YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

THE LIBRARY OF THE
DIVINITY SCHOOL
THE DAY MISSIONS LIBRARY

ON THE COREAN VERSION OF
THE GOSPELS.

By the Rev. Dr. MALAN, Solo won

While reading the Gospel of St. John in Corean,
lately published, and kindly sent me by the Bible
Society, I missed ' the troubling of the water, and the
coming down of the angel into the pool,' at ch. v. 3, 4.
I thought it might be an accidental omission ; but on
turning to the Revised Version I discovered that it
does not admit this passage. This led me to investi
gate the matter more fully, and to find that the Corean
translation, if not actually made from the text of the
Revised Version, has yet followed it throughout.
Of the Revised Version of the New Testament little
need be said. It has been weighed and found wanting
in the solid scholarship that is not all about 'jots
and tittles,' but that loves the weightier matters of
taste, worship and right judgment, in handling the
a letter of God's word. This letter, however, was not
Heft in charge of only two MSS., the Sinaitic and the
^Vatican, whose boasted superiority over all others rests
mostly on mere surmise ; since the only certainty con-
Yale Divinity Library

cerning them is their suspicious and doubtful origin,
as clearly shown by the late Canon Cook, of Exeter, in
his clever treatise on the Eusebian recension.
He described those two MSS. as twins, but as twins
which, like Jacob and Esau, disagreed at the very first,
and have differed ever since; thus giving abundant
proof that they are not entitled to the full confidence,
not to say worship, some men claim for them, as if
they were true copies of Apostolic autographs. No
better proof of this can be required than the Revised
Version itself, which, marshalled as it was by the one
or the other, or by both those MSS., has omitted so
many passages, and has altered so many more, as not
only to shake one's confidence in those authorities',
but also practically to end in being ' another Gospel,'
now placed by common consent among apocrypha.
Right judgment, then, not only declines to bow
to such prejudiced and partial handling of the Sacred
Text, but says also, that in trying to ascertain that text,
the voice of the whole Apostolic Church should be
heard in her Versions of that text, made, some of them,
long before the oldest manuscripts extant. That voice
always speaks with more or less authority on the sense
of Greek words, which were then a living tongue,
and therefore likely to be better understood than at
present, when it is dead. That voice thus deserves
reverent and dutiful attention for its own sake, and
not only when it happens to sanction the reading of
one or two favourite MSS. ; as if these alone had the
right to silence all other and older witnesses to the
truth.

The following remarks on thirty-seven of the chief
omissions (thirteen of which are whole verses) I have
noticed in the Corean Version of the Gospels, will
show how far I am borne out in what I say. And
they will also perhaps make one regret that the Corean
translators chose the Revised instead of the Authorized
Version for guide in their work ; for the Authorized
Version is in communion with the whole Church of
Christ on earth ; whereas, by comparing the Revised
Version with the Versions of old, it will be seen that
no Church ever owned a Gospel like it. As the Filioque
leaves Anglicans in the arms of Rome, but under the
ban of the Eastern Church, so also, had the Revised
Version of the New Testament been allowed to take
the place of the Authorized Version, England would
have been severed in that respect from the rest of
Christendom. It seems, therefore, a pity that a different Gospel
should thus be sent to the ends of the earth, to do
more harm there than it could do here; for there it
will alone be heard, at least for a time. But as Corean
Christians may have frequent intercourse with other
Christians from the neighbouring countries of China,
Japan and Mandchuria, all of whom have fair trans
lations of their own, and who may thus wonder at
omissions in the Corean Revision, I have compared
them all together, to show how far they disagree.
I have also added the Tibetan, because, if I mistake
not, the Bible Society hesitated to print it, a report
having reached them that it was influenced by the
Revised Version. They referred to me about it ; but,

4
after careful examination, I thought it might safely be
published. I have therefore compared it with the
Corean to show when they differ.
But these remarks apply only to the four Gospels.
The Epistles always give more trouble to translators
than the simple narrative of our Saviour's life on earth.
S. MATTHEW.
Ch. i.
v. 25. — The Corean, with the Revised Version, omits
'her first-bom,' which is found in A.V. and in Syr.
Peshito and Phil. ; in the Ethiopic, Armen., Georg.,
Slav., Arab., Persian, A.-Saxon, Old Latin and Vulgate
Versions ; and is also supported by Justin Martyr, S.
Chrysostom, S. Cyril of Jerusalem, S. Athanasius, Didy
mus of Alexandria, Theophylact, and other Fathers,
who did not understand TrptaroroKov vtov, with reference
to the blessed Virgin Mary, as if she had other children ;
for she was denrapOevos. But they took it, as S. Cyril
says, ' not in a human sense,' but as referring to ' the
first-born among many brethren' [Rom. viii. 29]. The
Chinese, Japanese, Tibetan and Mandchu Versions
have it; and the Corean also at S. Luke ii. 7, 'mat
atal.' Ch. ii.
v. 6.— R.V. 'shall be shepherd;' Cor. 'shall feed;'
A.V. 'shall rule' [or 'feed,' marg. read.]; Chin, 'feed,
tend;' Jap. 'rear, feed, maintain;' Mand. 'feed, pro
tect;' Tib. 'rule, govern.'
v. 18. — Cor. and R.V. omit 'lamentation,' A.V. It

