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Tatian: Diatessaron — Arabic Witness

Hope W. Hogg; ANF09 (1897) · Edition commentary

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Translator and historical edition notes (part 2)

Read in this edition: source locators and uncertainty marks are retained. Square brackets can mark gaps or editorial interventions; headings and supplied subtitles belong to the edition. Coverage and cautions

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Evil-doers could easily be an Arabic copyist’s corruption of captives; but the word used here for forgiveness could hardly spring from an Arabic release (in Ibn-at-Tayyib’s Commentary, where the thing seems to have happened, a different word is used). In Syriac, however, they are the same; while the first pair contain the same consonants.

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See preceding note.

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Luke iv. 19.

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Luke iv. 20.

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Luke iv. 21.

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Luke iv. 22a.

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Matt. iv. 17a.

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Mark i. 15.

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Matt. iv. 18.

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Matt. iv. 19.

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Matt. iv. 20.

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Matt. iv. 21.

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Matt. iv. 22.

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Luke v. 1.

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Luke v. 2.

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Or, but.

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Luke v. 3.

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Luke v. 4.

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Luke v. 5.

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Borg. ms. has but. The Arabic expressions are very similar.

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Luke v. 6.

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Borg. ms. has he did this, he enclosed, on which see § 38, 43, note (end). Either reading could spring from the other, within the Arabic.

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Luke v. 7.

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Luke v. 8.

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Luke v. 9.

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Luke v. 10.

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The verb may be active as well as passive, but does not agree in gender with amazement. Mistakes in gender are, however, very common transcriptional errors.

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Luke v. 11.

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John iii. 22.

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John iii. 23.

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John iii. 24.

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John iii. 25.

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John iii. 26.

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Dual.

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John iii. 27.

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Plural. In the Peshitta it is two individuals in verse 25. In Sin. the first is an individual and the second is ambiguous. In Cur. both are plural.

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Or, he be given it.

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John iii. 28.

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The ordinary word for apostle.

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John iii. 29.

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See § 9, 21, note.

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So Ciasca’s printed text. The Vat. ms., however, probably represents a past tense.

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John iii. 30.

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John iii. 31.

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cf. Peshitta.

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John iii. 32.

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John iii. 33.

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cf. consonants of Syriac text.

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Borg. ms., that God is truly, or, assuming a very common grammatical inaccuracy, that God is true or truth, the reading in Ibn-at-Tayyib’s Commentary.

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John iii. 34.

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Lit. saying.

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John iii. 35.

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John iii. 36.

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Lit. the life of eternity; here and everywhere except § 21, 40.

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i.e., alighteth-and-stayeth.

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John iv. 1.

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Or, knew.

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John iv. 2.

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John iv. 3a.

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Luke iii. 19.

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Luke iii. 20.

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Matt. iv. 12.

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John iv. 46.

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John iv. 47.

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John iv. 48.

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Or, will.

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John iv. 49.

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John iv. 50.

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John iv. 51.

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Or, good news, and.

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John iv. 52.

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John iv. 53.

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John iv. 54.

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See § 5, 32, note.

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Luke iv. 44.

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Matt. iv. 13.

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Matt. iv. 14.

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Matt. iv. 15.

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Matt. iv. 16.

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Luke iv. 31b.

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Luke iv. 32.

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Perhaps we might here render learning; but see § 28, 17, note.

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Luke iv. 33.

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Luke iv. 34.

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Luke iv. 35.

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Luke iv. 36.

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Luke iv. 37.

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Luke iv. 38.

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Matt. ix. 9b.

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So in the Arabic. It is, however, simply a misinterpretation of the expression in the Syriac versions for at the place of toll (cf. Ibn-at-Tayyib’s Commentary).

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Mark i. 29b.

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Luke iv. 38c.

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Luke iv. 39.

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Matt. viii. 16a.

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cf. § 1, 40, note 2.

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Luke iv. 40b.

