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use. Under these circumstances, we have deemed it best to leave unchanged the titles which are given in the Authorised Version as printed in 1611.

We now conclude, humbly commending our labors to Almighty God, and praying that his favour and blessing may be vouchsafed to that which has been done in his name. We recognised from the first the responsibility of the undertaking: and through our manifold experience of its abounding difficulties we have felt more and more, as we went onward, that such a work can never be accomplished by organised efforts of scholarship and criticism, unless assisted by Divine help.

We know full well that defects must have their place in a work so long and so arduous as this which has now come to an end. Blemishes and imperfections there are in the noble Translation which we have been called upon to revise; blemishes and imperfections will assuredly be found in our own Revision. All endeavours to translate the Holy Scriptures into another tongue must fall short of their aim, when the obligation is imposed of producing a Version that shall be alike literal and idiomatic, faithful to each thought of the original, and yet, in the expression of it, harmonious and free. While we dare to hope that in places not a few of the New Testament the introduction of slight changes has cast a new light upon much that was difficult and obscure, we cannot forget how often we have failed in expresssing some finer shade of meaning which we recognised in the original, how often idiom has stood in the way of a perfect rendering, and how often the attempt to preserve a familiar form of words, or even a familiar cadence, has only added another perplexity to those which already beset us.

Thus, in the review of the work which we have been permitted to complete, our closing words must be words of mingled thanksgiving, humility, and prayer. Of thanksgiving, for the many blessings vouchsafed to us throughout the unbroken progress of our corporate labors; of humility, for our failings and imperfections in the fulfilment of our task; and of prayer to Almighty God, that the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ may be more clearly and more freshly shewn forth to all who shall be readers of this Book.

JERUSALEM CHAMBER,

WESTMINSTER ABBEY.

11th November 1880,

THE GOSPEL

ACCORDING TO

MATTHEW.

11 THE book of the 2 generation of Jesus Christ, the Or, The son of David, the son of Abraham.

genealogy of Jesus Christ 2Or, birth:

2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and 3 Jacob begat Judah and his brethren; and Judah as in ver. 18. begat Perez and Zerah of Tamar; and Perez begat

4 Hezron; and Hezron begat Ram; and Ram begat Gr. Aram. Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon; and 5 Nahshon begat Salmon; and Salmon begat Boaz of 6 Rahab; and Boaz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; and Jesse begat David the king.

And David begat Solomon of her that had been the 7 wife of Uriah; and Solomon begat Rehoboam; and 8 Rehoboam begat Abijah; and Abijah begat 4 Asa; 4Gr. Asaph. and Asa begat Jehoshaphat; and Jehoshaphat begat 9 Joram; and Joram begat Uzziah; and Uzziah begat Jotham; and Jotham begat Ahaz; and Ahaz begat 10 Hezekiah; and Hezekiah begat Manasseh; and Manasseh begat Amon; and 5 Amon begat Josiah; 5 Gr. Amos. 11 and Josiah begat Jechoniah and his brethren, at the time of the carrying away to Babylon. 6 Or, remoral. 12 And after the carrying away to Babylon, Jecho- to Babylon. niah begat Shealtiel; and Shealtiel begat Zerub-7 Gr. 13 babel; and Zerubbabel begat Abiud; and Abiud Salathiel. 14 begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; and Azor

begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim 15 begat Eliud; and Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar 16 begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

17 So all the generations from Abraham unto David are fourteen generations; and from David unto the

6

carrying away to Babylon fourteen generations;

1 Or, removal and from the 1 carrying away to Babylon unto the

to Babylon. 2 Or, generation: as in

ver. 1.

3 Some ancient authorities read of the Christ.

Christ fourteen generations.

Now the 2 birth 3 of Jesus Christ was on this wise: 18 When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, 19 being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But when he thought on these things, behold, 20 an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take

Gr. begotten. unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is 4 conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall 21 bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JEsus; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins. Now all this is come to pass, that it might 22 be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,

Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and 23 shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name 5 Immanuel; Emmanuel. which is, being interpreted, God with us.

5 Gr.

6 Gr. Magi. Compare

Dan. ii. 12.

And 24

Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel
of the Lord commanded him, and took unto him
his wife; and knew her not till she had brought 25
forth a son; and he called his name JESUS.

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of 2 Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, 6 wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, Esther i. 13; 7 Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we 2 7 Or, Where saw his star in the east, and are come to worship is the King him. And when Herod the king heard it, he was 3 of the Jews troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And gather- 4 8 The Greek ing together all the chief priests and scribes of the word de- people, he inquired of them where the Christ notes an act should be born. And they said unto him, In Beth-5 of reverence. lehem of Judæa: for thus it is written through the

that is

whether paid prophet,

to man (see

chap. xviii.

26), or to God

(see chap. iv.

10).

And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah,
Art in no wise least among the princes of Judah :
For out of thee shall come forth a governor,
Who shall be shepherd of my people Israel.

6

Then Herod privily called the wise men, and 7

learned of them carefully what time the star ap- 1Or, the 8 peared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, time of the Go and search out carefully concerning the young star that child; and when ye have found him, bring me appeared 9 word, that I also may come and worship him. And they, having heard the king, went their way; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young 10 child was. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced 11 with exceeding great joy. And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped worshipped him; and opening their treasures they offered unto him

12 gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

13 Now when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to de14 stroy him. And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt; 15 and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt did I call 16 my son. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the 2 wise men, was exceeding wroth, and 2 Gr. Magi. sent forth, and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had carefully learned of the 2 wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, 18 A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children;

And she would not be comforted, because they

are not.

19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, Arise and take the young child and his

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