Those, who have learnt, or are learning Greek, cannot fail to derive great advantage from the present work. I wish, how-
THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE. cs
ever, to be of service also to other lovers of truth. And they will see, that I have endeavoured to hinder them, as little as possible, by the introduction (at times necessary) of Greek words. For I have prefixed the Greek words of the text, without the Latin, to those annotations only, which are of a merely verbal class ; whereas I have introduced the Latin, as well as the Greek, where they concern the subject : in some instances, the Latin words are put instead of the original Greek, in some instances added to explain it. The Latin words of the text have been taken from the Vulgate and other translations, or employed now for the first time to express those of the original, and they are generally put in that case, which the Latin context requires, although it be different in the original Greek : — and I have selected such words and phrases, as, even with some derogation from pure Latinity, would render the native force of the Greek, as closely as possible.1
In the rest of my language, throughout this work, I have used that form of Latin expression, which seemed best suited to this kind of commentary, without either too rude a contempt or too servile a devotion to Latinity, which is frequently violated by those who profess to cultivate it most fondly, to the extreme disgust of those who are at all really acquainted with classical Latin.2
1 I have, when it seemed advisable, put the Greek words where Bengel had put only Latin, and in every case where it was possible to do so, I have given an English translation of the Greek words even when no translation is given by Bengel. In these cases I have derived, as elsewhere, great as sistance from Bengel's own German version of the New Testament, which I succeeded in obtaining after a long search. In these as well as other in stances, it has been my endeavour to render the word, phrase, or particle, not as I should render it, but as Bengel would have done. I have also added interpretations to the Hebrew words, etc., cited by Bengel, where he has omitted to do so, and in every instance I have selected those renderings which appeared most in accordance with Bengel's own meaning and inten tion, without the slightest regard to the opinions of other commentators. — (I. B.)
2 In the original, — " Qui aliquid vernaculse latinitatis olfecerunt.'' — (I. B.)