NA28 - how indispensable is it?

Francis

I am wondering if anyone has received any scholarly feedback about the NA28. As I understand it, there are only 4 different readings in the catholic epistles (and none in the rest of the NT?). Otherwise, it is the apparatus that is most extensively reformatted. 

I wonder if 1) the changes are well-received by the academia? and 2) whether it is already considered as the must-have text as the basis of Greek NT discussions or whether, alternatively, one can just as well stick with NA27?

Lee

Wallace's review is brief but salient. Basically:

1. NA28 is a work in progress, with Editio Critica Maior being the intended final product. In fact, you could say NA28 is just NA27 with parts (catholic epistles) conformed to ECM readings.

2. The one controversial update is the reading in 2 Pet. 3:10 οὐχ εὑρεθήσεται

3. NA28 employs the Coherence-Based Genealogical Method. CBGM is a relatively new model developed by Gerd Mink that promises a more principled stemmatic approach to textual criticism. If you want to read more about the theoretical underpinnings, go here. My personal take is that the academic community is just starting to come to grips with CBGM.

4. If you're into academic work, you must interact with NA28. Otherwise, NA28 does not hold any exegetical or doctrinal surprises that should distract you.