Categories of New Testament manuscripts

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New Testament manuscripts in Greek are categorized into five groups,^[1] according to a scheme introduced in 1981 by Kurt and Barbara Aland in The text of the New Testament. The categories are based on how each manuscript relates to the various text-types. Generally speaking, earlier Alexandrian manuscripts are category I, while later Byzantine manuscripts are category V. Aland's method involved considering 1000 passages where the Byzantine text differs from non-Byzantine text. The Alands did not select their 1000 readings from all of the NT books; for example, none were drawn from Matthew and Luke.^[2]

Description of categories

Category I – Alexandrian

This category includes the earliest manuscripts. Some fourth century and earlier papyri and uncials are in this category, as are manuscripts of the Alexandrian text-type. The manuscripts in this category are important when considering textual problems and are considered by many scholars to be a good representation of the autograph, due to their early dating.

Category II – Egyptian

The manuscripts in this category are similar to category I manuscripts, and are important in textual consideration of the autograph. However, the texts usually contain some alien influences, such as those found in the Byzantine text-type. Egyptian texts fall in this category.

Category III – Eclectic

The manuscripts in category III are important when discussing the history of the textual traditions and to a lesser degree for establishing the original text. The manuscripts usually contain independent readings, and have a distinctive character. f¹, f¹³ are examples of manuscript families that fall within this category. Manuscripts of this category usually present mixed or eclectic text-type.

Category IV – Western

Category IV contains the few manuscripts that follow the text of the Codex Bezae (D). These texts are of the Western text-type.

Category V – Byzantine

Byzantine and mostly Byzantine texts fall under this category.

Distribution of Greek manuscripts by century and category

See Aland:159–162.

