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   Title: ANF09. The Gospel of Peter, The Diatessaron of Tatian, The
   Apocalypse of Peter, the Vision of Paul, The Apocalypse of the Virgin
   and Sedrach, The Testament of Abraham, The Acts of Xanthippe and
   Polyxena, The Narrative of Zosimus, The Apology of Aristides, The
   Epistles of Clement (complete text), Origen's Commentary on John, Books
   1-10, and Commentary on Matthew, Books 1, 2, and 10-14.
   Creator(s): Schaff, Philip
   Rights: Public Domain
   CCEL Subjects: All; Early Church; Bible; Proofed
   LC Call no: BR60
   LC Subjects:

   Christianity

   Early Christian Literature. Fathers of the Church, etc.
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   The Writings of the Fathers Down to A.D. 325

   ANTE-NICENE FATHERS

   VOLUME 9.

   The Gospel of Peter, The Diatessaron of Tatian, The Apocalypse of
   Peter, The Vision of Paul, The Apocalypses of the Virgin and Sedrach,
   The Testament of Abraham, The Acts of Xanthippe and Polyxena, The
   Narrative of Zosimus, The Apology of Aristides, The Epistles of Clement
   (complete text), Origen's Commentary on John, Books 1-10, and
   Commentary on Matthew, Books 1, 2, and 10-14.

   Edited by

   Allan Menzies, D.D.

   T&T CLARK

   EDINBURGH

   __________________________________________________

   WM. B. EERDMANS PUBLISHING COMPANY

   GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
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   Preface.

   ------------------------

   The Ante-Nicene Fathers, which seemed many years ago to have completed
   its task, now presents itself once more and ventures to solicit the
   renewal of the favour with which it was formerly received by the
   theological world.  The publishers and the editor, who now stands, he
   well knows how unworthily, in the place of Principal Donaldson and
   Professor Roberts, believe that the volume now added to the series will
   be found most interesting in itself and not unworthy to stand beside
   its predecessors.

   This volume consists of two distinct parts.  The first is a collection
   of recently discovered additions to early Christian literature.  The
   period which has elapsed since the last volumes of this series were
   published has been singularly rich in such discoveries.  A portion of a
   gospel has been recovered which was read in the latter part of the
   second century in certain Christian churches and purports to be the
   work of the Apostle Peter.  A harmony of the four canonical gospels has
   also been brought to our knowledge, which was made in the same century,
   and which, in a considerable district of Eastern Christendom,
   supplanted these gospels themselves.  Another work bearing the name of
   the Apostle Peter, his Apocalypse, which once appeared to have some
   claim to a place in the canon, has also been found.  The Epistles of
   Clement, which formerly broke off abruptly, have recovered their
   concluding portions, and the earliest public appeal to the head of the
   state on behalf of Christianity is also now in our possession.  The
   circumstances of these various discoveries, and also of others of a
   similar nature, are stated in the introductions prefixed by the writers
   in this volume to the various pieces, and it will be seen that scholars
   of many lands have taken part in them.  English scholarship, it is well
   known, has distinguished itself highly in this field.  Many of the
   pieces now given first saw the light in the Cambridge Texts and
   Studies, a publication of singular interest and enduring value, without
   which the present volume would not have come into existence.  The
   editor of the Texts and Studies, Professor Armitage Robinson, has taken
   a very kind interest in the present publication and has himself
   contributed translations of two pieces.

   The history of the discussions awakened by these discoveries cannot yet
   be written, but it is not too early to place the English reader in
   possession of the documents thus restored to the Christian community.
   The reader of former volumes of The Ante-Nicene Fathers has already
   become acquainted with a number of uncanonical gospels, of apocalypses,
   and of early Christian apologies.  In each of these classes of
   Christian literature he is now presented with pieces not less
   interesting than any known before.  A glance at the table of contents
   will show the principle according to which the various works have been
   arranged.  It may be stated that the Diatessaron of Tatian is here for
   the first time translated into English from the Arabic.

   The second part of this volume contains portions of two of the most
   important commentaries of Origen.  When The Ante-Nicene Fathers came to
   a close it was felt that more should have been done for a father who
   occupies a position of such singular importance in the history both of
   Scripture exegesis and of Christian thought.  It is believed that the
   present translations will be welcomed by many who feel that growing
   interest in Origen which now appears in many quarters, and that they
   will be acceptable to all who care to know the varieties of treatment
   the Scriptures have met with in the church.
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   The Gospel of Peter.

   by

   Professor J. Armitage Robinson.

   Editor of the Cambridge Texts and Studies

   Introduction and Synoptical TAble

   by

   Andrew Rutherfurd, B.D.
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   The Gospel of Peter.

   ------------------------

   Introduction.

   ------------------------

   The important fragment of which Mr. J. Armitage Robinson's translation
   here follows was discovered by the French Archaeological Mission,
   Cairo, in a grave (supposed to be a monk's) in an ancient cemetery at
   Akhmim (Panopolis), in Upper Egypt, in 1886.  It was published in 1892
   under the care of M. Bouriant in vol. ix., fasc. i., of the Memoirs of
   the French Archaeological Mission at Cairo.  The same parchment which
   contained this fragment also contained a fragment of the Revelation of
   Peter and a fragment of the Book of Enoch in Greek.  The parchment
   codex is assigned to a date between the eighth and the twelfth century.

   Before this discovery the following is all that was known of the Gospel
   of Peter:  1.  Serapion, Bishop of Antioch 190-203, writing to the
   church at Rhossus, says (Eusebius, H. E., vi., 12, 2):  "We, brethren,
   receive Peter and the other Apostles even as Christ; but the writings
   that go falsely by their names we, in our experience, reject, knowing
   that such things as these we never received.  When I was with you I
   supposed you all to be attached to the right faith; and so without
   going through the gospel put forward under Peter's name, I said, `If
   this is all that makes your petty quarrel, [1] why then let it be
   read.'  But now that I have learned from information given me that
   their mind was lurking in some hole of heresy, I will make a point of
   coming to you again:  so, brethren, expect me speedily.  Knowing then,
   brethren, of what kind of heresy was Marcion--[Here follows a sentence
   where the text is faulty.]...From others who used this very gospel--I
   mean from the successors of those who started it, whom we call Docetae;
   for most of its ideas are of their school--from them, I say, I borrowed
   it, and was able to go through it, and to find that most of it belonged
   to the right teaching of the Saviour, but some things were additions."
   From this we learn that a Gospel of Peter was in use in the church of
   Rhossus in the end of the second century, but that controversy had
   arisen as to its character, which, on a careful examination, Serapion
   condemned.

   2.  Origen (/- 253 a.d.), in commenting on Matthew x. 17, says:  "But,
   proceeding on the tradition that is recorded in the Gospel according to
   Peter or in the Book of James, they say that there are certain brothers
   of Jesus, the sons of Joseph by a former wife, who lived with him
   before Mary."

   3.  Eusebius (H. E., iii., 3, 2) says:  "As to that work, however,
   which is ascribed to him, called `The Acts,' and `The Gospel according
   to Peter,' and that called `The Preaching and the Revelations of
   Peter,'  we know nothing of their being handed down as Catholic
   writings; since neither among the ancient nor the ecclesiastical
   writers of our own day has there been one that has appealed to
   testimony taken from them."  And in H. E., iii., 25, 6 sq., he includes
   the Gospel of Peter among the forged heretical gospels--"those that are
   adduced by the heretics under the name of the apostles,...of which no
   one of those writers in the ecclesiastical succession has condescended
   to make any mention in his works; and, indeed, the character of the
   style itself is very different from that of the apostles; and the
   sentiments, and the purport of those things that are advanced in them,
   deviating as far as possible from sound orthodoxy, evidently proves
   they are the fictions of heretical men; whence they are not only to be
   ranked among the spurious writings, but are to be rejected as
   altogether absurd and impious."  It is, however, uncertain whether
   Eusebius himself was acquainted with the Gospel of Peter.

   4.  Theodoret (/- c. 455), in his Religious History, ii., 2, says that
   the Nazarenes used "the gospel called `according to Peter.'"  Later
   references in Western literature, e.g., Jerome, De vir. ill., i., and
   the Decretum Gelasianum, condemning the book, are based upon the
   judgement of Eusebius, and not upon direct knowledge (cf. Harnack,
   Geschichte der altchristl. Lit., I. Th., p. 11).

   This was all that was known of the Gospel of Peter till the publication
   of the Akhmim fragment.  The latter extends to about 174 stichi,
   counting 32 words to the stichus.  It begins in the middle of the
   history of the Passion, just after Pilate has washed his hands of all
   responsibility, and ends in the middle of a sentence, with the
   departure of the disciples into Galilee at the end of the Feast of
   Unleavened Bread, exactly a week after the crucifixion, the ostensible
   author, Peter, and Andrew, his brother, taking their nets and going to
   the sea; "and there was with us Levi the son of Alphaeus, whom the
   Lord..."

   The accompanying Synoptical Table shows where the Petrine narrative
   agrees with and where it varies from those supplied by the canonical
   gospels.  Of that part of the Passion history which it narrates, it
   gives an account which follows the main lines of the canonical
   tradition, but with important variations in detail.  Of the events
   between the burial and the resurrection of our Lord, its account is
   much more ample and detailed than anything in the canonical tradition.

   Harnack (Texte und Untersuchungen, ix., 2, 2d ed., p. 76) gives the
   following list of new traits contained in the Petrine account of the
   history of the Passion and burial:

   1.  Herod was the judge who condemned Jesus, and to him application had
   to be made for the body.

   2.  The Jews, Herod, and the judges would not wash their hands, and
   Pilate then raised the sitting.

   3.  Joseph was the friend of Pilate (sec. 2).

   4.  Joseph begged for the body before the crucifixion, and Pilate sent
   for permission from Herod.

   5.  The soldiers "pushed him as they ran," and their speech (sec. 3).

   6.  The mockery of the soldiers.

   7.  Mocking speech.

   8.  "As though having no pain" (sec. 4).

   9.  "Having placed his garments before him."

   10.  One of the malefactors blamed the multitude, and his speech.

   11.  The legs of either the malefactor or Jesus were not broken, in
   order that he might die in torment.

   12.  The gall and vinegar (sec. 5).

   13.  In the darkness many went about with lamps, and fell down.

   14.  The cry, "My power, my power."

   15.  The fact that when he had so cried Christ was taken up.

   16.  Mention of the nails in the hands at the taking down from the
   cross (sec. 6).

   17.  The earthquake when the body touched the ground.

   18.  The joy of the Jews when the sun shone again.

   19.  Joseph "had seen all the good things" that the Lord had done.

   20.  Joseph washed the body.

   21.  The cries of woe of the Jews and their leaders over their sins,
   and their expectation of the judgement on Jerusalem (sec. 7).

   22.  The disciples remained in concealment, full of grief, and fasted
   and wept till the Sabbath.

   23.  They were searched for as malefactors and as anxious to burn the
   temple.

   24.  The name of the centurion of the watch--Petronius (sec. 8).

   25.  The centurion, the soldiers, and the elders rolled up the stone.

   26.  The elders also watched at the grave.

   27.  Seven seals were placed on the stone.

   28.  A tent pitched for the watch.

   29.  The gathering of the multitude on the morning of the Sabbath to
   view the sealed grave (sec. 9).

   The whole narrative of the resurrection is so different from that of
   the canonical gospels that it would be useless to go into details; but
   it is important to notice the prominence assigned to Mary Magdalene,
   and:

   1.  That the women fled from the grave and did not see the Lord (sec.
   12).

   2.  That there is no account of any appearance of Christ for the first
   eight days after his death (sec. 13).

   3.  That the disciples, along with the rest of those who had taken part
   in the feast, returned home to Galilee on the seventh day of unleavened
   bread.

   4.  That they were then sad, and wept.

   5.  That the first appearance of Jesus must have taken place on the
   Lake of Gennesaret, either to Peter alone, or to Peter, Andrew, and
   Levi (Matthew), while fishing.

   Moreover, according to section 13 (see sec. 5), the author puts the
   resurrection and ascension on the same day, or, rather, did not know of
   the latter as a separate event.  He makes the angel say, "He is risen
   and gone away thither whence he was sent."

   Whether the author used any other sources than the canonical gospels is
   a matter still in doubt.  He is certainly influenced by views which are
   foreign to these gospels, and which are known from other quarters in
   early Christian literature.  As between the Synoptists and the Fourth
   Gospel, the narrator is generally more closely akin both in matter and
   in manner to the Synoptists, but he agrees with the author of the
   Fourth Gospel in regard to the chronology of the crucifixion and
   several of the events at the cross, and in his general attitude towards
   the Jews and Pilate.  With regard to the last two points, the Petrine
   Gospel seems to present a later and more exaggerated form of the
   tendency perceptible in the Johannine, and fully worked out in the Acts
   of Pilate, to blame the Jews and exculpate Pilate.

