Reference: New Testament
Easton
(Lu 22:20), rather "New Covenant," in contrast to the old covenant of works, which is superseded. "The covenant of grace is called new; it succeeds to the old broken covenant of works. It is ever fresh, flourishing, and excellent; and under the gospel it is dispensed in a more clear, spiritual, extensive, and powerful manner than of old" (Brown of Haddington). Hence is derived the name given to the latter portion of the Bible. (See Testament.)
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In like manner also the cup, after having supped, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
Fausets
(See BIBLE; CANON; INSPIRATION.) hee kainee diatheekee. See Heb 9:15-17; 8:6-13. The Greek term diateeeekee combines the two ideas "covenant" and "testament," which the KJV gives separately, though the Greek is the same for both. "Covenant" expresses its obligatory character, God having bound Himself by promise (Ga 3:15-18; Heb 6:17-18). "Testament" expresses that, unlike other covenants, it is not a matter of bargaining, but all of God's grace, just as a testator has absolute power to do what he will with his own. Jesus' death brings the will of God in our favor into force. The night before His death He said "I appoint unto you by testamentary disposition (diatitheemi) a kingdom" (Lu 22:29). There was really only one Testament - latent in the Old Testament, patent in the New Testament. The disciples were witnesses of the New Testament, and the Lord's Supper was its seal. The Old and New Testament Scriptures are the written documents containing the terms of the will.
TEXT. The "Received Text" (i.e. the "Textus Receptus" or TR) is that of Robert Stephens' edition. Bentley (Letter to Wake in 1716 A.D.) said truly, "after the Complutenses and Erasmus, who had very ordinary manuscripts, the New Testament became the property of booksellers. R. Stephens' edition, regulated by himself alone, has now become as if an apostle were its compositor. I find that by taking 2,000 errors out of the Pope's Vulgate (i.e. correcting by older Latin manuscripts the edition of Jerome's Vulgate put forth by Sixtus V, A.D. 1590, with anathemas against any who should alter it 'in minima particula,' and afterwards altered by Clement VIII (1592) in 2,000 places in spite of Sixtus' anathema) and as many out of the Protestant pope Stephens' edition, I can set out an edition of each (Latin, Vulgate, and Greek text) in columns, without using any book under 900 years old, that shall so exactly agree word for word, and order for order, that no two tallies can agree better. ... These will prove each other to a demonstration, for I alter not a word of my own head."
The first printed edition of the Greek Testament was that in the Complutensian Polyglot, January, 10, 1514 A.D. Scripture was known in western Europe for many ages previously only through the Latin Vulgate of Jerome. F. Ximenes de Cisneros, of Toledo, undertook the work, to celebrate the birth of Charles V. Complutum (Alcala) gave the name. Lopez de Stunica was chief of its New Testament editors. The whole Polyglot was completed the same year that Luther affixed his 95 theses against indulgences to the door of the church at Wittenberg. Leo X lent the manuscripts used for it from the Vatican. It follows modern Greek manuscripts in all cases where these differ from the ancient manuscripts and from the oldest Greek fathers. The Old Testament Vulgate (the translation which is authorized by Rome) is in the central column, between the Greek Septuagint and the Hebrew (the original); and the editors compare the first to Christ crucified between the impenitent (the Hebrew) and the penitent (the Greek) thief!
Though there is no Greek authority for 1Jo 5:7, they supplied it and told Erasmus that the Latin Vulgate's authority outweighs the original Greek! They did not know that the oldest copies of Jerome's Vulgate omit it; the manuscript of Wizanburg of the eighth century being the oldest that contains it. Owing to the Complutensian Greek New Testament not being published, though printed, until the Polyglot was complete, Erasmus' Greek New Testament was the first published, namely, by Froben a printer of Basle, March 1516, six years before the Complutensian. The providence of God at the dawn of the Reformation thus furnished earnest students with Holy Scripture in the original language sanctioned by the Holy Spirit. Erasmus completed his edition in haste, and did not have the scruples to supply, by translating into Greek front the Vulgate, both actual hiatuses in his Greek manuscripts and what he supposed to be so, especially in the Apocalypse, for which he had only one mutilated manuscript.
To the outcry against hint for omitting the testimony of the three heavenly witnesses he replied, it is not omission but non-addition; even some Latin copies do not have it, and Cyril of Alexandria showed in his Thesaurus he did not know it; on the Codex Montfortianus (originally in possession of a Franciscan, Froy, who possibly wrote it, now in Trinity College, Dublin) being produced with it, Erasmus INSERTED it. So clumsily did the translator of the Vulgate Latin into Greek execute this manuscript that he neglects to put the necessary Greek article before "Father," "Word," and" Spirit." Erasmus' fifth edition is the basis of our "Received Text." In 1546 and 1549 R. Stephens printed two small editions at Paris, and in 1550 a folio edition, following Erasmus' fifth edition almost exclusively, and adding in the margin readings from the Complutensian edition and from 15 manuscripts collected by his son Henry, the first large collection of readings. The fourth edition at Geneva, 1551, was the first divided into modern verses. Beza next edited the Greek New Testament, generally following Stephens' text, with a few changes on manuscript authority.
He possessed the two famous manuscripts, namely, the Gospels and Acts, now by his gift in the university of Cambridge; "Codex Bezae" or "Cantabrigiensis," D; and the epistles of Paul, "Codex Clermontanus" (brought from Clermont), now in the Bibliotheque du Roi at Paris; both are in Greek and Latin. The Elzevirs, printers at Leyden, published two editions, the first in 1624, the second in 1633, on the basis of R. Stephens' third edition, with corrections from Beza's. The unknown editor, without stating his critical principles, gravely declares in the preface: "texture habes ab omnibus receptum, in quo nihil immutatum aut corruptum damus"; stranger still, the public for two centuries has accepted this so-called "Received Text" as if infallible. When textual criticism was scarcely understood, theological convenience accepted it as a compromise between the Roman Catholic Complutensian edition and the Protestant edition of Stephens and Beza. Mill (1707) has established Stephens' as the Received Text in England; on the continent the Elzevir is generally recognized.