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Or, each.

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Matt. viii. 17.

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Mark i. 33.

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Luke iv. 41.

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Mark i. 35.

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Mark i. 36.

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Mark i. 37.

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Mark i. 38.

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Luke iv. 42.

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Luke iv. 43.

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Matt. ix. 35.

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Mark i. 39.

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Luke iv. 14b.

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Luke iv. 15.

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This may represent a Syriac as.

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Mark ii. 14.

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See above, note to § 6, 46, which applies, although the Arabic words are different.

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Matt. iv. 24.

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Lit. son-of-the-roofs, a Syriac expression (cf. § 24, 31, note).

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Mark ii. 1.

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Mark ii. 2.

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This is the end of verse 1 in the Greek.

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Luke v. 17b.

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Luke v. 18.

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Luke v. 19.

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This word may be either a singular or a plural.

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Luke v. 20.

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Luke v. 21.

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This word ordinarily means to forge lies against; but our translator uses it regularly as here.

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Mark ii. 8.

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Mark ii. 9.

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Peshitta has easier.

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Mark ii. 10.

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Mark ii. 11.

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Mark ii. 12a.

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Luke v. 25b.

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Matt. ix. 8a.

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Luke v. 26a.

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Matt. ix. 8b.

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Luke v. 26c.

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Mark ii. 12c.

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Luke v. 27.

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See above, note to § 6, 46.

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Luke v. 28.

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Luke v. 29.

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Luke v. 30.

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Luke v. 31.

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A Syriacism.

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Luke v. 32.

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Luke v. 33.

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Luke v. 34.

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The Arabic word, which occurs here in many of the Arabic versions, could also be read bridegroom. The Syriac word for marriage chamber is also used in the sense of marriage feast.

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Luke v. 35.

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Luke v. 36a.

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Mark ii. 21.

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Mark ii. 22.

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Luke v. 38, 39.

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Matt. xii. 1.

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Matt. xii. 2a.

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Mark ii. 24.

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Syr. In Arab. it means what?

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Mark ii. 25.

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Mark ii. 26.

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Mark ii. 27.

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Matt. xii. 5.

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Matt. xii. 6.

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This may be simply a misinterpretation of the ordinary Syriac reading, which in all probability agrees with the masculine reading found in the Text. Rec. of the Greek.

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Matt. xii. 7.

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Is it possible that the Arabic word after known is not meant simply to introduce the quotation, but is to be taken in the adverbial sense, how representing the Syriac what that is?

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See § 10, 13, note.

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Matt. xii. 8.

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Mark iii. 21.

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Luke vi. 6.

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Lit. other. The definite article is a mistake of the translator.

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Here, at the end of leaf 17 of Vat. ms., is a note by a later hand: “Here a leaf is missing.” This first lacuna extends from § 7, 47 to § 8, 17.

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Luke vi. 7.

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Luke vi. 8.

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Luke vi. 9.

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Mark iii. 4b.

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Mark iii. 5.

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An easy clerical error for And so he regarded (cf. Peshitta).

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Matt. xii. 11.

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Matt. xii. 12.

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Matt. xii. 14.

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Matt. xii. 15.

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Matt. xii. 16.

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Lit. lead to him.

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Matt. xii. 17.

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Matt. xii. 18.

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The Arabic word strictly means young man.

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Or, rested.

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Matt. xii. 19.

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Matt. xii. 20.

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Or, wick.

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Matt. xii. 21.

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The Arab. might also mean, And he shall preach (the good tidings) to the peoples in his name (cf. § 22, 47, note).

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Luke vi. 12.

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This phrase, in this case adopted from the Syriac, really means, in Arab., morning found him.

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Luke vi. 13a.

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Mark iii. 7.

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It must be remembered that we have here only one ms. The Arabic words for Galilee and for mountain are very similar. The words that he might pray have therefore probably made their way here by some error from § 8, 9, above.