   Of the new features in this fragment some are at least liable to a
   Docetic interpretation, e.g., the silence on the cross "as though he
   had no pain" (sec. 4), the cry, "My power, my power" (sec. 5), and "he
   was taken up" (sec. 5).  This fact was recognised in subsequent times
   and condemned this gospel in the eye of the church.  The date of the
   work is variously fixed by different scholars; Harnack assigns it to
   the first quarter of the second century, while Mr. Armitage Robinson
   and other scholars place it later.
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   [1] Parechein mikropsuchian, perhaps "causes you ill-feeling."  The
   translation of Serapion's letter with this note is taken from Mr.
   Armitage Robinson's edition of the gospel.
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   The Gospel According to Peter. [2]

   ------------------------

   1  But of the Jews none washed his hands, neither Herod nor any one of
   his judges.  And when they had refused to wash them, Pilate rose up.
   And then Herod the king commandeth that the Lord be taken, [3] saying
   to them, What things soever I commanded you to do unto him, do.

   2  And there was standing there Joseph the friend of Pilate and of the
   Lord; and, knowing that they were about to crucify [4] him, he came to
   Pilate and asked the body of the Lord for burial.  And Pilate sent to
   Herod and asked his body.  And Herod said, Brother Pilate, even if no
   one had asked for him, we purposed to bury him, especially as the
   sabbath draweth on: [5]   for it is written in the law, that the sun
   set not upon one that hath been put to death.

   3  And he delivered him to the people on the day before the unleavened
   bread, their feast.  And they took the Lord and pushed him as they ran,
   and said, Let us drag away the Son of God, having obtained power over
   him.  And they clothed him with purple, and set him on the seat of
   judgment, saying, Judge righteously, O king of Israel.  And one of them
   brought a crown of thorns and put it on the head of the Lord.  And
   others stood and spat in his eyes, and others smote his cheeks:  others
   pricked him with a reed; and some scourged him, saying, With this
   honour let us honour the Son of God.

   4  And they brought two malefactors, and they crucified the Lord
   between them.  But he held his peace, as though having no pain.  And
   when they had raised the cross, they wrote the title:  This is the king
   of Israel.  And having set his garments before him they parted them
   among them, and cast lots for them.  And one of those malefactors
   reproached them, saying, We for the evils that we have done have
   suffered thus, but this man, who hath become the Saviour of men, what
   wrong hath he done to you?  And they, being angered at him, commanded
   that his legs should not be broken, that he might die in torment.

   5  And it was noon, and darkness came over all Judaea:  and they were
   troubled and distressed, lest the sun had set, whilst he was yet
   alive:  [for] it is written for them, that the sun set not on him that
   hath been put to death.  And one of them said, Give him to drink gall
   with vinegar.  And they mixed and gave him to drink, and fulfilled all
   things, and accomplished their sins against their own head.  And many
   went about with lamps, supposing that it was night, and fell down. [6]
     And the Lord cried out, saying, My power, my power, thou hast
   forsaken me.  And when he had said it he was taken up.  And in that
   hour the vail of the temple of Jerusalem was rent in twain. [7]

   6  And then they drew out the nails from the hands of the Lord, and
   laid him upon the earth, and the whole earth quaked, and great fear
   arose.  Then the sun shone, and it was found the ninth hour:  and the
   Jews rejoiced, and gave his body to Joseph that he might bury it, since
   he had seen what good things he had done.  And he took the Lord, and
   washed him, and rolled him in a linen cloth, and brought him into his
   own tomb, which was called the Garden of Joseph.

   7  Then the Jews and the elders and the priests, perceiving what evil
   they had done to themselves, began to lament and to say, Woe for our
   sins:  the judgement hath drawn nigh, and the end of Jerusalem.  And I
   with my companions was grieved; and being wounded in mind we hid
   ourselves:  for we were being sought for by them as malefactors, and as
   wishing to set fire to the temple.  And upon all these things we fasted
   and sat mourning and weeping night and day until the sabbath.

   8  But the scribes and Pharisees and elders being gathered together one
   with another, when they heard that all the people murmured and beat
   their breasts saying, If by his death these most mighty signs have come
   to pass, see how righteous he is,--the elders were afraid and came to
   Pilate, beseeching him and saying, Give us soldiers, that we may guard
   his sepulchre for three days, lest his disciples come and steal him
   away, and the people suppose that he is risen from the dead and do us
   evil.  And Pilate gave them Petronius the centurion with soldiers to
   guard the tomb.  And with them came elders and scribes to the
   sepulchre, and having rolled a great stone together with [8] the
   centurion and the soldiers, they all together who were there set it at
   the door of the sepulchre; and they affixed seven seals, and they
   pitched a tent there and guarded it.  And early in the morning as the
   sabbath was drawing on, there came a multitude from Jerusalem and the
   region round about, that they might see the sepulchre that was sealed.

   9  And in the night in which the Lord's day was drawing on, as the
   soldiers kept guard two by two in a watch, there was a great voice in
   the heaven; and they saw the heavens opened, and two men descend from
   thence with great light and approach the tomb.  And that stone which
   was put at the door rolled of itself and made way in part; and the tomb
   was opened, and both the young men entered in.

   10  When therefore those soldiers saw it, they awakened the centurion
   and the elders; for they too were hard by keeping guard.  And, as they
   declared what things they had seen, again they see three men come forth
   from the tomb, and two of them supporting one, and a cross following
   them:  and of the two the head reached unto the heaven, but the head of
   him that was led by them overpassed the heavens.  And they heard a
   voice from the heavens, saying, Thou hast preached to them that sleep.
   And a response was heard from the cross, Yea.

   11  They therefore considered one with another whether to go away and
   shew these things to Pilate.  And while they yet thought thereon, the
   heavens again are seen to open, and a certain man to descend and enter
   into the sepulchre.  When the centurion and they that were with him saw
   these things, they hastened in the night to Pilate, leaving the tomb
   which they were watching, and declared all things which they had seen,
   being greatly distressed and saying, Truly he was the Son of God.
   Pilate answered and said, I am pure from the blood of the Son of God:
   but it was ye who determined this.  Then they all drew near and
   besought him and entreated him to command the centurion and the
   soldiers to say nothing of the things which they had seen:  For it is
   better, say they, for us to be guilty of the greatest sin before God,
   and not to fall into the hands of the people of the Jews and to be
   stoned.  Pilate therefore commanded the centurion and the soldiers to
   say nothing.

   12  And at dawn upon the Lord's day Mary Magdalen, a disciple of the
   Lord, fearing because of the Jews, since they were burning with wrath,
   had not done at the Lord's sepulchre the things which women are wont to
   do for those that die and for those that are beloved by them--she took
   her friends with her and came to the sepulchre where he was laid.  And
   they feared lest the Jews should see them, and they said, Although on
   that day on which he was crucified we could not weep and lament, yet
   now let us do these things at his sepulchre.  But who shall roll away
   for us the stone that was laid at the door of the sepulchre, that we
   may enter in and sit by him and do the things that are due?  For the
   stone was great, and we fear lest some one see us.  And if we cannot,
   yet if we but set at the door the things which we bring for a memorial
   of him, we will weep and lament, until we come unto our home.

   13  And they went and found the tomb opened, and coming near they
   looked in there; and they see there a certain young man sitting in the
   midst of the tomb, beautiful and clothed in a robe exceeding bright:
   who said to them, Wherefore are ye come?  Whom seek ye?  Him that was
   crucified? [9]   He is risen and gone.  But if ye believe not, look in
   and see the place where he lay, that he is not [here]; for he is risen
   and gone thither, whence he was sent.  Then the women feared and fled.

   14  Now it was the last day of the unleavened bread, and many were
   going forth, returning to their homes, as the feast was ended.  But we,
   the twelve disciples of the Lord, wept and were grieved:  and each one,
   being grieved for that which was come to pass, departed to his home.
   But I Simon Peter and Andrew my brother took our nets and went to the
   sea; and there was with us Levi the son of Alphaeus, whom the Lord...
     __________________________________________________________________

   [2] This translation is based on that which I published in The Gospel
   and Apocalypse of Peter:  Two Lectures, etc. (Camb., 1892).  It is now
   carefully revised in accordance with the photographic facsimile.  A
   corrected Greek text will be found in Dr. Swete's edition (1893).

   [3] Par[alem]phthenai is perhaps supported by paralabontes, Matt. xxiv.
   27.

   [4] I know no other instance of stauriskein.

   [5] cf. John xix. 31, where Syr. Pesch. reads:  "They say, These bodies
   shall not remain on the cross, because the sabbath dawneth."

   [6] The text here is corrupt:  for epesanto I have provisionally read
   epesan te.

   [7] For autos horas we must read autes horas (cf. Clem., Hom., xx.,
   16); aute is the equivalent in later Greek literature of ekeine, as in
   the modern tongue (cf. Lc. x. 7, 21, and xii. 12; || ekeine, Mt., Mc.)

   [8] I have ventured to substitute meta, "together with" (cf. Matt.
   xxvii. 66), for kata, "down upon."  Dr. Swete, however, keeps kata, and
   interprets it as "against," i.e., to guard the sepulchre against.

   [9] The form of the question in the Greek suggests a negative answer.
     __________________________________________________________________

   Synoptical Table

   of the

   Four Canonical Gospels

   and

   The Gospel According to Peter

   Matthew xxvii.

   24 P:  When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a
   tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the
   multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person:  see
   ye to it.

   25  Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on
   our children.

   [cf. v. 57.]

   26 P:  Then released he Barabbas unto them:  and when he had scourged
   Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

   27  Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall,
   and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.

   28  And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.

   29 P:  And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon
   his head, and a reed in his right hand:  and they bowed the knee before
   him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!

   30  And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the
   head.

   Mark xv.

   [cf. v. 43.]

   [cf. v. 42.]

   15 P:  And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas
   unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be
   crucified.

   16  And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and
   they call together the whole band.

   17  And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns,
   and put it about his head,

   18  And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!

   19  And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him,
   and bowing their knees worshipped him.

   Luke xxiii.

   [^2cf. Lk. xxiii. 7.]

   [^3cf. Lk. xxii. 66; Acts iv. 27.]

   [cf. v. 50.]

   [^4cf. Lk. xxiii. 12.]

   24  And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.

   25  And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast
   into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their
   will.

   John xix.

   [^1cf. John passim.]

   [cf. v. 38.]

   [cf. xix. 31.]

   16  Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified.  And
   they took Jesus, and led him away.

   Peter.

   1  But of the Jews [10] none washed his hands, neither Herod [11] nor
   any one of his judges. [12]   2  And when they had refused to wash
   them, Pilate rose up.  And Herod the king commandeth that the Lord be
   taken, saying to them, What things soever I commanded you to do unto
   them, do.

   3  And there was come there Joseph the friend of Pilate and of the
   Lord; and, knowing that they were about to crucify him, he came to
   Pilate and asked the body of the Lord for burial.  4  And Pilate sent
   to Herod and asked his body.  5  And Herod said, Brother [13] Pilate,
   even if no one had asked for him, we purposed to bury him, especially
   as the sabbath draweth on:  for it is written in the law, that the sun
   set not upon one that hath been put to death.  And he delivered him to
   the people on the day before the unleavened bread, their feast.

   6  And they took the Lord and pushed him as they ran, and said, Let us
   drag away the Son of God, having obtained power over him.

   7  And they clothed him with purple, and set him on the seat of
   judgement, saying, Judge righteously, O King of Israel.  8  And one of
   them brought a crown of thorns and put it on the head of the Lord.  9
   And others stood and spat in his eyes, and others smote his cheeks:
   others pricked him with a reed; and some scourged him, saying, With
   this honour let us honour the Son of God.

   ------------------------

   Matthew.

   31  And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from
   him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

   32  And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name:
   him they compelled to bear his cross.

   33  And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to
   say, a place of a skull,

   Mark.

   20  And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him,
   and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.

   21  And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of
   the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.

   22  And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being
   interpreted, The place of a skull.

   Luke.

   26  And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a
   Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross,
   that he might bear it after Jesus.

   27 P:  And there followed him a great company of people, and of women,
   which also bewailed and lamented him.

   28  But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not
   for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.

   29  For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say,
   Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps
   which never gave suck.

   30  Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to
   the hills, Cover us.

   31  For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in
   the dry?

   32  And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put
   to death.

   33  And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary,
   there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand,
   and the other on the left.

   John.

   17  And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place
   of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:

   Peter.

   ------------------------

   Matthew.

   34  P:  They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall:  and when he
   had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

   35  And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots:
   that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted
   my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

   36  And sitting down they watched him there;

   37  And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE
   KING OF THE JEWS.

   38  Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right
   hand, and another on the left.

   39  P:  And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,

   Mark.

   23  And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh:  but he
   received it not.

   24  And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting
   lots upon them, what every man should take.

   25  And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.

   26  And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING
   OF THE JEWS.

   27  And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand,
   and the other on his left.

   28  And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered
   with the transgressors.

   Luke.

   34  P:  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what
   they do.  And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

   35  And the people stood beholding.  And the rulers also with them
   derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be
   Christ, the chosen of God.

   36  And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him
   vinegar,

   37  And saying, If thou be the King of the Jews, save thyself.

   38  And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek,
   and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

   John.

   18  Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side
   one, and Jesus in the midst.

   [cf. vv. 23, 24.]

   19  P:  And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross.  And the
   writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.

   20  This title then read many of the Jews:  for the place where Jesus
   was crucified was nigh to the city:  and it was written in Hebrew, and
   Greek, and Latin.

   Peter.

   10  And they brought two malefactors, and they crucified the Lord
   between them.

   But he held his peace, as though having no pain.

