doubtful cases, no change is made. Heb. 11.9 my sight." Mark 10. 51 . So Luke 8. 9. What
Acts?. 6. See Ezra 10. 2; Acts 26.11; 1 Kings might this parable mean ? This mode of ex
11.1,8.
pression is still common among a certain class
Boat for ship. In the New Testament, the of people, who ask a stranger, " Pray, sir, what
■words designating the vessels which were used might I call your namel There are many
on the lake of Tiberias, are generally rendered examples of this improper use of might, where
ship. This is wholly improper. Those ves the sense is more correctly expressed by the
sels were boats, either with or without sails. present tense, may. See John 10. 10.
No skip, in the present sense of this word,
The old word yea is used, in some cases,
could be used on a small lake. Besides, we where it is not warranted by the original ; and
have evidence from the facts stated in the when the original authorizes some word in this
evangelists, that the vessels were small ; other sense, it would be better to substitute for it
wise they would not have been " covered with even, indeed, truly, or verily. Yes is used in
the waves," Matt. 8. 24 ; nor " rowed " with oars, the New Testament, in two or three passages,
Mark 6. 48. In Luke 5, it is said (hat both and I have introduced it for yea, in several
ships were filled with the fish taken in a net, passages of both Testaments.
so that they began to sink. Surely these were Deut. 20. 18. The present order of words in
not skips. In John 6. 22, 23, these ships are this verse may give a sense directly opposite to
called boats, which is the most proper word, that which is intended. The Israelites were
and that which I have used.
directed to destroy the Hittites and other hea
Go thy tray, he Kent his way. These and then nations, to prevent the Israelites from
similar forms of expression occur often in the adopting their idolatries and vices ; but the
version ; but in the New Testament, and some passage, as it now stands, is, that they, the
tunes in the Old, the words thy way, hit icay, heathen, may teach the Israelites not to do af
yu*T way, are not in the original, which is sim ter their own abominations. Surely the hea
ply go. The additional words were introdu then would not teach the Israelites to avoid
ced probably from the Hebrew phraseology, or their own practices. By transposing not and
in conformity to popular use ; but they are placing it before teach, the ambiguity is re
wholly redundant. I have not been very par moved.
ticular in rejecting the superfluous words ; but Holy Spirit. The word ghost is now used
have done it in some instances.
almost exclusively for an apparition, except in
Lake 9. CI. The words at hone are redun this phrase, Holy Ghost. I have therefore
dant. The phrase in Greek is simply at viy uniformly used Holy Spirit.
house.
Demon. In the scriptures, the Greek daimon
Scribe's penknife, Jer. 3G. 23. The transla is rendered devil ; but most improperly, as
tors have omitted the word scribe or secretary, devil and demon were considered to be different
which is in the Hebrew. It is supposed that in beings. 1 have followed the commentators on
former times, no person had a penknife, but a the New Testament, in substituting demon in
secretary ; or the word/«m was supposed to in all cases where the Greek is daimon. I cannot
clude or imply the word scribe. I am surprised think a translator justified in such a departure
however that men, so careful generally to trans from the original, as to render the word by
late every Hebrew word, should have omitted devil. The original word for devil is never
this. In the present age, the omission would plural, there being but one devil mentioned in
doubtless be a fault.
the scriptures.
Safe and sound. Luke 15. 27. This is an
Hell. The word hell in the Old Testament,
other instance in which the translators have and sometimes in the New, is used, not for a
followed popular use, instead of the original place of torment, but for the grave, region of
Greek, which signifies simply well or in heal/A. the dead, lower or invisible world ; shcol in He
Living beings. Rev. 4. 6, 7. &c. The word brew, hades in Greek. I have in most passages
beast, in the low sense the word has in present retained the word in the text, but have inserted
use, is considered to be very improper in vari an explanatory note in the margin. In Ezeous passages of the Apocalypse. The word kiel 31,1 have rendered the word grave in two
ligmfies animals or living beings; and I have or three verses, to make the version conforma
used the latter word as more becoming the dig- ble to verse 15.
nity of the sacred oracles.
Master. This word is frequently used in the
Passover for Easter. Acts 12. 4. The ori New Testament for teacher ; doubtless in con
formity with the popular or vulgar practice of
ginal is pascha, passover.
Men, brethren. Acts 13. 15. &c. The trans calling teachers of schools masters. I have re
lators have erred by inserting and between tained the word, but have added an explana
these words, which tends to mislead the reader tory note in the margin. ■ _
into the opinion that these are addressed as dif
Provoke. This word ' formerly had, and
ferent characters ; whereas the sense is men, sometimes still has, the sense of incite, excite,
brethren, men who are brethren.
or instigate. In modern usage, it is generally
How that. These words are frequently used used in the sense of irritate. This requires the
very improperly, where manner is not express substitution of another word for it'in 1 Chron.
ed in the original. The original is simply that. 21. 1 ; Heb. 10. 24 ; 2 Cor. 9. 22, in which I
This is another instance of an inconsiderate have used incite or excite.
use of popular phrases. 1 Cor. 10. 1; 15.3. Ps. 4. 8. The word only is misplaced, and
A still more objectionable use of popular thus it gives a wrong sense. 1 have place(Mt
Ungoage occurs in employing the past tense next after than.
night instead of may. When Christ asked
Lord for Jehovah. When the word Lord is
the blind man what he desired to have done for in small capitals, it stands for Jehovah of the
torn,, he replied, " Lord, that I might receive original. I have not altered the version, ex
Page:Webster's Revision Bible.djvu/16
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xi
INTRODUCTION.
xi