Thus, an uncritical Greek text of publishers has been for ages submitted to by Protestants, though abjuring blind assent to tradition, and laughing at the claim to infallibility of the two popes who declared each of two diverse editions of the Vulgate to be exclusively authentic. (The council of Trent, 1545, had pronounced the Latin Vulgate to be the authentic word of God). Frequent handling and transmission soon destroyed the originals. If the autographs of the inspired writers had been preserved, textual criticism would not have been necessary. But the oldest MSS, existing, Codex Sinaiticus ('aleph) Codex Vaticanus (B), Codex Alexandrinus (A), are not older than the fourth century. Parchment was costly (2Ti 4:13). Papyrus paper which the sacred writers used (2Jo 1:12; 3Jo 1:13) was fragile. No superstitious or antiquarian interest was felt in the autographs which copies superseded. The Diocletian persecution (A.D. 303) attacked the Scriptures, and traditores (Augustine, 76, section 2) gave them up.
Constantine ordered 50 manuscripts to be written on fair skins for the use of the church. God has not seen fit (by a perpetual miracle) to preserve the text from transcriptional errors. Having by extraordinary revelation once bestowed the gift, He leaves its preservation to ordinary laws, yet by His secret providence furnishes the church, its guardian and witness, with the means to ensure its accuracy in all essentials (Ro 3:2). Criticism does not make variations, but finds them, and turns them into means of ascertaining approximately the original text. More materials exist for restoring the genuine text of New Testament than for that of any ancient work. Whitby attacked Mill for presenting in his edition 30,000 various readings found in manuscripts. Collins, the infidel, availed himself of Whitby's unsound argument that textual variations render Scripture uncertain.
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Remember the word that Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded you, saying, Jehovah your God has given you rest and has given you this land.
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of the heavens, but my Father alone.
But in the middle of the night there was a cry, Behold, the bridegroom; go forth to meet him.
And very early on the first day of the week they come to the sepulchre, the sun having risen. And they said to one another, Who shall roll us away the stone out of the door of the sepulchre? read more. And when they looked, they see that the stone has been rolled away, for it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right, clothed in a white robe, and they were amazed and alarmed;
And I appoint unto you, as my Father has appointed unto me, a kingdom,
Much every way: and first, indeed, that to them were entrusted the oracles of God.
O senseless Galatians, who has bewitched you; to whom, as before your very eyes, Jesus Christ has been portrayed, crucified among you?
Brethren, (I speak according to man,) even man's confirmed covenant no one sets aside, or adds other dispositions to. But to Abraham were the promises addressed, and to his seed: he does not say, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed; which is Christ. read more. Now I say this, A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which took place four hundred and thirty years after, does not annul, so as to make the promise of no effect. For if the inheritance be on the principle of law, it is no longer on the principle of promise; but God gave it in grace to Abraham by promise.
The cloak which I left behind me in Troas at Carpus's, bring when thou comest, and the books, especially the parchments.
Wherein God, willing to shew more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of his purpose, intervened by an oath, that by two unchangeable things, in which it was impossible that God should lie, we might have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us,
But now he has got a more excellent ministry, by so much as he is mediator of a better covenant, which is established on the footing of better promises. For if that first was faultless, place had not been sought for a second. read more. For finding fault, he says to them, Behold, days come, saith the Lord, and I will consummate a new covenant as regards the house of Israel, and as regards the house of Juda; not according to the covenant which I made to their fathers in the day of my taking their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in my covenant, and I did not regard them, saith the Lord. Because this is the covenant that I will covenant to the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord: Giving my laws into their mind, I will write them also upon their hearts; and I will be to them for God, and they shall be to me for people. And they shall not teach each his fellow-citizen, and each his brother, saying, Know the Lord; because all shall know me in themselves, from the little one among them unto the great among them. Because I will be merciful to their unrighteousnesses, and their sins and their lawlessnesses I will never remember any more. In that he says New, he has made the first old; but that which grows old and aged is near disappearing.
how much rather shall the blood of the Christ, who by the eternal Spirit offered himself spotless to God, purify your conscience from dead works to worship the living God? And for this reason he is mediator of a new covenant, so that, death having taken place for redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, the called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. read more. (For where there is a testament, the death of the testator must needs come in. For a testament is of force when men are dead, since it is in no way of force while the testator is alive.)
For they that bear witness are three:
Having many things to write to you, I would not with paper and ink; but hope to come to you, and to speak mouth to mouth, that our joy may be full.
Hastings
Morish
For the general contents of the New Testament see BIBLE. See also COVENANT. The chronology of the principal events recorded in the New Testament is given in the following tables, with approximate dates. The dates of the Epistles of Peter, James, John, and Jude are according to the A.V. For the date of the crucifixion see SEVENTY WEEKS: other dates are reckoned from that.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
B.C.
27 Augustus emperor of Rome
6 Census in Judaea. Birth of John the Baptist
5 Birth of Jesus (Four full years before A.D.) Presentation in the temple.
4 Visit of the magi. Flight into Egypt, Massacre of infants. Death of Herod;
Archelaus made ethnarch of Judaea, Samaria and Idumaea
Herod Antipas tetrarch of Peraea and Galilee. Philip tetrarch of Ituraea, Trachonitis. etc.
A.D.
6 Quirinis (Cyrenius) governor of Syria the second time
Archelaus banished, and Judaea made a province of Syria.