is found, however, in six of the old Versions, in several
MSS., and in some of the Fathers ; but, above all, it is
found in the original Hebrew words of the prophet
[Jer. xxxi. 15], and in the LXX. ; so that it rests on
the highest authority. Chin., Jap., Tib. and Mand.
have it.
Ch. v.
v. 9. — Cor. and R. V. ' sons of God,' instead of ' chil
dren of God,' A. V, which renders the Hebraism of
the Greek, and is more idiomatic in English. Chin.,
Jap., Tib., Mand., 'children.'
Cor. ' outsiders, foreigners ;' R.V. ' Gentiles ;' A.V.
'publicans;' and so also several of the old Versions.
Others have 'nations' and 'heathens.' Chin., Jap.,
Tib., Mand., 'publicans.'
v. 22. — R.V. and Cor. omit 'without a cause,' A.V.
But Syr. Peshito and Cur. have the Greek term; so
also the Memphitic, Georg., Slav., Arab, and Armenian.
The Ethiopic and Vulg. alone agree with R.V. Justin
M. [Epist. ad. Z. 1 1] says : ' For it is written, Whosoever
is angry with his brother, cikj}, without a cause,' &c.
Also in Apost. Constit. Lib. ii. c. 53, and in Lib. vi.
c. 23, mention is made of euccu'a opyq.
v. 27. — R.V. and Cor. omit 'by them of old time,'
A.V. It is found, however, in some MSS., and in
Syr. Peshito, Cur., Slav., Arab., Vulg. and Goth., at
v. 21 and 27. But Copt., Eth., Armen. and Georg.,
like R.V. and Cor., have it at v. 21, but not at v. 27.
A. V, Chin., Jap., Tib. and Mand. have it at both places.
v. 29. — The Corean renders literally R. V. ' to stum
ble,' where it occurs as in this place ; but where R.V,

finding 'stumble' unmanageable, keeps to A.V. 'offend,'
as in ch. xiii. 57, xv. 12, S. Mark vi. 3, &c, Cor. ren
ders it by another term. ' To stumble' is oftener used
literally than figuratively ; ' to offend,' however, is un
derstood chiefly in a moral and figurative sense, and
answers every purpose. Here 'offend' is better than
' stumble,' which may be understood, both in Corean
and in English, to mean ' stumbling through defective
sight.' Chin. ' to fall into sin ;' Mand. ' deceives, be
guiles ;' Jap, ' causes to sin ;' Tib. * seduces, deceives.'
v. 29, 30. — The Corean renders literally R.V. 'be
cast into hell' at v. 29, and 'go into hell' at v. 30;
instead of A.V. 'cast,' and Gr. fiX^df}, in both verses.
As it is difficult to understand how a body can ' go,'
Chin, reads 'to be cast;' Jap. 'thrown into;' Tib.
' sink, fall into ;' Mand. ' cast into.'
v. 44. — The Corean omits with R.V. the beautiful
words, ' Bless them that curse you, do good to them
that hate you.' But this verse is found whole in several
MSS. and in five of the old Versions ; the other three
omit ' which despitefully use you,' a clause found in
Theopil. ad Autolyc. Lib. iii. 14. This verse is also
found in full in Apost. Constit. Lib. i. c. 2, and Lib.
vii. c. 2. The Memphitic alone agrees with R.V. So
A.V. is best here. Chin., Jap., Tib. and Mand. follow it
v. 47. — R.V. ' Gentiles ;' Cor. ' strangers, foreigners,
outsiders.' But Pesh., Goth., Arab., Georg., Armen
have ' publicans ;' Philox. and Eth. ' nations ' or ' Gen
tiles ;' Slav, and Memph. ' heathens.' A.V, Chin., Jap
Tib. and Mand. all have ' publicans.'

Ch. vi.
v. i. — Cor. and R.V. 'your righteousness,' instead
of ' your alms,' A.V. But what is ' to do one's right
eousness'? It was an expression in later Hebrew for
' almsgiving,' and is so explained in v. 2, Several MSS.,
followed by the Received Text, have kXeYjp.oo-vvrjv in
this verse, as well as all the old Versions, but not Vulg.
Here A.V. has correctly, ' do not your alms ;' and so
. read Chin., Tib. and Mand. But Jap. has 'tadashiki'
in v. 1, and 'hodokoshi,' 'alms,' in v. 2. 'Tadashiki,'
however, may mean ' that which is right, proper,' in a
certain sense ' duty,' a part of which consists in alms
giving. 'Righteousness' would be 'tadashisa,' and
convey a different meaning.
v. 4 and 6. — R.V. and Cor. omit ' openly.' But Syr.
Peshito, Armen., Goth., Arab., Eth., Georg., Slav., have
it; and Copt., Vulg. and Cur. agree with R.V. A.V.
is well supported, and Chin., Jap., Tib., Mand., fol
low it.
v. 13. — R.V. 'the evil one;' Cor. 'evil.' [But 'evil
thing' at v. 39, and ' evil one' at xiii. 38.] All the old
Versions, Syr. Pesh., Cur., Philox., Arm., Georg.,
Memph., Slav., Arab., Eth., Goth., have 'evil,' or 'the
evil ;' Sahid. ' the evil one ;' Cod. Aur. and Vulg. ' a
malo;' A.V., Chin., Tib., Mand., 'from evil;' Jap.
' from evil thing' [evil in general]. — R.V. and Cor. here
omit ' For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and
the glory, for ever and ever, Amen;' and the Chris
tians of Corea are to be forbidden this doxology, which
has been owned from the days of the Apostles by the

