the most sublime views of God's benevolence towards sinners, and exhibit the strongest inducements to a willing and unreserved obedience.

JAMES.

JAMES the Apostle addresses this letter to the twelve tribes dispersed, to those of them who professed faith in the Messiah. It is evident from the contents of it, that at the time it was written, the brethren were suffering persecution, and that the era of vengeance on the Jewish state was very nigh.

It is well known, that many of the sect of the Pharisees believed the gospel, and that this sect was peculiarly fond of incorporating some of their former opinions with the Christian system. The Pharisees in general were fatalists. They taught that "God had, from all eternity, decreed whatever comes to pass," and that all things were fixed and immoveable. A modification of this doctrine appears to have been prevalent, amongst many of the disciples from among the Jews. The doctrine of fate, as held by the Pharisees, was very troublesome to Christians from among the Jews; and it was to the infidel part of the nation, in their various wars, and in the siege of the metropolis, the proximate cause of innumerable calamities, and at length of their final ruin. Various abuses growing out of this system, seem to have been prevalent amongst the Jewish brethren, at the time when James wrote: and with the design of correcting those abuses, and of exhorting to patience in their distress, and also of encouraging the faithful with the hope, that the Lord was immediately coming to destroy the persecuting power of the Jews, James evidently writes this letter. This design, kept in mind, explains the scope of this epistle, and plainly reconciles the drift of it with the doctrine that Paul taught, on that faith which is accounted to a man for righteousness, and of those works which prove a man to be a Christian, both to himself and to his acquaintance.

PETER.

"IT is well known that anciently, in proportion as the Christians multiplied in any country, their sufferings became more general and severe. In the latter part, therefore, of the first age, when the rage of the Jews and Gentiles was exceedingly stimulated by the prevalence of the gospel, the Apostles of Christ, who were then alive, considered themselves as especially called upon to comfort and encourage their suffering brethren. With this view the Apostle Peter wrote his first epistle to the Christians in Pontus, &c. wherein he represented to them, the obligation the disciples of Christ were under to suffer for their religion, and suggested a variety of motives to persuade them to suffer cheerfully." [Macknight.]

JOHN.

"THE Apostle John having lived to see great corruptions, both in doctrine and practice, introduced into the church, by many who professed themselves the disciples of Christ, employed the last year of his life in opposing these corruptions. For he wrote his three epistles to establish the truths concerning the person and offices of Christ, and to condemn the errors, then prevailing, contrary to these truths. Also, to repress the lewd practices, for the sake of which these errors were embraced. Besides, he considered that his testimony to the truths concerning the person and offices of Christ, together with his direct condemnation of the opposite errors, published to the world in his inspired writings, would be of singular use, in preserving the faithful from being seduced by the false teachers, and other corrupters of Christianity, who, in future ages, might arise and trouble the church "[Macknight.]

PREFACE.

JUDE.

"In the latter part of the apostolical age many false teachers had arisen, and were going about speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them, as Paul had foretold to the elders in Ephesus, Acts xx. 30. [see preface to John.] In drawing disciples after them, these teachers had nothing in view but to increase their own gains, that they might have wherewithal to spend upon their lusts. For the first Christians, having a great affection for their teachers, willingly and liberally contributed to their maintenance. The false teachers, therefore, to draw the vicious part of mankind after them, perverting Paul's doctrine of justification by faith, without the works of the law, resolved the whole of Christianity into the speculative belief and outward profession of the gospel. [See preface to James.] And having thus cancelled the obligations of morality, they taught their disciples to live in all manner of licentiousness; and at the same time flattered them with the hope of the favor of God, and of obtaining eternal life.

"One of the perverse things, which these corrupt teachers spoke, for the purpose of alluring the wicked, was, that God is so good, that he will not punish men for indulging those natural appetites, which he himself has implanted in their nature; nor be displeased with them for committing a few sins, which can do him no harm, but which are necessary to their present happiness.Wherefore, to show the impiety and falsehood of that doctrine, and to secure the disciples from being seduced by it, the Apostle Jude wrote this epistle, in which, by facts recorded in the Jewish Scriptures, he proved, that as God had already punished the angels who sinned, notwithstanding their numbers, so he will at length, most assuredly, punish all obstinato sinners, in the severest manner." [Macknight.]

THE REVELATION MADE TO JOHN THE APOSTLE.