7 Enrolment, or taxation, under Cyrenius. Annas made high priest
8 Jesus at Jerusalem. Lu 2:42-46
Lu 2:14 Tiberias emperor of Rome: reigns alone
17 Caiaphas made high priest
26 Pontius Pilate procurator of Judaea
John commences his ministry. (See TIBERIUS.) Mr 1:1-11
Baptism of Jesus. The Temptation
Miracle of the water made wine at Cana. Joh 2:1-11
Jesus visits Capernaum
The first Passover. Jesus cleanses the temple. Joh 2:13-22
John cast into prison. Jesus preaches in Galilee Mr 1:14-15
Jesus at the synagogue at Nazareth: cast out of the city. Lu 4:16-30
Jesus visits the towns of Galilee Mr 1:38-39
Mr 1:27 Jesus visits Jerusalem (probably the second Passover). John 5. 1
The twelve Apostles chosen Mr 3:13-19
Sermon on the Mount. Matt. 5.- 7; Lu 6:17-49
Miracles in the land of the Gadarenes. Mr 5:1-20
The Jews offended at Jesus at Nazareth. Mr 6:1-5
Jesus again visits the villages around. Mr 6:6
Jesus sends forth the twelve. Mr 6:7-13
Death of John the Baptist. Mr 6:17-29
Feeding the five thousand. Mr 6:35-44
Miracles in Gennesaret. Mr 6:53-56
Mr 6:28 Approach of the third Passover Joh 6:4
Feeding the four thousand. Mr 8:1-9
The Transfiguration. Mr 9:2-10
Feast of Tabernacles. John 7.
Journey towards Jerusalem. Lu 9:51
The seventy disciples sent out. Lu 10:1-16
Feast of Dedication (winter). Joh 10:22-39
Jesus goes away beyond Jordan. Joh 10:40-42
The raising of Lazarus at Bethany. Joh 11:1-44
Jesus retires to Ephraim. Joh 11:54
Joh 11:29 Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. Cleanses the temple Mr 11:1-18
The Greeks visit Jesus. Voice from heaven. Joh 12:20-36
The last (fourth) Passover. The Lord's supper Mr 14:1-2
The Crucifixion. Ascension. Pentecost
30-34 The events from Pentecost to Stephen. Acts 2
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Beginning of the glad tidings of Jesus Christ, Son of God; as it is written in Isaiah the prophet, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way. read more. Voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. There came John baptising in the wilderness, and preaching the baptism of repentance for remission of sins. And there went out to him all the district of Judaea, and all they of Jerusalem, and were baptised by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was clothed in camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins, and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, There comes he that is mightier than I after me, the thong of whose sandals I am not fit to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptised you with water, but he shall baptise you with the Holy Spirit. And it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptised by John at the Jordan. And straightway going up from the water, he saw the heavens parting asunder, and the Spirit, as a dove, descending upon him. And there came a voice out of the heavens: Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I have found my delight.
But after John was delivered up, Jesus came into Galilee preaching the glad tidings of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God has drawn nigh; repent and believe in the glad tidings.
And all were amazed, so that they questioned together among themselves, saying, What is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.
And he says to them, Let us go elsewhere into the neighbouring country towns, that I may preach there also, for for this purpose am I come forth. And he was preaching in their synagogues in the whole of Galilee, and casting out demons.
And he goes up into the mountain, and calls whom he himself would, and they went to him. And he appointed twelve that they might be with him, and that he might send them to preach, read more. and to have power to heal diseases, and to cast out demons. And he gave to Simon the surname of Peter; and James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, and he gave them the surname of Boanerges, that is, Sons of thunder; and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariote, who also delivered him up. And they come to the house.
And they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. And immediately on his going out of the ship there met him out of the tombs a man possessed by an unclean spirit, read more. who had his dwelling in the tombs; and no one was able to bind him, not even with chains; because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn asunder by him, and the fetters were shattered; and no one was able to subdue him. And continually night and day, in the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying and cutting himself with stones. But seeing Jesus from afar off, he ran and did him homage, and crying with a loud voice he says, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure thee by God, torment me not. For he said to him, Come forth, unclean spirit, out of the man. And he asked him, What is thy name? And he says to him, Legion is my name, because we are many. And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. Now there was there just at the mountain a great herd of swine feeding; and they besought him, saying, Send us into the swine that we may enter into them. And Jesus immediately allowed them. And the unclean spirits going out entered into the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep slope, into the sea (about two thousand), and were choked in the sea. And those that were feeding them fled and reported it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had taken place. And they come to Jesus, and they see the possessed of demons sitting and clothed and sensible, him that had had the legion: and they were afraid. And they that had seen it related to them how it had happened to the man possessed by demons, and concerning the swine. And they began to beg him to depart from their coasts. And as he went on board ship, the man that had been possessed by demons besought him that he might be with him. And he suffered him not, but says to him, Go to thine home to thine own people, and tell them how great things the Lord has done for thee, and has had mercy on thee. And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him; and all wondered.
And he went out thence and came to his own country, and his disciples follow him. And when sabbath was come he began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing were amazed, saying, Whence has this man these things? and what is the wisdom that is given to him, and such works of power are done by his hands? read more. Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended in him. But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not despised save in his own country, and among his kinsmen, and in his own house. And he could not do any work of power there, save that laying his hands on a few infirm persons he healed them. And he wondered because of their unbelief. And he went round the villages in a circuit, teaching. And he calls the twelve to him; and he began to send them out two and two, and gave to them power over the unclean spirits; and he commanded them that they should take nothing for the way, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their belt; but be shod with sandals, and put not on two body-coats. And he said to them, Wheresoever ye shall enter into a house, there remain till ye shall go thence. And whatsoever place shall not receive you nor hear you, departing thence, shake off the dust which is under your feet for a testimony to them. And they went forth and preached that they should repent; and they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many infirm, and healed them.