   11  And when they had raised the cross, they wrote upon it, This is the
   King of Israel.

   12  And having set his garments before him, they parted them among
   them, and cast lots for them.

   [cf. v. 11.]

   ------------------------

   Matthew.

   40  And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in
   three days, save thyself.  If thou be the Son of God, come down from
   the cross.

   41  Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and
   elders, said,

   42  He saved others; himself he cannot save.  If he be the King of
   Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

   43  He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him:
   for he said, I am the Son of God.

   [cf. v. 35.]

   44  The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in
   his teeth.

   Mark.

   29  And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and
   saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three
   days,

   30  Save thyself, and come down from the cross.

   31  Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with
   the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.

   32  Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we
   may see and believe.

   [cf. v. 24.]

   And they that were crucified with him reviled him.

   Luke.

   39  P:  And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him,
   saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

   40  But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear
   God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

   John.

   21  Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The
   King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.

   22  Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.

   23  P:  Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his
   garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his
   coat:  now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.

   24  They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast
   lots for it, whose it shall be:  that the scripture might be fulfilled,
   which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they
   did cast lots.  These things therefore the soldiers did.

   Peter.

   [cf. v. 12.]

   13  And one of those malefactors reproached him, saying, We for the
   evils that we have done have suffered thus, but this man, who hath
   become the Saviour of men, what wrong hath he done to you?

   ------------------------

   Matthew.

   45  Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto
   the ninth hour.

   46  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying,
   Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast
   thou forsaken me?

   Mark.

   33  And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole
   land until the ninth hour.

   34  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi,
   Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God,
   why hast thou forsaken me?

   Luke.

   41  And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds:
   but this man hath done nothing amiss.

   42  And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy
   kingdom.

   43  And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou
   be with me in paradise.

   44  And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all
   the earth until the ninth hour.

   45  And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in
   the midst.

   John.

   25  P:  Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his
   mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

   26  When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by,
   whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

   27  Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother!  And from that
   hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

   Peter.

   14  And they, being angered at him, commanded that his legs should not
   be broken, that he might die in torment.

   15  And it was noon, and darkness came over all Judaea:

   and they were troubled and distressed, lest the sun had set, whilst he
   was yet alive:  [for] it is written for them, that the sun set not on
   him that hath been put to death.

   ------------------------

   Matthew.

   47  Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man
   calleth for Elias.

   48  And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it
   with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.

   49  The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save
   him.

   50  P:  Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up
   the ghost.

   51  And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top
   to the bottom;

   and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

   52  And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which
   slept arose,

   53  And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into
   the holy city, and appeared unto many.

   Mark.

   35  And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold,
   he calleth Elias.

   36  And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a
   reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether
   Elias will come to take him down.

   37  And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.

   38  And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the
   bottom.

   Luke.

   46  P:  And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father,
   into thy hands I commend my spirit:  and having said thus, he gave up
   the ghost.

   John.

   28  P:  After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now
   accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

   29  Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar:  and they filled a
   spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.

   30  When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is
   finished:  and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

   31  The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies
   should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath
   day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken,
   and that they might be taken away.

   32  Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the
   other which was crucified with him.

   33  But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they
   brake not his legs:

   Peter.

   16  And one of them said, Give him to drink gall with vinegar.  And
   they mixed and gave him to drink, 17  and fulfilled all things, and
   accomplished their sins against their own head.

   18  And many went about with lamps, supposing that it was night, and
   fell down.  19  And the Lord cried out, saying, My power, my power,
   thou hast forsaken me.

   And when he had said it he was taken up.

   20  And in that hour the vail of the temple of Jerusalem was rent in
   twain.

   ------------------------

   Matthew.

   54  Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching
   Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared
   greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

   55  And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus
   from Galilee, ministering unto him:

   56  Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and
   Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children.

   57  When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named
   Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:

   Mark.

   39  P:  And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that
   he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the
   Son of God.

   40  There were also women looking on afar off:  among whom was Mary
   Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and
   Salome;

   41  (Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered
   unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem.

   42  P:  And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation,
   that is, the day before the sabbath,

   43  Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited
   for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and
   craved the body of Jesus.

   Luke.

   47  Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying,
   Certainly this was a righteous man.

   48  And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the
   things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.

   49  And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from
   Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

   50  P:  And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he
   was a good man, and a just:

   51  (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he
   was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews:  who also himself waited for the
   kingdom of God.

   John.

   34  But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and
   forthwith came there out blood and water.

   35  And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true:  and he
   knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

   36  For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled,
   A bone of him shall not be broken.

   37  And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they
   pierced.

   38  P:  And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus,
   but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take
   away the body of Jesus:  and Pilate gave him leave.  He came therefore,
   and took the body of Jesus.

   Peter.

   21  And then they drew out the nails from the hands of the Lord, and
   laid him upon the earth, and the whole earth quaked, and great fear
   arose.  22  Then the sun shone, and it was found the ninth hour:  23
   and the Jews rejoiced, and

   ------------------------

   Matthew.

   58  He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.  Then Pilate
   commanded the body to be delivered.

   59  And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen
   cloth,

   60  And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the
   rock:  and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and
   departed.

   61  And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over
   against the sepulchre.

   Mark.

   44  And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead:  and calling unto him
   the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.

   45  And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.

   46  And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the
   linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and
   rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre.

   47  And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was
   laid.

   Luke.

   52  This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.

   53  And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a
   sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.

   54  And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

   55  And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed
   after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.

   56  And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested
   the sabbath day according to the commandment.

   John.

   39  And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by
   night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound
   weight.

   40  Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes
   with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

   41  Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in
   the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.

   42  There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation
   day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

   Peter.

   gave his body to Joseph that he might bury it,

   since he had seen what good things he had done.

   24  And he took the Lord, and washed him, and wrapped him in a linen
   cloth, and brought him into his own tomb,

   which was called the Garden of Joseph.

   25  Then the Jews and the elders and the priests, perceiving what evil
   they had done to themselves, began to lament and to say, Woe for our
   sins:  the judgement hath drawn nigh, and the end of Jerusalem.

   26  And I with my companions was grieved; and being wounded in mind we
   hid ourselves:  for we were being sought for by them as malefactors,
   and as wishing to set fire to the temple.

   ------------------------

   Matthew.

   [^1cf. Mt. ix. 15.]

   62  P:  Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the
   chief priests and Pharisees

   came together unto Pilate,

   63  Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet
   alive, After three days I will rise again.

   64  Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third
   day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto
   the people, He is risen from the dead:  so the last error shall be
   worse than the first.

   65  Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch:  go your way, make it as
   sure as ye can.

   66  So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and
   setting a watch.

   Mark.

   [^1cf. Mk. ii. 20.]

   [^2cf. Mk. xvi. 10.]

   Luke.

   John.

   Peter.

   27  And upon all these things we fasted [14] and sat mourning [15] and
   weeping [16] night and day until the sabbath.

   28  But the scribes and Pharisees and elders being gathered together
   one with another, when they heard that all the people murmured and beat
   their breasts, saying, If by his death these most mighty signs have
   come to pass, see how just he is,--29  the elders were afraid and

   came to Pilate, beseeching him and saying, 30  Give us soldiers, that
   we may guard his sepulchre for three days, lest his disciples come and
   steal him away, and the people suppose that he is risen from the dead
   and do us evil.

   31  And Pilate gave them Petronius the centurion with soldiers to guard
   the tomb.  And with them came the elders and scribes to the sepulchre,

   32  And having rolled a great stone together with the centurion and the
   soldiers, they all together who were there set it at the door of the
   sepulchre;

   33  And they affixed seven seals, and they pitched a tent there and
   guarded it.

   34  And early in the morning as the sabbath was drawing on, there came
   a multitude from Jerusalem and the region round about, that they might
   see the sepulchre that was sealed.

   35  And in the night in which the Lord's day was drawing on, as the
   soldiers kept guard two by two in a watch, there was a great voice in
   the heaven; 36 and they saw the heavens opened, and two men descend
   from thence with great light and approach the tomb.  37  And that stone
   which was put at the door rolled of itself and made way in part; and
   the tomb was opened, and both the young men entered in.

   38  When therefore those soldiers saw it, they awakened the centurion
   and the elders,--for they too were hard by keeping guard; 39  and, as
   they declared what things they had seen, again they see three men
   coming forth from the tomb, and two of them supporting one, and a cross
   following them.  40  And of the two the head reached unto the heaven,
   but the head of him that was led by them overpassed the heavens.  41
   And they heard a voice from the heavens, saying, Hast thou preached to
   them that sleep?  42  And a response was heard from the cross, Yea.

   43  They therefore considered one with another whether to go away and
   shew these things to Pilate.  44  And while they yet thought thereon,
   the heavens again are seen to open, and a certain man to descend and
   enter into the sepulchre.  45  When the centurion and they that were
   with him saw these things, they hastened in the night to Pilate,
   leaving the tomb which they were watching, and declared all things
   which they had seen, being greatly distressed and saying, Truly he was
   the Son of God.

   ------------------------

   Matthew.

   [cf. Mt. xxvii. 24.]

   Chapter XXVIII.

   1  P:  In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first
   day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the
   sepulchre.

   2  And, behold, there was a great earthquake:  for the angel of the
   Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the
   door, and sat upon it.

   3  His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

   Mark.

   Chapter XVI.

   1  P:  And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the
   mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might
   come and anoint him.

   2  And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came
   unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

   3  And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone
   from the door of the sepulchre?

   4  And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away:  for
   it was very great.

   5  And entering into the sepulchre,

   they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white
   garment; and they were affrighted.

   Luke.

   Chapter XXIV.

   1  Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they
   came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared,
   and certain others with them.

   2  And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

   3  And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

   4  And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold,
   two men stood by them in shining garments:

   5  And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth,
   they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

   John.

   Chapter XX.

   1  P:  The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it
   was yet dark, unto the sepulchre,

   and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

   Peter.

   46  Pilate answered and said, I am pure from the blood of the Son of
   God:  but ye determined this.

   47  Then they all drew near and besought him and entreated him to
   command the centurion and the soldiers to say nothing of the things
   which they had seen:  48  For it is better, say they, for us to incur
   the greatest sin before God, and not to fall into the hands of the
   people of the Jews and to be stoned.  49  Pilate therefore commanded
   the centurion and the soldiers to say nothing.

   50  And at dawn upon the Lord's day, Mary Magdalen, a disciple of the
   Lord, fearing because of the Jews, since they were burning with wrath,
   had not done at the Lord's sepulchre the things which the women are
   wont to do for those that die and for those that are beloved by them--

   51  she took her friends with her and came to the sepulchre where he
   was laid.

   52  And they feared lest the Jews should see them, and they said,
   Although on the day on which he was crucified we could not weep and
   lament, yet now let us do these things at his sepulchre.

   53  But who shall roll away for us the stone that was laid at the door
   of the sepulchre, that we may enter in and sit by him and do the things
   that are due?  54  For the stone was great, and we fear lest some one
   see us.  And if we cannot, yet if we but set at the door the things
   which we bring for a memorial of him, we will weep and lament, until we
   come unto our home.

   55  And they went away and found the tomb opened,

   and coming near they looked in there;

   and they see there a certain young man sitting in the midst of the
   tomb, beautiful and clothed in a robe exceeding bright;

   ------------------------

   Matthew.

   4  And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.

   5  And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye:  for I
   know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

   6  He is not here:  for he is risen, as he said.  Come, see the place
   where the Lord lay.

   7  And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the
   dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see
   him:  lo, I have told you.

   8  And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great
   joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

   Mark.

   6  And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted:  ye seek Jesus of
   Nazareth, which was crucified:  he is risen; he is not here:  behold
   the place where they laid him.

   7  But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before
   you into Galilee:  there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.

   8  And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they
   trembled and were amazed:  neither said they any thing to any man; for
   they were afraid.

   [Levi, etc.; cf. Mk. ii. 14.]

   Luke.

   6  He is not here, but is risen:  remember how he spake unto you when
   he was yet in Galilee,

   7  Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful
   men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

   8  And they remembered his words,

   9  And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the
   eleven, and to all the rest.

   John.

   Peter.

   who said unto them, 56  Wherefore are ye come?  Whom seek ye?  Him that
   was crucified?  He is risen and gone.  But if ye believe not, look in
   and see the place where he lay, that he is not [here]; for he is risen
   and gone away thither, whence he was sent.

   57  Then the women feared and fled.

   58  Now it was the last day of the unleavened bread, and many were
   going forth, returning to their homes, as the feast was ended.  59  But
   we, the twelve disciples of the Lord, mourned and were grieved:  and
   each one, being grieved for that which was come to pass, departed to
   his home.  60  But I, Simon Peter and Andrew my brother, took our nets
   and went to the sea; and there was with us Levi the son of Alphaeus,
   whom the Lord...
     __________________________________________________________________

   [10] [cf. John passim.]

   [11] [cf. Luke xxiii. 7.]

   [12] [cf. Luke xxii. 66; Acts iv. 27.]

   [13] [cf. Luke xxiii. 12.]

   [14] [cf. Matt. ix. 15; Mark ii. 20.]

   [15] [cf. Mark xvi. 10.]