whole Catholic Church, except perhaps that of Rome.
It is found in all the old Versions except the Memphi
tic ; in many Fathers ; in S. Chrysostom, S. Ambrose,
Isidorus of Pelus.; in the ' Teaching- of the Apostles,'
lately brought to light ; in the Apostolic Constitutions,
and in more than twenty different Liturgies of the
Eastern Church. So that it rests on sufficient autho
rity for us; on more solid ground than the voice of
two somewhat suspicious MSS. Chin., Jap., Tib. and
Mand. have it of course.
v. 33.— R.V. 'the kingdom;' Cor. and A.V. 'the
kingdom of God ;' and so read all the old Versions
[but Copt, and Eth.]. Chin., Jap., Tib. and Mand.
have it also. Ch. ix.
v. 13. — R.V. and Cor. omit 'to repentance,' in A.V.
'but sinners to repentance.' So also read Memph.,
Eth., Arab., Georg. and Slav., and S. Barnabas, Ep. v.
But Syr. and Armen. and S. Clem. Horn, iii., agree with
R.V. and the Corean. Chin., Jap., Tib., Mand., agree
with A.V. and Origen in Joh. tom. xxx., and Justin M.
Apolog. i. 15. Ch. xi.
v. 9. — R.V. and Cor. ' But wherefore went ye out ?
To see a prophet?' A.V. 'But what went ye out for
to see? A prophet?' Syr. 'But whom [also 'what']
went ye out to see? A prophet?' Arm. 'But what
went ye out to see? A prophet?' Arab., Copt. 'But
why went ye out to see? A prophet?' Eth., Goth.,
Georg. 'But what went ye out to see? A prophet?'
So A.V. is right. Chin. 'But what went ye out. to

behold ? A prophet ?' Mand. ' But what went ye out
to see (or to visit)? A prophet?' Jap., Tib. 'But
what went ye out to see ? A prophet ?'
v. 19. — R.V. and Cor. 'is justified by her works;'
A.V. 'is justified of her children.' Syr. Peshito and
Memph. read 'works;' but Syr. Cur., Ajmen., Georg.,
Slav., Eth., Arab., Goth., all have 'children;' Origen
also, in Joh. tom. ii. Chin., Mand. ' wise people bring
out clearly the merit of wisdom;' Tib., Jap. 'Wisdom
is wrought out (or seen) in the wisdom of her children.'
Origen in Joh. tom. ii. p. 45, has 'children.'
Ch. xii.
v. 35. — R.V. and Con omit 'the heart,' and read,
' out of his good treasure ;' instead of A.V. ' out of the
good treasure of the heart,' with which Syr. Cur. and
Eth. agree. The Armenian Version has, ' out of the
good treasure of the heart his mouth speaketh.' All
the other old Versions agree with R.V. and Cor. Chin.
renders 'heart' literally; Mand. 'from the good thing
within ;' Jap., Tib., agree with A.V.
Ch. xiii.
v. 9. — r.v. and Cor. omit 'to hear.' All the old
Versions, however, even Vulg., agree with A.V. 'Who
(or he) that hath ears to hear, let him hear;' as do
also Chin., Jap., Tib., Mand.
v- js, — R.V. and Cor. have 'sons of the kingdom,'
'sons of the wicked One,' &c; whereas in general
'children,' as in A.V., is a good rendering of the

IO

Hebrew idiom 'sons:' in Corean, 'cha-sik' [as in ch.
ii. 1 8] or 'saram' might have been preferable to 'atal'
in this place. A somewhat pedantic and ill-judged
adherence to a literal rendering of the original often
misled the Revisers into incongruous renderings. As
when they will have 'sons' only both 'to marry and
to be given in marriage,' and also to be alone ' sons of
the resurrection' [S. Luke xx. 36], instead of 'children
of the resurrection,' A. V. ; forgetting that, as ' they will
neither marry nor be given in marriage, but be equal
to the angels,' they will not be sons and daughters, but
' children of God, being children of the resurrection.'
Here Cor. renders the first 'sons of God' by 'han
hananim-eui atal-i twi,' ' will become sons of the one
God;' and 'sons of the resurrection' is rendered by,
' because they will be men [human beings] of coming
again to life (or being born again, resurrection).' The
Versions use 'son' for 'child,' according to their seve
ral idioms. See also Origen in Matt. p. 496, on this
subject. v. 43. — R.V. and Cor. omit 'to hear;' but all the
old Versions agree with A.V. in retaining it.
Ch. xiv.
v. 24.— R.V. and Cor. ' the boat was distressed by
the waves;' A.V. 'tossed with waves.' One does not
quite see how a boat can be ' distressed,' although the
boat's crew may 'be in distress.' Here Pa.o-avi(op.tvov
properly means 'tormented,' A.V; 'tossed' is not strong
enough. Copt, 'the waves beating against it;' Syr.
Cur. ' tormented ;' Syr. Pesh. ' troubled, beaten about.'

