Textual variants in the Gospel of John
Textual variants in the Gospel of John are the subject of the study called textual criticism of the New Testament. Textual variants in manuscripts arise when a copyist makes deliberate or inadvertent alterations to a text that is being reproduced. An abbreviated list of textual variants in this particular book is given in this article below.
Origen, writing in the 3rd century, was one of the first who made remarks about differences between manuscripts of texts that were eventually collected as the New Testament. In John 1:28, he preferred "Bethabara" over "Bethany" as the location where John was baptizing (Commentary on John VI.40 (24)). "Gergeza" was preferred over "Geraza" or "Gadara" (Commentary on John VI.40 (24) – see Matthew 8:28).
Some common alterations include the deletion, rearrangement, repetition, or replacement of one or more words when the copyist's eye returns to a similar word in the wrong location of the original text. If their eye skips to an earlier word, they may create a repetition (error of dittography). If their eye skips to a later word, they may create an omission. They may resort to performing a rearranging of words to retain the overall meaning without compromising the context. In other instances, the copyist may add text from memory from a similar or parallel text in another location. Otherwise, they may also replace some text of the original with an alternative reading. Spellings occasionally change. Synonyms may be substituted. A pronoun may be changed into a proper noun (such as "he said" becoming "Jesus said"). John Mill's 1707 Greek New Testament was estimated to contain some 30,000 variants in its accompanying textual apparatus[1] which was based on "nearly 100 [Greek] manuscripts."[2] Peter J. Gurry puts the number of non-spelling variants among New Testament manuscripts around 500,000, though he acknowledges his estimate is higher than all previous ones.[3]
Legend
This is a guide to the sigla (symbols and abbreviations) most frequently used in citations of source material for a Greek New Testament (NT) manuscript. Editors of a scholarly critical text of the NT use each siglum to shrink the space needed for listing witnesses to a particular reading in the critical apparatus.[4][5] The intended reader, a Bible translator, scholar, orator, or student, needs to know these abbreviations, e.g. for deciding whether to use alternative readings of the critical text or to understand the origin and attestation of a particular passage.[6]
- General sigla
- # beginning with 0: uncial
- # not beginning with 0: minuscule
- * superscript: original reading
- app superscript: the critical apparatus reading
- c superscript: scribal correction
- com superscript: Biblical commentary reading
- 1,2,3... superscripts: 1st, 2nd, 3rd... scribal corrections
- v.l. superscript: varia lectio, i.e. alternative reading
- mg superscript: reading in the margin
- ms superscript: individual manuscript
- mss superscript: multiple manuscripts
- pt superscript: partial attestation
- s superscript: reading in a supplement to the text
- txt superscript: the reading of the text