For the same Herod had sent and seized John, and had bound him in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her. For John said to Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have the wife of thy brother. read more. But Herodias kept it in her mind against him, and wished to kill him, and could not: for Herod feared John knowing that he was a just and holy man, and kept him safe; and having heard him, did many things, and heard him gladly. And a holiday being come, when Herod, on his birthday, made a supper to his grandees, and to the chiliarchs, and the chief men of Galilee; and the daughter of the same Herodias having come in, and danced, pleased Herod and those that were with him at table; and the king said to the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt and I will give it thee. And he swore to her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask me I will give thee, to half of my kingdom. And she went out, and said to her mother, What should I ask? And she said, The head of John the baptist. And immediately going in with haste to the king, she asked saying, I desire that thou give me directly upon a dish the head of John the baptist. And the king, while made very sorry, on account of the oaths and those lying at table with him would not break his word with her. And immediately the king, having sent one of the guard, ordered his head to be brought. And he went out and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head upon a dish, and gave it to the damsel, and the damsel gave it to her mother.
and brought his head upon a dish, and gave it to the damsel, and the damsel gave it to her mother. And his disciples having heard it, came and took up his body, and laid it in a tomb.
And when it was already late in the day, his disciples coming to him say, The place is desert, and it is already late in the day; send them away that they may go into the country and villages around, and buy themselves bread, for they have not anything they can eat. read more. And he answering said to them, Give ye them to eat. And they say to him, Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them to eat? And he says to them, How many loaves have ye? Go and see. And when they knew they say, Five, and two fishes. And he ordered them to make them all sit down by companies on the green grass. And they sat down in ranks by hundreds and by fifties. And having taken the five loaves and the two fishes, looking up to heaven, he blessed, and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples that they might set them before them. And the two fishes he divided among all. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up of fragments the fillings of twelve hand-baskets, and of the fishes. And those that ate of the loaves were five thousand men.
And having passed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and made the shore. And on their coming out of the ship, immediately recognising him, read more. they ran through that whole country around, and began to carry about those that were ill on couches, where they heard that he was. And wherever he entered into villages, or cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the market-places, and besought him that they might touch if it were only the hem of his garment; and as many as touched him were healed.
In those days, there being again a great crowd, and they having nothing that they could eat, having called his disciples to him, he says to them, I have compassion on the crowd, because they have stayed with me already three days and they have not anything they can eat, read more. and if I should dismiss them to their home fasting, they will faint on the way; for some of them are come from far. And his disciples answered him, Whence shall one be able to satisfy these with bread here in a desert place? And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. And he commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground. And having taken the seven loaves, he gave thanks, and broke them and gave them to his disciples, that they might set them before them; and they set them before the crowd. And they had a few small fishes, and having blessed them, he desired these also to be set before them. And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up of fragments that remained seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand; and he sent them away.
And after six days Jesus takes with him Peter and James and John, and takes them up on a high mountain by themselves apart. And he was transfigured before them: and his garments became shining, exceeding white as snow, such as fuller on earth could not whiten them. read more. And there appeared to them Elias with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter answering says to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good that we should be here; and let us make three tabernacles, for thee one, and for Moses one, and for Elias one. For he knew not what he should say, for they were filled with fear. And there came a cloud overshadowing them, and there came a voice out of the cloud, This is my beloved Son: hear him. And suddenly having looked around, they no longer saw any one, but Jesus alone with themselves. And as they descended from the mountain, he charged them that they should relate to no one what they had seen, unless when the Son of man should be risen from among the dead. And they kept that saying, questioning among themselves, what rising from among the dead was.
And when they draw near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sends two of his disciples, and says to them, Go into the village which is over against you, and immediately on entering into it ye will find a colt tied, upon which no child of man has ever sat: loose it and lead it here. read more. And if any one say to you, Why do ye this? say, The Lord has need of it; and straightway he sends it hither. And they departed, and found a colt bound to the door without at the crossway, and they loose him. And some of those who stood there said to them, What are ye doing, loosing the colt? And they said to them as Jesus had commanded. And they let them do it. And they led the colt to Jesus, and cast their clothes upon it, and he sat on it; and many strewed their clothes on the way, and others cut down branches from the trees and went on strewing them on the way. And those going on before and those following cried out, Hosanna! blessed be he that comes in the Lord's name. Blessed be the coming kingdom of our father David. Hosanna in the highest! And he entered into Jerusalem and into the temple; and having looked round on all things, the hour being already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. And on the morrow, when they were gone out of Bethany, he hungered. And seeing from afar off a fig-tree which had leaves, he came, if perhaps he might find something on it. And having come up to it he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the time of figs. And answering he said to it, Let no one eat fruit of thee any more for ever. And his disciples heard it. And they come to Jerusalem, and entering into the temple, he began to cast out those who sold and who bought in the temple, and he overthrew the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of the dove-sellers, and suffered not that any one should carry any package through the temple. And he taught saying to them, Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations? but ye have made it a den of robbers. And the chief priests and the scribes heard it, and they sought how they might destroy him; for they feared him, because all the crowd were astonished at his doctrine.
Now the passover and the feast of unleavened bread was after two days. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might seize him by subtlety and kill him. For they said, Not in the feast, lest perhaps there be a tumult of the people.
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good pleasure in men.
And when he was twelve years old, and they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast and had completed the days, as they returned, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, and his parents knew not of it; read more. but, supposing him to be in the company that journeyed together, they went a day's journey, and sought him among their relations and acquaintances: and not having found him they returned to Jerusalem seeking him. And it came to pass, after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers and hearing them and asking them questions.
