Companion to the Revised Version of the New Testament

I have recently purchased a book entitled, “Companion to the Revised Version of the English New Testament,” by Alex. Roberts, D.D., one of the members of the New Testament Company.

As explained by the preface, “the object of this little work is to explain to the English reader the general grounds of those many departures from the authorised version which he will find in the revised translation.” The book is divided into two parts, each part subdivided into five chapters. The whole is brought to a conclusion with a list of texts referred to in the book. In order to give you some idea of the character of the book, I append the headings of the respective chapters, and a short comment on each, so far as I have read them, as follows:—

“Part I.”—“Changes arising from an Amended Text.”

“Chapter I.”—Various readings in the New Testament.” This chapter gives the probable number of various readings—points out that the vast majority are of no practical importance—and the variety of readings is a matter of congratulation rather than regret; and closes with a description of the causes of the variety of readings above mentioned.

Chapter II.—“Sources of various readings in the New Testament.” This chapter deals with the character of the manuscripts from which the revised version is collated, and gives a description of them. It is one of the most interesting chapters of the book. By it we are carried beyond the age of type setting, and our thoughts fly back to the time when in quietness and seclusion, the holy oracles were transcribed by patient believers in the divine character of the words they were copying. We learn by this chapter the very ancient origin of the manuscripts which are the authority now appealed to for justification in putting forward the revised version.

Chapter III.—“History and character of the Greek text on which the authorised version was founded.”
This history amply justifies the revision which has taken place. The author points this out, and also says that considering the history of the hitherto received text, the wonder is that the changes found in the revised version “are so few, or, at least, that they are, in general, of such small importance.”

Chapters IV. and V. give examples of changes caused by a change of text, the former containing the minor alterations, and the latter the more important ones.

As my reading of the book has not extended beyond this chapter, I am merely able to add a list of the chapters contained in part II. without comment. They are:—

• I.—Corrections of mistakes in the meaning of Greek words.
• II.—Corrections in mistakes in Greek grammar.
• III.—Corrections of Archaisms, Ambiguities, and the rendering of proper names and Technical Expressions.
• IV.—Corrections of the unnecessary confounding of one Greek word with another in translation.
• V.—Correction of needless variations in the translation of the same Greek words.

The book is an exceedingly interesting one. It is written for the popular reader, and is quite as comprehensible to English readers as to the Greek scholar. If the book were more comprehensive, I should like it better. But such as it is, I thought some of the brethren might wish to obtain a copy, if they knew of the publication.