   [16] [cf. Mark xvi. 10.]
     __________________________________________________________________
     __________________________________________________________________

   The Diatessaron of Tatian

   By

   Rev. Hope W. Hogg, B.D.
     __________________________________________________________________

   Introduction.

   ------------------------

   The aim of the following introductory paragraphs is neither to furnish
   a detailed restatement of facts already known, nor to offer an
   independent contribution to the discussion of the problems that arise,
   although in other circumstances such an attempt might be made with
   advantage.  All that is needed and practicable here is to describe
   briefly, if possible, the nature of the connection between the English
   treatise forming the next part of this volume and the ancient work
   known as the Diatessaron of Tatian; and then to indicate in a few words
   some of the more important or interesting features of the work itself,
   and some of the historical and other problems that are in one way or
   another connected with it.

   1  The Text Translated.--What is offered to the reader is a translation
   into English of an Arabic text, published at Rome in 1888, in a volume
   entitled in Arabic Diatessaron, which Titianus Compiled from the Four
   Gospels, with the alternative Latin title, Tatiani Evangeliorum
   Harmoniae, Arabice.  The Roman volume consists of two parts--the text,
   covering a little over 209 very clearly printed Arabic pages, and a
   Latin half, comprising a scholarly introduction (pp. v.-xv.), a Latin
   translation (pp. 1-99), and a table showing the order in which the
   passages taken from the gospels occur in the text.  The editor is P.
   Agostino Ciasca, a well known Orientalist, "scriptor" at the Vatican
   Library.

   2  Former Translations.--In his Introduction (p. xiv. f.) Ciasca
   explains that in his translation he aimed at preserving quantum, salva
   fidelitate, integrum fuit, indolem stylumque Clementinae Vulgate.  This
   Latin version was in its turn translated into English by the Rev. J.
   Hamlyn Hill, B.D., and published in 1894 in a volume entitled The
   Earliest Life of Christ, with an interesting introduction and a number
   of valuable appendices.  The ms. of Mr. Hill's translation of the Latin
   of Ciasca was compared with the Arabic original by Mr. G. Buchanan
   Gray, M.A., lecturer in Hebrew and the Old Testament in Mansfield
   College, Oxford.

   3  The Present Translation.--The translation offered here is quite
   independent of either of these two.  Ciasca's Latin was seldom
   consulted, except when it was thought the Arabic might perhaps be
   obscured by a misprint.  After the translation was completed, Hill's
   English was compared with it to transfer Mr. Hill's valuable system of
   references to the margin of this work, and to lessen the risk of
   oversights passing the last revision unnoticed.  In two or three cases
   this process led to the adoption of a different construction, and in a
   few of the more awkward passages a word was borrowed as being less
   harsh than that which had originally been written.  Speaking generally,
   the present version appears to differ from Mr. Hill's in adhering more
   closely to the original. [17]

   4  The Arabic Text.--Only two Arabic mss. are known to exist.  Ciasca
   tells us (p. xiv.) that he took as the basis of his text that ms. which
   is more careful in its orthography, the Cod. Vat. Arab. No. 14.  He,
   however, printed at the foot of the page the variants of the other ms.,
   and supplied from it two lacunae in the Cod. Vat., [18] substituted its
   readings for those of the Cod. Vat. where he thought them preferable,
   and followed its testimony in omitting two important passages. [19]
   Here and there Ciasca has emended the text, but he does not profess to
   have produced a critical edition. [20]

   5  The Arabic mss.--Unfortunately, the present writer has not had an
   opportunity of examining these two mss.; but they have been described
   at some length by Ciasca; Codex XIV. in Pitra's Analecta Sacra, iv.,
   465 ff., and the other codex in the volume with which we are dealing,
   p. vi. ff.  I. The former, which we shall call the Vatican ms. (in
   Ciasca's footnotes it is called A), was brought to the Vatican from the
   East by Joseph S. Assemani [21] about a.d. 1719.  It was described by
   Stephen E. Assemani, [22] Rosenmueller, and Akerblad, [23] and then at
   length by Ciasca, to whose account the reader must be referred for the
   details.  It consists of 123 folios, of which the first seven are
   somewhat spoiled, and of which two are missing, [24] and is supposed by
   Ciasca, from the character of the writing, and from the presence of
   certain Coptic letters [25] by the first hand, to have been written in
   Egypt.  S. Assemani assigned it to the twelfth century, and Ciasca
   accepts his verdict, while Akerblad says the thirteenth or fourteenth
   century.  The text of the ms. is pretty fully vocalised, but there are
   few diacritical points.  There are marginal notes, some of them by a
   later hand, [26] which Ciasca classifies as (1) emendations, (2)
   restorations, (3) explanations.  II. The second ms., which we shall
   call the Borgian (in Ciasca's footnotes it is called B), was brought to
   the Borgian Museum from Egypt in August, 1886.  It has at the end the
   following inscription in Arabic:  "A present from Halim Dos Ghali, the
   Copt, the Catholic, to the Apostolic See, in the year of Christ 1886."
   [27]   Antonius Morcos, Visitor Apostolic of the Catholic Copts, when,
   in the beginning of 1886, he was shown and informed about the Vatican
   ms., told of this other one and was the means of its being sent to
   Rome.  The Borgian ms., which Ciasca refers to the fourteenth century,
   consists of 355 folios.  Folios 1-85 [28] contain an anonymous preface
   on the gospels, briefly described by Ciasca, who, however, does not say
   whether it appears to have been originally written in Arabic or to have
   been translated into that language.  With folios 96b, 97a, which are
   reproduced in phototype in Ciasca's edition, begins the Introductory
   Note given in full at the beginning of the present translation.  The
   text of the Diatessaron ends on folio 353a, but is followed by certain
   appendices, for which see below, S:55, 17, note.  This ms. is complete,
   and has, as we shall see, [29] in some respects a better text, though
   it is worse in its orthography than the Vatican ms.

   6  Condition of the Arabic Text.--Ciasca's text does not profess to be
   critically determined, for which purpose a more careful study of each
   of the mss. and an estimate of their respective texts would be
   indispensable.  Although the Borgian ms. is supposed by Ciasca to be a
   century or two later than the Vatican ms. it is clearly not a copy of
   the latter, for not only does it sometimes offer more original
   readings, but, as we shall see, its text in some points coincides more
   exactly in scope with the original work.  The list of various readings
   supplied by Ciasca, [30] which is equal to about a fifth or a quarter
   of the text itself, ought to yield, on being analysed, some canons of
   criticism.  The footnotes of the present edition are enough to show
   that a number of the peculiar features of Ciasca's text do not belong
   to the original Arabic ms.; and further study would dispose of still
   more.  On the other hand, there are unfortunately some indications [31]
   that the common ancestor of both mss., though perhaps less than two
   centuries removed from the original, was not the original itself, and
   therefore emendation may be necessary even where both mss. agree.  From
   first to last it has to be borne in mind that a great deal of work was
   done at Arabic versions of the gospels, [32] and the text of the copy
   from which our two mss. are descended may already have suffered from
   contact with other versions; while the special activity of the
   thirteenth century may have left its mark in some places on the text of
   the Borgian ms., supposing it to be chronologically the later.

   7  Origin of the Arabic Text.--If some of the uncouthness of the Arabic
   text is due to corruption in the course of transmission, much is also
   due to its being not an original work, but a translation.  That it is,
   in the main, a translation from Syriac is too obvious to need proof.
   [33]   The Introductory Notice and Subscription to the Borgian ms.,
   moreover, expressly state that the work was translated by one Abu'l
   Faraj `Abdulla ibn-at-Tayyib, [34] an "excellent and learned priest,"
   and the inferiority of parts of the translation, [35] and entire
   absence of any confirmatory evidence, [36] hardly suffice to refute
   this assertion.  Still, the Borgian ms. is a late witness, and although
   it most probably preserves a genuine tradition as to the author of our
   work, its statement need not therefore necessarily be correct in every
   point.

   8  The Arabic Editor and his Method.--Ibn-at-Tayyib (d. 1043) is a well
   known man, a Nestorian monk and scholar, secretary to Elias I.,
   Patriarch of Nisibis (for references to sources see, e.g., Ciasca's
   Introduction, p. xi. f. and Steinschneider's long note in his
   Polemische und apologetische Lit. in Arabische Sprache, pp. 52-55).  As
   we are here concerned with him simply as a link in the chain connecting
   our present work with its original source, the only point of interest
   for us is the method he followed in producing it.  Did he prepare an
   independent translation or did he make use of existing Arabic versions,
   his own or others'?  Until this question which space forbids us to
   discuss here, has been more thoroughly investigated, [37] it must
   suffice to say that in view of the features in the present text that
   have not yet been shown to exist in any other Arabic version, it is
   still at least a tenable hypothesis that Ibn-at-Tayyib's ms.
   constituted to a considerable extent a real translation rather than a
   sort of Arabic parallel to the Codex Fuldensis (see below, 12).

   9  The Syriac Text Translated--The eleventh century ms. of
   Ibn-at-Tayyib, could we reach it, would bring us face to face with the
   more interesting question of the nature of his Syriac original.  The
   Subscription to the Borgian ms. states, probably copying the statement
   from its exemplar, that this was a. Syriac ms. in the handwriting of
   `Isa ibn-`Ali al Motatabbib, pupil of Honain ibn Ishak.  This Honain
   was a famous Arabic physician and medical writer of Bagdad (d. 873),
   whose school produced quite a number of translations and translators,
   among whom Ibn-`Ali, supposed to be identical with the Syriac
   lexicographer of the same name, is known to have had a high place.  The
   Syriac ms., therefore, that Ibn-at-Tayyib translated takes us back to
   about the year 900.  But the Subscription to each of our mss. [38]
   states that the work ended is the gospel called Diatessaron, compiled
   from the four gospels by Titianus; while the Introductory Note to the
   Borgian ms. adds that this Titianus was a Greek.  The next step,
   therefore, is to inquire whether any traces exist of such a Syriac
   work, or any statements by which we can check the account just given of
   it.

   10  Other Traces of a Syriac Text.--No copy of a Syriac Diatessaron has
   yet been shown to have survived. [39]   A number of quotations [40]
   from such a work have, however, been found in a Syriac commentary on
   the New Testament by Isho`dad of Merv (circ. 852), a contemporary of
   Honain, Ibn-`Ali's teacher. [41]   The value of these extracts is
   apparent, for they take us back one generation earlier than
   Ibn-at-Tayyib's Syriac exemplar.  More important still, they do not
   entirely agree with the text of our Arabic version.  To solve the
   problem thus raised, we must examine some of the statements about the
   Diatessaron to be found in ecclesiastical writers.

   11  Statements about the Diatessaron.--One of the most widely known is
   that of Isho`dad himself, who, in his Preface to the Gospel of Mark,
   says:  "Tatian, disciple of Justin, the philosopher and martyr,
   selected from the four gospels, and combined and composed a gospel, and
   called it Diatessaron, i.e., the Combined,...and upon this gospel Mar
   Ephraem commented." [42]   Dionysius Bar Salibi (twelfth century)
   repeats each of these phrases, adding, "Its commencement was, `In the
   beginning was the Word.'" [43]   These statements identify the author
   of the Diatessaron with a man otherwise known, and tell us that the
   great Syrian father Ephraem (d. 373) wrote a commentary on it.
   Unfortunately, no Syriac ms. of Ephraem's work is known to have
   survived; [44] but quotations from it, or allusions to it, are being
   found in other Syriac writers.  One further reference will suffice for
   the present.  Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrrhus, four hundred years before
   Isho`dad, wrote thus in his book on Heresies (written in 453):  "Tatian
   the Syrian....This [writer] also composed the gospel which is called
   Diatessaron, cutting out the genealogies and whatever other passages
   show that the Lord was born of the seed of David according to the
   flesh." [45]   Before examining the testimonials we have now adduced,
   we must notice certain more remote sources of information.

