The reading that the other reading most likely came from is likely the original. This is the fundamental principle of textual criticism. Thus, we can see why a scribe might ...
NTTC MATTHEW 3:11b: he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire
NTTC MATTHEW 3:11a: I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one who is coming [after me] is mightier than I
Harmonization is a group of variants where we have scribal changes in an effort to make a passage of Scripture agree more closely with a similar or parallel passage in another book. Most of these changes take place in ...
NTTC MATTHEW 3:7: the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to the baptism
“… coming to the baptism” א* B cop Origen; “… coming to his baptism” א1 C D L W 0233 f1, 33 565 579 700. 892 1241 1424 Maj it syr cop. The earliest textual support and likely the original reading of Matthew is ...
NTTC MATTHEW 2:18: weeping and great mourning
Lucian of Antioch (c. 240-312 C.E.), a Christian presbyter (minister), theologian, and martyr, produced the Syrian text, which was renamed the Byzantine text. About 290 C.E., some of his associates made various subsequent alterations, which deliberately combined elements from earlier text types and this text ...
NTTC MATTHEW 2:5: Micah the Prophet, Isaiah the Prophet, or just the prophet?
Here at Matthew 2:5, we have one thirteen century Greek manuscript (ms. nr. 4 saec. XIII bibliotheca Paris, Bibl. Nat., Gr. 84) and a couple of ancient versions (syrhmg copbo), who ...
CODEX VATICANUS: End of Mark’s Gospel
Codex Vaticanus (03, B) contains the Gospels, Acts, the General Epistles, the Pauline Epistles, the Epistle to the Hebrews (up to Hebrews 9:14, καθα[ριει); it lacks 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and Revelation. It is written on 759 leaves of vellum and is dated to c. 300–325 C.E. Arguably, one could say that Codex Vaticanus... Continue Reading →
NTTC MATTHEW 1:25: she gave birth to [her firstborn] son
The harmonization of passages is likely an intentional change by a copyist, who is seeking have a passage agree with a similar passage from another book. Again, these are generally found in what are known as the Synoptic Gospels,* names Matthew, Mark, and Luke. ...
HOW DO WE DETERMINE THE ORIGINAL READING THROUGH The Principles and Practice of New Testament Textual Studies?
New Testament Textual Studies is the process of attempting to ascertain the original wording of the Greek New Testament text by way of internal and external evidence.
NTTC MATTHEW 1:23: they [or you] shall call his name Immanuel
WHNU reads καὶ καλέσουσιν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἐμμανουήλ (and they shall call his name Immanuel). This is supported by the...
NTTC MARK 16:9-20: Were These Twelve Verses Written by Mark?
First, there is the telling fact that two of the oldest and most highly respected Bible manuscripts, the Vaticanus 03 and the Sinaiticus 01, do not contain this section; they conclude Mark’s Gospel with verse eight. This is true of the early versions as well: Syriac, Coptic, Armenian, and Georgian. The early church fathers, Clement, Origen, Cyprian, and Cyril of Jerusalem had no knowledge of anything beyond verse eight.
