book recommendation - practical textual cricitism?
Hey everybody,
Can anybody recommend a decent one-volume on practical textual criticism? I'm not so much looking for the history, but more for "here's a lot of examples on how to recognize/work through textual issues". Knowing books that aren't very good at this would be helpful, too.
Books that don't cost $200 is a plus, as well. 
Thank you!
Brian
Comments
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New Testament Text and Translation Commentary by Philip W. Comfort
http://www.amazon.com/New-Testament-Text-Translation-Commentary/dp/141431034X
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Type textual criticism into the search this site to find other threads on the subject.
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I personally have found this one to be helpful:
http://www.logos.com/product/2971/a-students-guide-to-textual-criticism-of-the-bible
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I find the TC notes in the NET Bible (www.Bible.org) to be a good resource for getting a quick summary of textual issues.
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I like this one by B,B, Warfield
http://www.logos.com/product/6248/an-introduction-to-the-textual-criticism-of-the-new-testament
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I became interested in this topic by following this helpful thread
http://community.logos.com/forums/t/67366.aspx?PageIndex=1
I do not pretend facility with this topic I like you am looking to educate myself; to that end I have found an interesting old, but relevant Training entry
http://www.logos.com/training/apparatuses
one of the links is broken, but I think I've located it here:
http://www.skypoint.com/members/waltzmn/intro.html
If you own one of the higher (Diamond, Portfolio, maybe even Platinum vs5) base packages, you may find that you may have the indicated resources already, which is groovy!
Edit: Another you may already own is
http://www.logos.com/product/7489/new-testament-textual-criticism-a-concise-guide
Meanwhile, Jesus kept on growing wiser and more mature, and in favor with God and his fellow man.
International Standard Version. (2011). (Lk 2:52). Yorba Linda, CA: ISV Foundation.
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I am currently reading the one Elliot recommended "A Student’s Guide to Textual Criticism of the Bible: Its History, Methods and Results" and find it easy to read and follow...very helpful. Once finished, I'll begin "Old Testament Textual Criticism: A Practical Introduction" also available from Logos.
Mark Nigro
Pastor/Teacher/Student/Writer
www.calvarychapelbiblecollege.com
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James C. said:
New Testament Text and Translation Commentary by Philip W. Comfort
http://www.amazon.com/New-Testament-Text-Translation-Commentary/dp/141431034X
Agree 100%. This needs to be in Logos.
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Adam Rao said:James C. said:
New Testament Text and Translation Commentary by Philip W. Comfort
http://www.amazon.com/New-Testament-Text-Translation-Commentary/dp/141431034X
Agree 100%. This needs to be in Logos.
Noticed frequently bought with resource is in Logos => http://www.logos.com/product/7449/encountering-the-manuscripts-an-introduction-to-new-testament-paleography-and-textual-criticism
Many base packages include => http://www.logos.com/product/2190/a-textual-commentary-on-the-greek-new-testament
Edit: Preface from => http://www.logos.com/product/7449/encountering-the-manuscripts-an-introduction-to-new-testament-paleography-and-textual-criticism
Preface
This volume is the product of several years of study in New Testament manuscripts. During this period I examined—many times over—every single word of every early New Testament manuscript (dated pre-AD 300), and thereby produced a volume entitled The Text of the Earliest Greek New Testament Manuscripts (coeditor, David Barrett). I traveled to many states and several countries (including England, France, and Switzerland) to examine actual manuscripts. I engrossed myself in the manuscripts of the earliest Christian scribes so as to comprehend their level of competency and their interaction with the text as readers. My doctoral dissertation specifically examined the reader receptions of three scribes who produced Gospels (P45, P66, and P75).
During these years, I have also focused my energies on New Testament textual criticism itself, as well as on how it has impacted English translations of the New Testament. This prompted me to produce the volume Early Manuscripts and Modern Translations of the New Testament, followed by New Testament Text and Translation Commentary. As one who has worked in both New Testament textual criticism and English translation work (I had the privilege of being the New Testament translation coordinator for the New Living Translation), I have been keenly aware of how important it is to make sure that our English translations reflect the best textual evidence. Since I have made contributions in this area in the previously mentioned volumes, this book—in the main—does not focus on how textual criticism has or has not impacted English versions. However, chapter 4—on the nomina sacra—does offer some thoughts on how English translators should handle the translation of pneuma (whether “Spirit” or “spirit”) and other divine titles.
