The Manuscripts of the Gospels

Contents: Introduction * Table of Papyri * Table of Letter Uncials * Table of Numbered Uncials * Table of Minuscules 1-300 * Table of Minuscules 301-600 * Table of Minuscules 601-900 * Table of Minuscules 901-1200 * Table of Minuscules 1201-1500 * Table of Minuscules 1501-1800 * Table of Minuscules 1801-2100 * Table of Minuscules 2101 and up * Notes *

Introduction

Textual critics are dependent on their materials -- in this case, manuscripts. But how is a student to know which manuscripts contain which text? No one can possibly examine all the manuscripts now available.

To make matters worse, not all editors agree on the nature of the text found in the manuscripts.

This article attempts to summarize the judgments passed by previous editors. The tables below list all non-fragmentary manuscripts cited regularly in at least one of the major recent critical apparati (Merk, Nestle-Aland26, Nestle-Aland27, UBS3, UBS4, Huck-Greeven, SQE13, IGNTP Luke). Notes on sources and how to interpret the data follow the table. Fragmentary manuscripts are omitted as they should be dealt with on a more detailed basis.

Table of Papyri

Gregory Number Soden Symbol Date Contents Soden Desc Merk Desc Aland Desc CPM Desc Comment
P45IIIe#a#H/CI
Free
Colwell showed that the scribe of this manuscript, or one of its ancestors, freely paraphrased the text.
P66c. 200John#I
Free
P75IIILk# Jo#I
Strict
Very close to B.

Table of Letter Uncials

Gregory NumberSoden SymbolDateContentsSoden DescMerk DescAland DescCPM DescComment
Aleph/01d2IVeapcrHHIB (core)
A/02d4Ve#ap#crIkaKkIII (V)Pa (diverging)Earliest Greek Gospels manuscript to have a substantially Byzantine text. It has some important Alexandrian readings, but these are a small minority.
B/03d1IVeap#cHHIB (core)Very close to P75
C/04d3V#eapcrHHIIMixMixed Alexandrian and Byzantine
D/05d5V/VIe#a#
Gk/Lat
IaDIVB (diverging)Primary (and only) Greek "Western" witness.
E/07e55VIIIe#KiKiVKx Cl W
F/09e86IXe#KiKiVKmix
G/011e87IXe#KiKiVKx
H/013e88IXe#KiKiVKx
K/017e71IXeIkaKkVPa (core)
L/019e56VIIIe#HHIIB (core)Late Alexandrian. Double Markan ending. Some Byzantine readings; main run of text is closer to B than Aleph.
M/021e72IXeIphi-rCphiVM27 (diverging)
N/022e19VIe#IpiCpiVMixPurple uncial; group with O S F
O/023e21VIMatt#IpiCpiVPurple uncial; group with N S F
P/024e33VIe#I'C|VMix
Q/026e4VLk# Jo#I'H/C|VMix
R/027e22VILuke#I'C|VKx+Mix
S/028e1027949eK1KiVKx Cl W
T/029 (+0113,
0125, 0139)
e5+ e50+
e99+e1002
VLk# Jo#
Gk/Copt
HHIIClose to P75/B
U/030e90IXeIoCoVKmix+Kx;
close to 974 1006
V/031e75IXe#K1KiVKx Cl W
W/032e014Ve#H (LkJo)
Ia (Mk)
H (MtLkJo)
Ca (Mark)
IIIB+Kx+MixUniquely and heavily block mixed, with Byzantine text in Matthew, "Western" and "Cæsarean" in Mark (with the famous "Freer Logion"), Luke Alexandrian and Byzantine, John primarily Alexandrian with a supplement that has a mixed text.
X/033A3Xe# CommA3Co/KVMix (Gr B
Influence)
Commentary manuscript, mostly Byzantine but with some striking agreements with B
Y/034e073IXe#IkKkVP171
Z/035e26VIMatt#HHIIIClose to Aleph
G/036e70Xe#I'C|VKxFrom the information in the colophon, probably dates to 979, with 844 as an alternative.
D/037e76IXe# Gk/LatHHIIIMix+KxLargely Alexandrian in Mark, especially in the early chapters; Byzantine elsewhere
Q/038e050IXe#IaCaIIMixConsidered the best Cæsarean witness, but about half Byzantine.
L/039e77IXLk JoIrKrVLMatt and Mark are the minuscule 566.
Xi/040A1VILuke# CommA1KIIIKmix+BLate Alexandrian. Contains a system of divisions found elsewhere only in B.
P/041e73IXe#IkaKkVPa (core)
S/042e18VIMt MkIpiCpiVPurple uncial; group with N O F
F/043 e17VI#Mt MkIpiCpiVPurple uncial; group with N O S
Y/044 d6VIII/
IX
e#ap#cHHIIIB+Kmix+MixStrongly Alexandrian in Mark (has the double ending); mostly Byzantine in Luke; mixed Alexandrian/Byzantine in John.
W/045e61IXeK1KiVKx Cl W

