Table Of Contentl i b r a r y o f n e w t e s t a m e n t s t u d i e s
TexTuAL OpTimiSm
A Critique of the united Bible
Societies’ Greek New Testament
Kent D. ClarKe
JOURNAL FOR THE STUDY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
SUPPLEMENT SERIES
138
Executive Editor
Stanley E. Porter
Editorial Board
David Catchpole, R. Alan Culpepper, Margaret Davies,
James D.G. Dunn, Craig A. Evans, Stephen Fowl, Robert Fowler,
Robert Jewett, Elizabeth Struthers Malbon, Robert W. Wall
Sheffield Academic Press
Textual Optimism
A Critique of the United Bible
Societies' Greek New Testament
Kent D. Clarke
Journal for the Study of the New Testament
Supplement Series 138
Dedicated to the Memory of Clint Holte, 1972-1994,
a simple man and close friend who taught me that one
can possess peace even in the midst of suffering...
Copyright © 1997 Sheffield Academic Press
Published by
Sheffield Academic Press Ltd
Mansion House
19 Kingfield Road
Sheffield SI 19AS
England
Typeset by Sheffield Academic Press
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available
from the British Library
EsISBN 9781850756491
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments 7
List of Charts, Tables and Lists 9
Abbreviations 11
Introduction 13
Chapter 1
THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED BIBLE SOCIETIES'
GREEK NEW TESTAMENT 17
1. The Textual Tradition behind the UBSGNT 17
2. The Editions of the UBSGNT 52
Chapter 2
A STATISTICAL PRESENTATION OF THE UBSGNT 70
1. Analysis of Variant Letter-Ratings (A, B, C, D) within
Each UBSGNT Edition and within Each Biblical Book 74
2. Variants that Have Been Newly Added or Dropped
from the UBSGNT4 92
3. Analysis of Variant Letter-Ratings (A, B, C, D) as
Compared throughout All UBSGNT Editions
and within Each Biblical Book 108
4. Various Possible Reasons for the Rating Changes from
Previous UBSGNT Editions to the UBSGNT4 121
Chapter 3
AN EVALUATION OF TWO SPECIFIC TEXT-CRITICAL
PROBLEMS IN THE UBSGNT4 154
1. A Textual Inquiry into the Exceptional Variant
at Luke 19.25 155
2. A Textual Inquiry into the Exceptional Variant
at Acts 2.44 167
6 Textual Optimism
3. Concluding Summary of the Textual Inquiry
into the Exceptional Variants 180
Conclusion 183
Appendices 185
Bibliography 341
Index of References 348
Index of Authors 349
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
It is with some apprehension that I offer this work lest some feel I have
been overly pessimistic in my assessment of the United Bible Societies'
fourth edition of The Greek New Testament, However, let me express at
the outset my sincere appreciation for the efforts of the UBSGNT
Committee, members both past and present. They have without doubt,
over the years, continued to produce one of the most useful critical edi-
tions of the Greek New Testament available. In many regards the
UBSGNT4, which reflects the extent of our modern text-critical method-
ology, deserves the right to be called the 'Standard Text'. However, the
Committee states on page vi of the UBSGNT4 that it is 'always
genuinely grateful to readers for their proposals and suggestions'. I have
taken this invitation to heart, and, therefore, offer this monograph as
constructive criticism to a group of worthy and dedicated scholars.
Although every care has been taken to insure the accuracy of the
statistics and calculations included in this work, it is improbable that an
analysis of this nature can remain error free. For these shortcomings I
alone shoulder the responsibility. Where errors or discrepancies have
been found throughout the process of writing and later proofreading,
every step has been taken to correct these. On some occasions this has
involved painstakingly recalculating over and over again the figures for
an entire section. At the same time, I am confident that any remaining
oversights have little substantial effect upon the results.
I would like to express my gratitude to some who have helped me
in the writing of this study. My mentor and friend, Professor Stanley
E. Porter of Roehampton Institute London, was a constant source of
support, whose editorial expertise turned the early draft into a pub-
lishable work. Professor Craig A. Evans of Trinity Western University,
Vancouver, and Dr Larry Perkins of Northwest Baptist Seminary,
Vancouver, read the early draft and provided both insightful comments
and encouragement. Dr Kevin Bales, from the Sociology Department at
Roehampton Institute London, offered oversight and patient assistance
8 Textual Optimism
in explaining the use and application of the Chi-square to a wary the-
ologian, and Dr Eugene A. Nida wrote heartening correspondence on
several difficult issues. To Eric Christianson, Doreen Pursglove, and the
editors at Sheffield Academic Press, who, among other difficult tasks,
labored over a considerable number of detailed charts and inconsistent
lists, I would also like to express my gratitude. Finally, I am indebted to
my wife, Lauren, for her encouragement, good humor, and wisdom.
CHARTS, TABLES AND LISTS
Differences between the UBSGNT and the Nestle-Aland Editions 68
Chart 1: Analysis of Variant Letter-Ratings (A, B, C, D) within
Each UBSGNT Edition and within Each Biblical Book 76
Chart 2: Analysis of Variant Letter-Ratings (A, 5, C, D) within
Each UBSGNT Edition and within Each Biblical Book
Viewed as Percentages 77
Chi-Square (%2) Statistics for Variant Letter-Ratings
(A, B, C, D) within each UBSGNT Edition 79
Critical Values of Chi-Square (%2) 80
Summary Comparing Total Number of New Variants
Added to UBSGNT4 98
Summary Comparing the Change of Figures in the UBSGNT4 98
Chi-Square (%2) Statistics for Variant Letter-Ratings
(A, 5, C, D) within Each UBSGNT Edition excluding^
New Variants in UBSGNT4 100
Summary Comparing Variants Added and Variants
Dropped from the UBSGNT4 102
New Variants Added to the UBSGNT4 103
Variants Dropped from the UBSGNT4 105
Variants Added or Dropped in Editions Prior to the UBSGNT4 107
Chart 3: Analysis of Variant Letter-Ratings (A, B, C, D)
as Compared throughout All Editions and
within Each Particular Book 113
Fluctuating Variants 118
Exceptional Variants 119
