
 earth." 
 
 XVIII. * After these things I saw * another angel 
 coming down from heaven, having great authority ; and 
 the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried 2 
 * with a mighty voice, saying, "Fallen, fallen, is Babylon 
 the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and 
 a hold of every unclean spirit, and a cage of every 
 unclean and hateful bird. Because by reason of * the 3 
 wrath of her fornication all the nations have * fallen, and 
 the kings of the earth have committed fornication with 
 her, and the merchants of the earth have waxed rich 
 through the power of her delicacies." 
 
 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, 4 
 " Come out of her, my people, that ye may have no 
 35 
 
Ch. XVIII. 5. THE REVELATION. 
 
 fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her 
 
 5 plagues. Because her sins have been * builded together * 
 unto heaven, and God hath remembered her unright- 
 
 6 eousnesses. Reward unto her even as she rewarded, 
 * and double * to her double according to her works : in 
 the cup which she hath mingled, mingle to her double. 
 
 7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived delicate- 
 ly, so much torment and sorrow give her : because she 
 saith in her heart, ' I sit a queen, and am not a widow, 
 
 H and shall see no mourning :' Therefore in one day shall 
 her plagues come, death, and mouraing, and famine ; 
 and she shall be utterly burned with fire : because 
 mighty is [the Lord] God who * hath judged her. 
 
 9 " And the kings of the earth, who with her have 
 committed fornication and lived delicately, shall mourn, 
 and wail over her, when they shall see the smoke of her 
 
 10 burning, standing afar off because of the fear of her 
 torment, saying, ' Alas, alas, the great city Babylon, the 
 mighty city ! because in one hour is thy judgment 
 come.' 
 
 11 "And the merchants of the earth weep and mouni 
 over her ; because no one buyeth their merchandise any 
 
 12 more : the merchandise of gold, and of silver, and of 
 precious stones, and of pearls, and of fine linen, and of 
 purple, and of silk, and of scarlet ; and all thyine 
 wood, and eveiy vessel of ivory, and every vessel of 
 most precious wood, and of brass, and of iron, and of 
 
 « Or, " have adhered to one another until [they reached^ heaven.' 
 
 36 
 
THE REVELATION. Ch. XVIII. 20. 
 
 marble, and cinnamon, *and spice, and odours, and oint- 
 ment, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine 
 flour, and wheat, and cattle, and sheep, and of horses, 
 and of chariots, and of bodies and souls of men. And 14 
 the fruits that thy soul desired have departed from thee, 
 and all things which were dainty and bright have 
 
 * perished from thee, and *they shall find them no 
 more at all. The merchants of these things, who were 15 
 made rich by her, shall stand afar off, because of the 
 fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, * saying, jq 
 
 * Alas, alas, the great city, that was clothed in fine 
 linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, 
 and precious stones, and pearls ! because in one hour 17 
 so great riches hath been made desolate.' ' 
 
 "And every shipmaster, and « every -passenger, and 
 sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, and is 
 
 * cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, say. 
 ing, ' What city is like unto the great city!' And they j^ 
 cast dust on their heads, and * cried, weeping and 
 mourning, saying, ' Alas, alas, the great city, wherein 
 were made rich all that had *the ships in the sea by 
 reason of her costliness ! because in one hom' hath she 
 been made desolate.' 
 
 " Rejoice over her, tJioii heaven, and ye saints *and .,0 
 apostles and prophets ; because God hath judged your 
 cause upon her." 
 
 <» Or, " Evei-ij one icho saileth iy a place.' 
 
 37 
 
Ch. XVIII. 21. THE REVELATION. 
 
 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great 
 millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, " Thus with 
 violence shall the great city Babylon be cast down, and 
 shall be found no more at all. And the voice of 
 harpers, and musicians, and pipers, and trumpeters, 
 shall be heard no more at all in thee ; and no crafts- 
 man, of whatsoever craft, shall be found any more in 
 thee ; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no 
 more at all in thee ; and the light of a candle shall 
 shine no more at all in thee ; and the voice of bride- 
 groom and of bride shall be heard no more at all in 
 thee ; because thy merchants were the great men of the 
 earth ; because by thy sorcery were all the nations de- 
 ceived." And in her was found the blood of prophets, 
 and of saints, and of all that have been slain upon the 
 earth. 
 
 XIX. * After these things I heard as it were a 
 great voice of much people in heaven, saying, " Alle- 
 luia; the salvation, and glor}% *and power, *of our 
 God : because true and righteous are his judgments ; 
 because he hath judged the great harlot, who did corrupt 
 the earth with her fornication, and he hath avenged the 
 blood of his servants at her hand." And the second 
 time they said, " Alleluia ! " And. her smoke goeth up 
 for ever and ever. And the twenty-four elders and the 
 four living creatures fell down and worshipped God that 
 sitteth on the throne, saying, " Amen ; Alleluia." And 
 
 38 
 
THE REVELATION. Ch. XIX. 13. 
 
 a voice came out from the throne, saying, *' Praise our 
 God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him ; * the 
 small and the great." 
 
 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, 
 and [as] the voice of many waters, and as the voice of 
 mighty thunderings," saying, "Alleluia: because the 
 Lord [our] God the Almighty hath reigned. Let us be 
 glad and rejoice, and give glory to him: because the 
 maiiiage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made 
 herself ready." And it was given to her that she 
 should be arrayed in * fine linen bright and pure : for 
 the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. And 
 he saith unto me, " Write, Blessed are those who have 
 been called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb." 
 And he saith unto me, " These are the true words of 
 God." And I fell before his feet to worship him. 
 And he said unto me, " See tliou do it not : I am the 
 fellowservaut of thee and thy brethren that have the 
 testimony of Jesus : worship God : for the testimony of 
 Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." 
 
 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse ; 
 and he that sat upon him was [called] Faithful and 
 True, and in righteousness he doth judge, and make 
 war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head 
 were many diadems : and he had a name written, that 
 no man knoweth but he himself. And he was clothed 
 with a vesture dipped in blood : and his name * hath 
 39 
 
Ch XIX. 14. THE REVELATION. 
 
 14 been called The Word of God. And the armies 
 which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, 
 
 15 clothed in fine linen, white and pure. And out of his 
 mouth proceedeth a sharp sword, that with it he should 
 smite the nations : and he shall rule them with a rod 
 of iron : and he treadeth the winepress of the fierce- 
 
 16 ness * of the wrath of God the Almighty. And he 
 hath on Ids garment and on his thigh * a name written. 
 King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. 
 
 17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun ; and he 
 cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that 
 fly in the mid-heaven, " Come, be gathered together 
 
 18 unto the * great supper of God ; that ye may eat the 
 flesh of kings, and the flesh of chief-captains, and the 
 flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of 
 those that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, *both 
 free and bond, both small and great. 
 
 19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and 
 - his armies,*^ gathered together to make war with him 
 
 20 that sat on the horse, and with his army. And the 
 beast was taken, and * he who was with him, the false 
 prophet that wrought the miracles in his presence, with 
 which he deceived those that had received the mark of 
 the beast, and those that worship his image. These 
 both were cast alive into the lake of fire which bumeth 
 
 21 with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the 
 sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword 
 
 * So the oldest authority : others read " Their armies." 
 
 40 
 
THE REVELATION. Ch. XX. 4. 
 
 * proceeded out of his mouth : and all the fowls were 
 filled with their flesh. 
 
 XX. And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, 
 having the key of the ahyss and a great chain in his 
 hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, — the old ser- 
 pent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a 
 thousand years, and cast him into the ahyss, and shut 
 
 * 7iim up, and set a seal upon him, that he should 
 deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years 
 should he completed, * afterwards he must be loosed a 
 little season. 
 
 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and 
 judgment was given unto them : and / saw the souls of 
 those that were beheaded because of the testimony of 
 Jesus, and because of the word of God, and*^ those who 
 had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, and 
 had not received the mark on * their forehead, and 
 on their hand ; and they lived and reigned with Christ 
 
 <^ The parallel to this sentence in Greek construction is found in Rev. i. 7. 
 In each case there is a geneyal statement followed by Kttt OtTtves ', not as 
 some class added to the general statement ; but as expressing some, who, 
 while included in the general term, are brought into an esjjecial prominence. 
 
 Rev. i. 7, " Every eye shall see him, and those who pierced him :" i.e. 
 " those who pierced him " as an especial part of the class denoted by " every 
 eye." 
 
 Eev. XX. 4, " The souls of those that were beheaded, .and those who had 
 not worshipped." John sees a certain class in symbolic vision ; and espe- 
 cially and prominently amongst them, and as part of them, " those who had 
 not worshipped," whom he had previously seen as wan-ed against, overcome, 
 and slain. The grammar of the sentence shews this. 
 
 This passage does not speak of the extent of the first resun'ection. See 
 1 Thess. iv. 14, and 1 Cor. xv. 23, 51. 
 
 41 
 
Ch. XX. 5. THE REVELATION. 
 
 6 a thousand years, [And] the rest of the dead lived not 
 * until the thousand years were completed. This is 
 
 ti the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath 
 part in the first resurrection : over these the second 
 deatli hath no power, hut they shall be priests of God 
 and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. 
 
