07. Characteristic Differences between the Peshito-Syriac Text, and the Greek Text.

07. Characteristic Differences between the Peshito-Syriac Text, and the Greek Text. The following passages, as well as the preceding, tend to illustrate differences between the Syriac and the Greek. In some of them, it will probably be thought that the Syriac has the truer meaning, or expresses the true meaning more clearly than the Greek does. The translation of the Greek is that of the Revised English Version, the marginal readings of which imply some obscurity or ambiguity in the Greek text.

Hebrews 5:7. (THE PESHITO-SYRIAC) , Also when he was clothed with flesh, he offered up prayer....to him who was able to bring him to life from death.
Hebrews 5:7. (THE GREEK), Who, in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers....unto him that was able to save him from death. Margin, or out of death.

Hebrews 6:2. (THE PESHITO-SYRIAC), The teaching of immersion.
Hebrews 6:2. (THE GREEK), The teaching of baptisms. Margin, or, washings.

Hebrews 9:28. (THE PESHITO-SYRIAC), The Anointed was offered up once, and in himself he slew the sins of many; and the second time he is to appear without the sins, etc.
Hebrews 9:28. (THE GREEK), Christ, having been once offered, to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, etc.

Hebrews 10:5. (THE PESHITO-SYRIAC), But with a body thou hast clothed me.
Hebrews 10:5. (THE GREEK), But a body didst thou prepare for me.

Hebrews 10:12. (THE PESHITO-SYRIAC), This [Priest] offered up one slain offering on behalf of sins, and sat down at the right hand of God forever.
Hebrews 10:12. (THE GREEK), He, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God. Margin, or, for ever sat down.

Hebrews 10:38. (THE PESHITO-SYRIAC), He who is righteous will have life[-bliss] through trust in me.
Hebrews 10:38. (THE GREEK), My righteous one shall live by faith. Margin - Some ancient authorities read, The righteous one.

Hebrews 11:1. (THE PESHITO-SYRIAC), Trust is persuasion about things hoped for, as if they were things done; and it is a revealing of those things which are not seen.
Hebrews 11:1. (THE GREEK), Faith is the assurance of [things] hoped for, the proving of things not seen. Margin, assurance of, or, the giving substance to. Proving, or test.

Hebrews 11:12. (THE PESHITO-SYRIAC), Abraham, who was incapable from age.
Hebrews 11:12. (THE GREEK), As good as dead.

James 1:18. (THE PESHITO-SYRIAC), The Father of lights willed, and begat us by the word of truth.
James 1:18. (THE GREEK), The Father of lights, of his own will, brought us forth by the word of truth.

James 2:10. (THE PESHITO-SYRIAC), He who sins in one thing is condemned by the whole law.
James 2:10. (THE GREEK), Whosoever shall stumble in one point, he is become guilty of all.

James 2:13. (THE PESHITO-SYRIAC), Ye are to be exalted by mercy above condemning judgment.
James 2:13. (THE GREEK), Mercy glorieth against judgment.

James 3:6. (THE PESHITO-SYRIAC), The tongue is a fire, and the world of sin is like a wood; and the tongue being itself in the midst of our members, blackens our whole body.
James 3:6. (THE GREEK), The tongue is a fire; the world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defileth the whole body. Margin, Or, a fire, that world of iniquity: the tongue is among our members that which, etc. Or, that world of iniquity, the tongue, is among our members that which, etc.

James 4:5. (THE PESHITO-SYRIAC), Or think you that the Scripture has said without reason, that the spirit which dwells in us, covets eagerly through envy?
James 4:5. (THE GREEK), Or, think ye that the Scripture speaketh in vain? Doth the spirit, which he made to dwell in us, long unto envying? Margin. Or, The Scripture saith in vain, the spirit which he made to dwell in us, he yearneth for, even unto jealous envy?
Or, That spirit which he made to dwell in us, yearneth [for us], even unto jealous envy?
Or, instead of, he made to dwell, some ancient authorities read, dwelleth in us.

James 5:11. (THE PESHITO-SYRIAC), Ye have seen the ending which the Lord worked out for Job.
James 5:11. (THE GREEK ), Ye have seen the end of the Lord.

1 Peter 2:24. (THE PESHITO-SYRIAC), And he bore our sins, all of them, and carried them up in his body to the cross, that we might be dead to sin, and have life [-bliss] by his righteousness.
1 Peter 2:24. (THE GREEK), Who his own self, bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness.
Margin. Or, carried up our sins to the tree.

1 Peter 3:20-21. (THE PESHITO-SYRIAC), Into which [ark] only eight persons entered, and were kept alive by the waters. In likeness to which example, ye also have life [-bliss] through immersion, (not when ye wash the body from filth, but when ye profess God with a pure conscience,) etc.
1 Peter 3:20-21. (THE GREEK), Wherein few, that is eight souls, were saved through water; which also, after a true likeness, doth now save you, [even] baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, etc.
Margin. Were saved, or, were brought safely through water. Interrogation, or inquiry, or appeal.

1 Peter 5:2. (THE PESHITO-SYRIAC), Take care [of the flock] spiritually.
1 Peter 5:2. (THE GREEK), Exercising the oversight.

1 John 3:1. (THE PESHITO-SYRIAC), Who has called us sons, and has also made us sons.
1 John 3:1. (THE GREEK), That we should be called children of God. The different translations given by the Revisers, show how unable they were to decide what is the right meaning of the Greek in some of the above passages. The different meanings given, leave the reader in utter uncertainty as to what the right meaning is. The meanings given by the Peshito are not only clear, but most of them have the appearance of being also correct.