Table of Numbered Uncials

Gregory NumberSoden SymbolDateContentsSoden DescMerk DescAland DescCPM DescComment
047e95VIIIe#I'C|VKx
070 (+0110,
0124, 0178,
0179, 0180
0190, 0191,
0193, 0202)
e6+e017+
e78
VILk# Jo#
Gk/Copt
HHIII
0141Ci13XJohn CommCi13KIII
0211e051IXeK1VKx+Kmix+Mix
0233VIIIe#III
0250VIIIe#IIIPalimpsest. Text is primarily Byzantine, but with an assortment of early readings of no clear type.

Table of Minuscules 1-300

Gregory NumberSoden SymbolDateContentsSoden DescMerk DescAland DescCPM DescComment
1eapd254XIIeapcIeta-aCetaIII1 (core)
2ee1214XIIeKxVKmix+Kx
5d453XIVeapcAkCaV?Mix+Kmix+1519
6d356XIIIeapcIkVP6
7e287XIIeIphi-bCphiCl 7
13e368XIIIe#Iiota-cCiotaIII13 (core)
16e449XIVe Gk/LatIbeta-bCbeta16 (with 1163)
21e286XIIe#IaCaVKx
22e288XIIe#Ieta-bCeta22b (core)
27e1023Xe#Iphi-rCphiVM27 (core)
28e168XIe#IaCaIII (Mark)
V (others)
Mix+KxConsidered one of the primary Cæsarean witnesses, but almost purely Byzantine outside Mark.
33d48IX#eapcHHIIBAlexandrian with heavy Byzantine (and perhaps minor "Western") influence. Probably the best minuscule of the gospels other than 892.
60e13211297erKx(Kc)VCl 1685
66e519XIVeKrVKr
69d505XV#eapcrIiota-bCiotaV (?)13
71e253XIIeIphi-rCphiM27 (core)
83e1218XIeKrC|VKr
115e1096Xe#Iphi-bCphiKmix+Kx
118e346XIIIe#Ieta-bCeta1 (core)
123e174XIeKxVKx Cl W
124e1211XIe#Iiota-bCiota13 (weak)
131d467XIVeapcIetaCeta1
138A201XIIe# CommAcKVKx
157e207XIIeIsigmaCsigmaIIIKx+Mix+B
158e108XIeKxKx+Pa
160e2131123eIphi-cMix+Kx
161e1005Xe#IrL
162e2141153eIC|VKx+Kmix
174e1091052e#Iiota-bCiotaL
179e211Xe#Iphi-bCphiMix+Kx
180e1498XIIeapcrKxVKx Cl 180
185e410XIVeIphi-bCphiVCl 1531
205d501XVeapcr
+OT
IetaIII1 (with 209)Descendant or close cousin of 209
209d457XIVeapcrIeta-bCetaIII1 (with 205)
213e129XIe#IoCoMix
229e12061140e#IkcKkPa+Kx
230e1731013eIiota-cCiotaL
235e4561314eIsigmaCsigmaVKmix+Kx
245e12261199eIsigmaCsigmaVKmix+1167
249Ni10XIVJohn
Comm
K
251e192XIIeI'C|Cl 1229
262e1020XeIrKrVL (core)
265e285XIIeIkaKkPa (core)
267e1289XIIe#Iphi-bCphiVCl 7
270e291XIIeIkbKkVPb+Pa
273e370XIIIe#I'C|Kmix+Kx
280e294XIIeIkcKkVPa (core)
291e377XIIIeIsigmaCsigmaV291