 7 And when the thousand years are completed, Satan 
 
 8 shall he loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to 
 deceive the nations which are in the four comers of the 
 earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to 
 battle : the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 
 
 y And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and 
 compassed the citadel of the saints about, and the 
 beloved city : and fire came down * out of heaven [from 
 
 10 God] and devoured them. And the devil that deceived 
 them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, 
 where ^= both the beast and the false prophet are, and 
 they shall be tormented day and night for ever and 
 ever. 
 
 11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on 
 it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away ; 
 
 12 and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, 
 -■- the gi'eat and the small, standing before the * throne ; 
 and books were opened : and another book was opened, 
 which is the hook of life : and the dead were judged out 
 of the things which had been written in the books ^ 
 
 13 according to their works. And the sea gave up the 
 dead that were in it ; and death and hades gave up 
 
 4a 
 
THE REVELATION. Ch. XXII. 0. 
 
 the dead that -were in them : and they were judged 
 every one according to their works. And death and 
 hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the 
 second death, the lake of fire. And whosoever was not 
 found written in the book of life was cast into the lake 
 of fire. 
 
 XXI. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth : 
 for the first heaven and the first earth have passed 
 away ; and the sea no longer is. And * I saw the holy 
 city, New Jerusalem, coming down -t out of heaven from 
 God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 
 And I heard a great voice out of -!' the throne "' saying, 
 Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will 
 dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples,^ and 
 God himself shall be with them, their God. And God 
 shall wipe away every tear from their eyes ; and death 
 shall be no more, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither 
 shall there be any more pain : [because] the former 
 things have passed away. 
 
 And he that sitteth upon the throne said, " Behold, 
 I make all things new." And he saith, * " Write, 
 because these words are * faithful and true." And he 
 said unto me, " They are done. E am the Alpha and 
 the Omega, the Beginning and the End. $ will give 
 unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of 
 
 * So the most aneient authorities, Others read, " out of heaven." 
 
 ^ "People" is the reading of many authorities, but not of the most 
 aneient. 
 
 43 
 
Ch. XXI. 7. THE REVELATION. 
 
 life freely. He that overcometli shall inherit * these 
 things ; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 
 
 8 But the cowardly, and unbelieving, and abominable, and 
 murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idol- 
 aters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lalve 
 which burneth with fire and brimstone : which is the 
 second death. 
 
 9 Akd there came * one of the seven angels who 
 had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues, and 
 talked with me, saying, " Come hither, I will show thee 
 
 10 the bride, the Lamb's wife." And he carried me away 
 in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed 
 me the -^ holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven 
 
 11 from God, having the glory of God : ^ her light was 
 like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, 
 
 12 clear as ciystal ; — and it had a wall great and high, 
 and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, 
 and names written thereon, which are -^ the names of 
 
 13 the twelve tribes of the children of Israel : on the east 
 three gates : * and on the north three gates ; * and on 
 the south three gates ; * and on the west three gates. 
 
 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and 
 on them - twelve names of the twelve apostles of the 
 Lamb. 
 
 15 And he that talked with me had a -^ measuring reed 
 of gold to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and 
 
 iG the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare, and its 
 44 
 
THE REVELATION. Gh. XXI. 2G. 
 
 length is as large as the breadth : and he measured the 
 city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The 
 length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. 
 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty u 
 and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, 
 that is, of the angel. 
 
 And the structure of the wall of it was of jasper : is 
 and the city was pure gold, * like unto clear glass. 
 * The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned I'J 
 with every precious stone. The first foundation ivas a 
 jasper ; the second, a sapphire ; the third, a chalce- 
 dony ; the fourth, an emerald ; the fifth, a sardonyx : -20 
 the sixth, a sardine ; the seventh, a chrysolite ; the 
 eighth, a beryl ; the ninth, a topaz ; the tenth, a chry. 
 soprasus ; the eleventli, a jacinth ; the twelfth, an 
 amethyst. And the twelve gates ivere twelve pearls ; 21 
 each one of the gates severally was of one pearl : and 
 the street of the city ivas pure gold, as it were transpa- 
 rent glass. 
 
 And I saw no temple therein : for the Lord God the 22 
 Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the 23 
 city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, 
 that they might illume it: for the glory of God did 
 lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the 24 
 nations * shall walk by means of the light thereof : 
 and the kings of the earth do bring their glory * unto 
 it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day : 25 
 for there shall be no night there. And they shall 20 
 
 45 
 
Ch. XXII. -27. THE REVELATION. 
 
 bring the gloiy and honour of the nations unto it. 
 And there shall in no wise enter into it anything com 
 mon, neither ivhosoever •worketh abomination, and a lie : 
 but those ^vho have been written in the Lamb's book of 
 life. 
 
 XXII. And he showed me * a river of water of 
 life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of 
 God and the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, 
 and of the river, on this side and on that side, ivas there 
 the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, 
 a)id yielded its fruit eveiy month : and the leaves of the 
 tree were for the healing of the nations. And no curse 
 shall any longer be : and the throne of God and the 
 Lamb shall be in it ; and his sen-ants shall sen'e him : 
 and they shall see his face ; and his name shall he on 
 their foreheads. And there shall be no more night ; 
 and they shall not need * the light of candle, and light 
 of the sun ; because the Lord God * will lighten them ; 
 and they shall reign for ever and ever. 
 
 x\nd he said unto me, " These words are faithful 
 and tme : and the Lord God of the * spirits of the 
 prophets hath sent his angel to show unto his servants 
 things which must come to pass speedily. * And be- 
 hold, I come quickly : blessed is he that keepeth the 
 words of the prophecy of this book.'.' 
 
 And JJ John was he who * heard and saw these 
 things. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down 
 to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me 
 46 
 
THE REVELATION. Ch. XXII. 18. 
 
 these things. And he saith unto me, " See tJiou do it 
 not : * I am the fellow-servant of thee and thy brethren 
 the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this 
 book: worship God." 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 And he saith linto me, " Seal not the words of the 
 prophecy of this book : for the time is nigh. He that n 
 doeth unjustly, let him do unjustly still : [and he that 
 is filthy, let him be filthy still :] and he that is righteous, 
 let him * w^ork righteousness still : and he that is holy, 
 let him be holy still. - Behold, I come quickly ; and 12 
 my reward is with me, to give to every man according 
 as his work * is. JJ =!^ am the Alpha and the Omega, 13 
 * First and Last, the Beginning and the End. Blessed 14 
 are those who * wash their robes, that they may have 
 right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the 
 gates into the city. * Without are dogs, and sorcerers, i.o 
 and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and 
 whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. 
 
 " JJ Jesus have sent mine angel to testify imto you !»> 
 these things in the churches. $ am the Root and the 
 offspring of David, the bright and morning Star." And i7 
 the Spirit and the bride say, " Come." And let him 
 that heareth say, " Come." And let him that is athirst 
 come. *He who willeth, let him take of the water 
 of life freely. 
 
 * I testify unto every one that heareth the words of is 
 the prophecy of this book, If any one shall add unto 
 
 47 
 
THE REVELATION. 
 
 these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that 
 
 19 have been written in this book ; and if any one shall 
 take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, 
 God shall take away his part from the *tree of life, 
 and from the holy city, * which have been written of in 
 this book. 
 
 20 He who testifieth these things saith, " Yea I come 
 quickly :" Amen ; * come, Lord Jesus. 
 
 -ji The grace of * the Lord Jesus Christ he with all 
 [- the saints. Amen.] 
 
 JENKIN THOMAS, PKINTEK, COltNWALL SrUlOli T, I'J.ViieUTH, 
 
A PROSPECTUS OF A CRITICAL EDITION 
 OF THE GREEK NEW TESTAMENT, NOW 
 IN PREPARATION, WITH AN HISTORICAL 
 SKETCH OF THE PRINTED TEXT. 
 
 In order to give a clear idea of what is proposed in the 
 edition of the Greek New Testament which I have had in. 
 preparation for many years, a few particulars will be neces- 
 sary relative to the History of the printed text of this book. 
 The importance of these facts is well known to those who 
 are already possessed of a critical acquaintance with the 
 subject ; while to those who are not acquainted with cri_ 
 tical details, such information is needful to enable them to 
 imderstand what is now proposed. 
 
 These introductory particulars relate principally, (i) to 
 the earliest printed editions of the Greek New Testament ; 
 (ii.) to the formation of the text in, common use, (iii.) to 
 the steps taken by various critics to furnish materials for 
 editing the text with more accuracy, and the application of 
 materials to that end. 
 
 The first printed edition of the Greek New Testament 
 was that contained in the Complutensian Polyglott, a 
 work published under the direction, and at the expense of 
 Cardinal Ximenes. This work was published at Alcala in 
 Spain (where Cardinal Ximenes had founded an Uni- 
 versity) and from Complutum, the Latin name of that 
 place, the Polyglott receives its designation. The volume 
 containing the Greek New Testament, (with the Ijatin Vul- 
 gate on the same page,) was completed Jan. 10, 1514. Thw 
 principal editor was Lopez de Stunica. 
 
This edition having been the first printed, the question 
 naturally arises, What M S S. were used ? and did the 
 editors follow them faithfully ? They speak of M S S. 
 with wliich they were furnished from the Vatican Libraiy ; 
 hence it was too hastily concluded by Mill and othei-s, 
 that the Vatican MS. (1209) — the most ancient and valu- 
 able of all that are known, — was the basis of the Complu- 
 tensian edition ; — a supposition which is now known to be 
 altogether groundless. 
 