   12  Non-Syriac Texts of the Diatessaron.--Although Ephraem's Syriac
   commentary on the Diatessaron is for the present lost, there is an
   Armenian version of it [46] extant in two mss. dating from about the
   time of Bar Salibi and our Vat. ms. [47]   A Latin translation of this
   work, published in 1876 by Moesinger, [48] formed the main basis of
   Zahn's attempt [49] to reconstruct the Diatessaron.  Appendix X in
   Hill's Diatessaron (pp. 334-377) contains an English translation of the
   texts commented on by Ephraem, made from Moesinger's Latin, but
   collated with the Armenian by Professor J. Armitage Robinson, of
   Cambridge.  A comparison of this document with our Arabic text shows a
   remarkable agreement in the order and contents, but just as remarkable
   a lack of agreement in the kind of text presented.  The same phenomenon
   is met with when we compare our Arabic text with a document that
   carries us back three hundred years before the time of Isho`dad, and
   therefore more than six hundred years before the Armenian mss.--the
   Codex Fuldensis of the Vulgate. [50]   This ms. contains an arrangement
   of the gospel matter that its discoverer and publisher, Bishop Victor
   of Capua (d. 554), rightly concluded must represent the Diatessaron of
   Tatian, but for the text of which was apparently substituted that of
   the Vulgate. [51]   We are now ready to weigh the testimony we have
   gathered. [52]

   13  Accretions to the Diatessaron.--The statements we are to consider
   are:  (1) Bar Salibi's, that Tatian's Diatessaron began with "In the
   beginning was the Word"; [53] (2) Theodoret's, that Tatian cut out the
   genealogies; and (3) the same writer's, that Tatian also cut out
   "whatever other passages show that the Lord was born of the seed of
   David according to the flesh."  Of these statements 1 conflicts with
   the Arabic text, which begins with Mark, and the Codex Fuldensis, which
   begins with Luke, but agrees with the Ephraem source; the same is true
   of 2; while 3 conflicts with all three texts.  Our limits do not admit
   of our discussing these points in detail.  It must suffice to say (1)
   that, although a more careful examination at firsthand of the
   introductory notices in the two Arabic mss. seems needed before one can
   venture to propound a complete theory, a comparison of the two texts,
   and a consideration of the descriptions given by Ciasca and Lagarde,
   [54] make it almost certain that the genuine Arabic text of
   Ibn-at-Tayyib began with John i. 1.  Similarly the first four verses of
   Luke (on which see also below, S: 1. 6, note) were probably not in the
   original text of the ms. that Victor found, for they are not mentioned
   in the (old) table of contents.  We seem thus to detect a process of
   gradual accretion of material drawn from the ordinary gospel text.  (2)
   The genealogies illustrate the same process.  In the Vatican ms. they
   form part of the text. [55]   But in the Borgian ms., although they
   precede the Subscription, and therefore may have been already in the
   ninth century Syriac ms. used by Ibn-at-Tayyib, they are still placed
   by themselves, after a blank space, at the end of the volume, with a
   title of their own. [56]   Here, therefore, we actually see stages of
   the process of accretion.  (3) It is therefore possible that the same
   account must also be given of 3, although in this case we have no
   direct proof.

   14  Passages Lost from the Diatessaron.--If the Diatessaron has thus
   been growing so as to represent the ordinary text of the canonical
   gospels more completely, we have also evidence that suggests that it
   has been at some time or times purged of certain features that are
   lacking in these canonical gospels.  For one case of this kind see
   below, S:4, 36, note.

   15  Presentation of the Text of the Diatessaron.--We have observed
   already that the Latin, Armenian, and Arabic Diatessarons correspond
   pretty closely in subject matter and arrangement, but differ markedly
   in text.  The Codex Fuldensis is really a ms. of the Vulgate, although
   the text that Victor found was probably somewhat different.  The
   Armenian text differs materially from the ordinary Syriac version of
   the New Testament (the Peshitta), showing a marked connection with
   another type of Syriac text represented now by the Curetonian and
   Sinaitic (Lewis) mss.  The Arabic text, on the other hand, almost
   systematically represents the Peshitta.  The explanation of the
   condition of text in the Codex Fuldensis is obvious.  On the other
   hand, the relationship of the Armenian and Arabic texts to the original
   Diatessaron must be determined by weighing very multifarious evidence
   that cannot be even cited here (see above 6 ff.).  The two texts
   depend, as we have seen, on late mss. but all the earlier references
   and quotations go to show that the Armenian text [57] stands much more
   closely related to the original than does the Arabic.

   16  Checkered History of the Diatessaron.--What use the Arabic edition
   of Ibn-at-Tayyib was put to when made we do not know.  `Abd Isho` (d.
   1318) speaks in the highest terms of Tatian's work, saying, "...With
   all diligence he attended to the utmost degree to the right order of
   those things which were said and done by the Saviour; of his own he did
   not add a single saying." [58]   But the leaders of the Syrian church
   had not always thought so.  Theodoret (loc. cit.) some nine hundred
   years earlier had written thus:  "...Even those that follow the
   apostolic doctrines, not perceiving the mischief of the composition,"
   used "the book too simply as an abridgment."  A few years earlier
   Rabbula, Bishop of Edessa (d. 435), had said: [59]   "Let the
   presbyters and deacons give heed that in all the churches there be
   provided and read a copy of the Distinct Gospel," i.e., not the
   harmonized or mixed gospel.  But obviously these men were trying to
   suppress traditional practice due to very different views.  Theodoret
   (loc. cit.) found more than two hundred copies of the work "held in
   respect in the churches"; and the Doctrine of Addai (Edessa, third to
   fourth century) seems simply to identify the Diatessaron and the New
   Testament. [60]   Outside of the Syriac speaking churches we find no
   signs of any such use of the Diatessaron.  It would seem, therefore,
   that at a quite early stage the Diatessaron was very widely if not
   universally read in the Syriac churches, and commented on by scholars
   as the gospel; that in time it fell under the condemnation of some at
   least of the church leaders, who made violent efforts to suppress it;
   that it could not be suppressed; that a commentary on it was (perhaps
   in the fifth century [61] ) translated into Armenian; that it was still
   discussed by commentators, and new Syriac mss. of it made in the ninth
   century, and thought worth the labor of reproduction in Arabic in the
   beginning of the eleventh century; that mss. of the Armenian volume
   continued to be made down to the very end of the twelfth century, and
   of the Arabic edition down to the fourteenth century; but that this
   long life was secured at the expense of a more or less rapid
   assimilation of the text to that of the great Syriac Bible which from
   the fourth century onwards became more and more exclusively used--the
   Peshitta.

   17  The Author of the Diatessaron.--The Diatessaron is such an
   impersonal work that we do not need to know very much about its
   compiler. [62]   It will suffice here to say that he tells us himself
   that he was born "in the land of the Assyrians," and brought up a
   heathen.  After travelling in search of knowledge, he settled at Rome,
   where he became a pupil of Justin Martyr, professed Christianity, and
   wrote in Greek his Address to the Greeks, [63] translated in vol. iii.
   of the Ante-Nicene Christian Library.  He was too independent in his
   attitude to maintain a permanent popularity, and after Justin's death
   left Rome and returned to Mesopotamia.  It was probably here that he
   issued in Syriac his most important work, the Diatessaron, which won
   such a warm place in the heart of the Syrian church.  Among the Greek
   scholars, however, he became more and more regarded as a heretic,
   Encratite (ascetic), and Gnostic.

   18  The Diatessaron as a Harmony.--Not very much need be said on this
   subject, as every reader can collect the facts for himself.  In its
   present form the Harmony draws from all the four canonical gospels, and
   from very little else.  Opinions differ as to whether it originally
   indicated the gospel from which any given piece was drawn, and some
   uncertainty must remain in special cases as to what gospel actually has
   been drawn upon.  Professor G. F. Moore, in a very interesting article
   on the Diatessaron, [64] having counted the references in the Arabic
   mss., states that the Arabic text contains 50 percent of Mark, 66
   percent of Luke, 76.5 percent of Matthew, and 96 percent of John.  The
   summation of his figures gives the following result:  out of a total of
   3780 verses in the four gospels, the Diatessaron quotes 2769 and omits
   1011.  As to the order in which the whole is arranged, Moore thinks
   that Matthew has chiefly been followed; while Zahn regards the Fourth
   Gospel as normative.  For a specimen of the way in which words and
   phrases from the different gospels are woven together, we may refer to
   S: 52, 35 ff., and the notes thereon.  In the Arabic mss., and probably
   in the Syriac exemplar, the work is divided into fifty-four almost
   equal chapters, followed by one short one--a feature that agrees well
   with what we have learned of the work as being of old the lectionary of
   the Syrian church.

   19  Problems Connected with the Diatessaron.--The Diatessaron opens up
   a very wide field of study.  A few points may be here enumerated (see
   also above, 8, and note there).  In what language was it written?  On
   the view favoured by an increasing majority of scholars, that it was
   written in Syriac, was it a translation or simply a compilation?  What
   precisely is its relation to the Syriac versions and the "Western" text
   generally?  Then there is its bearing on the date and formation of the
   canonical gospels; the phenomenon of its so long supplying the place of
   those gospels; the analogy it presents to the Pentateuch, according to
   the critical view of the origin of the latter.  These and other issues
   make the Diatessaron an important and interesting study.

   20  The Present Translation.--The work of translation has been found
   much more tedious than was anticipated, notwithstanding the fact that
   considerably more than half of it is the work of my wife, which I have
   simply revised with special attention to the many obscurities dealt
   with in the footnotes.  We have, however, worked so much together that
   it is very doubtful whether any one could assign the various parts to
   their respective sources.  My wife also verified the Arabic references
   to the gospels printed on the margin to the right of the text, [65] and
   prepared the Index to these references--an extremely laborious and
   perplexing piece of work.  This Index is inserted merely for the
   practical purpose of enabling the reader to find any given gospel piece
   in the Diatessaron.  When a verse is not found in the Index, an
   equivalent passage from some of the other gospels should be looked
   for.  On the margin to the left of the text are indicated the pages of
   the Arabic text and the sections and verses in Hill's version. [66]

   The aim has been to make a literal translation.  As two freer
   translations already exist, it seemed best to incline to the side of
   being overliteral.  If, however, features due simply to Arabic idiom
   have been preserved, this is an oversight.  Uniformity could only have
   been secured by devoting a much longer time to the work than the editor
   was able to allow.  The difficulties are due to the corrupt state of
   the Arabic text, [67] and to the awkward reproduction [68] or actual
   misunderstanding [69] of the Syriac original by the author or authors
   of the Arabic translation.  It has been impossible to maintain
   consistency in dealing with these phenomena.  If any rendering seem
   strange, it will be well to consult the Syriac versions before deciding
   that it is wrong.  A good deal of attention, too, has to be paid to the
   usage of the Arabic text, which, though it has many points of contact
   with other Arabic versions of the gospels, e.g., the ms. described by
   Gildemeister (De evangg. in arab. e simp. Syr., 1865), is as yet for us
   (see above, 8) a distinct version, possessed of an individuality of its
   own, one pronounced feature being its very close adherence to its
   Syriac original.  Another revision of the present translation, in the
   light of a fuller study of these features, would doubtless lead to
   changes both in the text and in the footnotes.  The latter aim at
   preventing misunderstanding and giving some examples of the
   peculiarities of the text, and of the differences between the mss.  To
   have dealt systematically with the text and various readings would have
   required much more time and space than was available.  The consequence
   of this incompleteness has been some uncertainty at times what text to
   translate.  As already stated (paragraphs 4 and 6), Ciasca's printed
   text neither represents any one ms. nor professes to be based in its
   eclecticism on any systematic critical principles.  On the whole Ciasca
   has here been followed somewhat mechanically in deciding what to
   exhibit in the text and what to relegate to the footnotes.  As a rule
   conjectural emendations have not been admitted into the text except
   where the ms. readings would hardly bear translation.  Italics in the
   text denote words supplied for the sake of English idiom; in the
   footnotes, quotations from the mss.  It is to be noted that many
   linguistic usages said, for shortness, in the footnotes to be
   characteristic of the present work, i.e., as compared with ordinary
   Arabic, are common in Arabic versions.  "Syriac versions" means the
   three (Pesh., Cur., Sin.), or as many of them as contain the passage in
   question; if the Peshitta alone is quoted, it may be assumed that Cur.
   and Sin. are missing or diverge.

   In conclusion we may say that an effort has been made to preserve even
   the order of words; but it must be emphasized that it is very doubtful
   whether it is wise for any one to use the Arabic Diatessaron for
   critical purposes who is not acquainted with Arabic and Syriac.  The
   tenses, e.g., are much vaguer in Arabic than in Greek and English, and
   are, moreover, in this work often accommodated to Syriac idiom.  The
   Greek and the Revised Version have been used to determine in almost
   every case how the vague Arabic tenses and conjunctions should be
   rendered.  It is therefore only where it differs from these that our
   translation can be quoted without investigation as giving positive
   evidence.

   This is not a final translation.  Few books have had a more remarkable
   literary history than the Diatessaron, and that history is by no means
   done.  Much careful argument will yet be devoted to it, and perhaps
   discoveries as important as any hitherto made are yet to shed light on
   the problems that encircle it.  If our work can help any one to take a
   step in advance, we shall not regret the toil.

   Oxford, 21st December, 1895.
     __________________________________________________________________

   [17] For further explanation of the method followed see 20.

   [18] See notes to S: 7, 47, and S: 52, 36, of the present translation.

   [19] See below, 12, (2).

   [20] See also below, 6, and 20.

   [21] Bibl. Or., i., 619.

   [22] Mai, Vet. script. nova. collect., iv., 14.

   [23] cf. Zahn, Forschungen, i., 294 ff.

   [24] See below, S: 7, 47, note, and S: 52, 36, note.

   [25] See below, S: 28, 43, note.

   [26] See below, foot-notes, passim.

   [27] The first leaf bears a more pretentious Latin inscription, quoted
   by Ciasca, p. vi.

   [28] Can this be a misprint for 95?

   [29] See below, 13.

   [30] He does not state, in so many words, that the list is absolutely
   exhaustive.

   [31] See, e.g., below, S: 13, 42, note, and S: 14, 43, note.

   [32] See the valuable article of Guidi, "Le traduzioni degli Evangelii
   in arabo e in etiopico" (Atti della R. Accademia dei Lincei; Classe di
   Scienze Morali, Storiche e filologiche.  Serie Quarta, 1888, Parte
   Prima--Memorie, pp. 5-38).  Some of his results are briefly stated in
   Scrivener, A Plain Introd. to the Crit. of the N.T., 4th ed., ii., 162.

   [33] cf.the foot-notes passim, e.g., S: 13, 14, S: 14, 24.

