BibleWorks and Textual Criticism

[Nihao]

Dear Clint,<br><br>Thank you! I had just put in a request on their "Module Request" forum before I posted here. I hope they contact you soon!<br><br>Sincerely,<br><br>Jonathan C. Borland<br>

[brainout]

Personally, I'm looking very forward to having the CNTTS apparatus. When I am studying the NT in BW, I typically have my print edition of NA27 open on my desk to consult its apparatus. This will give me easier access to more information, and without having yet used BW9, it looks to be my favorite new feature.

I'm looking for the best listing of ALL the variants I can find, whether in print or within BibleWorks. I have BW8 and BW5 severally, and from what I can tell, they group the variants by families, not every text. Is there anything in software or print which catalogues ALL the variants, be it in OT or New?

Am slavering to get BW9 as well, but that will have to wait for Christmas.

Thank you in advance for any reply you care to give.

[DavidR]

One print resource is Reuben J. Swanson, New Testament Greek Manuscripts: Variant Readings arranged in Horizontal Lines against Codex Vaticanus, beginning 1994. For a description of an earlier version of this, which will give you the general idea, see http://www.skypoint.com/members/walt...s.html#Swanson. I'm not sure how many volumes Swanson was able to produce before his death, or whether the project is still ongoing. I know that at least all 4 gospels were put into print. The format makes it possible to see all attested variant readings in any given passage.

[MGVH]

There is the series edited by Swanson on NT Greek Manuscripts (HERE is Matthew, and you can follow the Amazon links to the rest of the volumes), but I don't know that you can do any better than the CNTTS Apparatus provided in BW9. It's just the NT, but it's a pretty stunning resource.

[brainout]

One print resource is Reuben J. Swanson, New Testament Greek Manuscripts: Variant Readings arranged in Horizontal Lines against Codex Vaticanus, beginning 1994. For a description of an earlier version of this, which will give you the general idea, see http://www.skypoint.com/members/walt...s.html#Swanson. I'm not sure how many volumes Swanson was able to produce before his death, or whether the project is still ongoing. I know that at least all 4 gospels were put into print. The format makes it possible to see all attested variant readings in any given passage.

Thank you! This is quite helpful. Honestly, I wish we all didn't have to eat or sleep but could just spend all our time cataloguing like this. At a glance views of the differences would quell so many concerns. Thank you again!

[DavidR]

Yeah, eating, sleeping, bathing, other people.... Bummer.

[brainout]

Yeah, eating, sleeping, bathing, other people.... Bummer.

LOL I wrote to skypoint to tell them you gave me that FABULOUS link, but called you 'Dan'! BUMMMMMERRRRRRR!

Now will go maxima mea culpa to my laptop and see if I can make the colors in the TAR disappear.

EDIT: oh boy, now I get variant colors on everything EXCEPT the TAR. Tested it on Genesis 1:1, every 'Hebrew' option BW8 has. I even tried right-clicking ON the TAR text, to severally choose the color, and it was no color, no dice. Tried exporting, no color.

It does matter that you fill in all those Targum Variant color options boxes, not just the first four. Each box stands for a particular version, and you don't know which one until after you've made color choices for all the boxes. But none of them seem to 'match' the TAR itself. It's deemed the control text, so doesn't get a 'variant' color...?

My BW8 is on XP Home, latest service packs installed. Acer Aspire netbook, if that matters. My IE settings don't matter for this. They only matter for the modules (I think I have them all, except the politically-correct modules where God has to be translated 'she', etc).

[brainout]

There is the series edited by Swanson on NT Greek Manuscripts (HERE is Matthew, and you can follow the Amazon links to the rest of the volumes), but I don't know that you can do any better than the CNTTS Apparatus provided in BW9. It's just the NT, but it's a pretty stunning resource.

Thank you. I will get BW9 later in the year, dying to see the mss 'live', anyway. I wish I had a billion dollars, I'd put it all in a trust fund solely to create a collation project to get all the variants indexed into standardized apparati everyone can read at a glance. I've never gotten over learning about the grand collaboration in the mid 1800's. You guys and those guys, are the heroes. EVERY SCHOLAR IN BIBLE IS UNDERPAID!

I asked God for it, too. Yikes. What if He says Yes? I asked Him to kill Bin Laden two years ago...