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Download PDF - Free Methodist Church

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oies are to be removed ; uniformityin rendering Hebrew and Greekwords and proper names to besought. In one word the revision isto give, in idiomatic English, thenearest possible equivalent for theoriginal Word of God as it camefrom the inspired organs of theHoly Ghost. It aims to be the bestversion possible in the nineteenth•century, as King James's versionwas the best which could be made inthe seventeenth century.IV. The principles of the revision,AS adopted at the outset, are chiefly•the following :1. To introduce as few alterationsAS possible in the text of the author^ized version consistent •with faithfulness.(Faithfulness to the original,whieh is the first duty of a translator,requires a great many changes,though mostly of an un-essential-character.)2. To limit, as far as possible, the•expression of such alterations to thelanguage of the "authorized or•earlier versions. (So far as I re-•coUect, only one new word has beenintroduced in the New Testament.)3. Each company to go twice overthe portion to be revised, onceprovisionally, the second time finally.4. That the text to be adoptedbe that for which the evidence is•decidedly preponderating ; and thatwhen the text so adopted differsfrom that from which the authorizedversion was made, the alterationbe indicated in the margin.5. To make or retain no changein the text, on the second finalre^vision by each company, excepttwo-thirds of those present approveof the same; but on the first revi-•sionto decide by simple majorities.6. To revise the headings of chapters,pages, paragraphs, italics, andpunctuation.If these principles are faithfully-carried out —as they have been thusfar,— the people need not apprehend-any dangerous innovations. NoTHE BEVISBD BIBLB. 35article of faith, no moral precept,will be disturbed, no sectarianviews will be introduced. The re-•vision will so nearly resemble thepresent version, that the mass ofreaders and hearers •will scarcelyperceive the difference ; while acarefnl comparison will show slightimprovements in every chapter andalmost in every verse. The onlyserious difficulty may arise from achange of text in a few instanceswhere the overwhelming evidenceof the oldest manuscript make achange necessary, and perhaps alsofrom the omission of italics, thepoetic and sectional arrangement,and the change "of headings of chapters,which, however, are no part ofthe Word of God, and may behandled •with greater freedom. Ofcourse, some will regard the re^visionas too conservative, others astoo radical; but it will be foundultimately to occupy the wisemedium between the extreme viewson this subject. It will meet withopposition, like every new thing,but it will come out of the conflicttriumphant in a short time. Thechnrches •will have either to adoptthis Anglo-American Bible, or dismissthe subject of a joint revisionfor a whole generation, and leave it -,to unauthorized preachers ariS tosectarian enterprise. There neverhas been such a favorable, providentialcombination of representative,able and sound biblical scholars,from all evangeUcal churches, andthe twA great nations speaking theEngUsh language, for such a holywork of our common Christianity.It muat and will succeed.V. Progress.—It was calculatedat the beginning of the work thatthe revision would be completed inten years of uninterrupted labor.More tban half —and by' far themost diflicult half— of the work isdone, and it is probable that theNew Testament, at least, will bepublished in 1880, just five hundredyears after John Wycliffe finished.

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