   [34] See below, note to Subscription.

   [35] See a glaring case in S: 52, 11.

   [36] The references to the readings of the Diatessaron in
   Ibn-at-Tayyib's own commentary on the gospels (see next note) are
   remarkably impersonal for one who had made or was to make a translation
   of it.

   [37] A specially important part of the general question is this, What
   are the mutual relations of the following:  (1) a supposed version of
   at least Matthew and John made from the Syriac by Ibn-at-Tayyib,
   mentioned by Ibn-al-`Assal in the Preface to his scholarly recension of
   the gospels (ms. numbered Or. 3382 in Brit. Mus., folio 384b) and used
   by him in determining his text; (2) the gospel text interwoven with the
   commentary of Ibn-at-Tayyib on the gospels, a commentary which De Slane
   says the author wrote in Syriac and then translated into Arabic; (3)
   our present work.  Of mss. testifying to No. 1 we have some dating from
   the time of Ibn-al-`Assal himself; of No. 2 we have, in addition to
   others, an eleventh-century ms. in Paris, described by De Slane
   (catalogue No. 85) as being "un volume depareille du ms. original de
   l'ouvrage"; of No. 3 we have of course the Vatican and Borgian mss.
   What is the mutual relation of these texts; were any two of them
   identical?  The Brit. Mus. ms. of the second has many points of contact
   with the third, but is dated 1805 a.d.  Does the older Paris ms. stand
   more or less closely related?  Did Ibn-at-Tayyib himself really
   translate any or all of these texts, or did he simply select or edit
   them?  Space does not permit us to point out, far less to discuss, the
   various possibilities.

   [38] The text is given below in full at its proper place.

   [39] Prof. Gottheil, indeed, announced in 1892 in the Journal of
   Biblical Literature (vol. xi., pt. i., p. 71) that he had been
   privately informed of the existence of a complete copy of the Syriac
   Diatessaron.  Unfortunately, however, as he has kindly informed me, he
   has reluctantly come to the conclusion that the ms. in question, which
   is not yet accessible, is "nothing more than the commentary of
   Isho`dad" mentioned in the text.  A similar rumor lately circulated
   probably originated simply in the pamphlet of Goussen mentioned in the
   next note.  S. Baeumer, on the other hand, in his article, "Tatians
   Diatessaron, seine bisher. Lit. u. die Reconstruction des Textes nach
   einer neuentdeckten Handschrift" (Literarischer Handweiser, 1890,
   153-169) which the present writer has not been able to see, perhaps
   refers simply to the Borgian ms.

   [40] Attention was called to these by Profs. Isaac H. Hall and R. J. H.
   Gottheil (Journ. of Bibl. Lit., x., 153 ff.; xi., 68 ff.); then by
   Prof. J. R. Harris (Contemp. Rev., Aug., 1895, p. 271 ff., and, more
   fully, Fragments of the Com. of Ephr. Syr. on the Diatess., London,
   1895) and by Goussen (Studia Theologica, fasc. i., Lips., 1895).

   [41] Prof. Harris promises an edition of this commentary.

   [42] Harris, Fragments, p. 14, where the Syriac text is quoted.

   [43] Bib. Or., ii., 159 f.  Most of them are repeated again by Bar
   Hebraeus (d. 1286), although some confusion is produced by his
   interweaving some phrases from Eusebius of Caesarea.  (Bib. Or., i., 57
   f., and a longer quotation in English in Contemp. Rev., Aug., 1895, p.
   274 f.)

   [44] Lagarde's statement (Nachrichten von der Koenigl. Gesellsch. der
   Wiss., etc., zu Goettingen, 1891, No. 4, p. 153) that a ms. had been
   discovered, appears to have been unfounded.  Prof. Rahlfs of Goettingen
   kindly tells me that he believes this is so.

   [45] Migne, Patrol. graec., tom. lxxxiii., col. 369, 372.

   [46] Published at Venice in 1836.

   [47] The two Armenian mss. are dated a.d. 1195.

   [48] Evangelii Concordantis Expositio, facta a S. Ephraemo (Ven.,
   1876).

   [49] Forschungen zur Geschichte des neutestamentlichen Kanons, I.
   Theil.

   [50] Edited by Ernestus Ranke, Marb. and Lips., 1868.

   [51] For other forms of the Diatessaron, of no critical importance, see
   S. Hemphill, The Diatessaron of Tatian (London, 1888), Appendix D and
   the refs. there.

   [52] Further references, chiefly repetitions in one form or another of
   the statements we have quoted, may be found in a convenient form in
   Harnack, Gesch. d. altchrist. Lit. bis. Euseb., 493-496; cf. also the
   works mentioned by Hill (op. cit.) p. 378 f.

   [53] cf. the words of Aphraates, senior contemporary of Ephraem:  "As
   it is written in the beginning of the Gospel of our Vivifier:  In the
   beginning was the Word."  (Patrol. Syr., pars i., tom. i., 21, lines
   17-19).

   [54] Nachrichten von der Koenigl. Gesellsch. der Wiss., etc., March 17,
   1886, No. 4, p. 151 ff.

   [55] See notes to S: 1, 81, and S: 4, 29.

   [56] See note to S: 55, 17.

   [57] The Armenian version of Ephraem is supposed to date from the fifth
   century.

   [58] Mai, Script. vet. nov.  Coll., x., 191.

   [59] Overbeck, S. Ephraemi, etc., Opera Selecta, p. 220, lines 3-5.

   [60] Phillips, Doct. Add., p. 36, 15-17 [E. Tr. p. 34].

   [61] Moesinger, Evang. Concord., etc., p. xi.

   [62] The latest discussion of the question whether this really was
   Tatian is Mr. Rendel Harris's article in the Contemp. Rev., Aug., 1895.

   [63] Best ed. by Eduard Schwartz, in Texte und Untersuchungen, IV.
   Band, Heft 1.

   [64] "Tatian's Diatessaron and the Analysis of the Pentateuch," Journ.
   of Bibl. Lit., vol. ix., 1890, pt. ii., 201-215.

   [65] The refs., except where the foot-notes indicate otherwise, are to
   the verses of the English or Greek Bible.  The numbers of the Arabic
   verse refs. (which follow the Vulgate and therefore in one or two
   passages differ from the English numbers by one) may, however, have
   been occasionally retained through oversight.  It is only the name of
   the gospel that can possibly be ancient.

   [66] It may be mentioned that it has been found very convenient to mark
   these figures on the margin of the Arabic text.  An English index (that
   given here, or that in Hill's volume) can then be used for the Arabic
   text also.

   [67] e.g., S: 8, 10.  For a list of suggested emendations see at end of
   Index.

   [68] e.g., S: 52, 11.

   [69] e.g., S: 45, 33.
     __________________________________________________________________

   Introductory Notes.

   ------------------------

   1.  In the Borgian Ms.

   In the name of the one God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy
   Spirit, to him be the glory forever.  We shall begin, with the help of
   God most high, the writing of the pure gospel, the blooming garden,
   called Diatessaron (a word meaning "fourfold"), the work compiled by
   Titianus the Greek out of the four evangelists--Matthew the elect,
   whose symbol is M, Mark the chosen, whose symbol is R, Luke the
   approved, whose symbol is K, and John the beloved, whose symbol is H.
   The work was translated from Syriac into Arabic by the excellent and
   learned priest Abu'l Faraj `Abdulla ibn-at-Tayyib, [70] may God grant
   him his favour.  He began with the first of [71] And he said:  The
   Beginning [72] of the Gospel of Jesus the Son of the living God.  John:
   [73]   In the beginning, etc.

   2.  In the Vatican ms.

   In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, giver of
   life, the God that is one in substance in his essence, and three in
   persons in his attributes.  The first of his Gospel is He began the
   first of his Gospel with Mark.  And he said:  The Beginning [74] of the
   Gospel of Jesus the Son of the living God.  John:  In the beginning,
   etc.
     __________________________________________________________________

   [70] The ms. here has Tabib, but the name is correctly given in the
   Subscription (q.v.).

   [71] i.e., simply He began with.

   [72] The vowel signs as printed by Ciasca imply some such construction
   asAnd he said as a beginning:  The Gospel, etc.  But the vocalisation
   is of course not authoritative, and a comparison with the preface in
   the Vatican ms. suggests the rendering given above.  The word
   translated Beginning in the two Introductory Notes is the very word
   (whichever spelling be adopted) used by Ibn-at-Tayyib himself in his
   comments on Mark i. (at least according to the Brit. Mus. ms.),
   although not in the gospel text prefixed to the Comments as it now
   stands, or indeed in any ms. Arabic gospel in the Brit. Mus.  This
   would seem to militate against our theory of the original form of this
   much-debated passage in the Introductory Notes, as indicated by the use
   of small type for the later inserted phrases; and the difficulty
   appears at first to be increased by the following words in
   Ibn-at-Tayyib's comments on Mark i. (Brit. Mus. ms., fol. 190a), and
   some say that the Greek citation and in the Diatessaron, which Tatianus
   the pupil of Justianus the philosopher wrote, the quotation is not
   written, "Isaiah," but, "as it is written in the prophet."  This is a
   remarkable statement about the Diatessaron.  But the sentence is hardly
   grammatical.  Perhaps the words printed in italics originally formed a
   complete sentence by themselves, possibly on the margin.  If this
   conjecture be correct we might emend, e.g., by restoring them to the
   margin, and repeating the last three words or some equivalent phrase in
   the text.  It would be interesting to know how the Paris ms. reads.
   See below, p. 138 (Suggested Emendations).

   [73] Ciasca does not state whether the word John occurs here in the
   Borgian ms. or not.

   [74] The vowel signs as printed by Ciasca imply some such construction
   asAnd he said as a beginning: The Gospel, etc. But the vocalisation is
   of course not authoritative, and a comparison with the preface in the
   Vatican ms. suggests the rendering given above. The word translated
   Beginning in the two Introductory Notes is the very word (whichever
   spelling be adopted) used by Ibn-at-Tayyib himself in his comments on
   Mark i. (at least according to the Brit. Mus. ms.), although not in the
   gospel text prefixed to the Comments as it now stands, or indeed in any
   ms. Arabic gospel in the Brit. Mus. This would seem to militate against
   our theory of the original form of this much-debated passage in the
   Introductory Notes, as indicated by the use of small type for the later
   inserted phrases; and the difficulty appears at first to be increased
   by the following words in Ibn-at-Tayyib's comments on Mark i. (Brit.
   Mus. ms., fol. 190a), and some say that the Greek citation and in the
   Diatessaron, which Tatianus the pupil of Justianus the philosopher
   wrote, the quotation is not written, "Isaiah," but, "as it is written
   in the prophet". This is a remarkable statement about the Diatessaron.
   But the sentence is hardly grammatical. Perhaps the words printed in
   italics originally formed a complete sentence by themselves, possibly
   on the margin. If this conjecture be correct we might emend, e.g., by
   restoring them to the margin, and repeating the last three words or
   some equivalent phrase in the text. It would be interesting to know how
   the Paris ms. reads. See below, p. 138 (Suggested Emendations).
     __________________________________________________________________
     __________________________________________________________________

   The Text of the Diatessaron.

   ------------------------

   [Section I]

   [1] [75] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
   God is the [2,3] Word.  [76] This was in the beginning with God.  [77]
   Everything was by his hand, and [4] without him not even one existing
   thing was made.  [78] In him was life, and the life [5] is the light of
   men.  [79] And the light shineth in the darkness, and the darkness
   apprehended it not.

   [6] [80] [81] There was in the days of Herod the king a priest whose
   name was Zacharias, of the family of Abijah; and his wife was of the
   daughters of Aaron, and her name [7] was Elizabeth.  [82] And they were
   both righteous before God, walking in all his commands, [8] and in the
   uprightness of God without reproach.  [83] And they had no son, for [9]
   Elizabeth was barren, and they had both advanced in age.  [84] And
   while he discharged [10] [Arabic, p. 2] the duties of priest in the
   order of his service before God, [85] according to the custom of the
   priesthood it was his turn to burn incense; so he entered the [11]
   temple of the Lord.  [86] And the whole gathering of the people were
   praying without at the [12] time of the incense.  [87] And there
   appeared unto Zacharias the angel of the Lord, standing [13] at the
   right of the altar of incense; [88] and Zacharias was troubled when he
   saw him, [14] and fear fell upon him.  [89] But the angel said unto
   him, Be not agitated, [90] Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard, and thy
   wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt [15] call his name
   John; [91] and thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice
   [16] at his birth.  [92] And he shall be great before the Lord, and
   shall not drink wine nor strong drink, and he shall be filled with the
   Holy Spirit [93] while he is in his mother's [17] womb.  [94] And he
   shall turn back many of the children of Israel to the Lord their [18]
   God.  [95] And he shall go before him in the spirit, and in the power
   of Elijah the prophet, to turn back the heart of the fathers to the
   sons, and those that obey not to the knowledge [96] of the righteous;
   and to prepare for the Lord a perfect people.  [19] [97] And Zacharias
   said unto the angel, How shall I know this, since I am an old man [20]
   and my wife is advanced in years?  [98] And the angel answered and said
   unto him, I am Gabriel, that standeth before God; and I was sent to
   speak unto thee, and give [21] thee tidings of this.  [99] Henceforth
   thou shalt be speechless, and shalt not be able to speak until the day
   in which this shall come to pass, because thou didst not trust [22]
   this my word, which shall be accomplished in its time.  [100] And the
   people were standing [Arabic, p. 3] awaiting Zacharias, and they were
   perplexed at his delaying in the temple.  [23] [101] And when Zacharias
   went out, he was not able to speak unto them:  so they knew that he had
   seen in the temple a vision; and he made signs unto them, and [24]
   continued dumb.  [102] And when the days of his service were completed,
   he departed to his dwelling.

