Introduction to the Syriac Versions

Syriac, a dialect of Aramaic, served as a primary literary and liturgical language for early Eastern Christianity. Numerous translations of the Bible into Syriac emerged between the 2nd and 7th centuries C.E., reflecting evolving theological, textual, and ecclesiastical needs. These versions are crucial to textual criticism of the Greek New Testament and the Hebrew Old Testament, offering insight into the state of the text as it was understood in the early Christian East. Each version reflects different translation philosophies, source texts, and ecclesiastical contexts.

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The Peshitta (c. 150–250 C.E.)

Origin and Background

The Peshitta (“simple” or “common” version) is the standard Syriac translation of the Bible. It likely emerged in Edessa (modern-day Urfa, Turkey), a center of Syriac Christianity. For the Old Testament, the translation was made from the Hebrew Masoretic Text, while the New Testament translation was made from Greek manuscripts, though it originally excluded several books: 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, Jude, and Revelation.

Textual Character

The Peshitta reflects a relatively smooth and idiomatic Syriac style. Its Old Testament aligns closely with the Hebrew text, and its New Testament aligns generally with the Byzantine textual tradition but not consistently. It is more paraphrastic than strictly literal, especially in the Gospels, but often preserves early readings valuable to textual criticism.

Canonical Status

The Peshitta eventually became the authoritative version for the Syriac-speaking churches, including the Church of the East and the Syriac Orthodox Church. Over time, the missing New Testament books were added in later versions like the Harclean.

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The Curetonian Gospels (c. 400 C.E.)

Discovery and Description

Named after William Cureton, who discovered the manuscript in the British Library (Add MS 14451) in the 19th century, the Curetonian Gospels are an early Syriac translation of the Four Gospels. This version predates the Peshitta and may reflect an independent translation from the Greek, possibly from a Western text-type or Old Latin-like Greek tradition.

Textual Character

The Curetonian Gospels are often freer and less polished in rendering than the Peshitta. Their textual base aligns loosely with the so-called Western text-type, sharing certain readings with Old Latin and Codex Bezae. Some scholars see the Curetonian as part of the “Old Syriac” tradition, distinct from the later standardized Peshitta.

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The Sinaitic Palimpsest (Old Syriac, c. 400 C.E.)

Discovery and Manuscript

Found in 1892 by Agnes Smith Lewis at St. Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai, the Sinaitic Palimpsest (Syriac MS Sinai syr. 30) is a 4th–5th century manuscript of the Four Gospels. It is a palimpsest, meaning the original Gospel text was overwritten with later writing, but its lower text has been recovered using photographic and multispectral techniques.

Textual Importance

Like the Curetonian, the Sinaitic represents the Old Syriac version. It preserves numerous variant readings and lacks certain verses later added in the Byzantine tradition (e.g., Luke 22:43–44; John 7:53–8:11). The Sinaitic text provides invaluable data on early Gospel transmission and Syriac interpretation of Greek texts.

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The Philoxenian Version (508 C.E.)

Historical Context

The Philoxenian version was commissioned by Philoxenus of Mabbug, a Monophysite bishop, to provide a more accurate translation of the Greek New Testament. It was produced around 508 C.E. by his chorepiscopus (assistant bishop), Polycarp, in response to doctrinal disputes and the need for a literal translation that could support theological argumentation.

Textual Nature

The Philoxenian New Testament included previously missing books (e.g., Revelation, 2 Peter, Jude) and was based on a more standardized Byzantine Greek text. It is notably literal and sometimes even slavishly wooden in its rendering, designed to reflect the Greek structure and vocabulary.

Survival

Very few complete Philoxenian manuscripts survive. It was largely superseded by the Harclean version but influenced its formation. Some readings in later Syriac manuscripts may preserve Philoxenian influence.

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The Harclean Version (616 C.E.)

Translation and Purpose

The Harclean version was produced by Thomas of Harqel at the monastery of the Enaton in Egypt. Commissioned in a time of increasing theological polemic and desire for precise scriptural expression, the Harclean is a revision of the Philoxenian version, aiming at an ultra-literal, almost interlinear, correspondence with the Greek text.

Features

The Harclean includes marginal notes with alternate Greek readings and reflects a rigid fidelity to the Greek syntax. Its readings typically align with the Byzantine text-type, especially in the Catholic Epistles and Revelation, which were not in the original Peshitta canon.

Importance

While difficult to read due to its rigidity, the Harclean version is highly valuable for back-translating into the Greek text and understanding the Greek base available in Egypt and Syria in the early 7th century. It also demonstrates how textual literalism developed in reaction to Christological controversies.

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The Palestinian Syriac (5th–7th Century C.E.)

Identity and Confusion

Also known as the Jerusalem Syriac or Syro-Palestinian version, this translation was created for the liturgical use of Syrian-speaking Christians in Palestine. It is distinct from the other Syriac versions due to its use of a Palestinian Aramaic dialect rather than classical Syriac.

Liturgical and Fragmentary Nature

The Palestinian Syriac is preserved mainly in lectionaries rather than continuous-text manuscripts. These fragments include parts of both the Old and New Testaments and are useful for studying Palestinian Christianity and regional variation in biblical text transmission.

Linguistic Interest

Unlike other Syriac versions, the Palestinian Syriac was not translated into classical Syriac but into a local dialect closer to Jewish Palestinian Aramaic. This makes it a critical resource for both textual criticism and Aramaic philology.

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Comparative Chart

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Conclusion

These Syriac versions, especially the Peshitta, have profoundly impacted the textual history of the Bible. They not only provide early witnesses to both the Old and New Testament texts but also reflect the theological, linguistic, and ecclesiastical currents of Syriac Christianity from the 2nd to 7th centuries. For modern textual criticism, they are indispensable resources in understanding the transmission and interpretation of the Scriptures in the Christian East.

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