A Reader's Greek New Testament: Third Edition

What I found in A Reader's Greek New Testament, 3rd Edition (hereinafter "RGNT"):(1) The footnotes in the RGNT define every word that occurs less than 30 times in the text. This makes it possible to avoid a lexicon when an unfamiliar word crops up. Readers like me with a limited vocabulary in Greek can read many tough sections in the RGNT using applicable definitions in the footnotes. Right off, I discovered I could painstakingly read RGNT passages in Luke, Acts, and Hebrews that I found incomprehensible in my UBS Greek N.T. without a lexicon or interlinear. It's true some of the footnotes do require turning the page to get the definition. But this only happens if you're reading where there are a lot of definitions and not enough page for all of them. It only takes a second to turn the page to get the definition. Most of the time no page turning is required. As a feature, if you wish to consult a lexicon, you can do so quickly because the RGNT footnote gives the exact form of the word that you need to find it in a lexicon (i.e., first principle part, etc.). The RGNT parses it for you.(2) The Greek text on which the RGNT is based is the eclectic text that underlies the New International Version. The RGNT textual apparatus is very abbreviated. It includes source citations for the OT and Apocrypha; and short notes regarding variants in the footnotes of the NIV and UBS5/NA28. The RGNT, however, is not intended to be a critical edition of the GNT; it's a reader's NT. If you want to study textual variants, this is the wrong book. If you want to increase your proficiency in reading the Greek NT, this book may be for you.(3) The RGNT includes a skimpy seven-page Greek-English lexicon in the back. I consulted it maybe ten times looking for a word not defined in the footnotes. Maybe about one time out of ten did I find my word in the lexicon. The seven-page lexicon is simply too abbreviated to be helpful. (Hint: Due to the fact I find it tedious to stumble around in a lexicon while reading in the RGNT, I've adopted this strategy --- I put a Greek-English interlinear on the desk opened to the RGNT passage. If the RGNT doesn't footnote an unfamiliar word, I sneak a peak at the interlinear, pick up the definition then jump quickly back into the RGNT. So why, you ask, don't I just read it all from the interlinear? Good question. I have to admit I'm too proud to do it all in the interlinear. If the early church mastered the uncials, I figure I should be able to master a crisp, versified printed edition of the Greek NT.)(4) The RGNT font in the main text is clean and crisp even to my old eyes. In my opinion the quality of the book is excellent: the cover is flexible and its edges neatly sewn; the book flops open easily; it's well stitched, and none of the stitches are showing in the creases as far as I know. There's one ribbon marker. The RGNT has four color maps depicting the eastern Mediterranean in NT times. I think the size of the RGNT is also appealing. It's more like a thin book than a typical Bible. In short, the RGNT looks and feels like quality. Good job, Zondervan!Conclusion:If you're reading your Greek NT like it was the Codex Sinaiticus, try the RGNT. It just might be the tool you need to ratchet up your reading proficiency in the GNT.

keep up the good work!

Otherwise would have been a great Greek Bible but just found out the title of Philemon is spelled Thilemon. Have appreciated the size of the book, the size of the print and the running dictionary. Now marred by this error.

I’ve re-learned NT Greek this year of retirement. While working to increase my vocabulary, I get frustrated having to look up words that are not common. This Greek New Testament reader on my Kindle and tablets has a little number next to these words. You tap on it and the root word and translation pops up. So easy to use and allows for a happier, less interrupted reading of the Greek. I highly recommend this version!

I read my Reader's Greek NT every day. I couldn't get by without the glosses in the margins for words that occur fewer than 20x (and thus are not taught in most introductory Greek courses). Occasionally (and oddly), the edition will disagree from the UBS 5 text about which variant reading to adopt, but this is noted in the footnotes.

I can't say enough about how wonderful it is to have found and possess this copy of the Greek New Testament (GNT). It is the answer to an evangelist's dreams of being able to study and prepare while on the road. This version and the way it is bound makes it easy to handle, store, pack, and the font type is easy to read. Every minister needs a copy of this GNT. Buy one today, it belongs in your arsenal!

Was shipped almost instantly and arrived very quickly (sold by biblestore) . The text itself is useful for practicing reading the GNT and gaining more comfort and familiarity with it. Unlike the UBS or NA texts, there is no critical apparatus in the footnotes. Rather, there is in the footnotes a definition(s) of every Greek word appearing on that page, if its frequency in the GNT is, I think, 30 or fewer times. This is in fact what makes it a "Reader's" version. The Greek text itself is its own eclectic/critical edition, following neither the NA nor UBS but charting its own course. Additional footnotes indicate departures from these "standard" critical editions. I believe there is also an occasional footnote commenting on the manuscript witness for or against a particular reading. This is very minimal and not nearly what I would call a critical apparatus. Rather it is about on par with the footnotes in the ESV or NKJV that provide little more detail than "some mss contain..." or "most mss omit..." or "NU omits...."Some have lamented the larger-but-thinner design. I like it however. Seems easier to pack into a bag than a smaller but thicker book. I also like the faux leather cover. My copy came with a bookmark ribbon; it is slightly too long in my opinion though.

Great little book, but I had to put box tape over the spine and edges to keep it from peeling. I learned that lesson the hard way from the 2nd edition. Another issue is that it doesn’t cite all the words (30 or less) like it should, comparing it to my Reader’s Greek New Testament 5th edition. I do like that it gives more than one word in its definitions! I will say I really like the darker font! One other issue is that you have to go back a page to find some of the words. It would have been nicer to have them all on one page! It is also confusing when you see numbers out of sequence!

最近、インターリニアからこちらのリーダーズに切り替えました。新約聖書に登場する30回より少ない語の辞書形と定義が、ギリシア語原文と同じページ下の脚注に載っています。巻末には30回より多く登場する語のミニ辞書があり、文法を学び終えた人が実際に、ギリシア語で新約聖書を読み進めるのに大きな助けになりそうです。

The main drawback is that this e-book version is not indexed by chapter, only by book of the Bible. This makes it difficult to find passages quickly, especially in the longer NT books. Otherwise it’s a pretty faithful reproduction of the paper version.

Paper White上では動くが、例えばiPad上のkindleにはインストールできても、動かないので注意。早急な修正を求める。

Lovely to handle. Flexible cover. Beautiful clear font. Makes reading a pleasure. The running Greek-English Dictionary which is on the same page as the word occurs in the text is very useful yet unobtrusive. Saves having to reach and turn to appropriate place in a Concordance. Helps focus on a broader context rather than having to read one word at a time. Actually helps, with daily few minutes to get the flavour of what the Greek is saying and meaning, rather than having to translate each word into English

This was much better than I expected - clear fonts, good text size and helpful summary of new words at the bottom of the page (words that aren't used as much as others in the Greek text).