 In the last centui*y when extensive inquiries were made 
 for the Greek M.S.S. preserved in various libraries, there 
 was a great desire to ascertain what the Complutensian 
 M S S. might really be. In 1784 the Danish Professor 
 Moldenhawer, went to Alcala, where, on his inquiry for 
 Greek M S S. of the new Testament, he was told a strange 
 tale, how the M S S. had been sold (about 1749) to a rocket 
 maker, as useless parchments, to make room for some new 
 books. This tale was repeated and believed, and hence it 
 was supposed that no farther investigation was possible as 
 to what the soui-ces of the Complutensian Polyglott 
 might be. 
 
 However, there is now more certainty as to the M S S. 
 belonging to the University of Alcala. Dv James Thomp- 
 son has published (Biblical Eeview, March, 1847), the re- 
 sult of inquiries made thirty years ago by Dr. Bowring, and 
 more recently by himself. Hence it appears that all the 
 M S S. which formerly were known as belonging to Car- 
 dinal Ximenes, and which were preserved in the library at 
 Alcala, are now, with the rest of that library, at Madrid : 
 — that the catalogue made in 1745, correctly describes the 
 M S S. which still exist ; — that at the time of the alleged 
 sale to the rocket maker, the library at Alcala was under 
 the care of a really learned and careful librarian, who 
 caused all the books in the library to be rebound. It ap- 
 pears, however, to be a fact, that a sale to a rocket maker 
 did take place at the time mentioned ; but it is probable 
 that it was nothing but the old covers of folded paper which 
 had belonged to the volumes which were rebound at that 
 time. Don Jose Gutierrez, the present librarian at Madrid, 
 communicated to Dr. J. Thompson, a catalogue of the 
 Complutensian M S S., and from this it appears that the 
 principal M S S. used in the Polyglott, are all safely pre- 
 served ; but the Greek New Testament is not contained in 
 any of them. Probably when Professor Moldenhawer 
 visited Alcala and made inquiry for such Greek M S S., the 
 
sale to the rocket maker was referred to as though it could 
 account for there heing no such M S S. in the Library; nei- 
 ther the Danish Professor nor yet the University authorities 
 seem to have thought on the simpler solution — that they 
 had no real ground for supposing that any such M S S. had 
 ever been in that library, or in the possession of Cardinal 
 Ximenes. 
 
 As then, the other M S S. used by the Complutensian 
 editors are still in existence, and as the collection contains 
 none of the Greek New Testament, we have only an addi- 
 tional reason for supposing, (what indeed, need never 
 have been doubted,) that the account given by the editors, 
 is perfectly correct, — that their MS S. for the New Testament 
 were furnished from the Vatican Library ; and to that library 
 tbey were probably returned when done with. Stunica, 
 also mentions a M S., which was in his own possession, 
 which he calls Codex Khodiensis ; — of this nothing farther 
 is known. 
 
 As then, the M S S. used for the Complutensian edition; 
 are now unknown, we can only form a judgment as to their 
 antiquity or value, from the text itself; this we are able 
 very decidedly to do. Bishop Marsh observes (Lectures on 
 the Criticism of the Bible, page 96,) " Wherever modern 
 Greek manuscripts — manuscripts written in the thirteenth, 
 fourteenth, or fifteenth centuries, differ from the most an- 
 cient Greek manuscripts, and from the quotations of the 
 early Greek Fathers, in such characteristic readings the 
 Complutensian Greek Testament almost invariably agrees 
 with the modern, in opposition to the ancient manuscripts. 
 There cannot be a doubt therefore, that the Complutensian 
 text was formed from modern manuscripts alone." 
 
 There is no reason to suppose but that the editors used 
 the best M S S. (in their judgment,) which were available, 
 and that in general, they used them fairly ; in a few pas- 
 sages, (such as 1 John, v. 7,) there can be no doubt that 
 they departed from their M S S. ; — it would be too much to 
 say that they did this with dishonest intention : — they, no 
 doubt, supposed that their Greek copies were faulty, and 
 thus they deemed that they were justified in correcting 
 them from the Latin. 
 
 The publication of the Complutensian Polyglott did not 
 take place till after 1520, and it was not very generally 
 known or circulated for at least two years subsequently. 
 
 In conseqijience of this delay with regard to the Complu- 
 tjensian edition, it was not the first that was published: — 
 3 
 
that of Erasmus had been commenced and was completed, 
 and had passed through two editions, before that which 
 had been executed by the direction of Cai-dinal Ximenes 
 saw the light. 
 
 The first edition of Erasmus was printed and published 
 at Basle ; it was completed in February 1516, and the 
 publication appears to have taken place forthwith. It con- 
 tains a Latin version as well as the Greek Text, and at the 
 end of the volume there are copious annotations. 
 
 This was then the first edition published in print of the 
 New Testament Scriptures in the original language. The 
 Greek M S S. used by Erasmus in preparing it are mostly 
 still preserved in the library at Basla. The execution of 
 the work was however extremely hunied ; it was on April 
 17, 1515, that the proposal was first made to Erasmus to 
 undertake such an edition : — that is only nine months and 
 a half before the printing was completed. Now it even 
 appears that in September 1515 the printing had not been 
 commenced ; for it had not then been determined whether 
 the Greek and Latin Texts should be placed in parallel 
 columns, or whether they should stand separately. Thus 
 the whole period for the printing of the Text and annota- 
 tions was less than six months, and during even this time 
 Erasmus was not able to bestow upon it his undistracted 
 attention, — a multiplicity of other editorial labour having 
 at the same time rested on him : he might thus well say 
 of this first edition of his Greek Testament, " Prsecipitatum 
 fuit, verius quam editum." 
 
 In the Apocalypse he had the use of but one MS. then the 
 property of Reuchltn, now unknown : — this M S. had a 
 Greek commentary interspersed with the text; the text had to 
 be separated by Erasmus as well as he could; and as the end 
 of the M S. was defective, so that the last six verses were 
 wanting, he adopted the bold expedient of supplying them 
 by his own retianslation from the Latin Vulgate into 
 Greek : — this liberty he seems also to have taken occasion- 
 ally elsewhere. He did not however insert the verse, 
 1 John V. 7. 
 
 Since the M S S. used by Erasmus, and also those of the 
 Complutensian editors, were certainly comparatively mo- 
 dern and also few in number, it is manifest that neither 
 of these Texts can possess much real critical weight or 
 authority. 
 
 Erasmus published a second edition in 1519, — a third in 
 1522 (in which he inserted 1 John v. 7, on the authority 
 4 
 
of a very modern MS. now in Dublin;) — a fourth in 1527, 
 for which the Complutensian edition was consulted, especi- 
 ally in the Revelation ; — and a fifth in 1535. 
 
 This fifth edition of Erasmus is the basis of the Greek 
 Texts now in common use ; for although Colin^us pub- 
 lished at Paris in 1534, a Text edited from MSS. indepen- 
 dently of the Erasmian and Complutensian editions, it had 
 no effect on the editions which succeeded. 
 
 In the years 1546 and 1549, Robert Stephens printed at 
 Paris two beautiful small editions of the Greek New 
 Testament, and in 1550 appeared his folio edition with 
 various readings from several MSS. : in 1551, after his 
 removal to Geneva, he published a small edition with the 
 Greek Text between two Latin versions, — the Vulgate and 
 that of Erasmus ; this edition was the first divided into 
 verses. The folio edition of 1550 was the principal one of 
 Stephens ; as to its text it is scarcely any thing more than 
 a reprint of Erasmus's fifth edition ; and from this but 
 little departure was made until modem critics applied 
 themselves to the correction of the text. 
 
 Theodore Beza succeeded to R. Stephens as a New 
 Testament editor ; he published five editions ; the first was 
 in 1565, the last in 1598; he introduced into his text some 
 trifling variations from that of Stephens. 
 
 In 1624 the Elzevirs, printers at Leyden, published a 
 small and beautiful Greek Testament, the editor of which 
 is wholly unknown. This was frequently reprinted ; and 
 to the second edition (in 1633,) the printers gave the name 
 of " Textus receptus." The Elzevir text is based upon that 
 of Stephens's folio edition ; the variations, such as they 
 are, relate almost entirely to things of very slight impor- 
 tance : — most, if not all of them were taken from some of 
 Beza's five editions. 
 
 Stephens's text was used for that of the Greek New 
 Testament in Walton's Polyglott, 1657 ; and it was also 
 edited, without intentional variation, by Mill in his edition 
 with vaiious readings 1707: — since that period it has been 
 repeatedly reprinted in this counti-y from Mill, so that it 
 has been here the current text: — abroad the Elzevir 
 edition has been usually regarded as " the received text ;" 
 although in point of fact in many of those places in which 
 Stephens's text differs fi'om that of the Elzevirs (compara- 
 tively few as such variations are,) the editions published 
 on the continent as " the received text," follow such 
 
Stephanie readings; and sometimes (as in 1 Pet iii. 7)^ 
 they follow neither. 
 
 Hence the authority on which the text of the common 
 editions of the Greek New Testament rests, is nothing more 
 than that of a few comparatively modern MSS , such as 
 the first editors were ahle conveniently to procure ; and 
 sometimes (though the cases are happily very rare,) the 
 authority is only the translation into Greek made by the early 
 editors from the Latin Vulgate. It can then surprize no 
 one who considers the subject, that the critical emendation 
 of the text should have occupied the time and attention of 
 many. 
 
