This edition is intended chiefly for use in Schools, at the same time I am not without hope that in some points it may be of service to other students. Certainly, after a careful examination of the Revised Version, I am justified in saying that there are some passages in the Acts the meaning of which is not generally understood even by scholars. It may suffice to refer to the unintelligible renderings given of such important passages as i. 16—22 and x. 34—39, to the less obvious but clear errors pointed out in the note on μὲν οὖν ii. 41, and to the direct violation of the laws of language in the translation of xix. 2 and xxvii. 12.

That there is room for a useful School edition of the Acts, and indeed of any portion of the New Testament, few with any experience in teaching will deny. Schoolboys are for the most part grievously ignorant of the subject. For this two main reasons may be assigned.

(1) Being conversant with the English version they are able to translate the Greek with fatal facility, and fall into the common error of supposing that they understand the meaning of words, the sound of which has been familiar to them from infancy.

(2) Most commentaries are quite unadapted for practical work with boys. Their fault is this. The editors do not confine themselves chiefly to explanation of the text, which is the first and strictly the only duty of a commentator, but encumber their notes with doctrinal discussions and moral reflections.