   [25] [103] And after those days Elizabeth his wife conceived; and she
   hid herself five [26] months, and said, [104] This hath the Lord done
   unto me in the days when he looked upon me, to remove my reproach from
   among men.

   [27] [105] And [106] in the sixth month Gabriel the angel was sent from
   God to Galilee [107] to a [28] city called Nazareth, [108] to a virgin
   given in marriage to a man named Joseph, of the [29] house of David;
   and the virgin's name was Mary.  [109] And the angel entered unto her
   and said unto her, Peace be unto thee, thou who art filled with grace.
   Our Lord [30] is with thee, thou blessed amongst women.  [110] And she,
   when she beheld, was agitated [31] at his word, and pondered what this
   salutation could be.  [111] And the angel said unto [32] her, Fear not,
   Mary, for thou hast found favour with God.  [112] Thou shalt now
   conceive, [33] and bear a son, and call his name Jesus.  [113] This
   shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the
   Lord God will give him the throne of [34] David his father:  and he
   shall rule over the house of Jacob for ever; [114] and to his [35]
   kingdom there shall be no end.  [115] Mary said unto the angel, How
   shall this be to [36] me when no man hath known me?  [116] The angel
   answered and said unto her, The [Arabic, p. 4] Holy Spirit will come,
   and the power of the Most High shall rest upon thee, and therefore
   shall he that is born of thee be pure, and shall be called the Son [37]
   of God.  [117] And lo, Elizabeth thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived
   a son in her old [38] age; and this is the sixth month with her, her
   that is called barren.  [118] For nothing is [39] difficult for God.
   [119] Mary said, Lo, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be unto me
   according unto thy word.  And the angel departed from her.

   [40] [120] And then Mary arose in those days and went in haste into the
   hill country, [121] to a [122] [41] city of Judah; [123] and entered
   into the house of Zacharias, and asked for the health of [42]
   Elizabeth.  [124] And when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the
   babe leaped in [43] her womb.  [125] And Elizabeth was filled with the
   Holy Spirit; and cried with a loud voice and said unto Mary, Blessed
   art thou amongst women, and blessed is the [44] fruit that is in thy
   womb.  [126] Whence have I this privilege, that the mother of my [45]
   Lord should come unto me?  [127] When the sound of thy salutation
   reached my ears, [46] with great joy rejoiced the babe in my womb.
   [128] And blessed is she who believed [47] that what was spoken to her
   from the Lord would be fulfilled.  [129] And Mary said,

   My soul doth magnify the Lord,

   [48] [130] And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour,

   [49] [131] Who hath looked upon the low estate of his handmaiden:

   Lo, henceforth, all generations [132] shall pronounce blessing on me.

   [50] [133] For [134] he hath done great things for me, who is mighty,

   And holy is his name.

   [51] [135] And his mercy embraceth them who fear him,

   Throughout the ages and the times.

   [52] [Arabic, p. 5] [136] He wrought the victory with his arm,

   And scattered them that prided themselves in their opinions.

   [53] [137] He overthrew them that acted haughtily from their thrones,

   And raised the lowly.

   [54] [138] He satisfied with good things the hungry,

   And left the rich without anything.

   [55] [139] He helped Israel his servant,

   And remembered his mercy

   [56] [140] (According as he spake with our fathers)

   Unto Abraham and unto his seed for ever.

   [57] [141] And Mary abode with Elizabeth about three months, and
   returned unto her house.

   [58, 59] [142] And Elizabeth's time of delivery was come; and she
   brought forth a son.  [143] And her neighbours and kinsfolk heard that
   God had multiplied his mercy towards her; [60] and they rejoiced with
   her.  [144] And when [145] it was the eighth day, they came to
   circumcise the child, and called him Zacharias, calling him by the name
   of his father.  [61] [146] And his mother answered and said unto them,
   Not so; but he shall be called John.  [62] [147] And they said unto
   her, There is no man of thy kindred that is called by this name.  [63,
   64] [148] And they made signs to his father, saying, How dost thou wish
   to name him?  [149] And he asked for a tablet, and wrote and said, His
   name is John.  And every one wondered.  [65] [150] And immediately his
   mouth was opened, and his tongue, and he spake and [66] praised God.
   [151] And fear fell on all their neighbours:  and this was spoken of
   [152] in all [67] the mountains of Judah.  [153] And all who heard
   pondered in their hearts and said, What shall this child be?  And the
   hand of the Lord was with him.

   [68] [154] And Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Spirit,
   and prophesied and said,

   [69] [155] Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel,

   Who hath cared for his people, and wrought for it salvation;

   [70] [156] And hath raised for us the horn of salvation

   [Arabic, p. 6] In the house of David his servant

   [71] [157] (As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets from
   eternity),

   [72] [158] That he might save us from our enemies,

   And from the hand of all them that hate us.

   [73] [159] And he hath performed his mercy towards our fathers,

   And remembered his holy covenants,

   [74] [160] And the oath which he sware unto Abraham our father,

   [75] [161] That he would give us deliverance from the hand of our
   enemies,

   And without fear we shall [162] serve before him

   [76] [163] All our days with equity and righteousness.

   [77] [164] And as for thee, O child, prophet of the Most High shalt
   thou be called.

   Thou shalt go forth before the face of the Lord to prepare his way,

   [78] [165] To give the knowledge of salvation [166] unto his people,

   For the forgiveness of their sins,

   [79] [167] Through the mercy of [168] the compassion of our God,

   With which he careth for [169] us, to appear [170] from on high

   [80] [171] To give light to them that sit in darkness and under the
   shadow of death,

   And to set straight our feet in the way of peace.

   [81] [172] And the child grew and became strong in the spirit, and
   abode in the desert until the time of his appearing unto the children
   of Israel.
     __________________________________________________________________

   [75] John i. 1.

   [76] John i. 2.

   [77] John i. 3.

   [78] John i. 4.

   [79] John i. 5.

   [80] On the margin of the Vatican ms., fol. 1a, are written by a later
   hand these words, The first of his Gospel.  The first of the Evangel
   (is) the Gospel of Luke; followed by the text of the first four verses
   of Luke, and that in turn by the words, Four complete Gospels, Matthew,
   and Mark, and Luke, and John.  See Ciasca's Essay, cited above
   (Introduction, 5), p. 468.

   [81] Luke i. 5.

   [82] Luke i. 6.

   [83] Luke i. 7.

   [84] Luke i. 8.

   [85] Luke i. 9.

   [86] Luke i. 10.

   [87] Luke i. 11.

   [88] Luke i. 12.

   [89] Luke i. 13.

   [90] This word is constantly recurring in the sense of fear.

   [91] Luke i. 14.

   [92] Luke i. 15.

   [93] Everywhere, except in the introductory notes, the Arabic is the
   Spirit of Holiness, as in the Arabic versions.

   [94] Luke i. 16.

   [95] Luke i. 17.

   [96] See S: 28, 17, note.

   [97] Luke i. 18.

   [98] Luke i. 19.

   [99] Luke i. 20.

   [100] Luke i. 21.

   [101] Luke i. 22.

   [102] Luke i. 23.

   [103] Luke i. 24.

   [104] Luke i. 25.

   [105] Luke i. 26.

   [106] The Vat. ms. has over this verse, The second section, from the
   Gospel of Luke, i.e., as divided in the Syriac and Arabic versions.

   [107] The Borgian ms. omits to Galilee.

   [108] Luke i. 27.

   [109] Luke i. 28.

   [110] Luke i. 29.

   [111] Luke i. 30.

   [112] Luke i. 31.

   [113] Luke i. 32.

   [114] Luke i. 33.

   [115] Luke i. 34.

   [116] Luke i. 35.

   [117] Luke i. 36.

   [118] Luke i. 37.

   [119] Luke i. 38.

   [120] Luke i. 39.

   [121] Vat. ms., like that described by Gildemeister (see Introduction,
   20) has into Galilee (cf. S: 8, 10, note).

   [122] Lit. the, a form due to Syriac influence (cf. S: ii. 12, and
   passim).

   [123] Luke i. 40.

   [124] Luke i. 41.

   [125] Luke i. 42.

   [126] Luke i. 43.

   [127] Luke i. 44.

   [128] Luke i. 45.

   [129] Luke i. 46.

   [130] Luke i. 47.

   [131] Luke i. 48.

   [132] The Arabic word ordinarily means tribe or nation, but in this
   work it regularly represents the Syriac word used in the N.T. for
   generation.

   [133] Luke i. 49.

   [134] The Arabic would naturally be rendered, the blessing on me, That;
   but a number of passages in this work seem to justify the rendering
   given in the text (cf., e.g., S: 46, 54, and especially S: 15, 40).

   [135] Luke i. 50.

   [136] Luke i. 51.

   [137] Luke i. 52.

   [138] Luke i. 53.

   [139] Luke i. 54.

   [140] Luke i. 55.

   [141] Luke i. 56.

   [142] Luke i. 57.

   [143] Luke i. 58.

   [144] Luke i. 59.

   [145] The text is indistinct in the Vat. ms.  The reading seems to be
   conflate, the doublets being when it was, which is the reading of
   Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary, and on.

   [146] Luke i. 60.

   [147] Luke i. 61.

   [148] Luke i. 62.

   [149] Luke i. 63.

   [150] Luke i. 64.

   [151] Luke i. 65.

   [152] Lit. described (cf. S: ii. 46).

   [153] Luke i. 66.

   [154] Luke i. 67.

   [155] Luke i. 68.

   [156] Luke i. 69.

   [157] Luke i. 70.

   [158] Luke i. 71.

   [159] Luke i. 72.

   [160] Luke i. 73.

   [161] Luke i. 74.

   [162] Or, should.

   [163] Luke i. 75.

   [164] Luke i. 76.

   [165] Luke i. 77.

   [166] Here and elsewhere the Arabic translator uses life and live and
   give life, as in Syriac, for salvation, etc.

   [167] Luke i. 78.

   [168] Borg. ms. has and for of.

   [169] The word used in the Peshitta means visit, either in the sense of
   caring for or in that of frequenting.  See S: 24, 29.

   [170] So Borg. ms.  The Vat. ms. is very indistinct.  Lagarde (see
   Introduction, 13, note), quoting Guidi, prints Whereby there visiteth
   us the manifestation from on high.  The difference in Arabic is in a
   single stroke.

   [171] Luke i. 79.

   [172] Luke i. 80.
     __________________________________________________________________

   Section II.

   [1] [Arabic, p. 7] [173] Now [174] the birth of Jesus the Messiah was
   on this wise:  In the time when his mother was given in marriage to
   Joseph, before they came together, [2] she was found with child of the
   Holy Spirit.  [175] And Joseph her husband was a just man and did not
   wish to expose her, and he purposed to put her away secretly.  [3]
   [176] But when he thought of this, the angel of the Lord appeared unto
   him in a dream, and said unto him, Joseph, son of David, fear not to
   take Mary thy wife, for that [4] which is begotten [177] in her is of
   the Holy Spirit.  [178] She shall bear a son, and thou shalt [5] call
   his name Jesus, and he shall save [179] his people from their sins.
   [180] And all this was that the saying from the Lord by the prophet
   might be fulfilled:

   [6] [181] Behold, the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,

   And they shall call his name Immanuel,

   [7] which is, being interpreted, With us is our God.  [182] And when
   Joseph arose from his [8] sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord
   commanded him, and took his wife; [183] and knew her not until she
   brought forth her firstborn son.

   [9] [184] And in those days there went forth a decree from Augustus
   Caesar that all the [10] people of his dominion [185] should be
   enrolled. [186] This first enrolment was [187] while Quirinius [11, 12]
   was governor of Syria.  [188] And every man went to be enrolled in his
   city.  [189] And Joseph went up also from Nazareth, a city of Galilee,
   to Judaea, to the city of David [13] which is called Bethlehem (for he
   was of the house of David and of his tribe), [190] with [14] [Arabic,
   p. 8] Mary his betrothed, she being with child, to be enrolled there.
   [191] And while [15] she was there the days for her being delivered
   were accomplished.  [192] And she brought forth her firstborn son; and
   she wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because
   there was no place for them where they were staying.

   [16] [193] And there were in that region shepherds abiding, keeping
   their flock in the watch [17] of the night.  [194] And behold, the
   angel of God came unto them, and the glory of the [18] Lord shone upon
   them; and they were greatly terrified.  [195] And the angel said unto
   them, Be not terrified; for I bring you tidings of great joy which
   shall be to the [19] whole world; [196] there is born to you this day a
   Saviour, which is the Lord the Messiah, [20] in the city of David.
   [197] And this is a sign for you:  ye shall find a babe wrapped [21] in
   swaddling cloths and laid in a manger.  [198] And there appeared with
   the angels suddenly many heavenly forces praising [199] God and saying,

   [22] [200] Praise be to God in the highest,

   And on the earth peace, and good hope to men.