Table of Minuscules 301-600

Gregory NumberSoden SymbolDateContentsSoden DescMerk DescAland DescCPM DescComment
317Ni31XIIJohn
Comm
K
343e120XIeKxVCl 343+Kmix
346e226XIIe#Iiota-cCiotaIII13 (core)
348e1211022eIbeta-aCbeta1216 (core)
349e4131322eIphi-aCphiM349 (with 2388)
372e600XVIe#IaCaMix ("strange text")
397Ci10X/XIJohn
Comm
K
399e94IX/XeIa (Matt)
K1 (MkLcJo)
Ca (Matt)
Ki (MkLkJo)
VMix+Kx
423Nm,i601556Mt Jo
Comm
K
430Ni11XIJo#
Comm
K
440d60XIIeapcI'C|Kx+Kmix
443e270XIIeIoCoVM159
461e92835eK1KiVKx Cl W
472e1386XIIIe#I'C|Mix+Kmix
473e1390XIIIeIkcKkVP473
475e138XIe#KxVKx+Cl475
477e350XIIIeIbeta-aCbetaV1216 (with 2174)
478e1082XeKakVKx
480d4621366eapcKrKVKr (perfect)
482e3291285eIkcKkVKx+Pa
485e247XIIe#I'C|VKx
489d4591316#eapcIkaKkPa (with 1219)
495e243XIIeI'C|Kmix
517e167XI/XII#eapcrIphi-aCphiCl 1675 (core)
544e337XIIIeIaCaPa+Kmix+Kx
545e5111430eIrKrCl 585 (core)
565e93IXe#IaCaIIIB+KxConsidered one of the primary Caesarean witnesses. Very close to Q in Mark.
577e4541346eKxVKmix
579e376XIIIe#HHII (Mark,
Luke only)
BStrongly Alexandrian in Mark-John; about as good as 33 or 892. Perhaps closer to Aleph than B. Matthew is much more Byzantine, though it has a few early readings.
597e340XIIIeKxV291

Table of Minuscules 601-900

Gregory NumberSoden SymbolDateContentsSoden DescMerk DescAland DescCPM DescComment
655e177XI/XIIeK1KiVKmix+Kx
659e1216XIIeIphi-bCphi
660e178XI/XIIe#I'C|V22a (** to Kr)
661e179XIeK1Ki
669e1025Xe#KxVKx
692e1284XIIMtMkLkIphi-rCphi (Mark)VM27
700e133XIeIaCaIIIMix+B+KxConsidered one of the primary Cæsarean witnesses.
713e351XIIe#IsigmaCsigmaMix+Kmix
716e448XIVeI'C|Cl 343+Cl 686
726e384XIIIeIkbKkPb
743Ni50XIV#ecr?
Comm
788e1033XIeIiota-bCiotaIII13 (core)
821Ci60XVIJohn
Comm
K
826e218XIIeIiota-cCiIII13 (perfect)By most accounts, the best and central witness of family 13.
827e309XIIIe#Iphi-bCphi (Mark)Cl 827
828e219XIIeIiota-cCiIII13
850Ki20XIIJohn#
Comm
H
869Ci21XIIJohn#
Comm
K
872e203XIIe#Ieta-bCetaKx
892e1016IXe#HHIIB (core)Overall, perhaps the most Alexandrian of the gospel minuscules. Portions of John, from a later hand, are mostly Byzantine.

Table of Minuscules 901-1200

Gregory NumberSoden SymbolDateContentsSoden DescMerk DescAland DescCPM DescComment
903e40021381eIphi?Mix
945d362XIeapcIphi-cCphiVKmix+Kx
954e1454XVeIphi-aCphiCl 1675
983e3017XIIeIiota-aCiotaIII13
990e1260XIVeIphi-cCphi
994A227/
Ci33
X/XI#MtJo
Comm
KV
998e1385XIIe#I'C|VKx Cl 180
1005e1263XIVeIeta22a
1006e1156XIerK1VKmix (with 974;
also U)
1009e1265XIIIeIkMix+Kmix
(with 472)
1010e1266XIIe#Iphi-cCphiVKmix+Kx
Cl 160
1012e1132XIeIsigmaCsigmaCl 1012
1038e1493XIVeI'C|
1047e1354XIIIe#I'C|M609
1071e1279XIIeIoCoIIIMix
1077e1139XeK1VKx Cl W
1079e1045XeIkPa(core)
1080A312IXe CommAbVKx Cl W
1082e3015XIVeIphi-bCphiKx+Kr
1093e14431302eI'C|Mix
1170e541XIe#I'C|M27 (with 569)
1187e1083XIeIrKrVL
1188e1114XI/XIIeIphi-aCphiVKmix+Kx
1192e1115XIeIeta-b22b
1194e1094XIeIphi-rCphiM10
1195e11161123eKxM1195
1200e1250XIIe#IkbKkVPb