This volume focuses on the most significant New Testament manuscripts from the perspective of paleography and textual criticism. Paleography pertains to the dating of the manuscripts, as well as to the calligraphic features of the manuscripts themselves. Each manuscript has a story to tell; each manuscript gives us a window into the transmission of the New Testament text in the earliest centuries of the church. Textual criticism pertains to critical evaluation of the trustworthiness of the text of each manuscript with respect to recovering the original wording of the Greek New Testament. This volume includes the two areas of study by looking at both paleography and textual criticism as we open the New Testament manuscripts.
In this volume I attempt (1) to explore scribal participation in the production of the earliest New Testament writings, especially by examining calligraphic and paleographic features of the earliest New Testament manuscripts; (2) to give an annotated list of all significant Greek manuscripts and early versions; (3) to assign dates for the earliest New Testament manuscripts; (4) to examine the nomina sacra in the early New Testament manuscripts; (5) to present the history of textual variation in the early centuries of the church; (6) to explore various methods of recovering the original wording of the Greek New Testament and for this goal to assess the New Testament manuscripts as to their textual groupings and their influence on New Testament textual criticism; and (7) to provide concrete examples for the praxis of textual criticism, and in so doing to identify how the papyri influenced the text of the Greek New Testament.
The overall purpose of the book is to help students interact with the New Testament text first by knowing and working with the manuscripts themselves and then by knowing and working with the tools of textual criticism.
Comfort, P. (2005). Encountering the manuscripts: an introduction to New Testament paleography & textual criticism (pp. vii–viii). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman.Keep Smiling [:)]
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Many base packages include => http://www.logos.com/product/2190/a-textual-commentary-on-the-greek-new-testament
Yes, Metzger's Textual Commentary on the Greek NT remains the standard text critical commentary on the Greek NT, but Comfort's book fits more of what the OP was requesting, I think – "practical textual criticism." Comfort's book is definitely geared for pastors and general readers of the Bible; Metzger's isn't difficult to use, but it's best when you use it with UBS4, which requires some original language ability. Comfort doesn't require any knowledge of Greek to use.
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Just wondering aloud, how has a quick look at T.C. benefited you or your ministry, assuming you are not involved in textual tasks but rather serving in church(es)?
Where I am coming from: I find that T.C. is useful "for knowledge", but if it weren't for some translation work I had assisted in, I wouldn't have found any application.
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As a pastor:
1) I feel great responsibility to preach the God's truth as best as I can possibly understand it. Thus, rather than taking a translation at face value, I am responsible for understanding and discerning the truth for myself. Especially this becomes important when a passage is debatable based on text issues. How can we preach the truth until we come to grips with what the text likely said?
3) Helps me understands the differences in translations when it relates to text issues. Is the differences a virtual certainty, a debatable issue?
3) When dealing with especially difficult passages, what are the text options? Can some of these options shed light on the problem?
4) If I base the support of doctrine/truth or a passage that I am going to preach about, it behooves me to understand the text behind it. In other words, I want to be careful that I am preaching/teaching based on the best possible wording of the text.
5) A thorough understanding of text formation helps to explain to others why one version/reading might be preferred over another - using specific examples.
Just thoughts that come to mind.
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Thanks for those precious thoughts.
I was drawn to this thread by the heading "practical T.C."
I guess the nub for me lies in what practical application or practical benefit can be obtained in a more conventional ministry situation.
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Danny Parker said:
As a pastor:
3) When dealing with especially difficult passages, what are the text options? Can some of these options shed light on the problem?
I believe this option gives the clearest phrasing of what I'm trying to accomplish with the original post. When push comes to shove, my study is focused on sermon prep. I do enjoy delving deeper for my own personal study, but that's when I'm not under the time crunch of getting a good sermon ready (ha - when does THAT ever happen?)
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