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Mark iii. 8.

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Mark iii. 9.

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Mark iii. 10.

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So (with the Peshitta) by transposing two letters. The Arabic text as it stands can hardly be translated. Almost may be simply a corruption of the Arabic word were.

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The syntax of the Arabic is ambiguous. The alternative followed above, which seems the most natural, is that which agrees most nearly with the Peshitta.

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Mark iii. 11.

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Mark iii. 12.

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Luke vi. 18.

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Or, troubled with.

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Luke vi. 19.

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This is the meaning of the Arabic word, as it is the primary meaning of the Syriac; but in this work a number of words meaning approach are used (and generally translated) in the sense of touch. The commonest word so used is that in § 12, 13 (cf. also § 12, 35).

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Matt. v. 1a.

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Luke vi. 13b.

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Luke vi. 14.

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Luke vi. 15.

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Luke vi. 16.

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So Vat. ms., followed by Ciasca (cf. Sin.). Borg. ms. has he that was betraying or was a traitor (cf. Peshitta).

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Luke vi. 17a.

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Mark iii. 14.

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Luke vi. 20.

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Matt. v. 2.

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Matt. v. 3.

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Matt. v. 4.

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Matt. v. 5.

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Matt. v. 6.

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Matt. v. 7.

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Matt. v. 8.

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Matt. v. 9.

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Matt. v. 10.

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This word, the ordinary meaning of which is expel, is freely used by our translator in the sense of persecute.

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Luke vi. 22a.

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Matt. v. 11b.

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Matt. v. 12.

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Luke vi. 24.

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Luke vi. 25.

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Luke v. 26.

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Luke vi. 27.

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Matt. v. 13.

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Matt. v. 14.

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Matt. v. 15.

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Matt. v. 16.

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Or, let (cf. § 4, 20, note).

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Mark iv. 22.

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Mark iv. 23.

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Matt. v. 17.

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Matt. v. 18.

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Matt. v. 19.

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Lit. this (man) shall.

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Matt. v. 20.

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Matt. v. 21.

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Matt. v. 22.

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See § 10, 13, note.

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Matt. v. 23.

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Matt. v. 24.

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Matt. v. 25a.

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The text is rather uncertain.

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Luke xii. 58a.

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Matt. v. 25c.

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Matt. v. 26.

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Matt. v. 27.

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Matt. v. 28.

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Matt. v. 29.

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Matt. v. 30.

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Matt. v. 31.

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Matt. v. 32.

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The text is probably corrupt. Vat. ms. has on margin, i.e., caused her.

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Matt. v. 33.

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Matt. v. 34.

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Matt. v. 35.

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The adj. is in the superlative.

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Matt. v. 36.

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Matt. v. 37.

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Matt. v. 38.

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Matt. v. 39.

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A literal reproduction of the Greek, like that in Syr. versions.

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Lit. jaw.

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Matt. v. 40.

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Matt. v. 41.

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Matt. v. 42.

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Luke vi. 30b.

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Or, punish.

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Luke vi. 31.

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Matt. v. 43.

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Matt. v. 44.

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Matt. v. 45.

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Matt. v. 46.

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Luke vi. 32b.

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Luke vi. 33.

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Luke vi. 34.

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Or, return.

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Or, to be given back as much by.

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Luke vi. 35.

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Luke vi. 36.

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Matt. v. 47.

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Matt. v. 48.

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Our translator is continually using this word (cf. § 9, 23) where the context and the originals require then or therefore. We shall only occasionally reproduce the peculiarity.

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Matt. vi. 1.

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A clumsy phrase.

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Matt. vi. 2.

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Matt. vi. 3.

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Matt. vi. 4.

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Matt. vi. 5.

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Matt. vi. 6.

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Matt. vi. 7.

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Matt. vi. 8.

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Luke xi. 1b.

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Luke xi. 2a.

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The Arabic text makes Matthew begin here.

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Matt. vi. 9.