So also Arm., Georg., Eth. But Arab, 'the waves beat
against it;' Vulg. 'jactabatur,' with A.V.
v. 30. — R.V. and Cor. omit ' strong' or boisterous,'
A.V. ; but Syr. Pesh., has 'the wind strong (or bois
terous).' Syr. Cur. ' when he saw that the wind was
boisterous [strong, violent] ;' Eth., Vulg?, Arm., Georg.,
Slav, 'when he saw the violent wind;' Arab, 'when he
saw the strength [violence] of the wind.' Copt, alone
omits 'strong;' A.V., therefore, is in very good com
pany. Chin., Mand. 'fierce wind;' Tib., Jap. ' violent,
fierce.' Ch. xv.
v. 6. — Here Cor. follows R.V, but adds 'mother,'
as in A. V, the Peshito, Memph., Eth., Slav. Arab.,
Georg., Armen. and Vulg. ; Syr. Cur. alone omits
'mother,' with R.V. But Chin., Jap., Tib., Mand.,
follow A.V.
v. 14. — R.V. and Cor. -omit 'of the blind' in 'blind
guides of the blind,' A.V., with which all the old Ver
sions agree, except Syr. Cur., which agrees with R.V.
Chin., Jap., Tib., Mand., follow A.V.
Ch. xvi.
v. 4. — R.V. omits ' prophet.' But the Corean wisely
retains ' prophet,' together with A. V, Syr. Peshito, Cur.,
Eth., Memph., Slav., Arm., Georg., Arab, and Vulg. ;
and with these agree Chin., Jap., Tib. and Mand.
v_ i3._R.V. 'What— that the Son of Man is?'
A.V. 'What— that I the Son of Man am?' So read
S. Cyril Hier. [Cat. xi. 3]; and with him and A.V.

agree Syr. Peshito and Cur., Armen., Georg., Slav. ;
but Vulg., Copt., Eth., agree with R.V. The Arabic
reads : ' What is it that men say about the Son of
Man?' Chin., Mand. and Cor. follow A.V. ; but Jap.,
Tib., agree with R.V.
v. 18.— R.V. 'the gates of Hades;' A.V. 'the gates
of hell.' Although 'of hell' in its present acceptation
does not render exactly $8ov in this place, yet it is not -
likely that the term ' Hades ' will ever be accepted and
' understanded of the people.' The Syriac and the
Ethiopic render it by the Semitic 'sheoP or 'siul;'
Arab, by 'jahlm,' gehenna ; Armen., Georg. and Slav.
by 'hell;' Copt, by 'amenti,' the nether-world, where
souls are judged, proved and crowned ; Chin, by ' yin-
foo;' Corean, '6m poo'[?], dark hall or abode; Jap.
by 'yomi' ['yomi ni kuni,' the realms of Yama[?], or
abode of departed spirits ; the meaning given in Japa
nese books to 'yin-foo']. Mand. renders it by 'earth-
prison;' Tib. by ' realms of the dead ;' Vulg. by ' portse
inferi.' Ch. xvii.
v. 21. — R.V. and Cor. omit this verse. ' Howbeit
this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting,' A.V.
It is found, however, in Syr. Peshito [but not in Cur.],
Copt., Slav., Eth., Arab., Armen., Georg. and Vulg. ;
so that it has good authority for being where it is—
namely, the voice of the whole Catholic Church.
Chin., Jap., Tib., Mand., have this verse. It is also
found in Origen in Matt. p. 313.
v. 24.— Here Cor. very properly renders R.V. ' half-
shekel' by 'tribute-money,' A.V.

i3

Ch. xviii.
v. 3. — R.V. 'Except ye turn' [!] ; 'Except ye be
converted,' A.V.; Cor. ' Unless, having changed clothes
['pien pok,' Cor. Diet.], ye be (or become) like this
little child,' &c. All the old Versions employ terms
equivalent to a passive voice, 'be turned' or 'converted.'
Vulg. ' nisi conversi fueritis,' like A.V, is a good ren
dering of the Greek. Chin., Mand., Jap., Tib., agree
with A.V.
v. n. — R.V. and Cor. omit 'For the Son of Man is
come to save that which was lost,' A.V., on the faith
of their MSS. But the voice of the whole Catholic
and Apostolic Church of Christ — Syr. Pesh., Cur. and
Philox; Armen., Eth., Memph., Georg., Slav., Arab.,
Pers., Cod. Aur., A. -Saxon and Vulgate ; S. Chrysost.
[Horn. lix. in Matt.], Theophyl. and others — has pro
claimed with one accord the genuine truth of these
glad tidings, ever since the Good Shepherd came to
bring them. In proof of this, several of the old Ver
sions connect this verse with the preceding, like A.V,
thus: 'For' or 'because the Son of Man came,' &c.
Chin., Mand., Jap., Tib., retain it.
v. 35. — R.V. and Cor. omit1 their trespasses,' A.V. ;
and with R.V. agree Syr. Cur., Copt, Eth., Arab., Vulg.
But the Peshito, Armen., Georg. and Slav, agree with
A. V., as do Chin., Mand. and Tib.; but Jap. omits it.
Ch. xix.
v- x6, — R.V. and Cor. omit 'Good' in 'Good Master,'
A V. Yet Syr. Pesh., Cur. and Philox. ; Armen. and

