Line-by-line layout of Aland's Synopsis of the Four Gospels

In my print edition of Aland's Synopsis of the Four Gospels the text is actually laid out in a line-by-line, word-by-word, thought-by-thought manner. In my Logos version, however, the paragraph is just bunched up into a nice and neat block of words, which makes it more difficult to see similarities and differences across different gospel accounts.

Is there a way to view or format the Logos version in order to do the same thing as my print edition?

Please forgive me if this issue has already been addressed. I'm new to Logos 4 and did not find this subject in the forum.

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Comments

Mark Smith

Welcome, Ryan.

I don't have the print version to compare to, but it looks like we have no control over how the lines are displayed in the Logos version. From your description it does sound like the print layout would make comparison much easier.

Bradley Grainger (Logos)

Logos 4 has the technical capability to lay out the text as in the print version, but the resource has to be specially designed to support it (see A Harmony of the Synoptic Gospels for Historical and Critical Study for an example).

The current edition of Aland's Synopsis of the Four Gospels only supports verse-by-verse alignment (as you've noted). I don't know if there any plans to update the resource to match the print.

One (slight) advantage of the current format is that the Bible text being shown can be changed. On the resource toolbar at the top, you can change NA27 to some other Greek text, or even an English translation. Once the word-by-word alignment is added, this can't be changed (because it now depends on the exact words in the texts that are aligned).

Brian Davidson

I agree Ryan. The print version is laid out in a way that makes it much easier to recognizing at which points the parallel passages are actually parallel. This is why I rarely use my Logos electronic version of this resource and the print copy is in a easily accessible bookshelf in my living room.

Nevertheless, it is much easier to find the passage you want to look at in the Logos version. And it is great to have access to this resource wherever I go (I go few places w/o my laptop).

I hope that the resource can be reworked by Logos at some point to make it display in way more similar to the print edition. Though it seems they have plenty of more important things on their plate at the moment.

George Somsel

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/190054#Comment_190054

One (slight) advantage of the current format is that the Bible text being shown can be changed. On the resource toolbar at the top, you can change NA27 to some other Greek text, or even an English translation. Once the word-by-word alignment is added, this can't be changed (because it now depends on the exact words in the texts that are aligned).

Why should that be considered an advantage. Aland's Synopis Quattuor Evangeliorum is Greek and should remain Greek.

Brian Davidson

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/190151#Comment_190151

Aland's Synopis Quattuor Evangeliorum is Greek and should remain Greek.

Amen. That is why we have multiple synopses. If someone wants an English one they can choose it from their library. If the ability to switch the language of the text is the only advantage there is to the current display, then I would gladly trade that in to have the text aligned like it is in print.

Ryan Boyer

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/190133#Comment_190133

I am glad to see that I am not alone and that the layout of the Greek version is superior...at least for the things and that ways that I study.

Regarding your comment that it is easier to find passages...I disagree. It is quicker to type a reference into the find box, but this is just another way that the Logos version is inferior to the print. In Aland's work the same passage might be located in 4 or 5 different locations and one is almost always far better than the others. This is a feature of this work that I have not been able to figure out in the Logos format.

In order to be fair and balanced I have to admit, though, that I have used the ability to change between NAS, ESV, NA27, KJV, TR, and BYZ.

Thanks, all, for your input on this subject. I thought I must have been doing something wrong.

Mark Goodacre

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/190305#Comment_190305

I'm finding it really useful to have the Synopsis available in Logos for the reasons suggested, but need the word alignment for serious work on the Synoptics. I wonder if in future development it would be possible to have a choice of word alignment a la print edition + the current blocked verse-aligned version? That would hugely improve the usefulness of the Synopsis in Logos, and would make it a realistic option for recommending in class. At present, I'd have to go with the print version only. Many thanks, Mark

Ryan Boyer

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/199579#Comment_199579

If anyone from Logos sees this I have another suggestion regarding this work in addition to the print line-by-line comparison.

It would be really nice to have an electronic version of the Index of Gospel Parallels that is at the end of the print version. This is a great tool for quick and easy pericope comparisons.

Also, it would be wonderful to have the NA27 apparatus with apocryphal gospels and patristic citations included (Now I'm just getting greedy - the print version has the NA26 apparatus and not apocryphal or patristic citations...but what can I say...I have come to expect great things far surpassing mediocrity from Logos 4. This is the price one pays for being awesome!)

Mark Goodacre

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/201607#Comment_201607

I agree with those suggestions, Ryan. Having more functionality for the Aland Synopsis would *vastly* improve its usefulness for me, especially when I am on the move. I'd love it to be available for my Synoptic Problem class too. At present, I have to insist on the print version.

Steve Maling

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/201608#Comment_201608

Let's hear it for Dr. Goodacre's suggestions!

Kevin Becker

Also, the other downfall of the current L4 implementation is that one cannot add highlighting to the resource, a traditional exercise in synoptic studies.

George Somsel

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/201730#Comment_201730

Let's hear it for Dr. Goodacre's suggestions!

Hip, hip, hoo-ray !

Alan Macgregor

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/201608#Comment_201608

Having more functionality for the Aland Synopsis would *vastly* improve its usefulness for me, especially when I am on the move.

[Y] [Y] [Y] [Y]

Dennis Hodge

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/201608#Comment_201608

Amen. FIve years later, the situation is still in need of some love.

Jeff Jackson

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/748077#Comment_748077

I've had a little side project to build a word alignment database of the synoptic gospels going for a while. I believe this shipped Monday. Any version with a reverse interlinear or original language text annotated with our internal word identifiers should light up corresponding words when you hover over them in the parallel gospel reader. Enjoy.

SteveHD

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/770065#Comment_770065

Very nice!

Lee

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/770065#Comment_770065

Thank you, Jeff.