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THE

GOSPELS COMBINED;

PARALLEL PASSAGES BLENDED, AND SEPARATE ACCOUNTS
CONNECTED; PRESENTING IN

ONE CONTINUOUS NARRATIVE,

THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST

AS TOLD BY

MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE, AND JOHN.

HIS WORDS IN SPECIAL TYPE.

COMPILED BY

REV. CHARLES H. POPE.

BOSTON, MASS.
CHARLES H. POPE, PUBLISHER,
221 COLUMBUS AVENUE.

1901.

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PREFACE.

THE four undated, unsigned books we call The Gospels, the oldest records of the only cosmopolitan religion, claim the attentive study of every intelligent person. Preserved in hundreds of ancient manuscripts, attested and quoted by a vast number of succeeding writers, they are far beyond Greek and Roman "classics" in the clear personality of their authors and the relative purity of their text. With great differences of style and substance, they corroborate and supplement each other's accounts to an unsurpassed degree; and whoever studies them long and well acquires a single impression, a blended history.

But it is not easy to gain this; and imperfect or confused notions have arisen in consequence of failure in such comparative study. To meet this difficulty, many scholars have arranged the words of the four Gospels in parallel columns, in "Harmonies," a fine form for leisure examination and critical analysis. Others, from Tatian, A. D. 160, to our day, have chosen to unite the four into one continuous narrative, allowing each Evangelist to speak in his turn, and assimilating their accounts into a single testimony. In the present work this union is accomplished in a manner which, it is believed, will make The Gospels Combined peculiarly easy to read, adapted to the wants of busy people, — and quite free from the intrusion of any elements which tend to divert the reader's attention from the exact thoughts of the Evangelists, or warp his opinion as to the subject-matter.

The separate passages are arranged in the order which the

4

writers appear to teach.

he evidently intends to events.

PREFACE.

Each Evangelist is followed when assert a particular succession of

The language is that of the Revised Version of 1881, with free use of its valuable marginal readings whenever they most perfectly express the ideas of the original; and the interweaving of parallel passages is done with a constant view to clearness of statement.

Words added by the translators to help the understanding of certain passages, which are put in italics in modern Bibles (causing much confusion to many readers), are here printed in current type, but bracketed in the cases where critics differ as to the propriety of their use.

The words of the Great Teacher are set in antique type, so that they may be quickly recognized and suitably emphasized.

The text, instead of being separated into chapters (adopted in 1248) and verses (invented in 1551), is divided into numbered sections, like the venerable Vatican manuscript; and these have topical titles, such as are found in other famous manuscripts.

No dates are inserted; because none were used by the Evangelists, and because the most critical scholars of the Christian centuries have differed widely as to the days, months, and even the years of Jesus' life. But what cares he who walks in the sunlight if he cannot learn precisely when the Orb of day arose?

May this arrangement of the "Wonderful Words of Life" be of service to many an earnest seeker after truth!

Easter Monday, 1895.

CHARLES HENRY POPE.

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