We name the principal of these, especially those which are occasionally referred to by modern Editors.
1. The Complutensian Edition. This was the earliest printed Greek Testament. It was edited by Cardinal Ximenes, Archbishop of Toledo, in connection with his University at Alcala (Complutum), whence its name. It was not published till 1522.
2. The Editions of Erasmus. His first edition was published in 1516. It was hastily compiled, but subsequently he issued five Editions.
3. The Editions of Stephens. His first edition was published in 1546. His third Edition (1550) has often been reprinted in this country. In his fourth Edition (1551) he divided the text into verses.
4. The Editions of Beza. His first Edition was in 1565. He mostly copied from that of Stephens, 1550
5. The Elzevir Editions. These date 1624 and 1633. In the second Edition the text is professedly the text received by all, and hence the title of the "Textus Receptus." This Edition has often been reprinted on the continent. In the main it agrees with Stephens, 1550. Both of these have often been referred to as 'the received text.'
6. Mill's and Bengel's followed; but are now seldom referred to.
7. Wetstein. Published in 1751-2. His principal work was collecting material.
8. Griesbach. After Bengel, Griesbach was the first to arrange the manuscripts in families or groups, putting together those that appeared to be copies of some one manuscript. He called one group Alexandrian, and another Western, and another Byzantine. He was also the first to alter the received text where he thought it erroneous. He also gave some readings as ‘very probable,' or 'probable.' His principal Edition (his second) was published in 1796-1806, and his manual Edition in 1805.
11. Scholz. Published in 1830-36. His chief work was collating additional manuscripts.
12. Lachmann. His principal edition was published in 1842-50. He was perhaps the first to set wholly aside the 'received text,' and edit an independent text from available manuscripts.
13. Tischendorf. He spent more then thirty years in collecting materials and editing works bearing on the scriptures. His seventh edition was published in 1856-9, and his eighth in 1865-72. He gives a pretty full list of evidence both for and against any reading adopted.
14. Tregelles. This editor also spent some thirty years in examining manuscripts, &c. The Gospels appeared in 1857, and the Revelation in 1872. He confined his attention almost exclusively to the few most ancient copies.
15. Alford. With his Commentary he gave a Greek text. He mostly agrees with Lachmann, Tischendorf and Tregelles.
16. Wordsworth. This writer also gave a Greek text with his Commentary. He was more conservative than other modern editors, for he believed that God had over-ruled the common text, and that this should not be departed from except on good authority. He therefore retained many readings which were rejected by Lachmann, Tischendorf, Tregelles and Alford.
17. Westcott and Hort. These editors adopted an intricate system in forming their text, and may perhaps be said to be the very reverse of Wordsworth, and are considered by some to have been somewhat rash in their alterations. 1881.
18. The Revisers. Though these did not edit a Greek text, their work shows what readings they adopted. 1881.
Many readings may also he gathered from the New Translation of the New Testament by J. N. Darby, though he never edited a Greek text.
The reader will, perhaps, desire to know what good use can now be made of all this labor bestowed upon the Greek text. Though all the Editors have aimed at restoring the text to the original writing, each Editor has adopted his own line of working out this object. Some devoted their attention to the older copies only; others weighed all. The only guide we know of is that where all the Editors, say from Lachmann onwards, agree on a reading, it may safely be taken as the one to be adopted in preference to the received text. But, of course, readings in which not quite all agree may often be the right.