Differences between codices Sinaiticus and Vaticanus
Encyclopedia
Codex Sinaiticus
and Codex Vaticanus
, two of great uncial codices
, representatives of the Alexandrian text-type
, are considered excellent manuscript
witnesses of the text of the New Testament
. Most critical editions
of the Greek New Testament
give precedence to these two chief uncial manuscripts, and the majority of translations
are based on their text. Nevertheless, there are many differences
between these two manuscripts. According to Dean Burgon: "It is in fact easier to find two consecutive verses in which these two MSS differ the one from the other, than two consecutive verses in which they entirely agree."
According to Herman C. Hoskier
, there are, without counting errors of iotacism
, 3,036 textual variations between Sinaiticus and Vaticanus in the text of the Gospels alone, enumerated as follows:
Hoskier noted in his book: "I make a present to Gregory
and Souter
of the 'provincial' exchange of ως and ωσπερ, παντα and απαντα, ως and ωσει, εναντιον and ενωπιον, εστηκοτων and εστωτων, εαυτου and αυτου, με and εμε, οικιαν and οικον, ετερον and αλλον and αλληλον, πιειν and πειν and πιν, ηυδοκησεν and ευδοκησεν, ευθυς and ευθεως, σπυριδας and σφυριδας, καγω and και εγω, υποκατω and υποποδιον, εαν and αν, απο and υπο, προς αυτους and αυτοις, επι and εις, ινα and οπως."
According to contemporary scholars, these two manuscripts represent two different textual families of the Alexandrian text-type. The Codex Sinaiticus' John 1:1-8:38 represents another difference: the Western text-type
. Additionally, chapters 16 and 21 in John include some Western readings, hence why the number of differences between these two codices in John is greater than in the other Gospels.
Codex Sinaiticus is designated by siglum , and Codex Vaticanus by alpha character . The following represent scribal corrections:
For sigla of other manuscripts, see List of New Testament uncials.
The list of textual variants that follows below is incomplete.
Codex Sinaiticus
Codex Sinaiticus is one of the four great uncial codices, an ancient, handwritten copy of the Greek Bible. It is an Alexandrian text-type manuscript written in the 4th century in uncial letters on parchment. Current scholarship considers the Codex Sinaiticus to be one of the best Greek texts of...
and Codex Vaticanus
Codex Vaticanus
The Codex Vaticanus , is one of the oldest extant manuscripts of the Greek Bible , one of the four great uncial codices. The Codex is named for the residence in the Vatican Library, where it has been stored since at least the 15th century...
, two of great uncial codices
Great uncial codices
The great uncial codices or four great uncials are the only remaining uncial codices that contain the entire text of the Greek Bible ....
, representatives of the Alexandrian text-type
Alexandrian text-type
The Alexandrian text-type , associated with Alexandria, is one of several text-types used in New Testament textual criticism to describe and group the textual character of biblical manuscripts...
, are considered excellent manuscript
Biblical manuscript
A biblical manuscript is any handwritten copy of a portion of the text of the Bible. The word Bible comes from the Greek biblia ; manuscript comes from Latin manu and scriptum...
witnesses of the text of the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
. Most critical editions
Textual criticism
Textual criticism is a branch of literary criticism that is concerned with the identification and removal of transcription errors in the texts of manuscripts...
of the Greek New Testament
Novum Testamentum Graece
Novum Testamentum Graece is the Latin name editions of the original Greek-language version of the New Testament.The first printed edition was the Complutensian Polyglot Bible by Cardinal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros, printed in 1514, but not published until 1520...
give precedence to these two chief uncial manuscripts, and the majority of translations
Bible translations
The Bible has been translated into many languages from the biblical languages of Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. Indeed, the full Bible has been translated into over 450 languages, although sections of the Bible have been translated into over 2,000 languages....
are based on their text. Nevertheless, there are many differences
Textual variants in the New Testament
Textual variants arise when a copyist makes deliberate or inadvertent alterations to a text being reproduced. 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...
between these two manuscripts. According to Dean Burgon: "It is in fact easier to find two consecutive verses in which these two MSS differ the one from the other, than two consecutive verses in which they entirely agree."
According to Herman C. Hoskier
Herman C. Hoskier
Herman Charles Hoskier , was a biblical scholar, British textual critic, and son of a merchant banker, Herman Hoskier .Hoskier, as textual critic, supported the Byzantine text-type against the Alexandrian text-type...
, there are, without counting errors of iotacism
Iotacism
Iotacism is the process by which a number of vowels and diphthongs in Ancient Greek converged in pronunciation so that they all sound like iota in Modern Greek....
, 3,036 textual variations between Sinaiticus and Vaticanus in the text of the Gospels alone, enumerated as follows:
- MatthewGospel of MatthewThe Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
: 656 - MarkGospel of MarkThe Gospel According to Mark , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Mark or simply Mark, is the second book of the New Testament. This canonical account of the life of Jesus of Nazareth is one of the three synoptic gospels. It was thought to be an epitome, which accounts for its place as the second...
: 567 - LukeGospel of LukeThe Gospel According to Luke , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Luke or simply Luke, is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. It details his story from the events of his birth to his Ascension.The...
: 791 - JohnGospel of JohnThe Gospel According to John , commonly referred to as the Gospel of John or simply John, and often referred to in New Testament scholarship as the Fourth Gospel, is an account of the public ministry of Jesus...
: 1022
Hoskier noted in his book: "I make a present to Gregory
Caspar René Gregory
Caspar René Gregory was a American-born German theologian theologian.-Life:Gregory was born in Philadelphia. He studied theology at two Presbyterian seminaries: in 1865-67 at the University of Pennsylvania and at Princeton Theological Seminary...
and Souter
Alexander Souter
Alexander Souter was a Scottish biblical scholar.-Biography:Souter was born in Perth, and studied at the University of Aberdeen and the University of Cambridge. He subsequently became a Latin assistant at Aberdeen. While at Cambridge he studied under J. E. B...
of the 'provincial' exchange of ως and ωσπερ, παντα and απαντα, ως and ωσει, εναντιον and ενωπιον, εστηκοτων and εστωτων, εαυτου and αυτου, με and εμε, οικιαν and οικον, ετερον and αλλον and αλληλον, πιειν and πειν and πιν, ηυδοκησεν and ευδοκησεν, ευθυς and ευθεως, σπυριδας and σφυριδας, καγω and και εγω, υποκατω and υποποδιον, εαν and αν, απο and υπο, προς αυτους and αυτοις, επι and εις, ινα and οπως."
According to contemporary scholars, these two manuscripts represent two different textual families of the Alexandrian text-type. The Codex Sinaiticus' John 1:1-8:38 represents another difference: the Western text-type
Western text-type
The Western text-type is one of several text-types used in textual criticism to describe and group the textual character of Greek New Testament manuscripts...
. Additionally, chapters 16 and 21 in John include some Western readings, hence why the number of differences between these two codices in John is greater than in the other Gospels.
Codex Sinaiticus is designated by siglum , and Codex Vaticanus by alpha character . The following represent scribal corrections:
- א* — original text of Codex Sinaiticus before scribal correction(s)
- א1 — first corrector of Codex Sinaiticus
- א2 — second corrector of Codex Sinaiticus
- B* — original text of Codex Vaticanus before scribal correction(s)
- B1 — first corrector of Codex Vaticanus
- B2 — second corrector of Codex Vaticanus
For sigla of other manuscripts, see List of New Testament uncials.
The list of textual variants that follows below is incomplete.