sentences I ever listened to. The noblest thoughts were expressed in the choicest words, arranged with the most consummate skill. George Dawson I also heard repeatedly, and his quaint, humorous, short incisive sentences, had for me a great charm, even though he gave us only diluted Carlyleism, as his detractors said. Of Paxton Hood, Dr. Leask, George Grossmith, and many others, I must not now stay to write. We may, or may not, refer to them again. (To be continued.)

THE REVISED VERSION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT III. ST. MARK.

N the following examination only the more important alterations will be noticed. I would ask the reader to turn to the passages quoted, both in the "Authorised" and "Revised " versions.

Mark, Chap. 1, v. 7.-"Latchet." This word has been retained by the revisers. It is a diminutive of "latch," still used as a doorfastening. The Greek word signifies a "strap" or "thong."

v. 30.-The Greek word, ev0éws, so characteristic of St. Mark, is consistently translated "straightway" in the Revised Version. The studied variety of the Authorised Version is in such cases entirely objectionable.

Chap. 3, v. 19. Here, again, "Canaanite" is altered to "Cananaean." Canaanite is quite wrong; the word has nothing whatever to do with Canaan. The original word is, I believe, Syriac, and is applied to the sect of the "Zealots."

v. 29.-"Eternal damnation." On the authority of the best MSS. a new reading has been adopted, and the passage now reads, "eternal sin." It is entirely consistent with the ethics of the Gospel, that the most terrible thing to be dreaded should be eternal alienation from God, and not unending punishment.

Chap. 4, v. 21.- "Bushel." This word is retained in the Revised Version. The size of the measure referred to does not in any way affect the meaning of the passage. As, however, the "modius" is almost exactly equal to the English "peck" (1 gall., 7-36 pints), it seems a little gratuitous to magnify it into a bushel.

v. 22. Here we have a very clumsy introduction; the word save as a conjunction. In John xiii. 10, the same word is most unwisely retained. Little children will go on parsing this word as a verb, and older children understanding it in this way.

Idem.-"Lamp" and "stand" correctly replace “candle" and "candlestick." This correction is made several times.

Chap. 5, v. 1.—In this verse, as in Luke viii. 26, "Gadarenes " has been altered to "Gerasenes." It is probable that the translators of 1611 adopted the reading of Matt. viii. 28. There is considerable difficulty in reconciling these localities. Gergesa was a village on the eastern shore of the Galilean lake, almost exactly in a line with Magdala. Gadara, the capital of Perea, was a short distance south-east of the southern point of the same lake. Gerasa was a long way distant to the south-east, not very far from the Jabbok.

v. 4.—The Authorised Version has the unfortunate phrase, “plucked asunder," for snapping a chain. The "rent" of the Revised Version is by no means an example of the "curiosa felicitas."

v. 29,-" Plague." The word is retained. The marginal "scourge" is more literal. Compare Mark iii. 10.

Chap. 6, v. 14.-" For his name," &c. Whose name? Herod's? Or is "his' a blunder? and does the pronoun refer to the Apostles who healed the sick people, or to the sufferers who were healed? This inextricable confusion of the pronouns is quite unpardonable; nor can any appeal to the Greek be allowed. There is no need of rendering the passage into slip-shod English.

v. 20.-A new reading is adopted, and "did many things" is replaced by “was much perplexed.”

7. 21.—In the Authorised Version the word “estates” is used in a legal and political sense foreign to its usual meaning. It has, therefore, very properly been rejected by the revisers.

v. 27.-"Executioner," now more literally rendered "soldier of the guard." The bloody story of the times is all too clearly told in the bitter irony of this word, with its primitive and secondary meanings. The earlier English versions bluntly read "hangman.”

v. 37-Two hundred pennyworth of bread." This absurd rendering makes the sum ridiculously small. The passage ought to read, "Shall we buy £20 worth of bread?" &c.

v. 39, 40.—“ Companies," "ranks." These renderings are very inadequate; but it seems almost impossible to express in a translation the full force of the original words. These verses are often quoted as an example of the vivid style of St. Mark. They point very distinctly to the authorship of St. Peter.

v. 43.-" Baskets."-The word in this passage means a small basket of willow frequently used as a birdcage, or a portable hotbed. Our word "coffin" is derived from the Greek word; and Wiclif uses it in translating this passage (very improperly, it must be admitted).

v. 48.- Toiling in rowing," altered to "distressed in rowing."

The Greek word includes both meanings. It is a verb, derived from a noun signifying a touch-stone or test. Hence it means "to apply the touch-stone," "to test," "to examine," "to examine by torture," (the ordinary mode of examining slaves) and, lastly, "to torture."

Chap. 7, v. 4.-"Pots." This word is found in both versions. It means a measure nearly equal to an English pint (or, exactly *9911 of a pint). The word used by Mark is one of the Latinisms so characteristic of his Gospel, and so interesting to Biblical students.

v. 8.-Several words are here omitted.

v. 9.-" Full well." The irony is found in the original; "beautifully," "bravely."

v. 11. This difficult verse is much improved in the Revised Version.

v. 19. The revisers have suggested a very plausible interpretation of the last clause of this verse. As it stands in the Authorised Version, it can hardly be said to have an intelligible meaning of any sort.

Chap. 8, v. 8.-"Baskets."

