Since first published in 1964, this book has enjoyed the position of one of the best books of its kind. This revised edition received a warm welcome from a NT scholar as a ‘useful and important primer for years to come’.

The author expresses the aim of this book as ‘simply to present the facts and principles of NT textual criticism that are generally accepted’, which he seems to have achieved remarkably well. However, this book is not only a simple presentation of facts and principles but provides practical guidance. Greenlee leads the readers to practise textual criticism, providing example and sample questions.

The three questions he raises as the point of departure succinctly summarize the purpose and structure of this book: ‘What did a book of the NT look like when it was first written? How were the books of the NT handed down through the centuries so as to reach us as we now know them? Can we safely conclude that the NT today accurately represents what the authors of these books originally wrote?’

To answer the first question the author describes the material used to produce the book in the time of the NT. The author describes the papyrus and parchment paper, stylus and reed pen and quill pen, etc., and the scroll and codex, and how they were made and what characteristics they had in relationship with the NT books. Also the styles and abbreviations used the NT manuscripts are explained.

To answer the second question the author introduces the sources of the NT according to three divisions of 1) Greek manuscript, 2) versions, 3) patristic quotations. Equipped with illustrations his explanation provides readers with vivid idea of what the manuscripts look like. He also explains the transmission of the text according to the progress of history, and how the variants were produced by the intentional errors of the scribes. The kinds of changes and errors found are introduced. He explains how text critics collected, and arranged and published Greek texts.

Lastly, the history of development of modern textual criticism is summarized, the textual theory of representative scholars are introduced, the local texts are explained, and some important modern editions of the Greek NT are listed. Also practical methods of textual criticism are explained, for example, how to read the critical apparatus of some editions of the Greek NT, how to solve the problem of variants by investigation of internal and external witnesses on established principles, and how to collate and classify the manuscripts. Also the reader/students of the NT are encouraged to practise the textual criticism for themselves.

Written succinctly and easy to read, this book can be recommended not only to beginners of NT studies but also to all who think seriously about their canon of faith.