the words [Greek: oude echo ten psychen mou timian emauto], may on no account be surrendered.

It is indeed beyond the reach of suspicion, being found in Codd.

A, D, E, H, L, P, 13, 31,--in fact in every known copy of the Acts, except the discordant [Symbol: Aleph]BC.

The clause in question is further witnessed to by the Vulgate[35],--by the Harkleian[36],--by Basil[37],--by Chrysostom[38],--by Cyril[39],--by Euthalius[40],--and by the interpolator of Ignatius[41].

What are we to think of our guides (Tischendorf, Tregelles, Westcott and Hort, and the Revisers) who have nevertheless surrendered the Traditional Text and presented us instead with what Dr.Field,--who is indeed a Master in Israel,--describes as the impossible [Greek: all' oudenos logou poioumai ten psychen timian emauto][42]?
The words of the last-named eminent scholar on the reading just cited are so valuable in themselves, and are observed to be so often in point, that they shall find place here:--'Modern Critics,' he says, 'in deference to the authority of the older MSS., and to certain critical canons which prescribe that preference should be given to the shorter and more difficult reading over the longer and easier one, have decided that the T.R.in this passage is to be replaced by that which is contained in those older MSS.
'In regard to the difficulty of this reading, that term seems hardly applicable to the present case.