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For a while now, I have been using two Greek New Testament editions for study. The first is, "The New Testament in the Original Greek, Byzantine Textform" edited by M. A. Robertson and W. G. Pierpont. The other is, "The Greek New Testament According to the Majority Text", edited by Z. C. Hodges and A. L. Farstad. The two were prepared using similar text ctitical methods and are nearly alike (but not quite).

I have been told that these printed editions are quite similar to the official Greek New Testament maintained by the Orthodox Church. I would be pleased if someone could advise me if this be true or not.

Thanks!

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I am not familiar with the first publication, though it sounds as though it might be the Church's text. If it is, it would be excellent to use.

I am very familiar with "The Greek New Testament According to the Majority Text", edited by Z. C. Hodges and A. L. Farstad. I have it, and I like it very much because (a) the Greek is close to the Church's Text, (b) the apparatus giving the variants of the various Greek texts in use is a wonderful tool, and (c) I think that they have done the interlinear English text in a very helpful way.

The Received Text of the Greek New Testament (the Textus Receptus), however, is closer to the Church's text than is the Majority Text. For example, the Church's text does include the famous Johannine Comma (I John 5:7), as does the Received Text, whereas the Majority Text does not include it. For that reason I also have the "Interlinear KJV Parallel Greek-English New Testament" edited by George Ricker Berry and consult it for the Textus Receptus.

Fr David Straut

Thank you, Fr. Straut!

Hodges and Farstad in fact used a double textual apparatus, and I agree it is quite helpful. I gave my copy of G. R. Berry's edition to a brother who needed one. I have a copy of the original "Englishman's Greek Testament" edited by Mr. Thomas Newberry. So for me G.R. Berry's "reproduction" was surplus.

You probably know the TR is not one single published Greek Text but a few. The Newberry edition (and Berry's by default) utilizes the 1550 Stephanus (Robert Estienne) "Royal" GNT and has a textual apparatus compiled by Mr. C. E. Stuart which reflects alternate readings from other TR editions. I know this because I used it for years and am familiar with the works of those two brothers.

As you correctly wrote, the 1550 Stephanus/Estienne GNT does indeed contain the so-called "Johannine Comma". But it seems his 1552 edition does not. Curious thing, eh?


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