And he came to Nazareth, where he was brought up; and he entered, according to his custom, into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read. And the book of the prophet Esaias was given to him; and having unrolled the book he found the place where it was written, read more. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach glad tidings to the poor; he has sent me to preach to captives deliverance, and to the blind sight, to send forth the crushed delivered, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And having rolled up the book, when he had delivered it up to the attendant, he sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed upon him. And he began to say to them, To-day this scripture is fulfilled in your ears. And all bore witness to him, and wondered at the words of grace which were coming out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this the son of Joseph? And he said to them, Ye will surely say to me this parable, Physician, heal thyself; whatsoever we have heard has taken place in Capernaum do here also in thine own country. And he said, Verily I say to you, that no prophet is acceptable in his own country. But of a truth I say to you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, so that a great famine came upon all the land, and to none of them was Elias sent but to Sarepta of Sidonia, to a woman that was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed but Naaman the Syrian. And they were all filled with rage in the synagogue, hearing these things; and rising up they cast him forth out of the city, and led him up to the brow of the mountain upon which their city was built, so that they might throw him down the precipice; but he, passing through the midst of them, went his way,
and having descended with them, he stood on a level place, and a crowd of his disciples, and a great multitude of the people from all Judaea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; and those that were beset by unclean spirits were healed. read more. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power went out from him and healed all. And he, lifting up his eyes upon his disciples, said, Blessed are ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed ye that hunger now, for ye shall be filled. Blessed ye that weep now, for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from them, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as wicked, for the Son of man's sake: rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in the heaven, for after this manner did their fathers act toward the prophets. But woe to you rich, for ye have received your consolation. Woe to you that are filled, for ye shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe, when all men speak well of you, for after this manner did their fathers to the false prophets. But to you that hear I say, Love your enemies; do good to those that hate you; bless those that curse you; pray for those who use you despitefully. To him that smites thee on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him that would take away thy garment, forbid not thy body-coat also. To every one that asks of thee, give; and from him that takes away what is thine, ask it not back. And as ye wish that men should do to you, do ye also to them in like manner. And if ye love those that love you, what thank is it to you? for even sinners love those that love them. And if ye do good to those that do good to you, what thank is it to you? for even sinners do the same. And if ye lend to those from whom ye hope to receive, what thank is it to you? for even sinners lend to sinners that they may receive the like. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return, and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Highest; for he is good to the unthankful and wicked. Be ye therefore merciful, even as your Father also is merciful. And judge not, and ye shall not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned. Remit, and it shall be remitted to you. Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall be given into your bosom: for with the same measure with which ye mete it shall be measured to you again. And he spoke also a parable to them: Can a blind man lead a blind man? shall not both fall into the ditch? The disciple is not above his teacher, but every one that is perfected shall be as his teacher. But why lookest thou on the mote which is in the eye of thy brother, but perceivest not the beam which is in thine own eye? or how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, allow me, I will cast out the mote that is in thine eye, thyself not seeing the beam that is in thine eye? Hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine eye, and then thou shalt see clear to cast out the mote which is in the eye of thy brother. For there is no good tree which produces corrupt fruit, nor a corrupt tree which produces good fruit; for every tree is known by its own fruit, for figs are not gathered from thorns, nor grapes vintaged from a bramble. The good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, brings forth good; and the wicked man out of the wicked, brings forth what is wicked: for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I say? Every one that comes to me, and hears my words and does them, I will shew you to whom he is like. He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep, and laid a foundation on the rock; but a great rain coming, the stream broke upon that house, and could not shake it, for it had been founded on the rock. And he that has heard and not done, is like a man who has built a house on the ground without a foundation, on which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the breach of that house was great.
And it came to pass when the days of his receiving up were fulfilled, that he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem.
Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place where he himself was about to come. And he said to them, The harvest indeed is great, but the workmen few; supplicate therefore the Lord of the harvest that he may send out workmen into his harvest. read more. Go: behold I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry neither purse nor scrip nor sandals, and salute no one on the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace to this house. And if a son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it; but if not it shall turn to you again. And in the same house abide, eating and drinking such things as they have; for the workman is worthy of his hire. Remove not from house to house. And into whatsoever city ye may enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you, and heal the sick in it, and say to them, The kingdom of God is come nigh to you. But into whatsoever city ye may have entered and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, Even the dust of your city, which cleaves to us on the feet, do we shake off against you; but know this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh. I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for Sodom in that day than for that city. Woe to thee, Chorazin! woe to thee, Bethsaida! for if the works of power which have taken place in you had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, they had long ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. And thou, Capernaum, who hast been raised up to heaven, shalt be brought down even to hades. He that hears you hears me; and he that rejects you rejects me; and he that rejects me rejects him that sent me.
And on the third day a marriage took place in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. And Jesus also, and his disciples, were invited to the marriage. read more. And wine being deficient, the mother of Jesus says to him, They have no wine. Jesus says to her, What have I to do with thee, woman? mine hour has not yet come. His mother says to the servants, Whatever he may say to you, do. Now there were standing there six stone water-vessels, according to the purification of the Jews, holding two or three measures each. Jesus says to them, Fill the water-vessels with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he says to them, Draw out now, and carry it to the feast-master. And they carried it. But when the feast-master had tasted the water which had been made wine (and knew not whence it was, but the servants knew who drew the water), the feast-master calls the bridegroom, and says to him, Every man sets on first the good wine, and when men have well drunk, then the inferior; thou hast kept the good wine till now. This beginning of signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
And the passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And he found in the temple the sellers of oxen and sheep and doves, and the money-changers sitting; read more. and, having made a scourge of cords, he cast them all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the change of the money-changers, and overturned the tables, and said to the sellers of doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house a house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it is written, The zeal of thy house devours me. The Jews therefore answered and said to him, What sign shewest thou to us, that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. The Jews therefore said, Forty and six years was this temple building, and thou wilt raise it up in three days? But he spoke of the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from among the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.
but the passover, the feast of the Jews, was near.
