HENRY WALTER.
Your correspondent CEPHAS attacks the authorised version of Heb. xiii. 4., and favours your readers with another. I venture to offer a few remarks on both these points.
I. He thinks—
"The authors of the authorised version advisedly inserted is instead of let, to forward their own new (?) doctrines."
Doubtless whatever the translators did was done "advisedly;" but what proof has CEPHAS that they adopted the present version merely to serve their own "interest?" Some verb must be supplied, and either form will suit the passage. It is true that Hammond prefers let to is, but there is as great authority on the other side.
1. St. Chrysostom:
"For marriage is honourable, and the bed undefiled: why art thou ashamed of the honourable; why blushest thou at the undefiled?"—Hom. XII. (Colos. vi.) Oxf. Trans., vol. xiv. p. 330.
"For marriage is honourable."—Hom. X. (1 Tim. i.), Oxf. Trans., vol. xii. p. 77.
"And this I say, not as accusing marriage; for it is honourable: but those who have used it amiss."—Hom. IX. (2 Corin. iii.), Oxf. T., vol. xxvii. p. 120.
"And the blessed Paul says, 'Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled;' but he has nowhere said, that the care of riches is honourable, but the reverse."—Hom. V. (Tit. ii.), Oxf. T., vol. xii. p. 313.