A follow up of "Difference between CNTTS and NA26/UBS4"

[YingLam]

Hi,

 

I read this thread which is from 2005:

http://www.accordancebible.com/forums/inde...&p=787&

 

I wonder can anyone updates a fresh and brief comparison between UBS4, NA27 and CNTTS apparatus right now. Personally I want to stick to Accordance Platform, so UBS4 is not an option for me. I know the general difference between UBS4 and NA27, but how about between NA27 and CNTTS?

 

NA27 is available in "Mac Studienbibel CD-ROM, Stuttgart Original Language Collection" for $149 (with other resources)

 

while

 

CNTTS is at "The CNTTS NT Critical Apparatus" for $100 (with complete New Testament and future corrections supplied in future)

 

 

Which one you think is more attractive? I am a newbie at Greek, but love to put a lot of time in NT studies in my ministry and life.....

 

Thanks...............

 

YingLam

[Helen Brown]

The two modules are very different. I recommend this article on our website. However, the article is out of date as regards the extent of the CNTTS which is now complete except for 1-2 Corinthians, and Revelation.

[YingLam]

Thanks Helen, actually I am looking to hear from someone on their experience about the usage of NA27 and CNTTS.......anyone switching from NA27 to CNTTS? Is CNTTS even 'better' than UBS4 in any senses?

 

The two modules are very different. I recommend this article on our website. However, the article is out of date as regards the extent of the CNTTS which is now complete except for 1-2 Corinthians, and Revelation.

[jpkang]

Having some exposure to both modules, I would recommend the NA27 to students for several reasons:

 

1. It is the standard reference work and covers the entire NT. When commentaries discuss variants, etc., they will typically be found here.

 

2. It is relatively brief (reflecting the critical editorial work that went into classifying and presenting the variants) compared to the massive amounts of raw data that CNTTS presents in its attempt to be comprehensive; as much of a learning curve as there is to learning to evaluate the NA27 apparatus, I think there would be more with the CNTTS's presentation of an overwhelming amount of information (and that is the point, I think: it is really geared towards specialists who are, among other things, researching the characteristics of manuscript traditions and families).

 

3. You can more usefully (in my opinion) couple NA27 with Metzger's Textual Commentary (though based on UBS4) for lucid explanations.

 

See the attached screenshots:

 

Phil 1:14 in NA27-GBS + NA27 Apparatus + Word Biblical Commentary NT + Metzger Textual Commentary:

 

 

The documentation in CNTTS on this verse goes on for several more panes' worth of text.

 

Mark 1:1 in a similar setup, excluding Word Biblical Commentary, and showing the entire CNTTS documentation for this verse:

 

 

Hopefully these will give you a better sense of the differences between the two apparatuses.

 

I would also think these sites (and their bibliography/links) might be helpful in keeping tabs on this field:

 

The Editio Critica Maior project (German site), which is in process. Also, some initial responses ca. 1998

 

Institute for Textual Scholarship and Electronic Editing (Birmingham, UK). Macs galore!

 

The Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts

[YingLam]

Dear Kang,

 

I am very grateful to your detailed response. Thank you so much for helping me. I now understand NA27 suits me better.

 

YingLam

[jpkang]

Always happy to help!

 

J. P.