6 APRIL 1912, Page 26

The Epistles of St. Paul. The text prepared by Sir

Edward Clarke. (Smith, Elder and Co. 2s. 6d. not.)—Sir Edward Clarke has introduced into the Authorized Version such changes from the Revised as he considers necessary to bring out the real meaning of the original. Nothing is to bo found that does not exist in one or other of the two versions. As a matter of fact the changes that have boon made are few in number. Indeed, they might, we think, have been more numerous with advantage. It is really surprising that in Galatians vi. 11, "Ye see how largo a letter," has been allowed to remain. The "with how large letters " of the R.V. is now universally accepted. In Hebrews i. 1, "by divers portions" might well have replaced "at sundry times." A more important passage, Hob. xii. 17, has been loft with what is really a serious stumbling-block : "Afterward when he [Esau] would have inherited the blessing, ho was rejected, for ho found no place of repentance though he sought it carefully with tears." A reader, unless especially warned, is certain to take the "it" of the last clause as referring to repentance. To be told that a man may seek earnestly a place of repentance and not find it makes a very serious difficulty. The "it" refers to the blessing, and this is expressed by the R.V. : "Even when he afterwards desired to inherit the blessing, ho was rejected (for ho found no place of repentance), though he sought it carefully with tears.' An alteration of the order of words might have made it plainer by letting the words in brackets come last.