*4
Arm. Diatessaron; Memph., Sahid., Old Latin, Georg.,
Vulg., Slav., Arab., Pers. and A.-Sax. all have it. So
also S. Chrysost., Justin Martyr, Origen, Theophylact
and other Fathers have it.
v. 17. — R.V. and Cor. 'Why askest thou me con
cerning that which is good ?' ' Why callest thou me
good?' A.V. Of the 'ancient authorities' mentioned
in the margin of R.V., six agree with it, but eleven
agree with the Received Text and A.V. So we may
keep to these. Chin., Mand., Jap. and Tib. agree
with A.V. in these two places.
v. 29. — R.V. and Cor. omit 'or wife,' A.V. But it
is found in Syr. Peshito and Cur., in Armen., Georg.,
Slav., Copt., Arab., Eth. and Vulgate. S. Cyril Hier
[Catech. xviii. 30] quotes only 'brothers or sisters [kou
to, l£rp\ and the rest' Chin., Mand., Jap., have ' wife;'
but Tib. has ' zhis-mad,' family, including a wife, chil
dren and servants, Ch. xx.
v. 16. — R.V. and Cor. omit 'for many be called,
but few chosen,' A.V. Yet these words form part of
this verse in Syr. Pesh., Cur. and Philox. ; Armen.,
Georg., Eth., Arab., Pers., Slav., Old Lat. Vulgate and
A.-Saxon ; S. Clement [Horn. viii. 4, De G'est. Pet. 6],
S. Chrysostom [Horn. Ixiv. in Matt], Origen [Horn. iv.
in Jerem. Com. in Matt. p. 407], and Theophylact also.
Surely all this is sufficient authority, and better than
B. and R.V. Chin., Mand. and Jap. retain these
words, but the Tibetan omits them.

!S

Ch. xxii.
v. 30. — R.V. and Cor. omit 'of God' in 'as the
angels of God in heaven,' A.V. But Syr. Peshito,
Eth., Copt, Arab., Georg., Slav, and Vulg. agree with
A.V. ; and Syr. Cur. and Armen., Origen and Athana
sius, agree with R.V. ; so that A.V. is well supported,
and with it Chin., Jap., Tib. and Mand. agree.
Ch. xxiii.
v. 14. — R.V. and Cor. omit 'Woe unto you, Scribes
and Pharisees, hypocrites ; for ye devour widows'
houses, and for a pretence make long prayer; there
fore ye shall receive the greater damnation,' A.V. But
all the old Versions, Syr. Cur. and Peshito, Armen.,
Georg., Slav., Eth., some Coptic MSS., the Vulgate
and Arab., have this verse. The Arabic adds, 'and
orphans' houses.' Surely this is sufficient authority;
and Chin., Jap., Tib. and Mand. do well to follow it
and A.V. Ch. xxiv.
v. 36.— R.V. and Cor. insert 'neither the Son' after
' no, nor the angels of heaven,' A.V. So also read
Eth., Armen. and S. Athanasius, Or. iii., with R.V.
i But the Peshito, Memph., Arab., Georg., Slav, and
Vulg. agree with A.V., that is well supported. Syr.
Cur. and Goth, are wanting in this place. Chin., Jap.,
Tib. and Mand. follow A.V.
Ch. xxvi.
v. 25. — R.V. 'Is it I, Rabbi?' There was a point,
in this distant address, on the part of Judas. Cor.,

with A.V., has ' Master, is it I ?' Chin., Mand., Tib.,
read 'Master;' Jap. 'Rabbi;' also at v. 49.
Ch. xxvii.
v. 34.— R.V. and Cor. ' gave him wine,' &c. ; ' gave
him vinegar, &c, A.V. Codex Alexandr., the Peshito,
Philox., Georg., Slav., Arabic and Persian [Taw. and
Whel.], have ' vinegar.' But Memph., Armen., Sahid.,
Eth. and Vulgate have 'wine.' The Armenian Dia-
tessaron, however, has ' vinegar ;' while S. Chrysostom,
S. Hilary, S. Athanasius, S. Cyprian and Theophylact,
all dwell on their having given our Saviour ' vinegar to
drink,' in fulfilment of the prophecy, Ps. lxix. 21. This
leads one to prefer 'vinegar' to 'wine' in this verse.
Chin., Jap., Tib., Mand., all read 'vinegar,' and it
seems best to read it so, rather than to try by rough
handling to reconcile this with the same in S. Mark
and S. John — authority in this case being pretty evenly
balanced. v. 35. — So also as regards this verse. R.V. and Cor.
omit ' that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by
the Prophet, They parted my garments among them,
and upon my vesture did they cast lots,' A.V. The
authority for these words, which stand well where they
do, is also nearly equally divided. Some MSS. omit
them, some do not. Why, then, dispute them ? Chin.,
Jap., Tib. and Mand. agree with A.V.
v. 28. — R.V. omits ' new' in 'new covenant' or 'tes
tament,' A.V. But 'new' is found in Syr. Armen.,
Georg., Eth., Vulg., Memph., Arab., Slav., — that is, in
the Gospel of the whole Catholic and Apostolic Church.