- vid superscript: apparent but uncertain reading
- aeth or eth: Ethiopic versions
- arab: Arabic versions
- arm: Armenian versions
- Byz: Byzantine text-type in the Catholic letters and superscript:
- pt: a part of the Codices Byzantini
- cop: Coptic versions
- ac or akh: Akhmimic version
- ac2: Subakhmimic or Lycopolitanic version
- bo: Boharic version
- cv: Dialect V
- cw: Dialect W
- fa or fay or mf: Fayyumic Version
- mae: Middle Egyptian or Mesokemic version
- pbo: Proto-Bohartic version
- sa: Sahidic version
- ƒ: individually-numbered Greek manuscript family - superscripts:
- geo: Georgian versions
- goth: Gothic versions
- it: Italic/Vetus Latina, lowercase letters for individual Old Latin manuscripts
- lat: most Italic and Vulgate
- latt: all Italic and Vulgate
- P or 𝔓: papyrus
- 𝑙 or ℓ: individually numbered lectionary
- Lect: most or all numbered lectionaries
- 𝔐: Greek Majority text and superscripts:
- A: Andreas of Caesarea commentary in Revelation
- C: Complutensian tradition
- K: the Koine tradition in Revelation
- o: omits
- parenthesized (): reading or witness with a slight difference
- pm: permulti: i.e., many
- rell: all other extant manuscripts
- slav: Slavic versions in Old Church Slavonic
- syr or sy: Syriac versions and superscripts:
- c or cur: Curetonian Gospels
- s: Sinaitic Palimpsest
- h: Harclean Syriac
- hmg: Harclean Syriac, margin
- pal: Palestinian Syriac
- p: the Peshitta
- vg: Latin Vulgate and superscripts:
- cl: Editio Clementina
- s: Editio Sixtina
- st: Vulgata Stuttgartiensis 2007
- ww: Wordsworth/White Vulgate
- Greek Uncials (siglum or leading 0)
- א: Codex Sinaiticus (01)
- A: Codex Alexandrinus (02)
- B: Codex Vaticanus (03)
- C: Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (04)
- Dea: Codex Bezae (05)
- Dp: Codex Claromontanus (06)
- E: Codex Basilensis A. N. III. 12 (07)
- Ea: Codex Laudianus (08)
- Fp: Codex Augiensis (010)
- Ge: Codex Seidelianus I (011)
- Gp: Codex Boernerianus (012)
- He: Codex Seidelianus II (013)
- Ha: Codex Mutinensis (014)
- Hp: Codex Coislinianus (015)
- I: Codex Freerianus (016)
- Ke: Codex Cyprius (017)
- Kap: Codex Mosquensis I (018)
- Le: Codex Regius (New Testament) (019)
- Lap: Codex Angelicus (020)
- N: Codex Petropolitanus Purpureus (022)
- O: Sinope Gospels (023)
- Papr: Codex Porphyrianus (025)
- Q: Codex Guelferbytanus B (026)
- R: Codex Nitriensis (027)
- S: Codex Vaticanus 354 (028)
- T: Codex Borgianus (029)
- V: Codex Mosquensis II (031)
- W: Codex Washingtonianus (032)
- Z: Codex Dublinensis (035)
- Γ: Codex Tischendorfianus IV (036)
- Δ: Codex Sangallensis 48 (037)
- Θ: Codex Koridethi (038)
- Ξ: Codex Zacynthius (040)
- Π: Codex Petropolitanus (New Testament) (041)
- Φ: Codex Beratinus (043)
- Ψ: Codex Athous Lavrensis (044)
- Ω: Codex Athous Dionysiou (045)
- 0189: Uncial 0189
- Other Uncials
- Vetus Latina (Old Latin) Uncials (lower-case letters)
- it: with superscripts:
- Other important manuscripts and sources
- Lectionaries
- See List of New Testament lectionaries
- ℓ 185: Lectionary 185
- ℓ 249: Lectionary 249
- Papyri
- See List of New Testament papyri
- 𝔓45: Papyrus 45 (P. Chester Beatty I)
- 𝔓66: Papyrus 66
- Greek Miniscules