   [23] [201] And when the angels departed from them to heaven, the
   shepherds spake to one another and said, We will go to Bethlehem and
   see this word which hath been, as [24] the Lord made known unto us.
   [202] And they came with haste, and found Mary and [25] Joseph, and the
   babe laid in a manger.  [203] And when they saw, they reported the word
   [26] which was spoken to them about the child.  [204] And all that
   heard wondered at the [27] description which the shepherds described
   [205] to them.  [206] But Mary kept these [207] sayings [28] and
   discriminated [208] them in her heart.  [209] And those shepherds
   returned, magnifying and praising God for all that they had seen and
   heard, according as it was described unto them.

   [29] [Arabic, p. 9] [210] And when eight days were fulfilled that the
   child should be circumcised, his name was called Jesus, being that by
   which he was called by the angel before his conception in the womb.

   [30] [211] And when the days of their purification according to the law
   of Moses were [31] completed, they took him up to Jerusalem to present
   him before the Lord [212] (as it is written in the law of the Lord,
   Every male opening the womb shall be called the [32] holy thing of the
   Lord), [213] and to give a sacrificial victim as it is said in the law
   of [33] the Lord, A pair of doves or two young pigeons.  [214] And
   there was in Jerusalem a man whose name was Simeon; and this man was
   upright and pious, and expecting [34] the consolation of Israel; and
   the Holy Spirit was upon him.  [215] And it had been said unto him by
   the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death till he had seen with
   [35] his eyes the Messiah [216] of the Lord.  [217] And this man came
   by the Spirit to the temple; and at the time when his parents brought
   in the child Jesus, that they might [36] present for him a sacrifice,
   as it is written in the law, [218] he bare him in his arms and praised
   God and said,

   [37] [219] Now loosest thou the bonds of thy servant, O Lord, in peace,
   [220]

   According to thy saying;

   [38] [221] For mine eye hath witnessed thy mercy,

   [39] [222] Which thou hast made ready because of the whole world;

   [40] [223] A light for the unveiling [224] of the nations,

   And a glory to thy people Israel.

   [41] [225] And Joseph and his mother were marvelling at the things
   which were being said [42] concerning him.  [226] And Simeon blessed
   them and said to Mary his mother, Behold, he is set for the overthrow
   and rising of many in Israel; and for a sign of contention; [43] [227]
   and a spear [228] shall pierce [229] through thine own soul; that the
   thoughts of the [44] [Arabic, p. 10] hearts of many may be revealed.
   [230] And Anna the prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of
   Asher, was also advanced in years (and she dwelt [45] with her husband
   seven years from her virginity, [231] and she remained a widow about
   eighty-four years); and she left not the temple, and served night and
   day with [46] fasting and prayer.  [232] And she also rose in that hour
   and thanked the Lord, and she [47] spake of him with every one who was
   expecting the deliverance of Jerusalem.  [233] And when they had
   accomplished everything according to what is in the law of the Lord,
   they returned to Galilee, to Nazareth their city.
     __________________________________________________________________

   [173] Matt. i. 18.

   [174] This is preceded in Vat. ms. by the genealogy, Matt. i. 1-17 (see
   Introduction, 13), with the marginal note The Beginning of the Gospel
   of Matthew.  (Lagarde, op. cit., 1886, p. 154.)  The text presents
   nothing worthy of note in this place except that verse 16, construed on
   the same principle as the preceding verses, to which, except in the
   words printed in italics, it is strictly parallel in construction,
   reads thus:  "Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, who of her begat
   Jesus, the Messiah" (cf. the remarkable reading of Sin. Syriac).  As it
   stands, this is the only possible interpretation of the words, for who
   is masculine.  But a mistake in the gender of a relative pronoun is
   very common in Arabic among illiterate people, while in Syriac there
   is, to begin with, no distinction.  If then we correct the relative,
   who of her will become of whom (fem.), and begat will of course be
   construed as passive.  We thus get the text followed in Ibn-at-Tayyib's
   Commentary, the ordinary reading of the Peshitta, of whom was born
   Jesus.

   [175] Matt. i. 19.

   [176] Matt. i. 20.

   [177] The Arabic might even more naturally be rendered born, thus
   giving us the reading that Isho`dad tells us was that of the
   Diatessaron (Harris, Fragments, p. 16 f.); but throughout the whole
   genealogy (see S: 1, 81, note) this word has been used by the Vat. ms.
   in the sense of begat.  Here the Borg. ms. has of her for in her; but
   Ibn-at-Tayyib in his Commentary discusses why Matthew wrote in and not
   of.

   [178] Matt. i. 21.

   [179] cf. S: 1, 78.

   [180] Matt. i. 22.

   [181] Matt. i. 23.

   [182] Matt. i. 24.

   [183] Matt. i. 25a.

   [184] Luke ii. 1.

   [185] The Arabic expression is clearly meant to represent that used in
   the Peshitta.

   [186] Luke ii. 2.

   [187] This is the most natural meaning of the Arabic sentence; which,
   however, is simply a word-for-word reproduction.

   [188] Luke ii. 3.

   [189] Luke ii. 4.

   [190] Luke ii. 5.

   [191] Luke ii. 6.

   [192] Luke ii. 7.

   [193] Luke ii. 8.

   [194] Luke ii. 9.

   [195] Luke ii. 10.

   [196] Luke ii. 11.

   [197] Luke ii. 12.

   [198] Luke ii. 13.

   [199] The Arabic represents Syr. idiom.

   [200] Luke ii. 14.

   [201] Luke ii. 15.

   [202] Luke ii. 16.

   [203] Luke ii. 17.

   [204] Luke ii. 18.

   [205] cf. S: 1, 66, note.

   [206] Luke ii. 19.

   [207] Borg. ms. inserts all above the line, after these.  The meaning
   ought then to be, these things, namely, all the sayings.

   [208] The Arab. might mean set them apart; but the Syriac is against
   this.

   [209] Luke ii. 20.

   [210] Luke ii. 21.

   [211] Luke ii. 22.

   [212] Luke ii. 23.

   [213] Luke ii. 24.

   [214] Luke ii. 25.

   [215] Luke ii. 26.

   [216] Or, anointed.

   [217] Luke ii. 27.

   [218] Luke ii. 28.

   [219] Luke ii. 29.

   [220] For order cf. (in part) Sin. Syriac.

   [221] Luke ii. 30.

   [222] Luke ii. 31.

   [223] Luke ii. 32.

   [224] i.e., becoming manifest.

   [225] Luke ii. 33.

   [226] Luke ii. 34.

   [227] Luke ii. 35.

   [228] So also in Syriac versions and the quotation of Isho'dad from
   Ephraem (Harris, Fragments, p. 34), but not the Armenian version.

   [229] The Arabic sides with the Peshitta and Ibn-at-Tayyib's
   Commentary, against the remarkable reading of Sin. supported by
   Isho'dad, as in last note (Syriac text), and the Armenian in Hill, p.
   336.  See now also The Guardian, Dec. 18, 1895.

   [230] Luke ii. 36.

   [231] Luke ii. 37.

   [232] Luke ii. 38.

   [233] Luke ii. 39.
     __________________________________________________________________

   Section III.

   [1, 2] [234] And after that, [235] the Magi came from the east to
   Jerusalem, [236] and said, Where is the King of the Jews which was
   born?  We have seen his star in the east, and have [3] come to worship
   him.  [237] And Herod the king heard, and he was troubled, and all [4]
   Jerusalem with him.  [238] And he gathered all the chief priests and
   the scribes of the [5] people, and asked them in what place [239] the
   Messiah should be born.  [240] They said, In Bethlehem of Judaea:  thus
   it is written in the prophet,

   [6] [241] Thou also, Bethlehem of Judah,

   Art not contemptible among the kings of Judah:

   From thee shall go forth a king,

   And he shall be a shepherd to my people Israel.

   [7] [242] Then Herod called the Magi secretly, and inquired of them the
   time at which [8] the star appeared to them.  [243] And he sent them to
   Bethlehem, and said unto them, Go and search about the child
   diligently; and when ye have found him, come and [9] make known to me,
   that I also may go and worship him.  [244] And they, when they [Arabic,
   p. 11] heard the king, departed; and lo, the star which they had seen
   in the east went before them, until it came and stood above the place
   where the child [10, 11] was.  [245] And when they beheld the star,
   they rejoiced with very great joy.  [246] And they entered the house
   and beheld the child with Mary his mother, and fell down worshipping
   him, and opened their saddle-bags and offered to him offerings, gold
   and [12] myrrh and frankincense.  [247] And they saw in a dream [248]
   that they should not return to Herod, and they travelled by another way
   in going to their country.

   [13] [249] And when they had departed, the angel of the Lord appeared
   in a dream to Joseph, and said unto him, Rise, take the child and his
   mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I speak to thee;
   for Herod is determined to seek the child [14] to slay him.  [250] And
   Joseph arose and took the child and his mother in the night, and [15]
   fled into Egypt, [251] and remained in it until the time of the death
   of Herod:  that that might be fulfilled which was said by the Lord in
   the prophet, which said, From [16] Egypt did I call my son.  [252] And
   Herod then, when he saw that he was mocked of the Magi, was very angry,
   and sent and killed all the male children which were in Bethlehem and
   all its borders, from two years old and under, according to the time
   [17] which he had inquired from the Magi.  [253] Then was fulfilled the
   saying in Jeremiah the prophet, which said,

   [18] [254] A voice was heard in Ramah,

   Weeping and much lamentation;

   Rachel weeping [255] for her children,

   And not willing to be consoled for their loss.

   [19] [256] But when Herod the king died, the angel of the Lord appeared
   in a dream to [20] Joseph in Egypt, [257] and said unto him, Rise and
   take the child and his mother, and [Arabic, p. 12] go into the land of
   Israel; for they have died who sought the child's life.  [21] [258] And
   Joseph rose and took the child and his mother, and came to the land
   [22] of Israel.  [259] But when he heard that Archelaus had become king
   over Judaea instead of Herod his father, he feared to go thither; and
   he saw in a dream that he should [23] go into the land of Galilee,
   [260] and that he should abide in a city called Nazareth:  that the
   saying in the prophet might be fulfilled, that he should be called a
   Nazarene.

   [24] [261] And the child grew, and became strong in spirit, becoming
   filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him.

   [25] [262] And his kinsfolk [263] used to go every year to Jerusalem at
   the feast of the passover.  [26] [264] And when he was twelve years
   old, they went up according to their custom, [27] to the feast.  [265]
   And when the days were accomplished, they returned; and the child [28]
   Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and Joseph and his mother knew not:  [266]
   and they supposed that he was with the children of their company.  And
   when they had gone one day's journey, they sought him beside their
   people and those who knew them, [29] and they found him not; [267] so
   they returned to Jerusalem and sought him again.  [30] [268] And after
   three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the
   teachers, [31] hearing them and asking them questions; [269] and all
   who heard him wondered at [32] his wisdom and his words.  [270] And
   when they saw him they wondered, and his mother said unto him, My son,
   why hast thou dealt with us thus? behold, I and thy father [33] have
   been seeking for thee with much anxiety.  [271] And he said unto them,
   Why were [34] ye seeking me? know [272] ye not that I must be in the
   house of my Father?  [273] And they [35] understood not the word which
   he spake unto them.  [274] And he went down with them, and came to
   Nazareth; and he was obedient to them:  and his mother used to keep all
   these sayings in her heart.

   [36] [Arabic, p. 13] [275] And Jesus grew in his stature and wisdom,
   and in grace with God and men.

   [37] [276] And in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,
   when Pontius Pilate was governor in Judaea, and one of the four rulers,
   Herod, in Galilee; and Philip his brother, one of the four rulers, in
   Ituraea and in the district of Trachonitis; and [38] Lysanias, one of
   the four rulers, in Abilene; [277] in the chief-priesthood of Annas and
   Caiaphas, the command [278] of God went forth to John the son of
   Zacharias in the [39] desert.  [279] And he came into all the region
   which is about Jordan, proclaiming the [40] baptism of repentance unto
   [280] the forgiveness of sins.  [281] And he was preaching in the [41]
   wilderness of Judaea, and saying, [282] Repent ye; the kingdom of
   heaven is come near.  [42] [283] This is he that was spoken of in
   Isaiah the prophet,

   The voice which crieth in the desert,

   [43] [284] Prepare ye the way of the Lord,

   And make straight in the plain, paths for our God.

   [44] [285] All the valleys shall become filled,

   And all the mountains and hills shall become low;

   And the rough shall become plain, And the difficult place, easy;

   [45] [286] And all flesh shall see the salvation [287] of God.

   [46] [288] This man came to bear witness, that he might bear witness to
   the light, that [47] every man might believe through his mediation.
   [289] He was not the light, but that he [48] might bear witness to the
   light, [290] which was the light of truth, that giveth light to [49]
   every man coming into the world.  [291] He was in the world, and the
   world was made [50] by him, and the world knew [51] him not.  [292] He
   came unto his own, and his own received him not.  [293] And those who
   received him, to them gave he the power [294] that they might [52] be
   sons of God,--those which believe in his name:  [295] which were born,
   not of blood, [53] nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a
   man, but of God.  [296] And the Word became flesh, and took up his