The object of this series of translations is primarily to furnish
students with short, cheap, and handy text-books, which, it is hoped,
will facilitate the study of the particular texts in class under
competent teachers. But it is also hoped that the volumes will be
acceptable to the general reader who may be interested in the subjects
with which they deal. It has been thought advisable, as a general rule,
to restrict the notes and comments to a small compass; more especially
as, in most cases, excellent works of a more elaborate character are
available. Indeed, it is much to be desired that these translations may
have the effect of inducing readers to study the larger works.
Our principal aim, in a word, is to make some difficult texts, important
for the study of Christian origins, more generally accessible in
faithful and scholarly translations.
In most cases these texts are not available in a cheap and handy form.
In one or two cases texts have been included of books which are
available in the official Apocrypha; but in every such case reasons
exist for putting forth these texts in a new translation, with an
Introduction, in this series.
W. O. E. Oesterley.
G. H. Box.