Table of Minuscules 1201-1500

Gregory NumberSoden SymbolDateContentsSoden DescMerk DescAland DescCPM DescComment
1203e1042XeKxVKx
1207e1098XIeIphi-cCphi (LkJo)VP473
1210e1198XIeIeta-b22b
1215e1315XIIIeKakVMix+Kx+Kmix
1216e1043XIeIbeta-bCbeta1216 (core)
1220Xe#VM609
1223e1093XeIphi-cCphiVP1441+P268
1229e1317XIIIe#I'C|Cl 1229
1230A2251124e CommMix
1241d371XII#eapcH(H)IIIBProbably the most Alexandrian minuscule of Luke. It is somewhat less good on John, and weaker still in Matthew and Mark.
1242d469XIIIeapcI'C| (John)VKmix+1167
1243d198XIeapcIbetaIII1216 (with 1579)
1247d556XVeapcKxVKr (weak)
1253Oe64XVe# CommMix
1278e277XIIeIeta22a
1279e1178XIeIbeta-aCbeta1216
1292d395XIIIeapcIkVPb+Kx
1293e190XIe#Iphi-cCphiKmix+Kx
1295e96IXe#I'C|Kx Cl W
1313A115XIe CommAcVPa
1319d180XII#eapcIkVPb
1321e1110XIeAkCo1519
1338e1243XIIe#KxKx Cl 281
1342e1311XIII/
XIV
e#(I)CaII (Mark)Mix+B+Kx
1344e1244XIIe#KxKx+Kmix
1346e1089X/XIeIkaKkPa
1347e1038Xe#Iphi-rVKmix+Kx
1351e1040Xe#KxVKx Cl 2592
1352d396?eapc(r)KxVKx1352a contains eapc; 1352 b contains r
1354d470XIVeapcIkcKkVPa+Kx
1355e1246XIIeI'C|VPa
1365e381XIIeI'C|22a
1375e1225XIIeIkbKkVPb
1391e1413XIIIeIphi-bCphiKx
1392A229Xe CommAcVKx+Pa
1396e1416XIVeI'C|M1326
1402e1333XIIeIphi-bCphiM1402
1424d30IX/Xeapcr+
Hermas
(Comm)
Iphi-aCphiIII (Mark)Cl 1675 (diverging)
1443e11381047eIphi-rMix+Kmix+Kx
(with 1282)
1452e1274992?eKxVKx (with 568)
1458e1142XeKxM27 (core)

Table of Minuscules 1501-1800

Gregory NumberSoden SymbolDateContentsSoden DescMerk DescAland DescCPM DescComment
1505d165XIIeapcKxVKmix+Kx
(with 2495)
1506Qe4021320e#p#
Comm
V
1510e2024XIe#IkKmix+P278
1515e1442XIIIe#I'C|Kmix+P171
1542a/be1337XIIe#IaCaIII (Mark)
V (Luke)
Mix+Kx
1546e13391263?eIkPa
1555e1341XIIIeIrKrL
1573d398XII/
XIII
eapcIrKrVMix+L
1574e551XIVeIoCoMix
1579e1349XIeIbeta-bCbeta1216 (with 1243)
1582e183949eIeta-aCetaIII1Along with 1 itself, one of the basic witnesses of family 1. It was copied by the same scribe as 1739.
1588e1435XIVeIbeta-bCbeta16
1604e1353XIIIeI'C|VMix+Kmix
(with 2546)
1606e1441XIIIeIphi-bCphiKx Cl 187
1630e14721314eKrM349
1654e14681326e#IaCaCl 7
1675e1444XIVe#Iphi-bCphiCl 1675 (core)
1685e30481292erIphi-bCl 1685
1689e10541200eIiota-aCiota
1697e2068XIIIeKxKmix+Kx+Mix
1709e1053XeKx

Table of Minuscules 1801-2100

Gregory NumberSoden SymbolDateContentsSoden DescMerk DescAland DescCPM DescComment
1820Ki50XVJohn
Comm
H
2096e2080XII#MtMkLkVCl 1012

Table of Minuscules 2101 and up

Gregory NumberSoden SymbolDateContentsSoden DescMerk DescAland DescCPM DescComment
2145e12221145eIoCoM1195+Kx
2148Qe4001337e CommCl 2148
2174e393XIVeIbeta1216 (with 477)
2191d250XIIeapcIphi-bVKx+Kmix
2193e1131XeIeta-aCeta (MkLkJo)III
2322XII/
XIII
e#Kr(perfect)
2372XIIIe#22a
2399XIVe#Kr Cl 1059
2427XIV?MarkIVery close to B. Most Alexandrian minuscule now known. Its authenticity has been questioned.
2430XIe#C| (Mark)VMix+P171+Kmix
2487XIe#Cl 1229
2542XIII#MtMkLkIIIMix+1
2613XIeM106
26431289erMix (with 792)
2757XII/
XIII
eMix+Kmix+Kx
2766XIIIeKmix+Cl 827

Notes

Gregory Number -- The standard numerical designation for manuscripts, based on the system created by Caspar Rene Gregory.