Now the feast of the dedication was celebrating at Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in the porch of Solomon. read more. The Jews therefore surrounded him, and said to him, Until when dost thou hold our soul in suspense? If thou art the Christ, say so to us openly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye do not believe. The works which I do in my Father's name, these bear witness concerning me: but ye do not believe, for ye are not of my sheep, as I told you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give them life eternal; and they shall never perish, and no one shall seize them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all, and no one can seize out of the hand of my Father. I and the Father are one. The Jews therefore again took stones that they might stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewn you of my Father; for which work of them do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, For a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy, and because thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came (and the scripture cannot be broken), do ye say of him whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not; but if I do, even if ye believe not me, believe the works, that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him. They sought therefore again to take him; and he went away from out of their hand and departed again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptising at the first: and he abode there. And many came to him, and said, John did no sign; but all things which John said of this man were true. And many believed on him there.
Now there was a certain man sick, Lazarus of Bethany, of the village of Mary and Martha her sister. It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. read more. The sisters therefore sent to him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. But when Jesus heard it, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When therefore he heard, He is sick, he remained two days then in the place where he was. Then after this he says to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. The disciples say to him, Rabbi, even but now the Jews sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any one walk in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world; but if any one walk in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him. These things said he; and after this he says to them, Lazarus, our friend, is fallen asleep, but I go that I may awake him out of sleep. The disciples therefore said to him, Lord, if he be fallen asleep, he will get well. But Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that he spoke of the rest of sleep. Jesus therefore then said to them plainly, Lazarus has died. And I rejoice on your account that I was not there, in order that ye may believe. But let us go to him. Thomas therefore, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. Jesus therefore on arriving found him to have been four days already in the tomb. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen stadia off, and many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, that they might console them concerning their brother. Martha then, when she heard Jesus is coming, went to meet him; but Mary sat in the house. Martha therefore said to Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died; but even now I know, that whatsoever thou shalt ask of God, God will give thee. Jesus says to her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha says to him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection in the last day. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life: he that believes on me, though he have died, shall live; and every one who lives and believes on me shall never die. Believest thou this? She says to him, Yea, Lord; I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, who should come into the world. And having said this, she went away and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, The teacher is come and calls thee. She, when she heard that, rises up quickly and comes to him.
She, when she heard that, rises up quickly and comes to him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was in the place where Martha came to meet him. read more. The Jews therefore who were with her in the house and consoling her, seeing Mary that she rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, She goes to the tomb, that she may weep there. Mary therefore, when she came where Jesus was, seeing him, fell at his feet, saying to him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. Jesus therefore, when he saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, was deeply moved in spirit, and was troubled, and said, Where have ye put him? They say to him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. The Jews therefore said, Behold how he loved him! And some of them said, Could not this man, who has opened the eyes of the blind man, have caused that this man also should not have died? Jesus therefore, again deeply moved in himself, comes to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus says, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of the dead, says to him, Lord, he stinks already, for he is four days there. Jesus says to her, Did I not say to thee, that if thou shouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? They took therefore the stone away. And Jesus lifted up his eyes on high and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me; but I knew that thou always hearest me; but on account of the crowd who stand around I have said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And having said this, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And the dead came forth, bound feet and hands with graveclothes, and his face was bound round with a handkerchief. Jesus says to them, Loose him and let him go.
Jesus therefore walked no longer openly among the Jews, but went away thence into the country near the desert, to a city called Ephraim, and there he sojourned with the disciples.
And there were certain Greeks among those who came up that they might worship in the feast; these therefore came to Philip, who was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and they asked him saying, Sir, we desire to see Jesus. read more. Philip comes and tells Andrew, and again Andrew comes and Philip, and they tell Jesus. But Jesus answered them saying, The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except the grain of wheat falling into the ground die, it abides alone; but if it die, it bears much fruit. He that loves his life shall lose it, and he that hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal. If any one serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there also shall be my servant. And if any one serve me, him shall the Father honour. Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But on account of this have I come to this hour. Father, glorify thy name. There came therefore a voice out of heaven, I both have glorified and will glorify it again. The crowd therefore, which stood there and heard it, said that it had thundered. Others said, An angel has spoken to him. Jesus answered and said, Not on my account has this voice come, but on yours. Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out: and I, if I be lifted up out of the earth, will draw all to me. But this he said signifying by what death he was about to die. The crowd answered him, We have heard out of the law that the Christ abides for ever; and how sayest thou that the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this, the Son of man? Jesus therefore said to them, Yet a little while is the light amongst you. Walk while ye have the light, that darkness may not overtake you. And he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. While ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may become sons of light. Jesus said these things, and going away hid himself from them.
and having cast him out of the city, they stoned him. And the witnesses laid aside their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul. And they stoned Stephen, praying, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. read more. And kneeling down, he cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And having said this, he fell asleep.
And Saul was consenting to his being killed. And on that day there arose a great persecution against the assembly which was in Jerusalem, and all were scattered into the countries of Judaea and Samaria except the apostles. And pious men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. read more. But Saul ravaged the assembly, entering into the houses one after another, and dragging off both men and women delivered them up to prison. Those then that had been scattered went through the countries announcing the glad tidings of the word.
And as they went along the way, they came upon a certain water, and the eunuch says, Behold water; what hinders my being baptised?
And having arrived at Jerusalem he essayed to join himself to the disciples, and all were afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.
And having arrived at Jerusalem he essayed to join himself to the disciples, and all were afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and related to them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.
But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and related to them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem,
And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem, and speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and discussed with the Hellenists; but they sought to kill him. read more. And the brethren knowing it, brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.
But Peter, putting them all out, and kneeling down, prayed. And, turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes, and, seeing Peter, sat up.
But there were certain of them, Cyprians and Cyrenians, who entering into Antioch spoke to the Greeks also, announcing the glad tidings of the Lord Jesus.
