Theodore Cressy Skeat, British Museum scholar, shaped New Testament textual criticism through work on papyri, codices, and the early Christian codex.
Theodore Cressy Skeat: Contributions of T. C. Skeat (1907–2003) to New Testament Textual Studies
PAPYRUS 45 (P45): THE FIRST OF THE CHESTER BEATTY BIBLICAL PAPYRI (c. 175-225)
Papyrus 45 P45 or P. Chester Beatty I) is an early New Testament manuscript that is a part of the Chester Beatty Papyri. It has been paleographically dated to about 175-225 CE. P45 is one of the oldest codices in the world that contains most of the four Gospels and much of the book of Acts.
NTTC MATTHEW 13:35b: Is it “since the foundation” or “since the foundation of the world”?
If we look to the longer reading, it says that the prophet spoke “things that have been hidden since the foundation of the world.” This was a quotation from Psalm 78:2: “I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old.” “Sayings from of old” is likely speaking about forgotten truths from the nation of Israel's past.
PAPYRUS 66 (P66): One of the Earliest Available Papyri
Papyrus 66 (also referred to as P66) is a near-complete codex of the Gospel of John, and part of the collection known as the Bodmer Papyri.
NTTC 1 JOHN 5:7-8: The Bible Has Survived Attempts to Change the Word of God
Some three hundred years after the apostle John completed the last books of the New Testament (c. 98 C.E.), a writer (c. 400 C.E.) seeking to strengthen the Trinitarian doctrine added the addition (interpolation) to 1 John 5:7: “in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” This statement was not in the original.
NTTC JOHN 9:35: Is It “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” or Is It “Do you believe in the Son of God?”
The English Revised Version (1881-1895) and the American Standard Version (1901) both have “Do you believe in the Son of God?” These versions were a revision of the King James Version, which had Westcott and Hort 1881 and Tregelles 1857 as the basis for their New Testament. Tregelles 1857 has ...
NTTC MATTHEW 9:26: Is it “the report of [about] her went out” or “this report went out” or “his fame went out”?
Some Sopherim (scribes) of the Hebrew Old Testament altered the text if they felt it showed irreverence for God or the attention was focused on something else instead of God Himself. The NT scribes seem to have had the same motivation here…
NTTC MATTHEW 9:14: Is It “the Pharisees fast often” or “the Pharisees fast”
Jesus did not fast as the Mosaic Law required, the record of the Gospels does not show him being known for fasting. However, neither Jesus nor the apostles commanded that the disciples had to fast. There are a few accounts of first-century Christians fasting. (Acts 13:2, 3; 14:23) However, early Christians were under no obligation to fast. Nevertheless, ...
NTTC MATTHEW 8:21: Is it “the disciples” or “his disciples” and why is it more significant than one might think?
What are the original words, what is the correct translation, and what is the correct meaning? Why is it somewhat more significant than might be thought? The original wording in Matthew 8:21 is ...
NTTC MATTHEW 4:24: “suffering from … torments, the demon-possessed” or “suffering from … tormented demon-possessed”
The meaning is changed when the fourth και (“and”) is included in this sentence or excluded from the sentence. This is not a significant change in meaning. Nevertheless, it is a change in translation and meaning. What are the original words, what is the correct translation, and what is the correct meaning?
