Thursday, September 19, 2013

Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28th Edition with NRSV/REB Greek-English New Testament

This hardcover edition is due out October 15, 2013.

This is the twenty-eighth edition of the Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece (NA28). NA28 is the standard scholarly edition of the Greek New Testament used by scholars, Bible translators, professors, students, and pastors worldwide. Now NA28 has been revised and improved:
  • Critical apparatus revised and easier to use
  • Papyrii 117-127 included for the first time
  • In-depth revision of the Catholic Epistles, with more than 30 changes to the upper text
  • Scripture references systematically reviewed for accuracy
  • The NA28 with NRSV/REB Greek-English New Testament includes the 28th edition of the Nestle Aland Novum Testamentum Graece, the New Revised Standard Version, and the Revised English Bible.

8 comments:

Theophrastus said...

Christianbooks reports that this volume is available now.

Bookdepository has the book in stock for only $47.69.

Note that the book has two different ISBNs: 3438051621 (distributed by German Bible Society) and 1619700352 (distributed by Hendrickson).

Here is a detailed review of the NA28 (the Greek text only from Peter J. Williams).

A sample page is available at the bottom of this page.

Jason Engel said...

I am very eager to pick up a copy of this.

Theophrastus said...

At long last, I have a copy of the new NA28-NRSV-REB parallel New Testament in my hands.

One oddity to me is on the copyright page, which says “2nd Corrected Printing 2013.” I don’t know what the differences are between the first and second printings of the NA28.

The book is nicely done – with color Bible maps on the endpapers (“Palestine in Old Testament Times,” “The Area Around Jerusalem in Old Testament Times,” “Palestine in New Testament Times,” “The Ancient Near East in Old Testament Times,” “The Journeys of the Apostle Paul”), a small pamphlet listing common witnesses, critical signs in the text, and signs and abbreviations in the apparatus); the standard English introduction (including the Eusebius’s Section and Canon numbers and Eusebius’s letter to Carpian) and the standard four appendices (“Greek and Latin Manuscripts,” “List of Textual Differences,” “Citations in the Text” (to the Hebrew Bible [using both Septuagint and Hebrew chapter/verse numbering], Old Testament, and non-Christian Greek writers), and “Signs and Abbreviations.”

Unlike the previous NA27/RSV diglot, which included an apparatus listing differences in major English Bible translations, this version offers two English versions (NRSV and REB) together with their footnotes. Section headings are taken from the NRSV, while paragraphing is adapted to the Greek text.

I have not yet decided if I like this edition, or if it is an improvement to the venerable NA27 diglot. The inclusion of two translations is a plus, as is the choice of the NRSV rather than the RSV, but the loss of the English apparatus is step backwards.

Timothy said...

Thanks for the brief summary.

Timothy said...

Theophrastus:

1) Does it contain the NRSV textual notes?

2) You said you prefered the NRSV instead of the RSV. Why is that? Wouldn't a slightly more formal RSV be more helpful paired with the REB?

Theophrastus said...

Time:

Does it contain the NRSV textual notes?

Yes, and the REB notes as well.

You said you prefered the NRSV instead of the RSV. Why is that? Wouldn't a slightly more formal RSV be more helpful paired with the REB?

The question of the changes between the RSV and NRSV is a bigger question than can be answered in a blog comment! NRSV critics often focus on the pluralization of some phrases (to address gender issues) -- and that is indeed less literal. However, the NRSV made many other changes as well, which were significant improvements in translation. I hope at some point in the future to elaborate on this point.

Timothy said...

You know I would truly enjoy your analysis of this! :)

Russ said...

I didn't realize I had so many typos on that last post, Tim. Here is a corrected version, which hopefully is better. Lol!

Yes, I would love to see that as well. For a long time I avoided the NRSV because of its heavy use of inclusive language. I felt in a way that it corrupted the text with inclusive language. Then a number of years back, my mom purchased the New Interpreter's Bible for me as a birthday gift, which of course uses the NRSV. As it turned out (due to medical/health reasons), it was the last birthday gift I received from her. After God called her home, every time I saw the NISB on the shelf I felt a twinge of guilt for not using it. Anyway, I finally opened it up (my Mom's prodding?) and have been using it, along with the NABRE, for most of my serious bible study. I find I like it very, very much. . .almost as much as the New Jerusalem Bible. :)