- See Lists of New Testament minuscules (no leading 0)
- 33: Minuscule 33
- 2344: Minuscule 2344
- The Diatessaron gospel harmony
- Latin Vulgate manuscripts (capital letters)
- vgA: Codex Amiatinus
- vgΣ: Codex Sangallensis 1395
- vgF: Codex Fuldensis
- gig: Codex Gigas (Old Latin in Acts and Revelation)
- Church Fathers are cited when relevant
- Ju: Justin Martyr
- Or: Origen
- Dion: Dionysius of Alexandria
- Tert: Tertullian
- Printed New Testaments - critical and eclectic texts
- Latin and Greek Majority texts
- E: Erasmus, Novum Instrumentum omne (1516)
- ς: The Textus Receptus (so-called) of Robert Estienne (1550)[7]
- Beza's Greek and Latin New Testament (1565 to 1611)
- M: John Mill, Novum Testamentum Graecum, etc. (1707)
- Bengel, Novum Testamentum Graecum (1734)
- Wettstein, Novum Testamentum Graecum, etc. (1751)
- Ma: Matthaei, Novum Testamentum Graecum, etc. (1803)
- Griesbach, Novum Testamentum Graece, etc. (1809 to 1823)
- L: Lloyd, Novum Testamentum Graecum (1828, 1836)
- Ln: Lachmann, Novum Testamentum Graece et Latine (Greek and Latin, 1842, 1850)
- Scr: Scrivener's Greek New Testaments (1877 to 1894)
- 𝔚: Wordsworth-White, Nouum Testamentum Domini nostri Jesu Christi latine (Latin, 1889)
- vS: von Soden, Die Schriften des neuen Testaments, etc. (1902 to 1910)
- Farstad and Hodges, The Greek New Testament According to the Majority Text with Apparatus (1982)
- Modern Greek NTs with substantially Alexandrian texts
- 𝔗 or T8th: Tischendorf, Editio Octava Critica Maior (1864 to 1894)
- WH: Westcott and Hort, The New Testament in the Original Greek (1881)
- Weiss, Das Neue Testament (1894)
- NA: Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle–Aland, NA28 is latest (1898-)
- UBS: United Bible Societies, Greek New Testament, UBS5 is latest (1966-)
- ECM: Editio Critica Maior, updates to Tischendorf's 8th edition (1997-) (in progress)
Textual variants
Textual variants in the Gospel of John
5 Textual variants in John 1
- εν αυτῳ ζωη εστιν (in him is life) – א D it vgmss Irenaeuslat Heracleon Clementpt Origenpt
- text omitted – Wsupp
- εν αυτῳ ζωη ῃν (in him was life) – All other mss. (rell)
- ο μονογενης υιος (the only-begotten son) – A C3 K X Δ Θ Π 063 0234 f1,13 28 565 700 892 1009 1010 1071 1079 1195 1216 1230 1241 1242 1253 1344 1365 1546 1646 2148 Byz, syrc Georgian mss. of Adysh (9th century)
- ο μονογενης θεος (the only-begotten God) – 𝔓75 אc 33 copbo
- μονογενης θεος (God [the] only-begotten) – 𝔓66 א* B C* L
- ⲠⲚⲞⲨⲦⲈ ⲠϢⲎⲢⲈ ⲚⲞⲨⲰⲦ (only children God) – copsa
- εν Βηθανιᾳ εγενετο – 𝔓59vid, 𝔓75, A, B, C,*, L, Wsupp, X, Δ, Θ, Ψ, 063, 28, 565, 700, 892*, 1009, 1010, 1071, 1195, 1216, 1241, 1242, 1253, 1344, 1365*, 2148, 2174, Byz, Lect, it, vg, syr
- εγενετο εν Βηθανιᾳ – 𝔓66, א*, ita, b, e, r1, copsa
- εν Βηθαβαρᾳ εγενετο – C2, K, Ψ, 083, 0113, f1, f13, 33, 1079, 1230, 1365c, 1546, 1646c, and Byz
- εν Βηθαραβᾳ εγενετο – 892, syrhmg, Origen
- εγενετο εν Βηθαραβᾳ – א2
John 1:34
1 Textual variants in John 2
John 2:3
- οινον ουκ ειχον οτι συνετελεσθη ο οινος του γαμου, ειτα (they did not have wine because the wine of the wedding reception was finished, then) – א* itmss syrhmg
- υστερησαντος οινου (they were running short of wine) – rell
