Z text of GNT

Rodney J. Decker rdecker at bbc.edu
Mon Nov 20 14:12:42 EST 2000


At 10:49 AM 11/20/00 -0800, you wrote:
>This Z text sounds like the same concept as the GNT which was produced
>backwards from the KJV where they editors corrected the TR to make it more
>KJV compliant. Can't say I would have much enthusiasm for a text that was
>made to reflect the NIV. If Z does  produce such a text the cover should be
>embossed with a big Z across the front so that it can be easily identified
>as the NIV GNT.

Just so nobody misunderstands--there is no official or unofficial 
designation of a "Z Text"!  That was just my abbrev. for the text that 
*Z*ondervan owns.

Yes, the concept is the same as that produced for the KJV (Scrivner?).

One's enthusiasm would not be for a text critical edition which this 
emphatically would not be. Rather it could serve the very useful function 
of an inexpensive "reading text" or for the beginning student. The 
advantage would be that it would represent a modern, critical text, not a 
"TR derivative" text. In that the NIV translators made their own textual 
decisions (as *all* translations/translators must) on the basis of the 
UBS/NA texts, this is a legitimate text--as would any other text treated in 
similar manner, NRSV, NAB, etc.

>As long as the professors keep requiring the UBSGNT 4th ed. as a text book,
>there will be little market for a new GNT. I suspect professors will
>continue to do this because of the aparatus and other helps bundled with the
>text which are all under copywrite.

As a teacher, I see more students than I'd like who drop Greek after their 
first year. (Or course around here, that means not graduating since we 
require a min. of 14 credit hours of Greek for an MDiv...) I suspect that 
in our undergrad program where the numbers of beginning Greek students is 
much higher (due to school size), there would be an even higher attrition 
rate. Although I'd like them all to have the UBS or NA text, at the new 
prices, that makes it quite expensive for a one-year experiment. I'd rather 
start them on something cheaper, and move them to the UBS or NA text the 
second year.

Even afterwards, it's always nice to have more than one Greek testament. If 
someone could make an inexpensive, text-only edition available, I think 
there would be a market. Using the derivative edition that Zondervan has 
avoids having to pay the fees charged by UBS, perhaps thus enabling such an 
edition of something other than a TR.

I personally have about 20 different editions on my shelf (and several more 
at home), and I've not paid much for most of them--but then it's taken me 
almost 30 years to do so. (Enough garage sales and library used book sales 
eventually produce a few treasures...! Just this fall I finally ran across 
a *first* ed. UBS text--for $1.00! So I now have a complete set of 1, 2, 3, 
3c, & 4th eds.) In 1972 I paid $3.00 (!) for a brand new, 2d edition UBS 
text--at full list price. But now my students must pay $40 for a new 4th ed.!



****************************************************
Rodney J. Decker, Th.D.       Baptist Bible Seminary
Assoc. Prof./NT  PO Box 800, Clarks Summit, PA 18411
rdecker at bbc.edu      http://faculty.bbc.edu/rdecker/
XNS Universal Address: =RodDecker
The *Resources for NT Study* site is accessible at:
http://faculty.bbc.edu/rdecker/rd_rsrc.htm
****************************************************




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