i7
Moreover, R.V. discards 'new' here and at S. Mark
xiv. 24, but retains it at S. Luke xxii. 20. Was this
last 'covenant' or 'testament' different from the other
two ? And is not such arbitrary dealing with the Sacred
Text ill-judged and misleading? In these three places
the Corean has ' sin yak' [Japanese 'shin yaku,' from
the Chinese 'sin yo'], 'new promise' or 'covenant'
Chin., Jap., Tib. and Mand. all have 'new' in this
verse.
S. MARK.
Ch. i.
v. 2. — R.V. and Cor. 'in Isaiah the prophet;' 'in
the prophets,' A.V. With R.V. and Cor. agree the
Peshito, Memph. and Arabic, Goth, and Vulg. With
A. V., Eth., Armen., Georg. and Slav. ' Prophets' seems
the most natural reading, since the first part of the
quotation is taken from Malachi iii. 1, and the second
from Isaiah xl. 3. Chin., Mand. and Jap. read ' pro
phets,' but Tib. ' Isaiah.' Ch. ii.
v. 17. — R.V. omits 'to repentance' in 'but sinners
to repentance,' A.V. But here Cor. does not follow
R.V., but agrees with A.V. Of all the old Versions,
the Arabic, Slav, and Georg. alone agree with A.V. ;
all the rest agree with R.V. Chin., Jap., Mand., with
A.V. ; Tib. with R.V. ; Origen in Joh. p. 366, agrees
with A.V.

i8

Ch. iii.
v. 30. — R.V. and Cor. 'eternal sin;' A.V. 'eternal
damnation.' But what is 'eternal sin'? Kplo-is means
simply ' putting asunder, severing, discernment, sepa
rating wheat from tares, sheep from goats, good from
bad — sometimes to the right, and at other times to the
left; sometimes in a good, and sometimes in a bad
sense.' 'Aioiviov Kpt'crews is here rendered ' everlasting
judgment' by Syr. Peshito, Armen., Georg., Slav., Eth.
But Vulg. and Goth, read ' sterni delicti ;' Memph.
' everlasting sin ;' Arab. ' everlasting punishment.' So
also read Chin., Mand., Jap. and Tib.
Ch. iv.
v. 15. — R.V. and Cor. 'in them;' A.V. 'in their
hearts.' But A.V. is here supported by all the old
Versions, including the Vulgate. For ' in their hearts '
[or ' in his heart,' like Eth.] is found in some Coptic
MSS. Moreover, the word rendered ' in them,' may
also be rendered literally 'in their hearts' in Sahidic,
and 'in their inside' [entrails or belly] in Memphitic.
Chin. ' in their heart ;' Mand. ' preached into them.'
Jap. and Tib. follow A.V. Ch. xi.
v. 8. — Here the Corean follows R.V., and not A.V.
But Syr. Philox., Peshito, Armen., Georg., Goth.,
A. -Saxon, Arabic, Slav., Vulg., Eth., Cod. Aureus and
Persian [Taw. and Whel.], agree with A.V. and the

19
Received Text. The Coptic alone agrees with R.V,
though some Coptic MSS. have, ' others cut branches
of trees from the fields,' which is more intelligible than
R.V. Chin., Jap., Tib. and Mand. follow A.V.
v. 26. — R.V. and Cor. omit ' But if you do not for
give, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive
your trespasses,' A.V. and the Received Text. But
this verse is found in Syr. Peshito, Goth., Armen.,
Georg., Eth., Slav., Arab, and Vulgate; Memph. alone
omits it, though it is found written by a later hand in
the margin of some Coptic MSS. So that Chin., Jap.,
Mand. and Tib. retain these words, although R.V.
forbids them to the Coreans. Ch. xiv.
v. 24. — R.V. omits 'new' in 'my blood of the New
Testament,' A.V, although it retains 'new' in S. Luke
xxii. 20, as do the old Versions. [Goth, is wanting in
S. Matt in this place and in S. Luke.] See note at
S. Matt. xxvi. 27. Ch. xv.
v. 28. — R.V. and Cor. omit 'And the Scripture was
fulfilled which saith : And he was numbered with the
transgressors,' A.V. and Syr. Peshito, Armen., Eth.,
Memph., Georg., Goth., Slav., Arab., Vulg.andA. -Saxon.
The voice of the whole Church of Christ proclaims
this verse genuine. Why should Coreans be forbidden
to read it? Chin., Mand., Tib., Jap., agree with A.V.

S. LUKE.
Ch. i.
v. 28. — R.V. and Cor. omit ' Blessed art thou among
women,' A.V. These words, however, are found in
Syr. Peshito, Eth. [lit. most blessed of women], Goth.
Georg., Slav., Vulg., Arab., and in several Coptic MSS. ;
but they are not in Armenian. Chin., Mand., Tib. and
Jap. agree with A.V. and the rest of Christendom in
thinking the Holy Virgin ' blessed.'
Ch. ii.
v. 14. — R.V. and Cor. mainly agree. But regarding
this passage, it will suffice to say that Syr. Peshito and
Philox., Armen., Georg., Memph., Eth., Slav, and
Arab, agree with A.V. kv dvdpdiroi,'; evSoKia, ' good-will
towards men;' while Vulg., Goth, and A. -Saxon agree
with R.V. Among other authorities, Origen [in Joh.
p. 14, and contra Cels. p. 46] ; S. Gregory Naz. [Or. xiii.];
Theophylact [ad loc] ; S. Gregory Thaum. [Anathan.
xii.] ; Apostolic Constit [Lib. viii. c. 13]; Proclus, Bp.
of Const. [Orat. in. B. V. M.] ; Paul of Emesa [Horn. i.
col. 1433]; Theodotus of Ancyra [Horn, in Nat. D.
and Horn. vi. in Deip. and Nat. D. col. 1428]; Aph-
raates [de Sustent. Paup. p. 395, and Horn, de Humil.
p. 180]; S. James of Nisibis, in the corresponding
Homily in Armenian, p. 274, — all agree with A.V.
S. Ambrose follows the Latin 'bona? voluntatis,' and
S. Cyril Hier. [Cat. xii.] has ev dvdpwirois eySoKtas. The
weight of authority is thus greatly in favour of A.V.

