Tindal, in the face of constant persecution, and cut off from many of the advantages and facilities which in more auspicious times he might have enjoyed, did more for the English Bible than all King James's translators. So did Luther for the Bible in Germany.
It is an unfortunate result of King James's translation of the Bible by an imposing council of learned men, that it has tended to discourage individual effort in respect to a labor of this kind, and to create a prejudice against it as necessarily incompetent and untrustworthy. Societies and councils have their spheres in which they are useful; yet they often transcend them and intrude on those of individuals. But there are great works which individuals can perform better than multitudes or councils. Councils did not make the Bible at first. It was made by individuals, each man acting for himself, and giving utterance to the mighty thoughts that God had given him. A council did not make Paradise Lost, and could not; nor has a council ever produced any immortal work of genius or learning, unless it is the English Bible of King James. With this exception, these are all the works of individuals. As individuals, therefore, have generally been the prosecutors of literary enterprises, in the department of Bible translation no less than in other departments, and as individuals have been eminently successful and useful in this department of labor heretofore, both in England and other countries, let it be hoped that they may be again.
There is a vast accumulation of knowledge to be made available by some one, or in some way, for the production of an improved English Bible, that shall bear the same relation to the advanced knowledge of these times, which Tindal's, Coverdale's, and that of King James did to theirs. More study has been expended on the sacred text and its interpretation, and more progress made in Biblical knowledge in the last seven generations, than in all time before. This knowledge is treasured up in critical editions of the original Scriptures, critical commentaries on them in Latin and other languages, in Greek and Hebrew Lexicons, and in other works in the various departments of Biblical learning, embracing commentaries on the English Scriptures, several of which are extensive and valuable. No man can gainsay them, no man can disparage them. They are monuments of the most precious and valuable learning of their times. Scholars with ample means and ample time for critical research, and those whose tastes and professions and convictions of duty incline them in that direction, may in a long series of years become masters of much of this learning, and receive the benefit of it. A few are masters of it, but how few! But how are the people to obtain it? When are they to find the time to obtain it? Where are they to find the means? The clergy are the instructors of the people on sacred subjects. Biblical learning is a part of their profession. They study it by day and by night, from youth to old age; but how are the great mass of clergymen even, amidst their parish cares and homiletical labors, and with their limited means and restricted libraries, to obtain much of this knowledge? Some of it they may obtain, but much of it they will not, and cannot.
The only way in which the vast stores of Biblical learning accumulated during the last two hundred and forty-seven years, by the labors of seven and a half generations toiling in succession, each generation beginning where that which preceded it left off, and each adding something to the stock which it received, can become available for the general benefit of the people, is by an improved text and translation of the Bible, into which, as far as possible, they shall all be brought, and to the perfection of which they shall contribute. This is the task which has been undertaken in the present work, and with what degree of success, the public will judge. The text which has been followed in this translation, is that of Tischendorf, published at Leipsic in 1850. It is not only a great improvement on the received text, but on the critical texts that are in general use in this country. Tischendorf follows Griesbach, Lachman and others, and availing himself of their labors, together with his own accurate collations of manuscripts extending to nearly all the most ancient manuscripts in the world, and following in the steps of Lachman by editing solely from ancient authority, has brought the text of the New Testament to a degree of perfection not anticipated or even hoped for in past ages. It is a high recommendation of this translation, and will command for it an additional respect from all competent judges, that it follows this highly improved text. Readers will be able by this to see what is the Bible and what is not. It is not claimed for the text of Tischendorf that it is perfect; no text can be; but it is claimed for it, that it retains no known interpolation in the sacred books, and omits nothing known to belong to them. Future laborers will doubtless make some improvements on the text of Tischendorf, as he has done on that of Lachman; but they cannot be expected to change it essentially.
I have deviated from Tischendorf in omitting Jesus as the proper name of Barabbas in two instances in Matt. xxv. 4, and occasionally in punctuation, and have retained two important interpolations in the text, duly noted as such, Mark, xvii. and John, x. 8.
The recent work of Trench on the English Bible came to hand after considerable progress had been made in stereotyping this volume. The translator was highly gratified to find that nearly all the improvements and corrections suggested by that eminent scholar were already made in this work, together with many others.
The arrangement of the books and divisions of the chapters and verses in this Translation are believed to be great improvements on those in common use. As such they are commended to the attention of translators and editors in different languages, and it is hoped will be found satisfactory.
The chronology of the New Testament is involved in great obscurity. The Christian Era was first proposed by Dionysius Exiguus, about A.D. 550, and was gradually adopted in the seventh and eighth centuries. By a mistake of Dionysius it was made to commence from four to six years too late. The birth of Christ was from 4 to 6 B.C.; his baptism, in the fifteenth year of Tiberius, A.D. 24; his death, probably, A.D. 28; and the events recorded in the first part of Acts prior to the death of Herod, A.D. 44, occurred considerably earlier than the dates usually assigned to them.
Matthew and Luke probably wrote their gospels A.D. 62 or 63; Mark and John, theirs A.D. 65–68. Acts was written A.D. 63. All the books of the New Testament were probably written before the destruction of Jerusalem, in the interval of seventeen years from A.D. 53 to 70.
The author of Revelation bears the same name as one of the Evangelists. But this does not prove that he was the same person, neither is the church tradition on the subject entitled to undoubted confidence. The author of Revelation does not claim to be an apostle; and by not making that claim in a book so extraordinary, virtually teaches that he is not such. His style also presents points of diversity from that of the Evangelist, that seem to be incompatible with the supposition that the same author wrote both works.
With these few explanations I commend this volume to the acceptance and blessing of our kind Father in heaven, and send it forth, accompanied with many prayers, to call men from sin to holiness, and from death and sorrow to the only true life and joy.
BOSTON, Mass., October, 1858.
THE HISTORICAL BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
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