An introduction to New Testament manuscripts, textual criticism, and English Bible translations. The fact filled portion of the class devoted to manuscripts and textual criticism acquaints the student with all of the major New Testament Greek manuscripts (their discovery, date, content, relative reliability, etc.) and the basic principles by which the original reading of the Greek text has been established. A brief survey of Greek texts from Erasmus through the newest revision of the United Bible Societies text is included. The history of the English Bible is presented with special attention to the King James Version and the English translations which preceded it. The student learns what distinguishes committee translations from individual ones, while looking at the pros and cons of literal, idiomatic, expanded, limited vocabulary, and paraphrased Bibles. Under guidance of the instructor, students spend class time evaluating a large number of individual New Testament verses in each of over fifty translations, ranking each Bible according to its faithfulness and accuracy in rendering what the Greek text actually says (only undisputed passages are selected for evaluation). Having completed this course, the student feels confidently familiar with every English translation he will ever encounter in his ministry, and is able to intelligently evaluate new translations published in later years.