I discussed my perspective on it back at the end of October. I’ve since downloaded the BibleWorks 8 version and think it quite useful; though, so far as classical textual criticism is concerned, the SBL Greek New Testament is, again, merely a collection of witnesses to witnesses.
The Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software announced today the release of The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition (SBLGNT), a critically edited Greek New Testament.
For the first time ever, students, teachers, pastors and laypeople throughout the world can access a reliable, critically edited version of the Greek New Testament for free electronically. And because the SBLGNT has a generous end-user license agreement and doesn’t require proprietary fonts, users can easily interact with and share the text at no cost.
With the work of textual criticism far from complete, there is a continual need for fresh research and analysis. The SBLGNT, edited by Michael W. Holmes, utilizes a wide range of printed editions, all the major critical apparatuses, and the latest technical resources and manuscript discoveries to establish the text. The result is a critically edited text that differs from the Nestle-Aland/United Bible Societies text in more than 540 variation units.
In addition to the free electronic edition, the Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software also offer a reasonably priced, professionally produced print edition of the SBLGNT, which includes the full apparatus of variant readings from the NA27 and the four primary editions on which the SBLGNT is based.
To find out more about the SBLGNT or to download a copy, visit http://www.sblgnt.com.
Hi Jim.
You’re dead wrong that the SBL Greek New Testament is “merely a collection of witnesses to witnesses”. Holmes reviewed everything, and used all the traditional sources (MSS, critical editions and the evidence listed in their apparatuses, technical articles, technical commentaries, etc.) in determining the text of the SBL Greek New Testament.
The apparatus lists the readings of different editions; that should not be confused as the primary evidence of the edition. While a comparison of several editions was used to isolate primary areas of variation, the entire text (areas of consensus and areas of variation) was reviewed by Holmes, who consulted all the available material (types of material listed above) in the establishing of the text of the edition.
I’d love to talk with you more about it at SBL if you’d like. Let me know.
Rick, I’ve looked at the sample apparatus, as i discussed previously- http://zwingliusredivivus.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/what-the-sbl-greek-new-testament-is-exactly/
i’m not sure how you can say it the apparatus isn’t a witness to witnesses.
http://zwingliusredivivus.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/what-the-sbl-greek-new-testament-is-exactly/
Hi Jim.
I didn’t say the apparatus, I said the text. Your original comment was:
“the SBL Greek New Testament is, again, merely a collection of witnesses to witnesses”
There is a difference between the text of an edition and the apparatus of an edition. Your comment is about the text, at least as I read it.
The apparatus does provide information from five editions of the GNT in comparison with a sixth edition, the SBLGNT. So I would agree, “witnesses to witnesses” is accurate *when describing the apparatus* though I think there are better ways to describe what the apparatus does and how it can be useful.
i did say the apparatus. my original post mentions specifically the apparatus and the examples i cite are from the apparatus. and in terms of classical textual criticism, such work is done in the apparatus. hence, i stand by my remarks and insist that the apparatus (always the focus of my comments) IS a series of witnesses to witnesses and not a TC apparatus in the classic sense.
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