And having found him, he brought him to Antioch. And so it was with them that for a whole year they were gathered together in the assembly and taught a large crowd: and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
which also they did, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
and slew James, the brother of John, with the sword. And seeing that it was pleasing to the Jews, he went on to take Peter also: (and they were the days of unleavened bread:) read more. whom having seized he put in prison, having delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep, purposing after the passover to bring him out to the people. Peter therefore was kept in the prison; but unceasing prayer was made by the assembly to God concerning him. And when Herod was going to bring him forth, that night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards before the door kept the prison. And lo, an angel of the Lord came there, and a light shone in the prison: and having smitten the side of Peter, he roused him up, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And he did so. And he says to him, Cast thine upper garment about thee and follow me. And going forth he followed him and did not know that what was happening by means of the angel was real, but supposed he saw a vision. And having passed through a first and second guard, they came to the iron gate which leads into the city, which opened to them of itself; and going forth they went down one street, and immediately the angel left him. And Peter, being come to himself, said, Now I know certainly that the Lord has sent forth his angel and has taken me out of the hand of Herod and all the expectation of the people of the Jews. And having become clearly conscious in himself, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was surnamed Mark, where were many gathered together and praying. And when he had knocked at the door of the entry, a maid came to listen, by name Rhoda; and having recognised the voice of Peter, through joy did not open the entry, but running in, reported that Peter was standing before the entry. And they said to her, Thou art mad. But she maintained that it was so. And they said, It is his angel. But Peter continued knocking: and having opened, they saw him and were astonished. And having made a sign to them with his hand to be silent, he related to them how the Lord had brought him out of prison; and he said, Report these things to James and to the brethren. And he went out and went to another place. And when it was day there was no small disturbance among the soldiers, what then was become of Peter. And Herod having sought him and not found him, having examined the guards, commanded them to be executed. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea and stayed there.
And immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, because he did not give the glory to God, and he expired, eaten of worms.
A commotion therefore having taken place, and no small discussion on the part of Paul and Barnabas against them, they arranged that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others from amongst them, should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.
And with this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written:
And he remained there a year and six months, teaching among them the word of God.
And landing at Caesarea, and having gone up and saluted the assembly, he went down to Antioch.
And entering into the synagogue, he spoke boldly during three months, reasoning and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
And this took place for two years, so that all that inhabited Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
And there took place at that time no small disturbance about the way.
And having passed through those parts, and having exhorted them with much discourse, he came to Greece.
but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and we came to them to Troas in five days, where we spent seven days. And the first day of the week, we being assembled to break bread, Paul discoursed to them, about to depart on the morrow. And he prolonged the discourse till midnight.
and having sailed thence, on the morrow arrived opposite Chios, and the next day put in at Samos; and having stayed at Trogyllium, the next day we came to Miletus:
But from Miletus having sent to Ephesus, he called over to him the elders of the assembly.
And having found out the disciples, we remained there seven days; who said to Paul by the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.
And leaving on the morrow, we came to Caesarea; and entering into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was of the seven, we abode with him.
And when we arrived at Jerusalem the brethren gladly received us.
And when the seven days were nearly completed, the Jews from Asia, having seen him in the temple, set all the crowd in a tumult, and laid hands upon him,
And having called to him certain two of the centurions, he said, Prepare two hundred soldiers that they may go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred light-armed footmen, for the third hour of the night.
But when two years were completed, Felix was relieved by Porcius Festus as his successor; and Felix, desirous to oblige the Jews, to acquire their favour, left Paul bound.
And having remained among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the next day, having sat down on the judgment-seat, commanded Paul to be brought.
If then I have done any wrong and committed anything worthy of death, I do not deprecate dying; but if there is nothing of those things of which they accuse me, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.
On the morrow therefore, Agrippa being come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and having entered into the hall of audience, with the chiliarchs and the men of distinction of the city, and Festus having given command, Paul was brought.
But when it had been determined that we should sail to Italy, they delivered up Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion, by name Julius, of Augustus' company.
And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered up the prisoners to the praetorian prefect, but Paul was allowed to remain by himself with the soldier who kept him. And it came to pass after three days, that he called together those who were the chief of the Jews; and when they had come together he said to them, Brethren, I having done nothing against the people or the customs of our forefathers, have been delivered a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,
I had no rest in my spirit at not finding Titus my brother; but bidding them adieu, I came away to Macedonia.
But when God, who set me apart even from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me, that I may announce him as glad tidings among the nations, immediately I took not counsel with flesh and blood, read more. nor went I up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and again returned to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to make acquaintance with Peter, and I remained with him fifteen days;
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to make acquaintance with Peter, and I remained with him fifteen days;
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to make acquaintance with Peter, and I remained with him fifteen days;
Even as I begged thee to remain in Ephesus, when I was going to Macedonia, that thou mightest enjoin some not to teach other doctrines,
For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou mightest go on to set right what remained unordered, and establish elders in each city, as I had ordered thee:
for love's sake I rather exhort, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now also prisoner of Jesus Christ.
Smith
New Testament.
It is proposed in this article to consider the text of the New Testament. The subject naturally divides itself into-- I. The history of the written text; II. The history of the printed text. I. THE HISTORY OF THE WRITTEN TEXT.--
1. The early history of the apostolic writings externally, as far as it can be traced, is the same as that of other contemporary books. St. Paul, like Cicero or Pliny often employed the services of an amanuensis, to whom he dictated his letters, affixing the salutation "with his own hand."
The original copies seem to have soon perished.
2. In the natural course of things the apostolic autographs would be likely to perish soon. The material which was commonly used for letters the papyrus paper, to which St. John incidentally alludes.
comp. 3Joh 1:13 was singularly fragile, and even the stouter kinds, likely to be used for the historical books, were not fitted to bear constant use. The papyrus fragments which have come down to the present time have been preserved under peculiar circumstances as at Herculaneum or in the Egyptian tombs.