"AFTER the Lord Jesus, by his messenger, had dictated seven letters to seven congregations in Asia Minor, in which he pointed out and specified blemishes in their conduct, and aberrations from the simplicity of the gospel, and exhorted to reformation, he proceeds to reveal to this Apostle, in his old age, and through him to all the congregations of disciples, the destinies of his cause in this world. Under the most striking and impressive symbols, the history of the Christian community is delineated. The triumphs of the Christian cause over the persecutions of Pagan Rome; the apostacy of Christians under Papal Rome; the rise, progress, and catastrophe of the son of perdition; the antichristian system-are all distinctly narrated in the sacred symbols of prophecy. The ultimate downfall of all opposition; the general and complete triumphs of Christianity; the subjugation of the kingdoms of this world to the dominion of the King of kings; the final consummation of the present system of things, and the glorious introduction of a new and heavenly state of things-are the wonderful and sublime topics, which are exhibited in this book: the design of it is repeatedly declared in the book itself, and felicities pronounced upon them who read, study, and understand the book. It was designed for the comfort of Christians, under all the dark and gloomy scenes through which the kingdom of Jesus should pass. There is a knowledge of this book attainable by all Christians, and a knowledge which is not attainable. The former consists in general views of God's designs respecting his kingdom and glory in the earth, as above hinted; and this is of much importance to all Christians.. This, too, is its prominent design. The latter consists in accurate apprehensions of the import of the symbols employed in it, and of the times, persons, and places alluded to, defined, or portrayed in it. This, perhaps, like other prophetic. writings, was designed to be understood perfectly, only when accomplished. The chief design of this book is accomplished in all Christians, who avail

themselves of all the means which the Bible affords, of acquiring that knowledge of it, which is attainable by all.

ARRANGEMENT OF THE EPISTLES.

THE Epistles to the Thessalonians, the Corinthians, that to the Galatians, the first to Timothy, and that to Titus, were written before the Epistle to the Romans; at least there is a general concurrence in this opinion, and much reason to believe that it is a correct one. In arranging these Epistles, the rule of priority seems to have been, the importance of the places to which they were sent, and the reputation of the writer. Hence, that to Rome, the mistress of the world, stands first; Corinth, because of its commercial and literary importance, next; Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colosse, and Thessalonica, follow each other in the comparative scale of their standing. The same has been observed of the persons, to whom letters have been written. It seems to hold good in the case of Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. The Epistle to the Hebrews, because anonymous, and some time in dispute, as to its author, is placed last. Some have imagined a similar rule to apply to the letters of the other Apostles, James, Peter, and John. We are of opinion, that the order of these names is fixed, from the order in which Paul mentions them in his letter to the Galatians, in which place he seems to have respect to their comparative standing, as pillars in the estimation of the Jewish brethren. Jude and the Revelation of John were placed last, because of the long time they were in dispute. John's Revelation, however, is deservedly and appropriately at the close of the

volume.

PREFACE

TO THE THIRD EDITION.

Six years have transpired, since we published the first edition of this work. During this period we have been receiving criticisms, suggestions, and queries, relative to further improvements in the version, and in the mode of exhibiting it. We also solicited and obtained, from some learned and pious men, their assistance in perfecting this translation. To all criticisms, and suggestions, from all quarters, both from friends and foes of new versions, we have, according to our opportunities, paid a diligent attention; and have, very carefully, examined, compared, and revised the whole version.

An improved version of both Testaments, in the current language of our own times, has long been a desideratum with very many sensible, intelligent, and pious men, and several have undertaken it. Few have been able to complete an entire version of the whole book; and to us it appeared more eligible to publish, in one volume, the joint labors of those most eminent translators, who have bestowed much labor on a part of the volume, than to take the whole of any one version, made by any one man, since the days of King James. Of· the translators of the last generation, none have been better received than the authors of this version--none have stood higher than they.

It was not, however, without a very clear and full conviction, that their learned and pious labors could be still further improved, and their rules of interpretation so carried out, as to give a still better result, than that which they achieved in their first efforts, that we undertook the publication of this work, in the form and manner in which it appeared, in the first edition. Aware, also, of the prejudice and scrupulosity existing on the subject of any new

version, we attempted little or nothing on our own responsibility. The emendations substituted, except in some few instances, were from other translators of note, or from one of the three authors of the work, and still we gave, in an appendix, the words for which these substitutes were preferred.

The manner in which this work was received, by the more intelligent part of the community, and the liberality with which our efforts were estimated, induced us to make farther attempts towards the perfection of this version; and prevented us from multiplying editions of it, till we had, in a good measure, satisfied ourselves on the questions:-Whether any emendations ought to be made; and if any, to what extent, and in what manner? The present edition presents our answers to these questions, and shows that, in the judgment of some at least, the style of the whole volume, even of the historical books, was susceptible of some improvement, and yet not such as to change, materially, the sense of any passage, or to introduce any new argument in favor of any new or old doctrine, or against it.

