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PREFACE.


It has been frequently affirmed by myself and other biblicists, that no English Bible has yet appeared combining correct translation with correct arrangement.

To supply this desideratum with respect to the Gospel History of the Divine Saviour of mankind, who is the only perfect model of character and conduct, is the purpose of the present publication.

My endeavour has been to form a combined text that shall, as far as practicable, and more completely than any Gospel Harmony published, include every word, clause, and sentence of the original in a continuous narrative.

The Revised Version adopted consists, for the main part, of the Common Authorized Translation, with more correct renderings of a multitude of passages than have yet been printed.

The chronologic arrangement adopted is mainly that of Dr. Townsend, occasionally modified by the systems of Greswell and other harmonists.

Thus have I laboured to present to the public, in a brief and cheap volume, a greater combination of elucidations of the evangelic record than has hitherto been procurable.

I have supplied a few occasional notes, but I have abstained from frequent critical annotations ; partly because they would have doubled the size and expense of this publication, and partly because my reasons for the revised renderings may be generally discovered by studious scholars in standard works of biblical criticism already published. Having devoted many years to preparing an elucidated Bible, containing all the books of the Old and New Testa- ments, on the same principles as pervade the present work, I may be permitted to add a few words. more on this important subject.

In the first place, I believe that such publications as the present, though not perfect, are valuable steps in advance, to