Rating: 
Summary: A Must for those using UBS4
Review: Again, scholars are indebted to the work of Dr. Metzger. This work stands as a must for those working with the UBS4 or the NA27. Metzger gives explaination for the ratings of readings in many of the difficult texts and why they were rated as such. Concise, lucid and clearly written.
Rating:
Summary: A Must for those using UBS4
Review: Again, scholars are indebted to the work of Dr. Metzger. This work stands as a must for those working with the UBS4 or the NA27. Metzger gives explaination for the ratings of readings in many of the difficult texts and why they were rated as such. Concise, lucid and clearly written.
Rating:
Summary: The New Testament
Review: Anyone who thinks this is a light read is sadly mistaken...BUT, it is a fantastic resource! If you desire to get to the TRUTH of scripture, this will help you on your journey. It is easy to see, after reading this book, how Bible doctrine can influence Bible translation. Replacement Theology, Armenianism, Calvinism, Dispensationalism, and Reformed Theology and others all have their weaknesses exposed by turning to this book to see what the manuscripts really say. Are we guilty of the Harlotry of Babylon? Has the Church become the Great Whore even today? (Read The Two Babylons by Hislop for the answer.) Have we blended God's religion (as outlined in the Hebrew Scriptures and documented in the Greek Sciptures as an ongoing sect of True Judaism) with paganism as described by the O.T. Prophets as the sins of Jeroboam?, the sin of Baalam?, forsaking the law of God and the teaching of Moses (Torah) and following false teachers...as defined in the O.T. (those who turn God's people away from the Torah) I hope not. Makes me reconsider which holidays I choose to celebrate though? This text shows the consistency between the Hebrew Scriptures and the Greek Scriptures when the fuller non-English meanings are evaluated. That is worth the 'price of admission!
Rating:
Summary: WOW! Mind Boggling!
Review: Anyone who thinks this is a light read is sadly mistaken...BUT, it is a fantastic resource! If you desire to get to the TRUTH of scripture, this will help you on your journey. It is easy to see, after reading this book, how Bible doctrine can influence Bible translation. Replacement Theology, Armenianism, Calvinism, Dispensationalism, and Reformed Theology and others all have their weaknesses exposed by turning to this book to see what the manuscripts really say. Are we guilty of the Harlotry of Babylon? Has the Church become the Great Whore even today? (Read The Two Babylons by Hislop for the answer.) Have we blended God's religion (as outlined in the Hebrew Scriptures and documented in the Greek Sciptures as an ongoing sect of True Judaism) with paganism as described by the O.T. Prophets as the sins of Jeroboam?, the sin of Baalam?, forsaking the law of God and the teaching of Moses (Torah) and following false teachers...as defined in the O.T. (those who turn God's people away from the Torah) I hope not. Makes me reconsider which holidays I choose to celebrate though? This text shows the consistency between the Hebrew Scriptures and the Greek Scriptures when the fuller non-English meanings are evaluated. That is worth the 'price of admission!
Rating: 
Summary: Hope You Can Read Greek
Review: I don't know what book those other reviewers read, but I was put this on the shelf in 5 minutes. Much is written in Greek. I tried keeping up with a Greek Interlinear Bible on the computer, but still couldn't make sense of it. The author assumes you can understand Greek. If you're not a Greek scholar, DON'T BUY THIS BOOK. Major disappointment.