 It is indeed a cause for thankfulness to God, that the text 
 though originally edited on sucli slender authority, was not 
 more defective than is actually the case ; its being less 
 faulty than under the circumstances might have been ex- 
 pected, is, however, no reason why we should neglect the 
 means which may be obtainable for editing it with greater 
 exactitude. 
 
 All ancient writings whatever, which have come down to 
 us in several copies, contain t-arioMS reddings ;ihaitis, places 
 in which one copy differs from another. The causes of 
 such various readings are many ; the subject cannot be 
 entered into fully here ; it may however suffice to say that it 
 is impossible, (unless human infiiTnity were over-ruled by a 
 miracle) for a writing to be copied again and again without 
 errors of transcription being introduced. Hence, the 
 necessity of comparing and considering the various readings 
 of copies, (that is, textual criticism;) in order to obtain a 
 correct text. Textual criticism has to be applied to all 
 ancient works, if we ascertain what was actually written by 
 theii- authors. Had the inspired autographs of the Apostles 
 been in existence, then there would be no room, as well as 
 no necessity, for textual criticism. 
 
 If we compare the earliest editions of any important 
 classic with those in common use at the present day, we 
 discover a considerable difference : — we find other readings 
 adopted, and many passages convey a much clearer sense : 
 now whence does this difference arise ? Simply from 
 editors having in the succeeding centuries used a greater 
 range of critical authorities, — from their having laboriously 
 examhied MSS, so as to discover those on which most 
 reliance ought to be placed, — and their having used the 
 critical data so obtained, as their authority for a more exact 
 
and accurate text. No one acquainted with the subject 
 would have recourse to an early edition of a classic writer, 
 (say Cicero) based on slender and imperfect authority, in 
 preference to a text of the same author based upon the 
 collations of MSS. and a careful examination of authori- 
 ties. 
 
 Such, also, should be the case with regard to the Holy 
 Scriptures of the New Testament : — they ought to be edited, 
 not on the authority of the comparatively slender sources 
 of information which were accessible to Erasmus and the 
 Complutensian editors, — but on the authority of the ancient 
 MSS , &c., which are now accessible, and from which the 
 most weighty and valuable evidence may be obtained. The 
 earlier printed readings can obtain no prescriptive right to 
 be regarded as correct and authoritative; their authority 
 can never rise higher than that of the MSS. on which 
 they are based. 
 
 It has been indeed remarkable that the Greek New Tes- 
 tament was so long left just in the state in which it was 
 first printed ; — in this respect it was treated, in one sense, 
 with less regard than any important classical work : — for 
 while all pains were taken to edit other works with coiTect- 
 ness, yet by a kind of traditional inertia, long after many 
 critical authorities had been consulted, and the data pub- 
 lished, the New 1 estament was left almost untouched as to the 
 correction of the text ; — and when any partial attempts 
 were made to that end, an outcry was repeatedly raised 
 as if the very foundations of our Christian faith were as- 
 sailed; just as if the endeavour to set forth the records of 
 our religion with more accuracy, were an attack upon those 
 records ! 
 
 Many have indeed regarded any attempts at a critical revi- 
 sion of the text of Scripture, as being connected not only with 
 a want of reverence for the word of God, but also in some 
 measure with unsoundness of doctrine as to the Godhead of 
 our blessed Lord, the Trinity, or other fundamental points 
 of Christian truth. Now, if it had been tinae that persons 
 of unsound doctrinal views had peculiarly attended to the 
 textual criticism of the Greek Testament, this, instead of 
 leading those who hold orthodox sentiments to avoid or 
 decry the subject, ought to have led them to take it up 
 steadily and consistently, so that they might rest satisfied 
 for themselves that they do not receive critical texts from 
 doubtful hands. 
 
Passages may have been relied on and used in argument 
 for the support of the most important Christian doctrines — 
 such as the Trinity and the person of Christ. It may be 
 found on examination that these texts rest on very slight 
 critical authority or even on none whatever — ^but this does 
 not affect the doctrines themselves ; nay, they may be said 
 to stand on a much surer basis of Scripture testimony, 
 when every thing which was insecure in itself has been 
 taken away ; sound criticism rightly applied will ever be a 
 a safeguard to the text of the word of God against the en- 
 croachments of ignorance and heterodoxy. 
 
 Suppose that a disputant be found to uphold tme doctrine 
 by misquoted Scripture ; in evei-y such case let the Bible be 
 opened — let the passage be faMy quoted, and then the doc- 
 trine itself may rest upon the passages which really apply : 
 — just so with regard to doctrinal statements in which the 
 readings are doubtful : — let criticism in a Christian spirit 
 and in true subjection to God's authority, come in ; let the 
 passages be fairly read, and let testimonies to true doctrine 
 be taken up from that which will bear the test of full ex- 
 amination. Very few passages, however, will receive any 
 doctrinal alteration. Honest criticism will exhibit the text 
 of the word of God with more exactness, but the doctrines will 
 be found the same, unchanged and unshaken. God has 
 been pleased to cause that His Scripture should be trans- 
 mitted to us in such substantial integi-ity — in spite of all 
 the casualties to which it has been exposed in the transmis- 
 sion through so many centuries — that 1 believe it may be 
 truly said that the most faulty copy which has come 
 down to us, presents the doctrines and the duties of Chris- 
 tianity devoid of any material alteration. But though 
 this is true, yet the more exactly we know the veiy words of 
 Scripture as originally inspired by the Holy Ghost, the 
 more exactly have we the declaration of His mind set 
 before us. 
 
 I have made these remarks on the subject of criticism, 
 lest any who prize the word of God, but are unacquainted 
 with textual criticism, should feel alarm at the idea of any 
 liberty being taken with the sacred volume. 
 
 To apply criticism to the text of an ancient author, we 
 must have before us MSS. or other authorities, or else 
 collations of such sources of correction : — the object is to 
 give the text as nearly as possible as originally written ; 
 and to this end the authorities must be weighed carefully. 
 
 8 
 
Oust so, with regard to the New Testament : — we must ex- 
 amine MSS. ancient versions, and citations found in the 
 works of early writers ; on the evidence so obtained we 
 must seek to give a correct judgment; — to this end a single- 
 eyed pursuit of Tkuth is absolutely needed : there ought 
 therefore to be right reverence for the volume to which we 
 apply textual criticism; there ought likewise to be an 
 acting in the fear of God, and with prayer to Him, that 
 nothing may hinder the mind from forming a true judg- 
 ment, that no undue bias may hinder a proper estimate 
 from being formed as to the evidence, — that no prejudice or 
 pre-conceived thought may interfere with the honest and 
 straight-forward enquiry, What is Truth as to the text of 
 God's word ? 
 
 I have now to speak briefly of the collection of materials 
 for critical emendation of the text, and how they have been 
 aiDplied. 
 
 In Stephens's folio edition 1550, there were various read- 
 ings given, but with no great accuracy, from the Com- 
 plutensian text and about fifteen MSS. ; — Beza gave a few 
 more from MSS. which he employed ; but it was not till 
 Walton's Polyglott, that any thing like a systematic collec- 
 tion was formed. Walton added readings from the 
 Alexandrian MS. at the foot of his text, and gave others in 
 his Appendix. 
 
 These various readings with some additions were given 
 on the same page with the text in the Greek Testament 
 published by Bishop Fell at Oxlbrd in 1675. In 1707, 
 Dr. Mill's Greek Testament appeared, — the result of thirty 
 years labour ; his collection of various readings was exten 
 sive ; and although he did not form a critical text, yet in 
 his prolegomena he indicated what readings he considered 
 as genuine. 
 
 l)r. Mill's labour was assailed by an outcry as violent as 
 it was groundless: — men from whom more intelligence 
 might have been expected, upheld the commonly printed 
 text, simply because it was the one in general use, without 
 regai'ding the opposing authorities of MSS. and versions, 
 even w^here they were imited in agreement in favour of 
 more correct and genuine readings. 
 
 An attempt was however soon made to form a critical 
 revision of the text. Just as the lead had been taken in 
 England in the collection of critical materials, so was it 
 also in using them. The first who thus applied the critical 
 materials previously gathered, was Dr. Edward Wells, 
 9 
 
 A3 
 
wlio published his New Testament (with an English Trans- 
 lation, notes, and a Paraphrase) — at Oxford, at various 
 limes between 1700 and 1710: — in this edition the text 
 was in many places corrected, — and though the work has 
 been little known, it deserves mention as the first attempt 
 of the kind, and as being in itself very creditably executed. 
 About the time when Dr. Wells's edition was completed, 
 Dr. Bentley published his proposals for an edition of the 
 New Testament, in Greek and Latin: — his principle of 
 criticism was that of taking the oldest authorities of the 
 original Greek and of Jerome's Latin version, and of form- 
 ing his text on the general agreement found to exist be- 
 tween the two. Every thing was to be based on evidence, and 
 conjectural criticism was to have no place. He published 
 the last chapter of the book of Revelation as a specimen ; 
 he intended to give the variations of the ancient copies to 
 which he could obtain access. The preparations which 
 Dr. Bentley made, were considerable ; the work, however, 
 was not execdted ; the opposition of those who dreaded cri- 
 ticism, was thoroughly aroused ; a stigma was attached to 
 the proposed w^ork, and Bentley, hindered and opposed in 
 many ways, after a great expenditure of labour, time, and 
 money, threw up the work in indignation.-' 
 
 * Bentley shows how important he felt the work to be which 
 he had intemled to execute ; he said, in writing to Archbishop 
 Wake, in 1716, on the mutual confirmation of the oldest Greek 
 and Latin copies, " It was the very view, that posssssed me with 
 " this thought which has now so engaged me, and in a manner 
 "enslaved me, that vce mihi, unless 1 do it. Nothing but 
 " sickness (by the blessing of God) shall hinder me from prosecu- 
 " ting it to the end.'' 
 