	I	II	III	IV	V
150	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁵², ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁹⁰, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ¹⁰⁴
200	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ³², ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁴⁶, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ^64/67, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁶⁶, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁷⁵, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁷⁷, 0189,
250	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ¹, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁴, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁵, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁹, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ¹², ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ¹⁵, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ²⁰, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ²², ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ²³, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ²⁷, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ²⁸, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ²⁹, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ³⁰, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ³⁹, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁴⁰, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁴⁵, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁴⁷, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁴⁹, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁵³, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁶⁵, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁷⁰, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁸⁰, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁸⁷, 0220		0212	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁴⁸, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁶⁹
300	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ¹³, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ¹⁶, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ¹⁸, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ³⁷, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁷², ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁷⁸, 0162, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ¹¹⁵			${\mathfrak {P}}$ ³⁸, 0171
350	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ¹⁰, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ²⁴, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ³⁵, 01, 03	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁶, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁸, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ¹⁷, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁵⁰, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁶², ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁷¹, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁸¹, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁸⁶, 0185	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁸⁸, 058 (?), 0169, 0188, 0206, 0207, 0221, 0228, 0231, 0242
400	057	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ¹⁹, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁵¹, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁵⁷, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁸², ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁸⁵, 0181, 0270	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ²¹, 059, 0160, 0176, 0214, 0219
450	02 (except Gospels), 0254	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ¹⁴, 04, 016, 029, 048, 077, 0172, 0173, 0175, 0201, 0240, 0244, 0274	02 (Gospels), 032, 062, 068, 069, 0163, 0165 (?), 0166, 0182, 0216, 0217, 0218, 0226, 0227, 0236, 0252, 0261	05	026, 061
500		${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁵⁶, 071, 076, 088, 0232, 0247	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁵⁴, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁶³, 072, 0170, 0186, 0213
550		${\mathfrak {P}}$ ³³, 06, 08, 073, 081, 085, 087, 089, 091, 093 (1 Peter), 094, 0184, 0223, 0225, 0245	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ², ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ³⁶, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁷⁶, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁸³, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁸⁴, 06, 015, 035, 040, 060, 066, 067, 070, 078, 079, 082, 086, 0143, 0147, 0159, 0187, 0198, 0208, 0222, 0237, 0241, 0251, 0260, 0266		022, 023, 024, 027, 042, 043, 064, 065, 093 (Acts), 0246, 0253, 0265 (?)
600	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ²⁶	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁴³, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁴⁴, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁵⁵, 083	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ³, 0164, 0199
650	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁷⁴, 098	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ¹¹, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ³¹, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ³⁴, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁷⁹, 0102, 0108, 0111, 0204, 0275	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁵⁹, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁶⁸, 096, 097, 099, 0106, 0107, 0109, 0145, 0167, 0183, 0200, 0209, 0210, 0239, 0259, 0262		${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁷³, 0103, 0104, 0211
700		${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁴², ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁶¹	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁶⁰
750		019, 0101, 0114, 0156, 0205, 0234	${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁴¹, 095, 0126, 0127, 0146, 0148, 0161, 0229, 0233, 0238, 0250, 0256		07, 047, 054 (?), 0116, 0134
800		044 (Catholic epistles)	044 (except Catholic epistles)
850	33 (except Gospels)	010, 038, 0155, 0271, 33 (Gospels), 892, 2464	012, 025 (except Acts, Rev), 037, 050, 0122, 0128, 0130, 0131, 0132, 0150, 0269, 565		09, 011, 013, 014, 017, 018, 020, 021, 025 (Acts, Rev), 030, 031, 034, 039, 041, 045, 049, 053 (?), 063, 0120, 0133, 0135, 0136 (?), 0151, 0197, 0248, 0255, 0257, 0272, 0273 (?), 461
900		1841	0115, 1424 (Mark)		1424 (except Mark), 1841
950	1739 (Catholic epistles, Paul)	0177, 0243 (?), 1739 (Acts), 1891, 2329	051, 075, 0105, 0121a, 0121b, 0140, 0141, 0249, 307, 1582, 1836, 1845, 1874, 1875, 1912, 2110, 2193, 2351		028, 033, 036, 046, 052, 056, 0142, 1874, 1891
1050	1175, 1243, 2344	81, 323, 945, 1006, 1854, 1962, 2298	28, 104, 181, 323, 398, 424, 431, 436, 451, 459, 623, 700, 788, 1243, 1448, 1505, 1838, 1846, 1908, 2138, 2147, 2298, 2344, 2596 (?)		103, 104, 181, 398, 431, 451, 459, 945, 1006, 1448, 1505, 1846, 1854, 2138, 2147, 2298
1100		256, 1735	1735, 1910		256
1150	1241 (Catholic epistles)	36, 1611, 2050, 2127	1 (Gospels), 36, 88, 94 (?), 157, 326, 330, 346, 378, 543, 610, 826, 828, 917, 983, 1071, 1241 (Gospels, Acts, Paul), 1319, 1359, 1542b, 1611, 1718, 1942, 2030, 2412, 2541, 2744		1 (except Gospels), 180, 189, 330, 378, 610, 911, 917, 1010, 1241, 1319, 1359, 1542b (?), 2127, 2541
1200			1573		1573
1250	2053, 2062	442, 579, 1292, 1852	6 (Catholic epistles, Paul), 13, 94, 180, 206, 218 (epistles), 263, 365, 441, 614, 720, 915, 1398, 1563, 1641, 1852, 2374, 2492, 2516, 2542, 2718 (?)		6 (Gospels, Acts), 94 (?), 180, 206, 218 (except epistles), 263, 365, 597, 720, 1251 (?), 1292, 1398, 1642, 1852, 2374, 2400, 2492 (?), 2516
1300			1342
1350		1067, 1409, 1506, 1881	5, 209, 254, 429 (except Paul), 453, 621, 629, 630, 1523, 1534, 1678 (?), 1842, 1877, 2005, 2197, 2200, 2377		5 (?), 189, 209, 254, 429 (Paul), 1067, 1409, 1506, 1523, 1524, 1877, 2200
1400			2495
1450		322	69, 205, 322, 467, 642, 1751, 1844, 1959, 2523, 2652		69, 181, 205, 429 (Rev.), 467, 642, 886, 2523, 2623, 2652 (?)
1500			61 (epistles, Rev), 522, 918, 1704, 1884		61 (Gospels, Acts), 522, 918, 1704
1550-			849, 2544 (Paul)		2544 (except Paul)

