DEIGHTON, BELL, AND CO.

LONDON: BELL AND DALDY.

PREFACE.

THE present work was originally undertaken with the view of supplying a want which has long been felt by Theological Students at the Universities, and Candidates for Ordination. But in offering this second and revised edition to the public, I would suggest that it may be found useful by Divinity students generally. and also in Training Schools, where there is need of a clear epitome of Biblical knowledge, such as cannot otherwise be acquired without the assistance of a large and expensive library. Of the Introductions to the New Testament which already exist in our language, some are not sufficiently comprehensive; others fall far behind the present state of Biblical knowledge; and the few which are free from these defects are so voluminous, that they are seldom used by ordinary readers except as books of reference. I have attempted, therefore, in the following pages to condense into a small compass a variety of information, which I trust may be found useful by intelligent students of the sacred volume, referring them, where necessary, to standard works in which the same subjects are more fully discussed.

In the present edition, I have endeavoured to cor-

rect such defects as have been pointed out in the

notices of the work, which have appeared from time

to time in different periodicals. I have accordingly

enlarged the Table of Contents, and divided the book

into separate chapters, placing first the chapters re-

lating to the Text and Language, then those which

treat of the Geography and Archæology, next those

which discuss the alleged contradictions of the New

Testament, and the disputed quotations from the Old,

and reserving to the last place the Introductions to

the separate books.

If I have not fully complied with all the sugges-

tions that have been offered, I am nevertheless grate-
ful to my unknown critics for their kind advice, and
trust that the present edition is in many respects an
improvement upon its predecessor.

CONTENTS.

CHAP. I.-ON THE GENERAL TITLE OF THE BOOKS
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
CHAP. II.-ON THE TEXT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
Causes of various readings; how the true reading
may be determined; Greek MSS.; uncial and cursive
letters; Codices Palimpsesti; divisions and marks
of distinction in the New Testament; кepáλala,
TÍTAO, breves, the Ammonian and Euthalian sec-
tions, the Eusebian canons, chapters, verses, word-
divisions, breathings, accents, stops, stichometry,
titles, and inscriptions.-The principal MSS. of
the New Testament: N, A, B, C, D, &c.-Re-
censions: Griesbach's system, other systems of
criticism.-Ancient VSS.: the Septuagint, Syriac
vss., Latin vss., other ancient vss.-English VSS.
of the New Testament: Wickliffe, Tyndale, Cover-
dale, &c.-The Authorized vs. Editions of the
Greek Testament: Complutensian, Erasmus, Ro-
bert Stephens, Beza, Elzevir, &c.-Five important
passages where the reading is disputed—
namely, Mark xvi., last 12 verses; John vii. 53—
viii. 11; Acts xx. 28; 1 Tim. iii. 16; 1 John v.
7,8.

CHAP. III.-ON THE LANGUAGE OF THE NEW TESTA-

MENT.

Hellenistic Greek, Hebraisms, Syriasms, Persisms,
Latinisms, Cilicisms

CHAP. IV.-ON THE GREEK ARTICLE.

How used by Homer; definition of the article;

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