 And yet all his pains were frustrated : " He had expended 
 " large sums of money in collecting materials for his undertaking, 
 " and had devoted to it several years of his life ; but he was 
 " driven from his design by the force of calumny. When writing 
 " t(j his friend, Dr. Clarke, he allude-s in very striking terms to 
 " the treatment which he had e.xperienced — a treatment which 
 *' I will venture to call disgraceful to the age in which he lived. 
 " Bitter must have been the feelings which extorted the following 
 "sentence from a man of Bentley's character: 'Nothing will 
 ** now satisfy them but I must be put by tlie Professor's chair : 
 "and the Church is in great danger from my New 
 **^ Testament." — Bishop TvmoN's " Porson Vindicated,'' p. 181. 
 10 
 
In 1734 Bengel published his Greek Testament — the re- 
 sult of many years study and labour ; the text was revised 
 and when the readings which he judged preferable, had not 
 before appeared in any printed edition, he indicated them 
 in the margin. In the Eevelation, however, Bengel cor- 
 rected the text itself. In his Apparatus Criticus, he in- 
 creased the stock of various readings. This critic, like his 
 predecessors, had to pass through misrepresentation on 
 account of his work ; his own oithodoxy and godliness 
 were unquestionable, but his Greek Testament was con- 
 sidered dangerous. Some of his opposers suggested that 
 he ought to adraitall the various readings of copyists to be 
 alike divinely inspired ! The fierce attacks on Bengel, con- 
 tinued for many years, in fact, till his death in 1752 ; he 
 bore the violent language with which he was assailed, with 
 much equanimity ; he replied firmly and temperately to at- 
 tacks which he felt to be made, not so much on him person- 
 ally, as on the genuine text of the New Testament :— in 
 one of these replies, in 1747, he said, " that this may be 
 the last occasion of my standing in the gap to vindicate the 
 precious original text of the New TtstamentJ' 
 
 Bengel did much in shewing the relation of MSS. and 
 versions to one another, so that they might, in a manner, 
 be distributed into classes or families ; the same thing had 
 been done virtually by Bentley, when he relied on the 
 authority of the more ancient copies. 
 
 The collection of critical materials was greatly increased 
 by Wetstein, in his Greek Testament, published in 1 751 — 52. 
 He had spent many years in the collation of MSS.; and 
 Bishop Marsh says most truly of his labours, that he ac- 
 complished more than all his predecessors put together. 
 His text was merely a reprint of the current editions ; 
 but the critical materials subjoined, were a far greater store- 
 house of collected evidence for the revision of the text 
 than had ever been brought together before. But valuable 
 as these materials were, he made but little use of them 
 himself; he indicated in his inner margin the comparatively 
 few readings which he preferred to the Elzevir text ; but 
 this could not be regarded as a real and thorough revision. 
 
 The critical labours of Griesbach went far beyond those 
 of any who had preceded him. He was not an extensive 
 collator himself, but he extensively used the materials which 
 others had gathered. His first edition was commenced in 
 1775 — his last was completed in 1806, In his later edition 
 he was able to combine the results of the collations made 
 11 
 
by Birch, ;Matth,ei, (who published a Greek Testament 
 based on a limited class of authorities, which he himself 
 had seen,) and others, with those of Wetstein. Griesbach 
 certainly improved the common text in many places, but he 
 did not take the decided step of disregarding the received 
 text altogether, and simply following the best authorities 
 throughout. He had also formed a critical system of recen- 
 sions of the text, according to which he classiiied MSS., 
 and this often had an eflect on his judgment as a critic. 
 That he ever inserted or excluded readings in consequence 
 of any theological bias, I do not believe. 
 
 Griesbach's critical system took Bengel's division of 
 MSS., into families ab a kind of starting point. While the 
 great mass of modern MSS. belong to one general class 
 which (from its long use in later ages in the Greek Church) 
 has been denominated Constantinopolitan, the most ancient 
 MSS. versions and Ecclesiastical writers exhibit very dif- 
 ferent readings :— these, Griesbach thought he could sub- 
 divide into Alexandrian and Occidental. It would now be 
 admitted by most who have studied the subject, that this 
 subdivision was carried too far ; (indeed, Griesbach, in the 
 latest work which he lived to publish, in lyil) viitually 
 allows as much ; the line of distinction is by no means 
 clear, especially in the gospels ; and readings called Occi 
 dental, might be found abundantly in writers peculiarly 
 Alexandrian. But while the classification of Griesbach is 
 admitted to be far more systematic than the facts jus- 
 tify, it must be acknowledged that the older documents 
 may be m a sense divided into subclasses ; this is especially 
 the case in the MSS. of St. Paul's Epistles. I believe that 
 Griesbach's systematic arrangement often led him to esti- 
 mate later readings too highly, and not unfrequently 
 to put readings in his margin which deserved a place in 
 the text. 
 
 The labours of Griesbach ought, however, to be appreci- 
 ated highly, if it were only for his having succeeded so 
 much in directing the attention of Biblical students to the 
 textual criticism of the New Testament. In the seventy 
 yeai-s which have passed since the appearance of his first 
 edition, many scholars have publislied texts more or less re- 
 vised : but with few exceptions, these editions have been so far 
 based on that of Griesbach, that in them his emendations 
 haye heen partially i'oWowed; some of these editions have 
 corrected the common text in but a few places, whilst some 
 have almost entirely adopted Griesbach's readings, 
 12 
 
In 1880 — 36, Dr. J. M. Augu«tin Scholz of Bonn^ 
 published his Greek Testament, for which he had made pre 
 parations during many years. He had visited most libraries 
 of Europe and the East which were at all accessible, and 
 in these he had consulted many documents never previously 
 examined. He was thus able to exhibit what the general 
 character is of the MSS. scattered through many libraiies. 
 After having proposed other systems of the classification of 
 MSS. (founded on the resemblances which particular copies 
 have to each other), Dr. Scholz adopted the division of all 
 documents into the classes of Alexandrian and Constanti- 
 nopolitan : — the latter of these classes comprizes the mass 
 of modern copies, and on the readings of these, Scholz relies 
 as furnishing the genuine text : — he considers that the 
 copies commonly used throughout the Patriarchate of 
 Constantinople, being the great majority of those which 
 have come down to us, ought to have a decisive prepon- 
 derance in the scale of testimony : — in several places how- 
 ever he so far allows a weight to the ancient copies as to 
 depart'from the rigid application of his rule. 
 
 In 1831 Lachmann's edition appeared. It was published 
 without any preface, but subjoined there was a reference to 
 the Theologische Studien unci Kritiken of the preceding year, 
 in which the principles on which it was founded, had been 
 developed : — there was no statement of authorities on which 
 the text was based ; and at the end forty two pages were 
 filled with those places in the common text which differed 
 from his. Many mistakes were made with regard to this 
 edition, from its plan not being understood by those that 
 used it. The principle on which Lachmann edited, appears 
 to be this : — the ancient copies are to be followed implicitly: 
 the range of admitted evidence is confined within narrow 
 limits, and where the admitted authorities (Greek and Latin, 
 all others being excluded,) agree, no further question must 
 be raised ; — where the principal authorities agree in an 
 error, — a certain unquestionable error, — still they must be 
 followed in editing the text ; not however as supposing that 
 such eiTor proceeded from the Apostles themselves, but be- 
 cause such an error may seem to have belonged to (what 
 has been termed) the traditional text of the fourth 
 century. 
 
 Lachmann has since undertaken a second edition, con- 
 taining the Greek Text, the Latin Vulgate, (mostly on the 
 authority of the Codex Fuldensis), with the authorities 
 (MSS. Latin versions and early citations) added by 
 13 
 
BuTMANN. The first volume of this larger edition appeared 
 in 1842 : — the second was printed in 1845, but 1 believe that 
 as yet, it is not puhli shed. 
 
 TiscHENDORF published an edition in 1841, in which he 
 very frequently followed the authority of the ancient 
 copies ; he also gave various readings at the loot of the 
 page, so that a judgment might be formed as to the gi-ound 
 on which his text rests ; — he has since published other 
 editions — one of which contains the Greek text conformed 
 as far as any MSS. whatever could permit, to the modem 
 Latin Vulgate ! 
 
 Great service has however been rendered by Tischendorf 
 to the textual criticism of the New Testament, by his hav- 
 ing pubUshed the text of several ancient MSS, particularly 
 C. (the palimpsest Codex Ephraemi at Paris) and L of the 
 Gospels (also at Paris) : he has thus made the text of 
 these MSS. available to critics, who might have been pre- 
 cluded from personal examination and collation of the 
 documents themselves. 
 