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Matt. vi. 10.

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The text as printed reads, That thy will may be (done); but it is to be explained as a (very common grammatical) transcriptional error. The Cur., however, has and.

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Matt. vi. 11.

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Matt. vi. 12.

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Matt. vi. 13.

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Lit. unto the age of the ages.

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Matt. vi. 14.

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Or, folly; and so in following verse.

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Matt. vi. 15.

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Matt. vi. 16.

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Or, shew to.

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Matt. vi. 17.

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Matt. vi. 18.

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Luke xii. 32.

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Luke xii. 33a.

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Matt. vi. 19.

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Matt. vi. 20.

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Matt. vi. 21.

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Matt. vi. 22.

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Or, for if.

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Matt. vi. 23.

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Or, will be.

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Luke xi. 35.

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Luke xi. 36.

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Matt. vi. 24.

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Matt. vi. 25.

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Or, your souls; or, your lives.

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Matt. vi. 26.

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Matt. vi. 27.

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Luke xii. 26.

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Matt. vi. 28.

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Matt. vi. 29.

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Matt. vi. 30.

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Lit. falleth (cf. Syriac).

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Matt. vi. 31.

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Luke xii. 29b.

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Matt. vi. 32.

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Matt. vi. 33.

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Matt. vi. 34.

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Matt. vii. 1.

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Luke vi. 37b.

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The word means to contend successfully, but is used throughout by our translator in the sense of condemn.

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Luke vi. 38.

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This is the reading adopted by Ciasca in his Latin version. The diacritical points in the Arabic text, as he has printed it (perhaps a misprint), give second person plural passive instead of third plural active.

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Mark iv. 24b.

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Mark iv. 25.

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cf. Luke viii. 18b. Our translator uses the same word in § 50, 5=Luke xxiii. 8b; and in both cases it represents the same word in the Syriac versions.

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Luke vi. 39.

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Or, Do.

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Luke vi. 40.

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Luke vi. 41.

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Luke vi. 42.

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Matt. vii. 6.

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Luke xi. 5.

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Luke xi. 6.

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Luke xi. 7.

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Luke xi. 8.

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Luke xi. 9.

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Luke xi. 10.

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Luke xi. 11.

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The Arabic might also be rendered, What father of you whom his son asketh for bread, will (think you) give him a stone? But as the Peshitta preserves the confused construction of the Greek, it is probably better to render as above.

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Luke xi. 12.

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Luke xi. 13.

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Matt. vii. 12.

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Matt. vii. 13.

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There is nothing about striving. The verb is walaga, which means enter (cf. § 11, 48).

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Matt. vii. 14.

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Matt. vii. 15.

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Or, lambs’.

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Matt. vii. 16a.

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Luke vi. 44.

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The verbs might be singular active, but not plural as in Syriac versions (cf., however, § 38, 43, note, end). In the Borg. ms. the nouns are in the accusative.

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Matt. vii. 17.

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Matt. vii. 18.

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Luke vi. 45.

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Matt. vii. 19.

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Matt. vii. 20.

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Matt. vii. 21.

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Matt. vii. 22.

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Matt. vii. 23.

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Luke vi. 47.

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Luke vi. 48.

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Matt. vii. 25.

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Matt. vii. 26.

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Matt. vii. 27.

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Matt. vii. 28.

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Matt. vii. 29.

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Matt. viii. 1.

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Matt. viii. 5a; Luke vii. 2.

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Luke vii. 3.

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Matt. viii. 5b; Matt. viii. 6.

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i.e., so as to be unable to walk.

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Luke vii. 4b.

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Luke vii. 5.

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Matt. viii. 7.

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Matt. viii. 8.

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Luke vii. 8.

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Or, bodies of soldiers.

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Luke vii. 9a.

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Or, it.

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Matt. viii. 10b.

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Matt. viii. 11.

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Matt. viii. 12.

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Matt. viii. 13.