Page:The New Testament in the original Greek - Introduction and Appendix (1882).pdf/236

198 printed editions to a great extent represent this debased form of Memphitic text; so that till the best MSS have been completely collated, we have no security that Memphitic readings at variance with the general character of the version belong to its primitive state. Moreover, as we have seen, even in its earlier days it was probably touched by the Western influence. There remain the later versions and the revised forms of the Latin and Syriac versions; and though they all contain Non-Western Pre-Syrian elements in various proportions, and accordingly have all a certain number of readings in common with the primary Greek MSS against most versions, we have no right to regard their predominant or even concordant opposition as outweighing an otherwise trustworthy attestation.

270. This distribution of Western and Non-Western texts among versions is reflected in the range of support which the primary Greek MSS (in opposition to D in the Gospels and Acts, D2G3 in the Pauline Epistles) most usually receive from the several versions. Their most constant allies are, as we should expect, one or both of the Egyptian versions. Next to them probably come documents essentially Western, but preserving much of the earlier state of text which existed when many of the Western readings had not yet arisen, such as the Old Syriac and the African Latin. But, as we have said, the primary Greek MSS likewise receive in turn the support of every other version, sometimes of several at once, not seldom even where all or nearly all other Greek MSS stand in opposition.

271. On the other hand the support of versions is sometimes wholly wanting. Before however this distribution can be rightly judged, a very large majority