Number of manuscripts by century and category

Century	Category I	Category II	Category III	Category IV	Category V
II	3
II/III	6
III	25		1	2
III/IV	8			2
IV	5	8	10
IV/V	1	7	7
V	2	16	19	1	2
V/VI		6	6
VI		15	31		12
VI/VII	1	4	3
VII	2	8	17		4
VII/VIII		2	1
VIII		6	12		5
VIII/IX		1	1
IX	3	7	12		5
IX/X		1	2		2
X	1	5	18		10
XI	3	7	24		16
XI/XII		2	2		1
XII	1	5	24		16
XII/XIII			1		1
XIII	2	4	21		18
XIII/XIV			1
XIV	1	4	17		12
XIV/XV			1
XV		1	11		9
XVI			5		4
XVI/XVII			2		1

Limitations

This system of classification prefers the Alexandrian text-type. Manuscripts that represent the Western text-type are classified as Category IV in Gospels, and Category II/III in the Pauline Letters. This is significant because some scholars believe that some or all of the Minuscule text or the Western texts are closer to the original texts. Some manuscripts are not classified. Uncial 055 is not because it is a commentary, and according to some specialists, written in a minuscule hand. ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁷, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁸⁹, ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ¹²¹, Uncial 080, Uncial 0100, Uncial 0118, 0174, 0230, 0263, 0264, 0267, 0268 are too brief to classify. Uncial 0144 and 0196 are not accessible. ${\mathfrak {P}}$ ²⁵ is not classified because of the Diatessaric character of text (i.e. the four Gospels combined into a single narrative).

${\mathfrak {P}}$ ⁵ was classified to Category I, but it is not a representative of the Alexandrian text-type. According to Comfort it is "a good example of what Kurt and Barbara Aland call "normal" (i.e. a relatively accurate text manifesting a normal amount of error and idiosyncrasy).^[3]

Notes

↑ Aland:106f,332-337.
↑ Wisse, Frederik (1982). The Profile Method for the Classification and Evaluation of Manuscript Evidence, as Applied to the Continuous Greek Text of the Gospel of Luke. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. p. 21. ISBN 0-8028-1918-4.
↑ Philip Comfort, The Text of the Earliest New Testament Greek Manuscripts, Tyndale House Publishers 2001, pp. 73–74.

References

Aland, Kurt and Aland, Barbara. The text of the New Testament: an introduction to the critical editions and to the theory and practice of modern textual criticism. Second revised edition. Translated by Erroll F Rhodes. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1995. ISBN 0-8028-4098-1.
David Ewert. From Ancient Tablets to Modern Translations: A General Introduction to the Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan: The Zondervan Corporation, 1983. ISBN 0-310-45730-0

External links

Manuscript Categories

Books of the Bible

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divisions

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Deuterocanon
and Apocrypha

Catholic Orthodox	Tobit Judith Additions to Esther 1 Maccabees 2 Maccabees Wisdom Sirach Baruch / Letter of Jeremiah Additions to Daniel (Susanna Song of the Three Children Bel and the Dragon)

Orthodox only	1 Esdras 2 Esdras Prayer of Manasseh Psalm 151 3 Maccabees 4 Maccabees Odes

Tewahedo Orthodox	Enoch Jubilees 1, 2, and 3 Meqabyan Paralipomena of Baruch Broader canon

Syriac	Letter of Baruch 2 Baruch Psalms 152–155

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