recension

A recension is a carefully prepared version of a text that has been revised or edited from earlier copies. It involves comparing different manuscripts, correcting errors, and clarifying ambiguous passages to produce a more accurate or polished final version. This process is common in studying historical writings, literature, and religious texts, where original manuscripts might be lost or damaged, and scholars aim to reconstruct the most reliable version based on available evidence. Essentially, a recension is an intentionally revised "edition" that seeks to preserve the author's original intent while improving clarity and accuracy.