Soden Symbol -- The designation given to the manuscript by H. von Soden. The user is referred to von Soden's work or the commentaries for a discussion of these symbols, many of which cannot even be reproduced in HTML format.

The Gregory/Soden equivalences given here are taken primarily from Kurt Aland, Kurzgefasste Liste der Grieschischen Handschriften des Neuen Testaments (de Gruyer, 1963). They have been checked against Merk where necessary.

Note: If a manuscript has multiple Soden symbols, this usually means that it comes from two different eras and that von Soden assigned two numbers to the various parts. The first symbol will usually be the one used in the current section.

Date -- as given by the most recent catalogs (NA27 or the Kurzgefasste Liste). Arabic numerals indicate a precise date listed in a colophon; roman numerals indicate centuries (as judged by paleographers).

Contents -- briefly describes the contents of a manuscript. e=Gospels; a=Acts; p=Paul; c=Catholics; r=Apocalypse. The symbol # indicates a defect. If it follows the description of a section (e.g. p#) it indicates that the manuscript is defective in that section; if it precedes the list, it means that the nature of the defect is unknown to me. Thus, ap#c indicates a manuscript which contains Acts, Paul, and the Catholics, which is defective for part of Paul; #apc indicates a manuscript of those same books which is defective in a way unknown to me. Comm indicates a commentary manuscript; polyglot manuscripts are also noted.

The information here is taken from the Kurzgefasste Liste, from NA27, from a variety of special studies, and from my own researches.

Soden Description -- this indicated the classification in which von Soden placed the manuscripts. There is no room here for a full discussion, but we may note that H is the Aexandrian text. K is the Byzantine text. The various I groups include a wide variety of manuscripts of mixed types.

The information from this section again comes from the Kurzgefasste Liste, supplemented by Wisse and Merk.

Merk Description -- These are the classification used in Augustinus Merk's Novum Testamentum Graece et Latine. It will be observed that, for the most part, they correspond with von Soden's, groups, but Merk has separated the I text into two parts -- the D text and the C (Caesarean) groups. A question mark or parenthesized entry in this column indicates that Merk's list of manuscripts does not correspond to his manuscript groupings; the reader is referred to the group lists.

Aland Description -- Kurt and Barbara Aland undertook to classify "all" minuscules according to quality. In The Text of the New Testament (translated by Erroll F. Rhodes, Eerdmans, 1989) they listed their results. A category I manuscript was considered most important for establishing the text (practical translation: a category I manuscript is supposed to be free of Byzantine influence). A category II manuscript is somewhat poorer and more mixed; category III is important "for the history of the text"; category V is Byzantine. In practice, these categories are an assessment of Byzantine influence.

It will be noted that not all manuscripts have been rated. Some (e.g. 1799) were not collated. In most instances, however, it appears to be because the manuscript is very slightly mixed -- not purely Byzantine, but not clearly anything else, either. In some cases I have been unable to determine why the Alands did not give a rating.

CPM Description -- The classification according to the Claremont Profile Method, detailed in Frederik Wisse, The Profile Method for Classifying and Evaluating Manuscript Evidence (Studies and Documents 44, Eerdmans, 1982).

The Claremont System so far has been applied only to the Gospel of Luke, and only three chapters (1, 10, and 20) have been profiled. Not all manuscripts have been profiled for all chapters, but it will be evident that a block mixed manuscript may show as many as three text-types.

The CPM system is based on a number of basic groups:

A number of clusters and pairs, as well as many mixed texts, are also cited.

In addition to their classifications, manuscripts may be described as Core or Diverging members of a group. A core member is one that falls very close to the basic profile of the group. (Those which show no deviations from the profile at all may be described as "perfect" members.) A diverging member is one that does not fall close to the core. If a manuscript is marked "with XXXX," it means that Wisse considers these manuscripts to be paired.

Note that Wisse's results are summarized; defects are not noted, partial profiles are treated as complete, and mixture may not be commented on.

Comment -- this is my attempt to provide the "last word." Usually this is based on a scholarly study or on the consensus of textual critics, but I have sometimes added my own opinions.