Rating:
Summary: Hope You Can Read Greek
Review: I don't know what book those other reviewers read, but I was put this on the shelf in 5 minutes. Much is written in Greek. I tried keeping up with a Greek Interlinear Bible on the computer, but still couldn't make sense of it. The author assumes you can understand Greek. If you're not a Greek scholar, DON'T BUY THIS BOOK. Major disappointment.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent quick reference resource
Review: If you find learning all of the details associated with manuscripts and text transmission difficult and too time-consuming to master, this work will give you a quick overview of arguments pro and con on the major variant readings of the New Testament. It is a very helpful quick resource. You may not use it everyday, but it will be a great helper when you need it.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting information, but wrong text defended
Review: This book is a companion volume to the "Greek New Testament," both being published by the United Bible Societies. In this book, Metzger explains why the UBS committee came to the conclusions it did on textual variants. He discusses manuscript evidence for various readings. He also explains which reading was considered most likely based on subjective rules that the UBS committee had laid down, such as "the shorter reading is to be preferred." This information is helpful in understanding why the UBS made the decisions it did on variants.Also making this volume helpful is it sometimes discusses variants that are not included in the textual apparatus found in the Greek Text. However, I personally very often disagree with the conclusions of Metzger and the UBS committee. The text they advocate is a Critical Text (CT) type of text, while I much prefer the Majority Text (MT) or even the "Textus Receptus" (TR) to the CT. I discuss my reasons for believing so in my book "Differences Between Bible Versions." In my book I discuss the different Greek texts types and why I prefer the Byzantine texts to the Alexandrian texts which the UBS committee prefers. I also evaluate the subjective "rules" of the UBS committee. I then look at specific verses with textual variants in them and give discussions similar to Metzger's in his book. In fact, I often quote from this book in my book. But again, my conclusion will often differ from Metzger's. So I would say to go ahead and get this book. It provides much helpful information on textual variants and the manuscripts evidence thereof. It also gives the reader a look into the mind of the CT scholars as they perform textual criticism work. But before accepting Meztger's conclusions, check out a book like mine for a different opinion.
Rating:
Summary: The New Testament
Review: This book is actually very easy to understand. Even if you don't really understand Greek and are just curious about the variant readings and which one was chosen and why, even the layman can pretty much understand what's going on. You can virtually read this book stand-alone, with only an English bible as a companion, but you will need a Greek Lexicon to understand every argument made. The serious student will of course read it in conjunction with a Greek New Testament. The size of the book is almost exactly the same as "Novum Testamentum Graece" (aka NA27) (The Greek New Testament) by Nestle Aland, with similar but not identical binding. You should ideally own NA27 if you want to have full information about external evidence. The UBS version "The Greek New Testament", is not adequate in this respect. Regarding Gary F. Zeolla's strong advocacy of the Majority Text: I have to violently disagree. Space does not permit to elaborate, but suffice to say that the primary theory of the MT researchers is NOT a majority reading, but an analysis of the origins and transmission of various mss. In the places where the MT researchers have had time to actually do this research (John 8, and Revelation), in a quite large percentage it is NOT the majority reading. So much for the Majority text, and so much for the Majority Text theory of transmission. That's why I believe Metzger's work in this book is the correct approach. [...]
Rating:
Summary: A must for serious NT students!!!!
Review: This book is great! I constantly use at as a reference when studying my interlinears and the UBS4. If you want to know why one variant reading was used over another, the critical apparatus in the UBS4/NA27 can only tell you so much, Metzger fills in the gaps and brings more clarity on why the committee chose this or that reading over the other one. There is no equal to this book for a serious student of the greek text. Rest assured, Metzger is one of the two finest (Kurt Aland) textual critics of the 20th century. This book is great, to be used along with a couple interlinears (McReynold's & Comfort are good ones) and Metzger and Aland's books (each labeled TEXT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT), ofcourse you'll also need "the greek new testament - United Bible Societies (aka UBS4) or "Nestle-Aland" [Grace Novem Testumentum] The text of the UBS4 and NA27 are the same, the critical apparatus and punctuation differ however. Generally the NA is used for students, and the UBS for translators (however I have the UBS and love it). -- Also the best Greek-English Lexicon on the market is by Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich, Danker (aka BAGD) -- This is pricy, so I have a poor mans substitute (Zodhiates Dictionary). Get the books listed above and you will have some GREAT resources for studying the new testament!!! Eric
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