21

Ch. v.
v. 30.— R.V. and Cor. 'The old is good;' 'The old
is better,' A.V. This is one of the many instances in
which one wonders at the Revisers ; for clearly, what
ever their MSS. may read, the comparative ' better' is
required here. Accordingly, such Versions as use a
comparative do so ; such as Armen., Georg., Goth.,
Arab., Slav, and Vulg. The others use a term that
implies ' superiority' or 'excellence;' such as Eth. and
Memph. And Chin., Mand., Jap. and Tib. agree with
A.V. Ch. ix.
v. 35. — R.V. 'my chosen;' 'my beloved son,' Cor.
and A. V., and Syr. Peshito, Vulg., Arab., Goth., Georg.
and Slav. But Eth., Armen. and Memph. agree with
R.V; Chin., Mand., Tib. and Jap. follow A.V.
v. 54. — R.V. and Cor. omit 'as Elias did,' A.V. But
Syr. Pesh., Memph., Georg., Slav., Goth., Arab, and
Eth. agree with A.V.; and with R.V., Armen. and the
Vulgate only. So that the weight of authority is with
A. V., as usual. Chin., Mand., Tib. and Jap. follow
A.V. v. 55. — R.V. and Cor. omit 'And said : Ye know not
what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of Man
is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them,'
A.V. These words, however, are found in Syr. Peshito,
Cureton and Philox., Armen., Goth., Memph. [Wilk.],
Georg., Arab., Slav., Cod. Aureus, Vulg. and Persian
[Whel.] ; while the Persian of Tawos reads : 'Ye know
not how the matter stands.' But Eth. and Memph.

[Schw.] and A.-Saxon agree with R.V. and Cor. Here
again A.V, Chin., Mand., Tib. and Jap., have the
highest authority on their side,
Ch. xi.
v. 2. — The Corean here follows R.V. in its rendering
of the Lord's Prayer. The difference between this
prayer in S. Matthew and in S. Luke, may well puzzle
Corean Christians, as to which "they had better use.
S. Matt. vi. 9, if I mistake it not, says : ' Let prayer
be like this — O our honoured (or honourable, honorif.
part.) Father, who is (or art) in heaven ! Let the
honoured Father's name be hallowed. Let the honour
able kingdom [rule, government] of honoured Father
be done [come]. Give us every day what things we
need for our use [food, &c.]. As [we] forgive men's
debts, so forgive us our debts. Do not expose (or lead)
us to temptation, but save (or deliver) us from evil. So
be it.' — S. Luke xi. 2, says: 'Father. Let Father's name
be hallowed; the honourable kingdom [government]
be done [come]. Give us every day what things we
need for our use [food, &c.J Grant forgiveness of our
sins [trespasses], that we may grant forgiveness to those
who sin [?] against us ; and do not increase [indulge]
our passions [that to which we are addicted].' — Even
Cod. Sinait. has, ' thy will be done, as in heaven so
also on the earth,' which the Revisers thought best left
out, on the authority of Cod. Vatic. B. And yet this
is how the Church of Christ has read this prayer in
this place from her early days :
[Memphitic Vers.]. 'Our Father which [art] in heaven :

23
hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will
be done, as in heaven so also on the earth. Give us
every day [day by day] the bread of the coming [day].
And forgive us our sins, that we also ourselves may
forgive all those against whom we have aught. And
lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.'
[Old Latin Vers.]. tQjir Father which art in heaven :
hallowed be thy namei 'Thy will bedone inneaven
and on the earth. Give us to-day our daily bread. And
remit us our debts, like as we remit to our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from
evil.' And so read, with little or no variation, Eth., Syr.
Peshito and Cur., Arab., Georg. and Slav. But Armen.-
and Vulg. omit ' deliver us from evil.' It is thus seen
that our Lord's Prayer was identical in the two Gospels
in which it occurs — in the MSS. which omitted the
doxology found in S. Matthew. It will also make one
question the wisdom of the Revisers in choosing the
most corrupt MS. of this prayer, only because it is B.
Chin., Jap., Tib., Mand., follow A.V.
Ch. xvii.
v. 36. — R.V. and Cor. omit this verse : ' Two men
shall be in the field ; the one shall be taken and the
other left,' A. V. But this verse is found in Syr. Peshito
and Cureton; in Armen., Georg., Slav, and Vulg. It
is not in Eth., Goth, and Memph. So there is good
authority for it. Jap. omits it; but Mand., Tib. and
Chin, have it.

