9. Besides the erroneous or defective translations which have arisen from the sources already pointed out, others exist for which various causes might be assigned. The whole of Is. ix. 1, in connection with the preceding context needs revision, in order to dispel its darkness. We specify, now, only the latter part: "when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations:" this should be—as the former time degraded the land of Zehulon and the land of Naphtali, so the latter time shall glorify the way of sea beyond Jordan, Galilee of the rations. "Woe to him who ladeth himself with thick clay," should be—who ladeth himself with goods taken in pledge. "To hunt souls to make them fly"—to hunt them as birds.
All that make sluices and ponds for tish"—all that work for wages are sorrowful in heart. The place in Jerusalem where Fluidal] dwelt was not "the college," but the See ond division of the city. " The land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both to r Rings," should be—the land of whose two kings thou art afraid, shall be forsaken. It is not said in Job concerning the war-horse, " neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet;" but—" he will not s,-,,nut still when the sound of the trumpet is heard." The translation of Matthew's narrative concerning the receivers of what it calls "tribute money" who came to Peter, fails to show that it was not the political tribute to Borne which Jesus was asked to pay; thus the force of his claim to be rightfully exempt does not appear; also, "a piece cf money." might be either tod little or too much for Peter and himself. But in the Greek these points are definite and clear. The money demanded was the half shekel which the Mosaic law required every Jew to pay for the support of God's house; from this the Son of God, according to the analogies of earthly kings, was certainly free; and the specific coin which Peter was to find, was the exact amount for two. At the close of Belt. iii., there are three questions asked and answered, all closely related to one another and to the argument. But the first of them, the author ized revision changes to a positive, vet indefinite assertion, to the injury of the sense: "for some, when they lout heard. aid provoke; howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses;" which should read interrogatively—for who were they who when they heard, provoked? Were not all of them those who came out of Egypt by Moses? II. The nature of the alterations proposed. While the facts thus indicated may be accepted as supplying reasons for a thorough revision of the English Bible and as indi cating the nature of the results expected, they also show that only a revision is required of the translation which. having been so long in use, is so diligently studied, ardently loved, and widely diffn:ed. A new translation is not needed, is not desired, and. if
made, could never take the place of the old. The revised Bible will rend like the old; the hallowed associations which throng around it will not be dispelled; and when the work is complete its greatest value will appear, not in the thanges made, the obscurities removed. the errors corrected, and the improvements intrcalueed; but in the confidence inspired by the fact that, thoroughly tested, line by line, and word by word during more than ten years by chosen companies of men most profound and exact in scholarship, the English Bible, needing no essential change, is confessed to be the most adequate and accurate translation that can now be made; and that the vast proportion of itsrenderings are without a flaw.
III. Principles adopted for the troll: of revision.. 1. To make as few alterations as pos sible, consistently with faithfulness. 2. To limit, as far as possible, the expression of such alterations to the language of the authorized or earlier versions, preserving the for mer style. 3. Each company to go twice over the portion to be revised; onr:e provision ally; the second time, filially. 4. To adopt the Ilebrew or Greek text for which the evidence decidedly preponderates; and when this differs from that from which the authorized version was made, to indicate the difference in the margin. ti. On the first revision to decide by simple majorities; but on the final revision by each company to retain no change in the text not approved by two thirds of those present. 6. When a proposed alteration has given rise to discussion, to defer voting thereon till the next meeting whenever one third of those present so desire; such intended vote to be announced in the notice for the next meeting. 7. To revise the headings of chapters and pages, the paragraphs, italics, and punctuation. 8. That each company shall refer, when considered desirable, to divines, scholars, and literary men, whether at home or abroad, for their opinions.
1V. Tile names «nd thztioro qf the Contmittea of Revision. This revision had its origin in the convocation of Canterbury, May 6. 1870, by the appointment of a committee of eminent biblical scholars and dignitaries of the church of England with power to revise, for public use, the English version of 1611; and to associate with them representative biblical scholars of other Christian denominations using that version. In accordance with the authority given'thein. that committee invited the appointent of a similar Amer ican committee, to be associated with them,, virtually in one organization, with the same principles and objects and to be in constant correspondence with them, that both together may issue one and the same revision for all English-speaking people.