Peshitta New Testament

Peshitta New Testament — Murdock — Section 2

To extend his own long cherished but scanty Icnowledge of the Syriac language, the writer commeuced reading the Peshito Syriac New Testa- ment in January, 1845, and at every step he found increasing delight. The artless simplicity, directness, and transparency of the style, — the propriety and beauty of the conceptions of Christ and his followers, as expressed in a Shemitish dialect very nearly identical with their vernacular tongue, — the pleasing thought that the words were, probably, in great part, the very terms which the Saviour and his Apostles actually uttered in their discourses and conversations, — and especially the full comprehension which the Syriac translator seemed to have of the force and meaning of the inspired original, served to chain attention and hold the mind spell-bound to the book. Such exquisite pleasure the writer longed to have others share with him ; but as few persons, even among the clergy, have either leisure or facilities for acquiring the Syriac language, he soon came to the conclusion, that he could do nothing better than first read the book care- fully through, and then give a literal and exact translation of it. Accord- ingly he furnished himself with several of the best editions of the book, and the best Syriac Lexicons and Grammars, and commenced his transla- tion early in August, 1845, and completed it on the IGth of June, 1846. Tliis is briefly the history of the work here presented to the public. VI PREFACE.