3 Textual variants in John 3
John 3:12
- πιστευετε (ye believe) – 𝔓75 050 083 579 itaur,ff2,l vgmss cobomss
- πιστευσετε (ye will believe) – rell
John 3:20
- τα εργα αυτου – א B Δ 050 063 083 086 28 700 1230 1242c 1253 1365 2148 Byz ℓmss it copfay arm geo
- αυτου τα εργα – 𝔓75, A, K, Wsupp, Π, f1, 565, 892*, 1079, 1546,
- τα εργα αυτου οτι πονηρα εστιν – 𝔓66 Θ f13 33 1009 1010 1071 1195 1216 1242* 1344 1646 2174 itr1 copsa,bo,ach2
- τα εργα αυτου πονηρα εστιν οτι – L
- τα εργα αυτου οτι πονηρα εισιν – Ψ
- αυτου τα εργα οτι πονηρα εισιν – 892mg 1241
5 Textual variants in John 4
John 4:9
- ου γαρ συγχρωνται Ιουδαιοι Σαμαριταις (for Jews have no association with Samaritans) omitted by א* D ita,b,d, e, j copfay
John 4:37
- Verse omitted in 𝔓75
John 4:42
- ο χριστος (the Christ) – A C3 D L Xsupp Δ Θ Ψ 0141 f1,13 33 565 579 1071 Byz itmss syrp,h copbomss
- text omitted – 𝔓66 𝔓75 א B C* Wsupp 083vid ℓmss itmss vg syrc copsa,bomss arm Irenaeuslat Origen
John 4:46
- ο Ιησους (Jesus) – A Θ Ψ f1,13 Byz itmss syrp,h copbomss
- text omitted – 𝔓66 𝔓75 א B C* Wsupp 086 33 1241 itmss vg syrc copsa,bomss
John 4:53
- text ο Ιησους omitted – א* N*
- ο Ιησους (Jesus) – rell
2 Textual variants in John 5
2 Textual variants in John 6
John 6:1
- της θαλασσης της Γαλιλαιας της Τιβεριαδος – א A B K L W Δ Π Ψ 063 f1,13 28 33 565
- της θαλασσης της Γαλιλαιας – 𝔓66 1546
- της θαλασσης της Τιβεριαδος – 0210 1242 1344 2174 ℓ 184
- της θαλασσης της Γαλιλαιας και της Τιβεριαδος – V itf goth
- της θαλασσης της Γαλιλαιας εις τα μερη της Τιβεριαδος – D Θ 892 1009 1230 1253
John 6:4
- Verse omitted by 472
2 Textual variants in John 7
John 7:1
- ου γαρ ειχεν εξουσιαν (for he did not have authority) – W 196 743 ita,b,ff2l,r1 syrc Chrysostom
- ου γαρ ηθελεν (for he was not wanting) – All other mss. (rell)
- Include Dea, Fe, Ge, He, Ke, M, U, Γ, Π, 047, 0233, 28, 318, 700, 892, 1009, 1010, 1071, 1079, 1195, 1216, 1344, 1365, 1546, 1646, 2148, 2174, lat, syrpal, Didascalia, Didymus the Blind, Jerome, Augustine, Apostolic Constitutions
- Exclude א, B, 𝔓75, 𝔓66, W, T, N, Ψ, C, A, goth
1 Textual variants in John 8
1 Textual variants in John 9
1 Textual variants in John 10
John 10:7
- η θυρα (door) – majority
- ο ποιμην (shepherd) – 𝔓75 copsa copac
0 Textual variants in John 11
John 11:1
1 Textual variants in John 12
John 12:28
- δοξασον σου το ονομα (glorify thy name) – א A C K W Δ Θ Π Ψ 0250 28 565 700 892 1009 1010 1079 1195 1216 1230 1242 1344 1365 1546 1646 2148 Byz ℓ 69 ℓ 70 ℓ 211 ℓ 1579 ℓ 1761
- δοξασον μου το ονομα (glorify my name) – B
- δοξασον σου τον υιον (glorify thy son) – L X f1,1333 1071 1241 vg syh mg, copbo
- δοξασον σου το ονομα εν τη δοξη η ειχον παρα σοι προ του τον κοσμον γενεσται – D itd
1 Textual variants in John 13
John 13:2
- Ιουδας Σιμωνος Ισκαριωτου – L Ψ 0124 1241
- Ιουδα Σιμωνος απο Καρυωτου – D it(d),e
1 Textual variants in John 14
0 Textual variants in John 15
John 15:1
1 Textual variants in John 16
John 16:28
- εξηλθον παρα του πατρος (I came forth from the Father) omitted in D W itb,d,ff2 syrs copmss
1 Textual variants in John 17
John 17:14
- καθως εγω ουκ ειμι εκ του κοσμου (just as I am not of the world) omitted in 𝔓66* D f13 it syrs
