[B-Greek] Readers Greek New Testament
Eric Weiss
papaweiss1 at yahoo.com
Mon Nov 29 09:25:54 EST 2004
I bought this strictly for "see how I like it"
purposes.
We later learned that despite Zondervan's efforts to
get permission to use the NA-26/27 = UBS 3/4 text, UBS
never responded to their requests, so Zondervan (with
a tight deadline) went with the text they owned that
Goodrick and someone else had back-translated from the
NIV - i.e., using the standard eclectic text and
picking variant readings when it appeared the NIV had
used them. A problem with this is that the NIV often
inserted nouns where the Greek has pronouns, and
Goodrick had to decide if the NIV translators had
actually used a manuscript with the noun (e.g.,
"IHSOUS") or if the manuscript did just say AUTOS and
the NIV chose to say "Jesus" instead of "he," etc. So
you're given a modified NA for your Greek text.
Fortunately they include a footnote with the NA/UBS
reading when the Reader's GNT text differs.
It is good to have a NT with all words less than 20x
on the page. However, I find the page layout to be
frustrating and difficult to use. The vocabulary words
all run together. A columnar listing would have been
better, imo, and using bold fonts for the word to
separate it from its definition would have helped the
present layout immensely. Also, I prefer NA's straight
font to this cursive/slanted font the Reader's GNT
uses, which I find a bit difficult to read.
It's also largish, though it is nice and thin. Great
to stick in a briefcase, but poor for sticking in
one's pocket.
My druthers continue to be the UBS 4 with
English-Greek dictionary or even the English-Greek NT
(NA-27 on one side; RSV on the other). Not quite
pocket-size, and certainly thicker than the Reader's
GNT, but easier for me to read. Actually, I snatch up
used copies of NA-26 when I can find them - i.e., the
last pocketsize edition that UBS printed. I mean to
write ABS and ask them if they would ever consider
printing a pocket-size, nicely-bound (leather) Greek
New Testament. Eliminate the critical notes, if
necessary, but it would be great to have a sturdy and
flexible Greek NT that one could slip into one's jeans
pocket or coat pocket, and that didn't cost a fortune.
By "cost a fortune," I saw at ETS that they're going
to put out an edition of NA-27 with the English-Greek
dictionary - but they want $89.99 for this, compared
to $39.99 or so for NA-27 without this $10 dictionary
(what it costs or used to cost when purchased
separately). Yikes!
I know some seminaries are using/recommending the
Reader's GNT for students, but I cannot unreservedly
recommend it, for the above reasons. YMMV, however
(your mileage may vary).
=====
Eric S. Weiss
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