 I have now entered into the particulars, which I re- 
 garded as necessary, for the information of those, whose 
 acquaintance with the subject might be but slight, in 
 order that the statement may be intelligible as to what I 
 propose in the Greek New Testament which I have in 
 preparation, — that it may be clearly understood what its 
 object is, — what has been done to carry out that object, — 
 and what still remains to be efiected : — of these subjects I 
 have now to speak. 
 
 For several years I had paid considerable attention to the 
 textual criticism of the New Testament, before I contem- 
 plated any thing beyond employing the result of my studies 
 for my own use. I was familiarly acquainted with the 
 Greek Testaments of Griesbach and Scholz, but especially 
 with the former. In the interval between the publication 
 of Scholz's first volume and that of his second, I made a 
 particular examination of those readings which he terms 
 Alexandrian ; and in this examinatioji, I observed how 
 clearly a text, greatly differing from what he regards as the 
 Constantinopolitan, could be traced as resting upon com- 
 petent ancient authorities; — so that readings belonging 
 to the earlier centuries could be pointed out ; and that this 
 text, if not genuine, was at least ancient ; and if such 
 readings ought to be rejected, I felt that the proof which 
 14 
 
v;ould warrant this should be very strong lor my own use 
 I went at that time over a considerable part of the gospels, 
 marking the readings which are indubitably ancient. 
 
 In examining authorities from time to time, and in com- 
 paring the various readings as exhibited by Griesbach and 
 Scholz, I became thoroughly convinced of the importance 
 of editing the text from ancient authorities only : for what- 
 ever other authorities are cited, it always appeared that 
 the ancient MSS. (although comparatively few in number) 
 were those which have a determining value, 1 also saw 
 from discrepancies between Scholz and Griesbach in the 
 citations of readings, that it was desirable, if possible, to 
 examine the original documents, or at least the best and 
 most complete collations. 
 
 The plan of a Greek Testament had thus risen before my 
 mind : — I proposed — 
 
 1st. — To form a text on the authority of ancient copies, 
 without alloiving the " received text" any prescriptive right. 
 
 2nd. — To give to the ancient versions a determining voice 
 as to the insertion or non-insertion of clauses, dc. ; letting 
 the order of ivords (&c. rest ivholly upon MSS. 
 
 3rd. — To give the authorities for the text, and for the 
 various readings, clearly and accurately, so that the reader 
 might at once see what rests upon ancient evidence. 
 
 As to the formation of a text, I then thought rather of 
 giving well-supported ancient readings, and stating all the 
 evidence, than giving any veiy decided judgment of my 
 own. I should not however have given the "Eeceived 
 Text," except when supported by competent ancient au- 
 thorities. 
 
 When the plan of a Greek Testament was thus far ar- 
 ranged in my own mind, in August 1838, I prepared a 
 specimen. A passage which had peculiarly occupied my 
 attention in connection with the ancient readings was Co- 
 lossians ii. 2 : — I had seen that whatever the genuine read- 
 ing might be, and however doubtful it be as a matter of 
 evidence, which reading is true, yet still Griesbach and 
 Scholz had alike departed from all ancient authority in the 
 reading which they gave. This led me to take my speci- 
 men from the Epistle to the Colossians. I took the com- 
 mon Greek text, and struck the words out in all places in 
 which the ancient MSS. varied at all ; I then assumed the 
 uncancelled words as genuine and indisputable ; and as to 
 the gaps thus made in the text, I filled them in (unless pre- 
 ponderating authority required an omission,) as I judged 
 15 
 
the ancient evidence to demand. I was wholly unaware at 
 that time that any one had adopted principles at all simi- 
 lar ; I had supposed that I stood alone in wholly casting 
 aside the " Received text." 
 
 From the time when this specimen was prepared, I have 
 kept the object of editing a Greek New Testament before 
 me. I have increasingly felt the importance of the object ; 
 and I have believed such an undertaking, if entered on in 
 the fear of God, to be really service to Him, from its setting 
 forth more accurately His word. 
 
 I examined continually in my leisure time (which was 
 not very much) various editions of the New Testament : 
 with Lachmann's, which I again took up, I was dissatisfied 
 from the authorities not being given on which he based his 
 text, and also from his speaking at the end of Eastern testi- 
 monies as those which he would prefer ; this led me (in 
 common with many others) to suppose Lachmann to be a 
 follower of the critical principles of Scholz, instead of being 
 the very opposite. But even if I had fully apprehended 
 Lachmann's plan, it would not have satisfied me ; for a 
 leading thought in my mind was to give the full statement 
 of all the ancient authorities ; so that, be the true reading 
 what it may, the reader would see ivithin what limits the 
 variation of evidence is confined ; nor would the principles 
 of Lachmann's text have been altogether satisfactoiy ; for 
 I do not regard a kind of mechanical following of autho- 
 rities to be the proper mode of applying critical principles, 
 nor could I confine the testimony of versions to the Latin 
 only. As to relying on the ancient authorities irrespective 
 of modern variations or received readings, I should be 
 almost of the same judgment as Lachmann; and this was 
 my judgment before I understood those critical principles 
 which he had previously formed and applied. 
 
 I have thought that the reader would not object to be 
 informed of the steps which led me on gradually, until I 
 undertook the edition of the Greek Testament now proposed. 
 After I felt the importance of the object, I mentioned it 
 to any whom I thought at all competent to undertake it, 
 and who possessed more leisure than myself for such a 
 work. Some who saw my specimen understood what I 
 meant, some did not ; no one took it up, and I gi*adually 
 pursued the studies and the critical examinations, which I 
 found, as I went on, to be needfol, if such a work were exer 
 executed. 
 
 16 
 
I need not here detail the hindraQces in my way ; al- 
 though from time to time I did something, yet I was often 
 stopped; at length, in the end of 1841 and 1842, after 
 thinking over the peculiarly incorrect condition of the 
 Greek text of the Book of Revelation, and also how desir- 
 able it is that the mere English reader should be in posses- 
 sion of this book translated fi'om accurate readings, I 
 formed a Greek text of this book from ancient authorities, 
 and an English translation. This was published in June 
 1844. I then gave some account of the critical j)rinciples 
 on which I had acted, and announced my intention of 
 editing the Greek Testament with various readings. 
 
 I have had cause for thankfulness in connection with the 
 text of the Apocalypse which I edited. It has been used 
 in this country by expositors of that book, whose schemes 
 of interpretation have been the most different to one ano- 
 ther ; — I trust that I may regard this as a proof that I suc- 
 ceeded in one part at least of my endeavour ; namely, to 
 give without bias or prejudice, the text which, according to 
 the evidence, I believed to belong to the Truth of God's word. 
 I learn also from Professor De Wette of Basle, that he 
 has used this text (to some extent at least) in his exposition 
 of the Apocalypse : — I suppose that I should accord but 
 little with his interpretation ; I am under gTeat obligations 
 to Professor De Wette, and I would that his theological 
 views w^ere such that I could speak as highly of them, as I 
 can of his personal kindness and urbanity, and also of his 
 laboiiousness in the department of Biblical learning. 
 
 After the publication of the Greek and English Revela- 
 tion, I applied myself almost unremittingly to my Greek 
 Testament. I found that it was important, whenever prac- 
 ticable, to collate the ancient MSS. in Uncial letters over 
 again, in order to avoid, if possible, the errors which are 
 found in existing collations, and to this part of the work I 
 devoted myself. ^^ 
 
 * Before I left England, in October, 1845, to collate MSS. in 
 Foreign Libraries, I published a brief Prospectus of my proposed 
 Greek Testament : — this was pretty widely circulated, and it 
 afforded a small outline of information as to what I had under- 
 taken. In some minor details my plan has changed from time 
 to time ; or rather perhaps I should say that I have found it 
 needful, as I went on, to extend my plan : I mention this for the 
 information of those who may have seen the announcement in 
 the Introduction to the " Greek and English Revelation," or my 
 former Prospectus. 
 17 
 
Tlie mode in which I proceeded with my collations was 
 the following. 
 
 I procured many copies of the same edition of the Greek 
 New Testament, so that all the MSS. might be compared 
 with exactly the same text. 
 
 When a MS. was before me, I marked in one of these 
 copies every variation, however slight ; I noted the begin- 
 ning of every page, column, and line, so that I can produce 
 the text of every MS. which I have collated, line for line. 
 This gave a kind of certainty to my examinations, and I 
 was thus prevented from hastily overlooking readings. I 
 marked all readings which are corrections by a later hand, 
 and all erasures, &c At leisure I compared my collation 
 with any others which had been previously published; and 
 I made in my note-book a list of all such vai'iations, (such 
 as readings differently given or readings not noticed by 
 former collators ;) then I went over this list with the MS., 
 reexamining all these passages; and to prevent all doubt, 
 / made a separate memorandum of every discrepancy, so 
 that in all such cases I feel an absolute certainty as to the 
 readings of the MSS. 
 
 I used of course a separate Greek Testament for each 
 collation, — otherwise the marks of various readings, begin- 
 ning of lines, vScc. would have caused inextricable confusion. 
 
 Also I traced one whole page, in fac simile, of each MS. 
 which I collated when abroad ; — this is often important, for 
 the writing of a MS is one of the criteria as to its age, &c. 
 
