Gorgias Press Early Syriac Translation Technique and Textual Criticism

This scholarly volume provides a deep investigation into the relationship between Syriac versions and the Greek New Testament. While researchers have historically made inferences about the Greek texts behind the Old Syriac and Peshitta versions of the Gospels, this work moves beyond mere speculation. It offers a necessary systematic approach by formulating clear and simple rules for using Syriac texts as witnesses to the underlying Greek. By applying these rules, scholars can identify and uncover errors that have built up during the evolution of the Greek New Testament textual apparatus. The author, Williams, argues that many of these accumulated errors result from the unjustified use of Syriac witnesses in previous studies. This book serves as a vital resource for those studying Bible criticism, textual phenomena, and the history of the Gospels, providing a methodological framework to improve the accuracy of textual reconstruction.