HOUGH the death of one of the writers of this book has

THOUGH

now thrown the sole responsibility of revision on the survivor, the plan of a "People's Edition" was contemplated by both writers from the time when the first edition was published.

The survivor, in doing his best, while his life was yet spared, to prepare for a wider circle of readers a book which has been received with remarkable favor, has found, however, the execution of the plan beset with peculiar difficulties. The simplest course would have been to give the text of the work without the notes; but it was soon seen that many parts of the narrative would thus have been left destitute of important illustration, and many passages of the Epistles would have embarrassed, rather than helped, the mere English reader. On the assumption, then, that some of the notes must be retained, a question arose as to the selection. The writer of this preface might easily have cut down his own notes to a very narrow compass; but how was he to deal with the notes of a friend whom he could not consult? To have omitted nearly all the former, and to have retained all the latter, would have been to disturb the whole symmetry of the book. Then came the further difficulty,- that, so far as the

were,

notes were criticisms of passages in the New Testament, they in the two former editions, based on the original text. Exclusion or adaptation in all such cases was necessary for the reader who is presumed not to know Greek. But criticisms of this kind are, of course, by far the most frequent in the notes on the Epistles, which were not translated by the present editor: so that some change was most required precisely where, to him, adapta tion was most difficult of execution, or where he was naturally most unwilling to assume the responsibility of exclusion.

It is hoped, that, under all these circumstances, general appro bation will be secured for the arrangement which has been adopted. Those readers have throughout been kept in view, who, though well educated, would not find it easy to refer to Greek or German books. Some few technical Greek terms are retained; and here and there there is a reference to classical authors, which has seemed peculiarly important, or which it was hardly worth while to remove: but, on the whole, there are few citations except from books which are easily within reach. The references to Scripture are very frequent; and it is believed that such references can hardly be too frequent. It is presumed that the reader has the Authorized Version before him; at the same time, it is hoped that the notes will continue to be useful to students of the Greek New Testament. Some criticisms must necessarily, however, be taken for granted; and, in such cases, occasional reference has been made to the two larger editions.1 In Mr. Conybeare's part of the work, no alteration whatever has been made, except as regards the verbal adjustments requisite for leaving out the Greek. It is impossible to know whether his

1 The first edition, in quarto, and with very numerous illustrations, was completed in 1852 the second, with fewer illustrations, but after careful revision, was published in 1856. In this edition, the illustrations are still fewer; the text is unaltered, with the exception of slight verba! changes suggested in the

course of a thorough reperusal but, besides the modifications mentioned above, the notes in the narrative portion are very considerably retrenched. Thus each of the three editions has a character of its own.

2 This remark applies to the general body of the work. The Appendices, written by Mr

translation of some phrases and his interpretation of some texts might have been modified if he had taken part in the revision. Wherever it has been thought worth while to express a difference of opinion, this is separately indicated.1 Such cases are very few. The separate responsibilities of the whole work are clearly stated in the Postscript to the Introduction.

The present writer is far from satisfied with the result of what he has done, in this edition, with considerable labor, and to the best of his judgment and ability; but this he can say with truth, that, while he feels the imperfection of his own work, this last revision has left in his mind a higher estimate than ever of the parts written by his fellow-laborer and friend.

Conybeare, have been abbreviated in conformity with the principles stated above. Such questions as the verbal peculiarities of the Pastoral Epistles could hardly be presented with clear ness to those who have no knowledge of Greek;

J. S. H.

and other retrenchments have been made here in accordance with the special aim of this edition.

1 By notes in square brackets, distinguished by the letter H.

INTRODUCTION!

THE

HE purpose of this work is to give a living picture of St. Paul himself, and of the circumstances by which he was surrounded.

The biography of the Apostle must be compiled from two sources: first, his own letters; and, secondly, the narrative in the Acts of the Apostles. The latter, after a slight sketch of his early history, supplies us with fuller details of his middle life; and his Epistles afford much subsidiary information concerning his missionary labors during the same period. The light concentrated upon this portion of his course makes darker by contrast the obscurity which rests upon the remainder; for we are left to gain what knowledge we can of his later years from scattered hints in a few short letters of his own, and from a single sentence of his disciple Clement.

But, in order to present any thing like a living picture of St. Paul's career, much more is necessary than a mere transcript of the scriptural narrative, even where it is fullest. Every step of his course brings us into contact with some new phase of ancient life, unfamiliar to our modern experience, and upon which we must throw light from other sources, if we wish it to form a distinct image in the mind. For example, to comprehend the influences under which he grew to manhood, we must realize the position of a Jewish family in Tarsus; we must understand the kind of education which the son of such a family would receive as a boy in his Hebrew home, or in the schools of his native city, and in his riper youth "at the feet of Gamaliel" in Jerusalem; we must be acquainted with the profession for which he was to be prepared by this training, and appreciate the station and duties of an expounder of the Law. And, that we may be fully qualified to do all this, we should have a clear view of the state of the Roman Empire at the time, and especially of its system in the provinces; we should also understand the political position of the Jews of the "Dispersion; " we should be (so to speak) hearers in their synagogues; we should be students of their Rabbinical theology. And in like manner, as we follow the Apostle in the different stages of his varied and adventurous career, we must strive continually to bring out in their true brightness the half-effaced forms and

1 [It has been thought better to leave this Introduction quite untouched, though the passages re

lating to views and illustrations are not strictly applicable to the present edition. -H.]