Some changes in punctuation may be said to have changed the meaning of some sentences; but these are made on the authority of Griesbach, and of the most approved Greek copies; and, as far as we now recollect, affect not any sectarian peculiarity. For example-"Sleep on now, and take your rest;" "Set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church;" when put into the interrogative form, give a different meaning-"Do you sleep now, and take your rest?" "Do you set them to judge who are of no esteem (or of little esteem) in the congregation?" But these alterations affect not any distinguishing tenet. In this way, and as respects the correction of numerous provincialisms, and the giving of greater precision and perspicuity to many phrases, there are numerous emendations, which may be said, in some sense, to change the meaning; yet not so as to affect any doctrine of the Christian religion.

Macknight presented more work for the pen of a reviser than Campbell; and Doddridge more than either. There is a clumsiness of expression, and a verbosity, peculiar to the latter, which subjected the Acts of the Apostles, and the Revelation of John, to a severer retrenchment, than any portion of the historical books.

The Epistles, by Macknight, in the judgment of the ablest critics, required some improvement, as there are several awkward and rather barbarous phrases, which seem to have been selected, rather because they differed from the common version, than on account of their own intrinsic worth. His punctuation, and his supplements, are, in some instances, fanciful; and the latitude he has given to some of the Greek particles, is not sufficiently warranted by the authority of lexicographers and grammarians.

If this were merely our own opinion, we should not have asserted it so unceremoniously and unequivocally. But it is the deliberate and well-matured judgment of many distinguished men; who, while they give a decided preference to his version, upon the whole, regret that these imperfections should have appeared in a work of such high merit. The recent works of Dr. Stuart on the Epistles to the Romans and the Hebrews-works of much merit, justify the efforts we have made to remove these blemishes from Macknight's version of the Epistles. Dr. Stuart himself, a gentleman of very high standing in the literary world, and for whose candor and abilities, as a critic, we entertain a very high opinion, has not, in our judgment, wholly escaped the censures, which he has very justly pronounced on others. Indeed, it is no easy matter to avoid the errors, which we detect and expose in others; and, perhaps, were ten thousand times ten thousand critics, each in his own way, to review the same work, no two of them would exactly agree in all their censures and commendations; nor in always adhering to the same rules, which they prescribe to others. We have followed, to the utmost of our ability and candor, the rules

of criticism and interpretation, laid down by the masters of criticism, and the most distinguished translators.

Our qualifications for such a work are, that we have their labors before us -an ordinary knowledge of the languages-access to the most recent improvements-an acquaintance and correspondence with men of reputation -a small degree of mental independence-a little common sense-and some veneration for the oracles of God. We stand on the shoulders of giants, and, though of less stature, we can see as far as they; or, like the wren on the back of the eagle, we have as large a horizon as the eagle, which has carried us above the clouds.

The improvements and emendations (for such we dare to call them) attempted in this volume, are such as, on comparison with the common version, and with the first and second editions of this work, will, most of them, speak for themselves, to all persons of discernment; and all of them, we think, to those much acquainted with the original language and other translations. When any amendment or alteration is substituted, such as might be supposed to require a note, we have supplied it either in the Tables, or in some part of the Appendix, with a marginal reference. But to write notes on all the verbal alterations, and to give reasons for every monosyllable and transposition of words, would swell the book to a size rather cumbersome and expensive, than profitable to the reader. Besides, the reader, by his own comparison and reflection, must finally judge for himself, whether in the spirit of the writer, and in accordance with the drift of the context, the reading is to be preferred to that for which it is offered.

While the reader is not confined by any earthly authority to any one version, and left to his own choice which to prefer for his daily companion, it is altogether out of the question for any person, or persons, to impose upon his credulity, unless he willingly give up himself, his understanding, and conscience into the hand of some master. The present edition was undertaken wholly with a reference to the edification of those, who are desirous to understand the revelations, which God, in his great mercy, has vouchsafed to a benighted world. No attempt is made to lord over the faith or conscience of any person. We call upon all to judge for themselves, and to compare and examine before they decide. Having, as far as within our power, contributed to the increase of scripture knowledge, so much wanted in this age; and having faithfully obeyed the dictates of our conscience in this undertaking, we can, with an humble reliance on the truth and faithfulness of God, submit this work to his people, and those who wish to know what the will of Jesus Christ is, and await the day, when every man's work shall undergo the revision and judgment of him, who judges without partiality, and will render to all according to their works. A. CAMPBELL.

BETHANY, VA., October 10, 1832.

PREFACE TO THE

APPENDIX OF THE THIRD EDITION.

ALL matters of superior importance, pertaining to this version, and some which are of less moment, (only as affording principles and rules of interpretation, or a vindication of them,) are to be found in the appendix to this edition. Every thing is not formally defended by arguments, and the laws of criticism; but enough, in our judgment, to assist the reader in examining and judging the whole work. Doctor Stuart gives us a new version of the epistle to the Romans, on twenty-seven octavo pages; but in vindicating and illus