REVISION OF THE BIBLE

Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 80, 21 September 1878, Page 3

REVISION OF THE BIBLE

The bold utterances of Canon Farrar in Westminister Abbey concerning certain words-in the English Bible, which he declares never should have been there, and which must be left out of the revised Bible, if those eugaged in the work of revision are true to the original Hebrew and Greek —and other references to this work now going on, by leading clergymen in published sermons, has led many people, remarks an American journal, to inquire, c ncerning this revision, and by whom it is being done —people who may have read items to the effect that such a work was being done, but who have hitherto thought no more about it. But now the desire to know what is being done is quite general, therefore we give the following brief statement :—We may say that th« revision of the English version of the Bible now going on is thorough and conservative, and is being made by two co-operative committees of eminent biblical scholars of the leading denomina tions of Great Britain and the United States. The idea in making this revision is to adapt it to the present state of the English language and biblical learning, without disturbing the sacred volume's idiom and vocabulary. The revision is steadily progressing, and will probably be completed in three or four years. _ The revisers devote their time and learning to their work without compensation other than that promised by their self-approval and the inherent pleasure of the task. The work was begun in Oct. 1872, nearly six years ago. From that time up to Dec. 17, 1877, about L3OOO have been contributed. The number of donors so far, amounts to 106. .V very interesting statement was made by Dr Sehaff in relation to that part of the revision wnich was already done. It appears that a large p.-irt of the Scriptures has been already revised and prepared for the press, but the progress is slow, and at least three or four more years must elapse before the work is completed. The entire revised work is to be published as a whole, and not in parts. The translations and the corrections of each committee are submitted for approval to the other, and when differences of opinion exist, the joint committee meet once a year for the purpose of settling them. A committee is to be appointed, it is understood, for the purpose of bringing before the various churches the subject of expenses.