 These details of my proceedings, as to the mode of col- 
 lation, and the particulars which I give of the different 
 MSS. which I have examined, are mostly for the informa- 
 tion of those who have some acquaintance with Biblical 
 criticism. The Letters A, B, C, &c. in connection with 
 MSS. are the marks of reference used in critical works in 
 denoting the respective MSS. 
 
 Before I went abroad, I had collated the Codex Augien- 
 SI3 (F) of St. Paul's Epistles in the Library of Trinity 
 College Cambridge, to which the Rev. W. Carus with great 
 kindness procured me access. This is an important MS. 
 and the collation previously published (that of Wetstein,) 
 is only partial and not very accurate. 
 
 One principal object which I had in" going abroad was to 
 endeavour to collate for myself the Vatican MS. (B). This 
 important document was collated for Bentley by an Italian 
 named Mico, and this collation was published in 1799 ; it 
 was subse(iuently collated, (with the exception of the gos- 
 18 
 
pels of Luke and John) by Birch. A third collation 
 (made previously to either of these) by Bartolocci, remains 
 in MS. at Paris. As this is the most important of all New- 
 Testament MSS., I had compared the two published col- 
 lations carefully with each otlier; I found that they differed 
 in nearly two thousand places ; — many of these discrepan- 
 cies were readings noticed by one and not by the other. 
 I went to Eome, and during the five months that I was 
 there, I sought diligently to obtain permission to collate 
 the MS. accurately, or at least to examine it in the places 
 in which Birch and Bentley difier with regard to its read- 
 ings. All ended in disappointment. I often saw the MS., 
 but I was hindered from transcribing any of its readings. 
 I read however many passages, and have since noted down 
 several important readings. The following are readings of 
 some moment : Eom. v. 1 , e>^(o/xev is the original reading 
 of the MS. (thus agreeing with the other more ancient 
 MSS. &c.) a later hand has changed this into exofxev. The 
 collations of Birch and Bentley do not notice this passage. 
 In Eom. viii 11, the MS. reads 8ta to ivotKovv avrov 
 TTvevixa; to notice this reading explicitly is of the more im- 
 portance, because Griesbach and Scholz cite 'the Vatican 
 MS. as an authority for the other reading, (which however 
 they reject,) 8ta tov cj/qikowtos avrov Trveu/xaros. In 1846, 
 Edvardus de Muralto published a small Greek Testament, 
 the Text of which was professedly based on that of the 
 Vatican MS. — for this pui-pose he used the published colla- 
 tion of Birch, that in M S. of Bartolocci (be appears 
 to have paid no attention to the more complete one executed 
 for Bentley,) and his own observation in an examination of 
 the x\IS. for three days in 1844. I have not seen his pro- 
 legomena (if indeed they are published,) so that I do not 
 know where he intentionally departs from the MS. ; — but 
 this is certain, that his text frequently differs from it. 
 
 My especial object at the Vatican was thus entirely 
 frustrated ; and this I regret the more from ray increased 
 conviction of the value and importance of ^7i^ Vatican MS. 
 I inspected several other MSS. in the Vatican library ; I 
 was only however able to consult them in particular 
 passages. One of these is the Codex Basilianus, (B in 
 the Apocalypse , the Vatican MS. is defective in that book) ; 
 one of the three ancient copies which contain the Eevela- 
 tion. From the very defective character of the collation of 
 this MS. which was communicated to Wetstein, it was 
 
 19 
 
supposed that this MS, had many chasms. By transcribbif^ 
 the first and last line of every page, I obtained certain 
 proof that the MS. contains the Revelation entire : besides 
 this I was allowed to trace four pages. Tischendorf has 
 since published the text of this MS. (not a fac simile 
 edition) ; in a few places he has however erred as to the 
 readings; — in Rev. xvi: 0, he reads Tt]v c^ovcriav, — the MS. 
 really omits rqv', in Rev. xvi. 12, he reads tov fxeyav rov 
 €<fifiaTrjv, — the second rov is not in the MS. I do not men- 
 tion these particulars in order to find ftiult with Tischendorf, 
 to whose critical labours I am so deeply indebted, but for 
 the sake of that accuracy in little things which has an im- 
 portance in all that relates to textual criticism. From 
 having a fac simile tracing of that part of the MS. I am 
 able to make these corrections with certainty. 
 
 I now have to speak of collations not merely attempted 
 but executed ; — all these collations having been made in 
 the manner above described. 
 
 At Rome I collated the Codex Passioxej, containing the 
 Acts and Catholic Epistles (G) and those of St. Paul (J) ; 
 this MS. is in the Angelican Library belonging to the Au- 
 gustine monastery, to which access was most kindly granted 
 me by Dr. Giuseppe Palermo the librarian. 
 
 At Florence I collated the New Testament part of the 
 Codex Amiatinus ; a most important MS. of the Latin 
 translation of Jerome belonging to tlie sixth century. I 
 have to acknowledge the kindness which I received at the 
 Laurentian Library from Signer del Furia the Librarian, 
 and the aid afibrded me there as to all I wished to examine. 
 The Codex Amiatinus had been previously collated, partly 
 by Fleck and partly for him ; this collation is however so 
 defective and so inaccurate in many important respects 
 that it gives a very inadequate idea of the real text of this 
 noble MS. Fleck's (so called) fac simile too gives no proper 
 representation of the regular and beautiful writing of the 
 MS., nor even of the stichometry of the lines : — it could 
 not have been traced from the MS. itself. 
 
 At MoDENA Count Giovanni Galvani the Librarian at the 
 Ducal Palace, enabled me to use the Codex Mctinensis lUG. 
 The ancient writing of this MS. (H) contains only the Acts 
 of the Apostles (with some chasms) ; the Catholic and Pau- 
 line Epistles are in a later hand : — this MS. had been 
 examined previously with so little exactitude tliat my 
 collation was virtually the first. 
 
 20 
 
At Venice I collated the Codex Nanii now in the library 
 of St. Mark. This MS. of the four gospels (U), had been 
 previously only collated in particular places ; although the 
 general text is that of the later copies, yet in many re- 
 markable readings it accords wtth the Alexandrian (or 
 more ancientj class of MSS. 
 
 At Munich I collated the Codex Monacensis (X) of the 
 Gospels, (formerly Landshutensis, and previously Ingold- 
 stadiensis.) This MS. is now in the University Library at 
 Munich, having been removed with the University, "first 
 from Ingoldstadt to Landshut, and thence lo its present 
 location. Through the kindness of Dr. Harter, one of 
 the librarians, I was able to use this MS. out of the library, 
 and this of course facilitated my labour in collating it. 
 
 The readings of this MS. are commonly ancient; but 
 interspersed with the uncial text, there is a commentary in 
 cursive letters ; it would seem as if its text were transcribed 
 from some ancient copy, of which even the form of the 
 letters was in some measure imitated. In connection 
 with this MS. I may express my obligation to Dr. Scholz 
 for the aid which he gave me during his visit to England 
 previous to my going on the continent, by informing me 
 where different MSS. (and this one in particular) ai'e now 
 to be found. 
 
 At Basle I collated the Codex Basileensts B vi. 21 of 
 the Gospels (E). Besides comparing my collation with 
 that of Wetstein, and verifying all discrepancies, I had 
 through the kindness of Professor MiIller of Basle, the 
 opportunity of using a collation which Tischendorf had 
 made of this same MS. I also collated that part of the 
 MS. B. VI. 27, which contains the gospels (1). This MS. 
 though written in cursive letters, is, in the gospels, of great 
 importance from the character of the text which it contains. 
 To Professor De Wette I am under great obligation for 
 the kindness with which he procured me the use of these 
 MSS. out of the T/ibrary. 
 
 Besides these MSS. which I collated, I also examined 
 many others in different places. 
 
 I am very well satisfied with having devoted so much 
 time and labour to the re-collation of uncial MSS ; al- 
 though many of the readings which I have noticed are not 
 very important in themselves, yet, had I not made the ie- 
 collations, I should in my Greek Testament have perpetu- 
 ated the errors of those who have gone before me ; — 1 am 
 thankful to them for w4iat they have done, and I do not 
 •2) 
 
wish to criticise with severity tlieir mistakes and omissions : 
 no one without having had extensive experience himself, 
 can appreciate the many difficulties which a collator has to 
 encounter, and the many causes of error in marking and 
 transcribing various readings; I have done what I could 
 to avoid these causes of error, and I trust that I have 
 succeeded. 
 
 The places in which I have been able to correct previous 
 collations have been very many hundreds ; in all these cases 
 I should have repeated previous mistakes had I not re- 
 collated the MSS. ; and in all these cases I feel a good 
 degree of certainty, from the separate re-examination of 
 each one of the passages, and the separate memorandum 
 which I made with regard to each. Thus in those places 
 in which my collation accords with those of Wetstein, 
 Scholz and others, there is the united testimony of all the 
 collators to the readings of a MS. ; and in those places in 
 which I differ, 1 have done what I could to report accurately 
 what each MS. actually reads. 
 
 Since my return to England, I have collated Codex 
 Harleianus oG84, in the British Museum, which contains 
 the Gospels, (G), and some of those MSS. the text of which 
 has been printed, such as (C), the Codex Ephr^mi, a most 
 valuable Palimpsest MS. at Paris, containing about two 
 thirds of the New Testament in fragments : the Codex 
 BEZiE (D) which contains the Gospels and Acts, &c. 
 