24

Ch. xxii.
v. 20. — R.V. has ' new covenant' in this place, but
only 'covenant' in S. Matt. xxvi. 28, and S. Mark
xiv. 24. The Corean has the same term, ' sin yak,' for
' new covenant,' in these three places. Chin., Jap.,
Tib. and Mand. follow A.V. See S. Matt, xxvii. 28.
Ch. xxiii.
v. 17. — R.V. and Cor. omit this verse : 'For of neces
sity he must release one unto them at the feast,' A.V.
But Syr. Peshito [not Cur.], Memph., Eth., Armen.,
Georg., Slav., Vulg. and Arab. [Goth, is wanting here],
all have it. In other words, the whole Church agrees
to keep it. Chin., Jap., Tib. and Mand. follow A.V.
v. 38. — R.V. and Cor. omit ' in letters of Greek, of
Latin, and of Hebrew,' A.V. These words, however,
are found in Syr. Peshito and Philox. [not in Cur.], in
Eth., Armen., Arab., Georg., Cod. Aureus, Vulg. and
Persian [Taw. and Whel.] ; but they are not in Memph.
and Sahidic. S. Cyril Al., however, Theophylact and
other Fathers, mention them. So that the weight of
authority is in favour of those words. Chin., Jap.,
Tib. and Mand. have them. Ch. xxiv.
v. 43. — R.V. and Cor. omit ' and of an honeycomb,'
A.V. But Syr. Peshito, Cur., Eth., Memph., Armen.,
Arab., Georg. [Goth, is wanting], Slav, and Vulg. do
not omit, but have cherished these words of sweetness
of the last hours of our Saviour upon earth. Chin.,

25
Jap., Tib., ^Mand., agree with A.V. and the whole
Church of Christ, except B., R.V. and Cor.
v. 49. — R.V. and Cor. omit ' of Jerusalem,' A.V.;
but the Peshito, Armen., Georg., Slav., Arab., Eth., do
not. Memph. and Vulg. alone agree with R.V. here.
Chin., Jap., Mand., agree with A.V; Tib., with R.V.
v. 53. — R.V. and Cor. omit 'praising,' A.V. But
the Peshito, Armen., Arab., Eth., Georg., Slav, and
Vulg. agree with A.V; Memph. with R.V. Chin.,
Jap., Tib., and Mand. agree with A.V.

S. JOHN.
Ch. i.
v. 28.— R.V. and Cor. read 'Bethany,' for A.V.
'Bethabara.' Some MSS. have 'Bethany;' but it stands
to reason that from whencesoever this reading origi
nated, it must have been by mistake. For ' a place of
passage' or ' ford' of Jordan, must have been a fit place
for baptism, and a suitable name for it. Syr. Cur., Eth.,
Armen., Georg., Slav., read ' Bethabara' or 'Betharaba;'
Memph., Vulg., Arab., have ' Bethania.' Chin., Tib.,.
Mand., agree with A. V. ; Jap. with R.V.
Ch. v.
v. 3, 4. — R.V. and Cor. omit the words ' waiting for
the moving of the water. For an angel went down at
a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water •
whosoever then first after the troubling of the water
stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he

26
had,' A.V. But this whole passage is found in the
Peshito, Eth., Armen., Georg., some Copt. MSS., Slav.,
Arab, and Vulgate. Syr. Cur. mentions the troubling
of the water ; but not the angel. S. Cyril Hier. also
has a homily on this healing of the man sick of the
palsy, and alludes to the troubling of the water, but
does not mention the angel. Chin., Jap., Tib., Mand.,
agree with A.V.

It is needless to add that, from past experience with
the Tibetan Version, I feel convinced that the Bible
Society had no hand in choosing the Revised in pre
ference to the Authorized Version for guide in the
translation of the Gospels into Corean. Such matters
must of necessity be left to agents and missionaries
abroad engaged in the work of translation. I do not
know how far they are controlled by the parent Society
in their choice of original texts for their translations ;
but English missionaries would run fewer risks in
choosing the Authorized Version for a guide, even if
they were sufficiently good scholars to consult the
Greek original itself. In this case, it should be the
Textus Receptus, that has done duty for centuries, and
is safer than any other Greek text.
So great, however, is the difficulty of translating the
Bible into any of the cultivated languages of the far
East — not only in choosing adequate and suitable
terms, but also in translating in a style at once accept
able to the educated and understood of the common
people— that one ought to forbear judgment, and to

27
thank, rather than to blame, pioneers in the work of
translations which have always been, and will always
be, more or less imperfect at first. It is only by slow
degrees, and after a long residence in a country, that
one can acquire the feeling and full meaning of words
spoken there. But when these words are intended to
convey the knowledge of the Gospel to people who
had never heard of it, those words ought to be both
correct and true.
Yet it seems but natural that earnest men engaged
in missionary work, should feel anxious to give in print,
and as soon as possible, the glad tidings of the Gospel
. to the people among whom they work. But in this
case, 'more haste is, indeed, worse speed.' The first
translation of a Gospel, when said to be ' finished,'
should be laid aside and, as it were, forgotten for a
time — to be taken up afterwards with a mind refreshed,
and thus better able to look over that translation and
to correct it finally. For it is of the utmost importance
that the first ideas and impressions of God's Word
should be, as far as possible, correct, and not, as it
sometimes happens, open to ridicule.
Missionaries, however, often labour under great dis
advantages at remote stations, where the spoken tongue
is probably provincial, and where good teaching and
other useful information are difficult to get. This may
have been the case with the translators of these Corean
Gospels, who, knowing nothing to the contrary, took
for granted that the Revised Version of the New Tes
tament, being latest, was therefore best. This mistake

28
may be corrected in another edition, which will pro
bably be required before long.
But neither shortcomings nor errors in translation,
more or less inseparable from all labour of this kind,
can in any way detract from the magnitude of the work
carried on by the British and Foreign Bible Society,
whose one object is — the fulfilment of the prophet's
words, until ' the earth is filled with the knowledge of
the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea'
(Hab. ii. 14). God speed the work, and bless all who
have a share in it !

West Cliff Hall, Bournemouth,
fune 18, i8go.

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