Interlopers Reunited: The Early Translators of Ben Sira

In 1977 I published evidence indicating that the Syriac translation of Ben Sira had been a two-stage process. The initial translation from Hebrew had been made by the Ebionites, and it was subsequently revised by post-Nicene orthodox Christians for inclusion in the Peshitta. In the years that followed, this thesis was widely accepted. Needless to say, some authors have taken note of my theory but remained neutral or unconvinced of its correctness. I respect the opinions of writers who disagree with my views, and I could present the old arguments again in the light of what my critics have stated. However, important new evidence has come to light that was not available in the 1980s. It has transformed the debate completely, and I feel that it would be unproductive to go over the familiar ground yet again. I ask the readers' patience, and I trust that the new evidence that I present in this article will convince them of the correctness of my original thesis.