The Revision Revised by John William Burgon

(4 User reviews)   350
By Charles Murphy Posted on Jan 12, 2026
In Category - Resilience
Burgon, John William, 1813-1888 Burgon, John William, 1813-1888
English
Ever wonder how we got the Bible we read today? John William Burgon's 'The Revision Revised' isn't a dry history lesson—it's a full-throated, passionate defense of a text he believed was under attack. In the late 1800s, a group of scholars created a new English version of the New Testament. Burgon thought they got it all wrong. He saw their work as a dangerous corruption, removing precious verses and watering down doctrine. This book is his fiery, detailed, and sometimes overwhelming counter-punch. If you're curious about the battles behind the pages of scripture, this is a fascinating (and opinionated) front-row seat.
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Including a Vindication of the Traditional Reading of 1 Timothy III. 16. By John William Burgon, B.D. Dean of Chichester. “Little children,—Keep yourselves from idols.”—1 John v. 21. Dover Publications, Inc. New York 1971 CONTENTS Dedication. Preface. Article I. The New Greek Text. Article II. The New English Version. Article III. Westcott And Hort’s New Textual Theory. Letter To Bishop Ellicott, In Reply To His Pamphlet. Appendix Of Sacred Codices. Index I, of Texts of Scripture,—quoted, discussed, or only referred to in this volume. Index II, of Fathers. Index III, Persons, Places, and Subjects. Footnotes [Transcriber’s Note: This book contains much Greek text, which will not be well-rendered in plain text versions of this E-book. Also, there is much use of Greek characters with a vertical bar across the tops of the letters to indicate abbreviations; because the coding system used in this e-book does not have such an “overline”, they are rendered here with underlines. It also contains some text in Syriac, which is written right-to-left; for the sake of different transcription methods, it is transcribed here in both right-to-left and left-to-rights, so that regardless of the medium of this E-book, one or the other should be readable.] The following is PREBENDARY SCRIVENER’S recently published estimate of the System on which DRS. WESTCOTT AND HORT have constructed their “_Revised Greek Text of the New Testament_” (1881).—That System, the Chairman of the Revising Body (BISHOP ELLICOTT) has entirely adopted (see below, pp. 391 to 397), and made the basis of his Defence of THE REVISERS and their “_New Greek Text._” (1.) “There is little hope for the stability of their imposing structure, if _its foundations have been laid on the sandy ground of ingenious conjecture_. And, since barely the smallest vestige of historical evidence has ever been alleged in support of the views of these accomplished Editors, their teaching must either be received as intuitively true, or _dismissed from our consideration as precarious and even visionary_.” (2.) “DR. HORT’S System _is entirely destitute of historical foundation_.” (3.) “We are compelled to repeat as emphatically as ever our strong conviction that the Hypothesis to whose proof he has devoted so many laborious years, _is destitute not only of historical foundation, but of all probability, resulting from the internal goodness of the Text which its adoption would force upon us_.” (4.) “ ‘We cannot doubt’ (says DR. HORT) ‘that S. Luke xxiii. 34 comes from an extraneous source.’ [_Notes_, p. 68.]—_Nor can we, on our part, doubt_,” (rejoins DR. SCRIVENER,) “_that the System which entails such consequences is hopelessly self-condemned_.” SCRIVENER’S “Plain Introduction,” &c. [ed. 1883]: pp. 531, 537, 542, 604. DEDICATION. To The Right Hon. Viscount Cranbrook, G.C.S.I., &c., &c., &c. MY DEAR LORD CRANBROOK, _Allow me the gratification of dedicating the present Volume to yourself; but for whom—(I reserve the explanation for another day)—it would never have been written._ _This is not, (as you will perceive at a glance,) the Treatise which a few years ago I told you I had in hand; and which, but for the present hindrance, might by this time have been completed. It has however_ grown out _of that other work in the manner explained at the beginning of my Preface. Moreover it contains not a few specimens of the argumentation of which the work in question, when at last it sees the light, will be discovered to be full._ _My one object has been to defeat the mischievous attempt which was made in 1881 to thrust upon this Church and Realm a Revision of the Sacred Text, which—recommended though it be by eminent names—I...

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Imagine you’ve read the same book your whole life, and then someone comes along with a new version that changes hundreds of words and even cuts out entire sentences. That’s the heart of the conflict in The Revision Revised. It’s John William Burgon’s detailed, point-by-point critique of the 1881 English Revised Version (ERV) of the New Testament. Burgon, a staunch defender of the traditional Greek text behind the King James Bible, argues that the ERV’s editors made reckless changes based on what he saw as unreliable, newer manuscripts. For him, this wasn't just an academic debate; it was a fight for the soul of scripture.

Why You Should Read It

You don't have to agree with Burgon to be captivated by his conviction. Reading this is like watching a legal drama where every comma is evidence. His passion is undeniable, and it pulls you into a world of textual criticism that most people never see. It makes you think about how our most sacred texts are passed down and who gets to decide what's 'original.' Whether you're a person of faith or just fascinated by history, Burgon forces you to question the stability of something we often take for granted.

Final Verdict

This book is a must for anyone interested in Bible translation history, textual criticism, or 19th-century religious debates. It’s also great for readers who enjoy seeing a brilliant, uncompromising mind defend a position to the last detail. Fair warning: it’s dense and technical in parts. It’s not a light read, but it’s a rewarding one. If you want a polite, balanced discussion, look elsewhere. But if you want to feel the heat of a genuine scholarly battle, Burgon delivers it in spades.



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George Carter
5 days ago

As a long-time reader of this genre, the clarity of the writing makes this acecssible to a wide audience. An impressive piece of work.

Aiden King
3 months ago

I went into this with no expectations and the content flows smoothly from one chapter to the next. An impressive piece of work.

Kimberly Nguyen
4 months ago

I didn’t think I would enjoy this, but the content remains relevant throughout without filler. This book will stay with me for a long time.

Elizabeth Smith
2 weeks ago

Compared to other books on this topic, the pacing is just right, keeping you engaged from start to finish. A true masterpiece of its kind.

4.5
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