3. In the time of the Diocletian persecution, A.D. 303, copies of the Christian Scriptures were sufficiently numerous to furnish a special object for persecutors. Partly, perhaps, owing to the destruction thus caused, but still more from the natural effects of time. no MS. of the New Testament of the first three centuries remains but though no fragment of the New Testament of the first century still remains, the Italian and Egyptian papyri, which are of that date give a clear notion of the caligraphy of the period. In these the text is written in columns, rudely divided, in somewhat awkward capital letters (uncials), without any punctuation or division of words; and there is no trace of accents or breathings.
4. In addition to the later MSS. the earliest versions and patristic quotations give very important testimony to the character and history of the ante-Nicene text; but till the last quarter of the second century this source of information fails us. Only are the remains of Christian literature up to that time extremely scanty, but the practice of verbal quotation from the New Testament was not yet prevalent. As soon as definite controversies arose among Christians, the text of the New Testament assumed its true importance.
5. Several very important conclusions follow from this earliest appearance of textual criticism. It is in the first place evident that various readings existed in the books of the New Testament at a time prior to all extant authorities. History affords a trace of the pure apostolic originals. Again, from the preservation of the first variations noticed, which are often extremely minute, in one or more of the primary documents still left, we may be certain that no important changes have been made in the sacred text which we cannot now detect.
6. Passing from these isolated quotations, we find the first great witnesses to the apostolic text in the early Syriac and Latin versions and in the rich quotations of Clement of Alexandria (cir. A.D. 220) and Origen (A.D. 1842~4). From the extant works of Origen alone no inconsiderable portion of the whole New Testament might be transcribed; and his writings are an almost inexhaustible store house for the history of the text. There can be no doubt that in Origen's time the variations in the New Testament MSS. were beginning to lead to the formation of specific groups of copies.
7. The most ancient MSS. and versions now extant exhibit the characteristic differences which have been found to exist in different parts of the works of Origen. These cannot have had their source later than the beginning of the third century, and probably were much earlier. Bengel was the first (1734) who pointed out the affinity of certain groups of MSS., which as he remarks, must have arisen before the first versions were made. The honor of carefully determining the relations of critical authorities for the New Testament text belongs to Griesbach. According to him two distinct recensions of the Gospels existed at the beginning of the third century-the Alexandrine and the Western.
8. From the consideration of the earliest history of the New Testament text we now pass to the era of MSS. The quotations of Dionsius Alex. (A.D. 264), Petrus Alex. (cir. A.D. 312), Methodius (A.D. 311) and Eusebius (A.D. 340) confirm the prevalence of the ancient type of tent; but the public establishment of Christianity in the Roman empire necessarily led to important changes. The nominal or real adherence of the higher ranks to the Christian faith must have largely increased the demand for costly MSS. As a natural consequence the rude Hellenistic forms gave way before the current Greek, and at the same time it is reasonable to believe that smoother and fuller constructions were substituted for the rougher turns of the apostolic language. In this way the foundation of the Byzantine text was laid. Meanwhile the multiplication of copies in Africa and Syria was checked by Mohammedan conquests.
9. The appearance of the oldest MSS. have been already described. The MSS. of the fourth century, of which Codex Vaticanus may be taken as a type present a close resemblance to these. The writing is in elegant continuous uncials (capitals), in three columns, without initial letters or iota subscript or adscript. A small interval serves as a simple punctuation; and there are no accents or breathings by the hand of the first writer, though these have been added subsequently. Uncial writing continued in general use till the middle of the tenth century. From the eleventh century downward cursive writing prevailed. The earliest cursive biblical MS, is dated 964 A.D. The MSS. of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries abound in the contractions which afterward passed into the early printed books. The oldest MSS. are written on the thinnest and finest vellum; in later copies the parchment is thick and coarse. Papprus was very rarely used after the ninth century. In the tenth century cotton paper was generally employed in Europe; and one example at least occurs of its use in the ninth century. In the twelfth century the common linen or rag paper came into use. One other kind of material requires notice --re-dressed parchment, called palimpsests. Even at a very early period the original text of a parchment MS. was often erased, that the material might be used afresh. In lapse of time the original writing frequently reappeared in faint lines below the later text, and in this way many precious fragments of biblical MSS. which had been once obliterated for the transcription of other works, have been recovered.
10. The division of the Gospels into "chapters" must have come into general use some time before the fifth century. The division of the Acts and Epistles into chapters came into use at a later time. It is commonly referred to Euthalius, who, however, says that he borrowed the divisions of the Pauline Epistles from an earlier father and there is reason to believe that the division of the Acts and Catholic Epistles which he published was originally the work of Pamphilus the martyr. The Apocalypse was divided into sections by Andreas of Caesarea about A.D. 500. The titles of the sacred books are from their nature additions to the original text. The distinct names of the Gospels imply a collection, and the titles of the Epistles are notes by the possessors, and not addresses by the writers.
11. Very few MSS. certain the whole New Testament --twenty-seven in all out of the vast mass of extant documents. Besides the MSS. of the New Testament, or of parts of it, there are also lectionaries, which contain extracts arranged for the church services.
12. The number of uncial MSS. remaining. though great when compared with the ancient MSS. extent of other writings, is inconsiderable. Tischendorf reckons forty in the Gospels. In these must be added Cod. Sinait., which is entire; a new MS. of Tischendorf, which is nearly entire; and Cod. Zacynth., Which contains considerable fragments of St. Luke. In the Acts there are nine: in the Catholic Epistles five; in th
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But this kind does not go out but by prayer and fasting.
And he said to them, This kind can go out by nothing but by prayer and fasting.
Now when he had risen very early, the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary of Magdala, out of whom he had cast seven demons.
The salutation of me Paul with my own hand.
The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you.
how much rather shall the blood of the Christ, who by the eternal Spirit offered himself spotless to God, purify your conscience from dead works to worship the living God?
Having many things to write to you, I would not with paper and ink; but hope to come to you, and to speak mouth to mouth, that our joy may be full.
I had many things to write to thee, but I will not with ink and pen write to thee;