3 Textual variants in John 18
John 18:5
- ο παραδιδους αυτον (the one betraying him), the phrase is omitted in 𝔓66* syrs
John 18:11
- παντες γαρ οι λαβοντες μαχαιραν εν μαχαιρα απολουνται – Θ
John 18:21
- ερωτας – א* A B C L W Θ Ψ 054 0250 33 1424 al
- επερωτας – Ds f1 f13 Byz
2 Textual variants in John 19
2 Textual variants in John 20
- ο Ιησους (Jesus) omitted in א D L W Ψ 050 lat syrs co
- ζωην αιωνιον (life eternal) – א C(*) D L Ψ 0100 f13 33 it vgmss syrp, h copsa,bo Irenaeuslat
- ζωην (life) – rell
1 Textual variants in John 21
John 21:7
- οι δε ειπον δι οληϲ (τηϲ) νυκτοϲ εκοπιαϲαμεν και (κοπιαϲαντεϲ) ουδεν ελαβομεν επι δε τω ϲω ρηματι (ονοματι) βαλουμεν (and they said: we toiled all night and took nothing, but at your word we will let down) – 𝔓66, א1, Ψ, some mss of Vulgate, copbo
See also
- Alexandrian text-type
- Biblical inerrancy
- Byzantine text-type
- Caesarean text-type
- Categories of New Testament manuscripts
- Comparison of codices Sinaiticus and Vaticanus
- List of New Testament verses not included in modern English translations
- Textual variants in the New Testament
- Western text-type
References
- ^ Adam Fox, John Mill and Richard Bentley: A Study of the Textual Criticism of the New Testament 1675–1729 (Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1954), pp. 105–115; John Mill, Novum Testamentum Graecum, cum lectionibus variantibus MSS (Oxford 1707)
- ^ Metzger and Ehrman (2005), p.154
- ^ Peter J. Gurry, "The Number of Variants in the Greek New Testament: A Proposed Estimate" New Testament Studies 62.1 (2016), p. 113
- ^ Nestle, Eberhard; Nestle, Erwin; Aland, Barbara; Aland, Kurt; Karavidopoulos, J.; Martini, C. M.; Metzger, Bruce M. (2001). Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece (NA27) (27 ed.). Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft. ISBN 978-3-438-05100-4.
- ^ Aland, Kurt; Aland, Barbara; Karavidopoulos, Johannes; Martini, Carlo M.; Metzger, Bruce Manning, eds. (2012). Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece (NA28) (28 ed.). Stuttgart: German Bible Society. ISBN 978-3-438-05140-0.
- ^ Metzger, Bruce Manning; Ehrman, Bart D. (2005). The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption and Restoration (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 54, 62–86, 102–103. ISBN 0-19-516667-1.
- ^ J.P. van de Giessen (2003). "Legenda tekstkritische notities". bijbelaantekeningen.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 May 2022.
Further reading
- Novum Testamentum Graece et Latine, ed. E. Nestle, K. Aland, Stuttgart 1981.
- Bruce M. Metzger & Bart D. Ehrman, "The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration", OUP New York, Oxford, 4 edition, 2005
- Bart D. Ehrman, "The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture. The Effect of Early Christological Controversies on the Text of the New Testament", Oxford University Press, New York - Oxford, 1996, pp. 223–227.
- Bruce M. Metzger, "A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament: A Companion Volume to the United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament", 1994, United Bible Societies, London & New York.