Here the word means large rope

baskets, very often used as fish baskets.

v. 24, 26.—In the 24th verse there is a new reading adopted; and in verse 26 some words are omitted. It is probable that some of the words omitted in the Revised Text are mere glosses. The crisp style of St. Mark becomes more manifest when these superfluous words are dropt.

V. 27. The syntactical error is of course corrected.

v. 33. The obsolete "savourest" is very properly replaced by the easy word "mindest."

v. 36, 37.—The same Greek word is, in the Authorised Version rendered "life" and "soul," at the caprice of the translators. In the Revised Version it is consistently rendered "life." Perhaps, however, "soul" would have been the better word. It is a lifemartyrdom that the disciple is called on to be ready for; the most difficult and most noble of martyrdoms.

Chap. 9, v. 6.—" Wist" retained. It is an obsolete preterite of the old verb witan, to know (compare witan-agemot and our unwittingly, and the adverbial "to wit"). "Wot" is another form of the same verb.

v. 12.-The punctuation is altered; but it is still difficult to connect the two clauses of the sentence.

v. 13. The obsolete "listed" is retained.

where it listeth" (liketh).

"The wind bloweth

v. 23. On the authority of the best MSS. a new reading is

adopted, and our Lord's reply is far more canst." "All things are possible," &c.

thine ?"

"Shorter

v. 29. The word "fasting" (not found in the Sinaitic MS.) is dropt. The textual canon is generally a safe one. reading preferable."

7. 42. The obsolete use of the word "offend" in the Authorised Version has caused this verse to be constantly misunderstood and misapplied. The revisers employ simpler language.

V. 44, 46.—These verses are omitted, as is also the latter clause of verse 49.

Chap. 10, v. 16.-It seems to me a great pity that any alteration has been made in this well-known and beautiful passage. There is little difference of meaning to justify the change.

V. 21.-There is a beauty in the original of this passage that defies translation. The word here rendered "love" is the one employed with so much tenderness. John xi. 5.-"Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus." It is, moreover, the word employed by our Lord in His appeal to Peter: John xxi. 15"Simon, son of Jonas, lovest (ảyarâs) thou me more than these ?" The assurance of the great Apostle has given place to beautiful modesty, and he replies, "Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love (pi) thee." I cannot understand how any young minister of the gospel should prefer to miss these subtle beauties of the New Testament rather than to study closely an hour daily for a year, which is the cost price.

v. 40. See corresponding verse in Matthew. The interpolation of the Authorised Version is very unhappy; and the revisers have not been very fortunate.

Chap. 11, v. 17.-A different arrangement of words has caused a wide difference of meaning in this verse. An equally important difference is found in verse 19, through the correct translation of an adverb.

Chap. 12, v. 2.---The word translated in this verse, and in numerous other passages, "servants," is more correctly rendered "bondservants" in the margin.

v. 26.—“In the bush." The Authorised Version is quite misleading, and a very small per centage of readers understand the passage. The Revised Version will rectify the common error. The "Bush" (which should be written with a capital) is a paragraph or section of the Book of Exodus which was thus headed. Compare the difficult passage (2 Sam. i. 18), “Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow." The words in italics are altogether wrong, and bow should be written Bow. The "Bow" is the

title of the song which follows, and which was, probably, set to music. Compare, too, Romans xi. 2-"Wot ye not what the Scripture saith of Elias?" In this passage, the revisers have unfortunately copied the old blunder. It should be "in Elias," or Elijah; ie., in the action headed "Elijah." Some readers may be familiar with the headings of the chapters in the Koran.

v. 42." Two mites." The "lepton was the smallest copper coin. Two lepta = 1 quadrans ( part of an as). The quadrans was about 1-10th of a penny; or, remembering the relative value of money, 3-10ths. The two coins were therefore almost exactly equivalent to the English farthing.

=

Chap. 14, v. 3.—" Alabaster." The term was originally applied to the stone found in the neighbourhood of Alabastron, in Egypt, of which vases for perfumes were frequently made. It was afterwards applied to any substance used for this purpose. These flasks or vases were, however, most commonly made of gypsum or plaster of Paris; they were long-necked and sealed. Hence Mary broke the vase to get at the nard (nard-not spikenard).

v. 5." Three hundred pence." About £30 sterling.

v. 24."New Testament." On the very best authority the adjective is dropt; and the noun is more correctly rendered "Covenant."

v. 54.-"Servants" altered to "officers." It is quite a different word from that usually rendered servants (the bond-servants of the margin). The word in this passage has a variety of meanings; among others, an assistant, an inferior officer, a follower attending a heavy-armed soldier, &c. See also verse 65.

v. 70.—A clause is omitted. It is probably a gloss.

Chap. 15, v, 16. "Band." The marginal "cohort" is much more explicit. Band is ambiguous.

It will be noticed that verses 9-20 of the last chapter are separated by a blank from the rest of the text. The margin informs us that the two oldest Greek MSS. (viz., the Vatican and Sinaitic) and some other authorities omit these verses. Internal evidence is strongly against their genuineness. The style of St. Mark is everywhere bold, crisp, and picturesque; the transitions are rapid, and one or two favourite expressions continually re-appear. These verses have none of these peculiarities. The style is tame and colourless; the favourite words and phrases are not found; and in ten verses twice as many words occur that are not met with elsewhere in the Gospel. Many hypotheses have been hazarded on this question; but I have neither leisure nor inclination to discuss them here.

T. RUDDLE.