THE NEW TESTAMENT TRANSLATED AND ARRANGED BY CHARLES FOSTER KENT WOOLSEY PROFESSOR OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE IN YALE UNIVERSITY WITH THE COLLABORATION OF CHARLES CUTLER TORREY PROFESSOR OF SEMITIC LANGUAGES IN YALE UNIVERSITY HENRY A. SHERMAN HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS LITERATURE OF FREDERICK HARRIS SENIOR SECRETARY OF THE PUBLICATION DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL ETHEL CUTLER RELIGIOUS WORK SECRETARY OF THE NATIONAL BOARD OF THE NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS PREFACE The SHORTER BIBLE does not aim to take the place of the complete text or of the time-honored versions, but simply to single out and set in logical and as far as possible in chronological order those parts of the Bible which are of vital interest and practical value to the present age. It represents the combined judgment not of one but of the many who have generously cooperated in this important task. In the Bible, accounts of the same events or teachings are frequently repeated. The Book of Genesis alone contains between thirty and forty such repetitions. Seven-eighths of Mark is quoted in Matthew and threefourths Luke. The reader is often confused by these different versions of the same incidents and teachings. It is quite natural that Paul, even with his astounding versatility, should repeat certain teachings in his letters. About one-third of the Old Testament and about twothirds of the New represent what is most frequently read or used by the average Bible student. These passages contain the true heart of the Bible that has proved the inspiration of past generations and will prove in increasing measure the guide of those to come. In the SHORTER BIBLE the distracting and often misleading chapter and verse divisions, which were added in the thirteenth century, have been eliminated. To each natural division a title has been added which aims to suggest the main idea in the mind of the original writer and to put the reader at once in touch with his |