 I have also been occupied in arranging my collations ; 
 and I have in general put in order the readings of the 
 Acts and all the Epistles, from all the ancient MSS. (one 
 only of which requires re-collation), and I am now pre- 
 paring a similar arrangement of the readings of the 
 
 Other collations yet remain to be done ; of these the 
 principal are, the Codex Claromontanus, (D) containing 
 St Paul's epistles, — the Codex Cyprius (K). of the gospels, 
 and the Codex Campensis (M) also of the gospels; all 
 these are at Paris, as well as an important MS. in cursive 
 letters. 
 
 With these exceptions as to MSS. I have all the more 
 important documents in my power, either from possessing 
 my own collations, or else through the published text of 
 the MSS. themselves. 
 
 As to versions, the collation of the Codex Amiatinus 
 places the most important Latin copy in my hands ; other 
 
 22 
 
old Latin versions have been published, but some of them 
 are of but little use in Biblical criticism. 
 
 As I do not at all agi-ee with Lachmann in excluding 
 from consideration all versions except the Latin, I use for 
 tlicm at least the common sources of information. A new 
 edition of the Coptic from good authorities is now in pub- 
 lication at Berlin by Schwartze. 
 
 I take the Sahidic from the copious fragments published 
 by Woide and Munter. 
 
 As to tlie J^THiopic I depend on the Latin version of 
 it given by Bode : I should be glad of any means of using 
 this version itself from the best text. 
 
 Few things are more desirable with regard to the critical 
 use of versions than an accurate collation of Zohrab's text 
 of the Ar:menian; I can work my way with Grammar and 
 Dictionary so as to find out whether his text reads such 
 or such words in particular passages ; but I am unable to 
 use his various readings, and the time which this important 
 version will take me, will I fear be considerable. I should 
 be exceedingly thankful, if some competent Armenian 
 scholar would afford me the aid which I want with regard 
 to this important version. An Armenian by nation, 
 Saekies Davids from Shiraz (M.D. of the University of 
 Glasgow) had kindly promised me his aid as to this ver- 
 sion; his death has deprived me of this hoped-for assis- 
 tance, — this has been a disadvantage to me, though on Ms 
 account there was, through the redemption of Christ his 
 Saviour, no cause for sorrow. 
 
 The recently published editions of the Gothic version 
 will materially facilitate the use to be made of it. 
 
 As to the Syriac versions ; I have used the printed texts 
 of the Peshito ; I have also collated it entirely with Kick's 
 MS. 7157 in the British Museum; whether the Niteian 
 MSS of that version now also in the British Museum are 
 yet available for examination or collation, I do not know ; 
 but I wish to use them, so as to have the text of this version, 
 as much as possible in its original form. 
 
 The Harclean recension of the Philoxenian Syriac I 
 take from White's edition, using of course the result of 
 Adler's examination; some of the MSS. I have inspected 
 myself. The readings of the Jerusalem Syriac I take of 
 course from Adler ; 1 have also examined several passages 
 in the one MS. (in the Vatican) in which this version is 
 found, and I have noted some readings; I also possess a 
 transcript of a few pages of the MS. 
 23 
 
The versions later than the sixth .century (such as the 
 Arabic and Sclavonic) are not, I consider, entitled to any 
 particular notice with regard to the formation of a text ; 1 
 should merely insert their readings, as evidences of the 
 history of the text, and its gradual departure from that of 
 the most ancient documents. 
 
 The same remark will apply to several of the later uncial 
 MSS. ; the value of their readings is often principally that 
 of shewing the gi-adual progress of the text towai-ds its 
 more modern form. B C A D Z, &c. are the fundamental 
 authorities. 
 
 The following is a brief recapitulation of the state of ray 
 work with regard to MSS. 
 
 I have collated — 
 
 Gospels E G U X. 1. 
 
 =i^ Acts and Catholic Epistles G H. 
 
 Epistles of St. Paul F J. 
 
 MSS. of which the text is published — 
 
 Gospels A C D L A— also the fragments I P Q R T W Y 
 
 zr®. 
 
 Acts and Catholic Epistles A C D E. Fragment F. 
 
 Epistles of St. Paul A C G. Fragments H. 53. 
 
 Apocaly])se ABC. 
 
 The readings of F of the Gospels have been recently 
 published ; S of the Gospels I take from Birch, V from 
 Matthsei. 
 
 E of St. Paul's Epistles is only a tran script from D : — K of 
 the Acts and Epistles, Matthaei's *' g", I take from him. 
 
 Where H of the Gospels is now to be found I have no 
 information.f 
 
 I have yet to collate — 
 
 Gospels K M. 
 
 Epistles of St. Paul D. (Also the cursive MS. marked 
 SS in the Gospels ; 17 in the Epistles.) 
 
 The especial desideratum however is a perfect eollation of 
 the Vatican MS., if this could at all be obtainable. 
 
 * In the distribution of the parts of the New Testament the 
 Acm and Catholic Epistles are placed together; of the RlSS. cited 
 under this head some contain both these parts, some only the 
 Acts. 
 
 fThe MSS. indicated by letters not given in this arrangement 
 of what are collated and what still remain to be collated, are frag- 
 ments of which there are available collations, 
 24 
 
1 have yet to bring the readings of the Gospels into their 
 order ; to add those of the versions throughout, and to 
 complete the use of my materials in forming my text ; in 
 this I have already made some progress. 
 
 I propose in my Greek Testament — 
 
 I. — To give the text on the authority of the oldest MSS. 
 and versions, so as to present, as far as possible, the text 
 commonly received in the fourth century : — always stating 
 what authorities support, and what oppose the text given. 
 
 II — In cases in which we have certain proofs whic h 
 carry us still nearer to the Apostolic age, to use the data so 
 afforded. 
 
 III. — In cases in which the oldest documents agree in 
 certain undoubted, transcriptural error, to state the reading 
 so supported, but not to follow it; and to give the grounds on 
 which another reading is preferred. 
 
 IV. — In matters altogether doubtful to state distinctly the 
 conflicting evidence, and thus to approximate towards a 
 true text. 
 
 V. — To give the various readings of all the uncial MSS. 
 and ancient versions, very correctly, so that it may be clearly 
 seen what readings possess any ancient authority what- 
 ever. To these I intend to add the more important cita- 
 tions of the earlier writers. The places are also to be 
 indicated in which the common text departs from the ancient 
 readings. 
 
 I have thought of placing the Latin of Jerome by the 
 side of the Greek Text : I incline to do this from my being 
 able to give it from the Codex Amiatinus and other docu- 
 ments with far more correctness than it has been hitherto 
 edited : — the correspondence between the older Greek and 
 Latin documents is very striking. 
 
 I intend to prefix an Introduction to the Criticism of the 
 text of the New Testament, containing an account of the 
 MSS. versions, &c., sufficiently ample to make my edition 
 intelligible ; also a synopsis in English of those passages 
 which would be at all affected by the readings in the text 
 
 * It has been thought by some that I propose to gire an English 
 translation with the Greek Text; I neither have nor ever had any 
 such intention. 
 
 25 
 
I must separate from this work, the. Historical Evidence 
 of the Origin and Transmission of the Boohs of the New 
 Testament, and also A Critical Introduction to the New 
 Testament, which 1 formerly thought of combining with 
 it : — a considerable part of the materials for these, has, 
 however, been collected whilst engaged in my present 
 object. 
 
 I should be glad to receive communications on any of 
 these subjects, or any information on the points I have sta- 
 ted, from those who may feel an interest in my proposed 
 edition. 
 
 As to the text which I shall give, I wish to assure all 
 who might feel any alarm on the subject of criticism, that 
 I have to follow my authorities ; and 1 desire and pray that 
 God may enable me not to be guided by any preconceived 
 thoughts of my own, but simply to attend to the Truth 
 of the Text of His holy word according to evidence. What 
 the early Christians read as the genuine Text of the New 
 Testament, that I desire to read and edit. 
 
 I have thus had this work before me for ten years ; (far 
 longer than I contemplated when I commenced it:) some- 
 thing has been accomplished, and some may think that more 
 might have been effected: — I can truly say that I have done 
 as much as I was able to do; — I have had hindrances 
 and discouragements, but on these I do not wish to dwell ; I 
 only mention the fact that I have not been able from many 
 circumstances to attend to this subject with a mind wholly 
 undistracted. 
 
 I wish to express my thanks to all who have in any way 
 aided my undertaking ; and I wish to assure them and all 
 others who may feel any interest in it, that if the Lord be 
 pleased to grant me life, and some measure of health and 
 ability, I trust that nothing may hinder my completing 
 this work, which will be (I confidently believe) for real ser- 
 vice to His church. 
 
 When it may probably be completed I cannot say ; several 
 years of close labour have been already bestowed ; but I 
 trust that through the Lord's blessing the lime may not be 
 very distant when this long continued toil will produce the 
 desired result. 
 
 26 
 
In laying tbis plan of a Critical Edition of the New 
 Testament before tbose Clnistians who may feel an interest 
 in such an undertaking, I wish again to express bow deep- 
 ly I feel the importance of any thing which relates to the 
 word of God, inspired by the Holy Ghost; and with this 
 feeling I desire still to carry it on in dependence upon God, 
 and looking to Him for His blessing to be vouchsafed for 
 the name's sake of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 S. PRIDEAUX TREGELLES. 
 
 6, Portland Square^ Plymouth. 
 
J-