Bible Query – Early Manuscripts of Ephesians

November 15, 2009 version

 

Q: In Eph, what are early New Testament manuscripts we have preserved today?

A: Here are many of them.

p46 Chester Beatty II 100-150 A.D. has 150 verses from Ephesians. Specifically it has Eph 1:1-2:7; 2:10-5:6; 5:8-6:6; 6:8-18,20-24 and other parts of Paul’s letters and Hebrews. A photograph of the first page of Ephesians is in A General Introduction to the Bible p.389, the Wycliffe Bible Dictionary p.532, and the <I>Eerdmans Bible Dictionary</I> p.340. The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts has a photograph of part of p46 on p.192. It also says on p.197-198 that the quality and the stichiometric marks show that a professional scribe wrote this.

First half of 3rd century - 1936 - Frederic G. Kenyon according to The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts.

2nd century, 200 A.D. - 1935 - Ulrich Wilken according to The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts.

200 A.D. - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament.

81-96 A.D. - 1988 - Young Kyu Kim according to The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts.

About 200 A.D. - 1975 - Aland et al. Third edition.

About 200 A.D. - 1998 - Aland et al. Fourth revised edition.

Early to middle 2nd century - 1999 - The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts. This is based in part on the handwriting being very similar to Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 8 (late first or early second century) and Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 2337 (late first century).

p49 + p64 (middle 3rd century) Eph 4:16-29; 4:31-5:13 The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts has a photograph of part of p49 on p.346. It also says that p49 and p65 were written by the same scribe.

End of 3rd century - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament.

p92 Eph 1:11-13,19-21; 2 Thess 1:4-5,11-12 (ca. 300 A.D.)   The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts has a photograph of part of p92 on p.614. It also says this is dated to late third or early fourth century because the handwriting is quite similar to P. Bodmer IX, P. Cairo Isid. 2, and P. Rylands III 389.

Vaticanus 325-350 A.D.

Sinaiticus 340-350 A.D.

I (Washington D.C.) 5th century Eph 3:20,4;9,29; 5:22; 6:12; 6:19-20, others?

Bohairic Coptic 3rd/4th century

Sahidic Coptic 3rd/4rth century

Fayyumic Coptic

Alexandrinus c.450 A.D.

Claromontanus

Armenian [Arm] from 5th century

Georgian [Geo] from 5th century

Ethiopic [Eth] from c.500 A.D.

Early Vulgate

Sinaitic Syriac 4th-7th century

Palestinian Syriac [Syr Pal] from c.6th century

Peshitta Syriac [Syr P] 411-435 A.D... Over 350 manuscripts.

Harclean Syriac [Syr H] 616.A.D Thomas of Harkel

Philoxenian Syriac [Syr Ph] 507/508 A.D.

p13 London/Florence3rd/4th century

 

Q: In Eph, what are the manuscript variations with the Textus Receptus, the basis for the KJV?

A: Jay P. Green, Sr. in the Interlinear Bible records variations in approximately 20 words between the Textus Receptus and the majority text. These are in 20 places (Ephesians 1:10,10,12,18,20,23; 2:21; 3:5,8,9; 4:6,14,27,32; 5:21,23; 6:8,17,19,24). He does not record any additional alternates.

 

Q: In Eph, what are some of the manuscript variations?

A: Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians has a total of 2,422 Greek words in 155 verses. This is the count in both Aland et al. 3rd edition and Aland et al. 4th revised edition, including 15 words in brackets. You can see the text of the 3rd edition on-line at http://www.greekbible.com. Ephesians has an estimated  word-for-word accuracy of 97.9%, with 52 words in question. These are in 32 verses (35 places).

   Below are the variations with the primary choice and the top alternate choice. Aland et al 4th revised edition and 3rd edition, from which this primarily is based, also give a judgment of the degree of certainty per variation. The list below does not include many places where the evidence for a particular reading is so strong that the alternatives are very unlikely. See the next question for which manuscripts support which variants.

Eph 1:1 “Christ Jesus” (p46 as an abbreviation) vs. “Jesus Christ” (not counted in the totals)

Eph 1:1 “in Ephesus” are absent. See the discussion on Ephesians 1:1 for which manuscripts have these words, as well as Ignatius (110-117 A.D.) saying mention of the Ephesians was in Paul’s letter. (2 words)

Eph 1:6 “us” (p46, original Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Vaticanus, Chrysostom) vs. “ev u” Claromontanus, Harclean Syriac, Gothic)

Eph 1:6 “beloved” (most manuscripts) vs. “beloved of Him” (original Claromontanus) (2 words not counted in the totals)

Eph 1:14 “this” vs. “who”

Eph 1:15 “fellowship” most manuscripts vs. “fellowship of Him” (p46)

Eph 1:15 “and your(plural) love toward” vs. “and toward” (2 words)

Eph 1:18 “your(plural) heart” (Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Claromontanus, Byzantine Lectionary, Chrysostom, Sahidic Coptic, Bohairic Coptic, Fayyumic Coptic, Ethiopic) vs. “heart” (p46 c.200 A.D., Vaticanus)

Eph 2:5 “in the Christ” vs. “the Christ”

Eph 2:5 “by grace (Byzantine Lectionary) vs. “in grace” (original Claromontanus) (1 word not counted in the totals)

Eph 2:17 “peace” (p46, Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Vaticanus, Claromontanus, Sahidic Coptic, Bohairic Coptic, Gothic, Armenian, Ethiopic, others) vs. absent (Textus Receptus, Harclean Syriac, Philoxenian Syriac)

Eph 2:21 “All the building” vs. “all even the building”

Eph 3:1 “Christ Jesus” (p46, 2nd corrector Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Alexandrinus, 2nd corrector of Claromontanus, Byzantine Lectionary, Bohairic Coptic) vs. “Christ” (original Sinaiticus, original Claromontanus, Ethiopic)

Eph 3:9a absent (p46, Vaticanus, Alexandrinus, Ephraemi Rescriptus, Claromontanus) vs. “by/through Jesus Christ” (Chrysostom, a few late cursive Byzantine manuscripts) (see Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers vol.13 p.79) (3 words but not counted in the totals)

Eph 3:9b “bring to light all of the” vs. “bring to light the” vs. “make everyone see” (3 words)

Eph 3:9c “having created” vs. “having created in/through Jesus Christ” (Harclean Syriac) (3 words not counted in the totals)

Eph 3:13 “you(plural)” (Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Alexandrinus, Byzantine Lectionary, Sahidic Coptic, Bohairic Coptic) vs. “us” (p46 c.200 A.D., Ephraemi Rescriptus)

Eph 3:14 add “of our Lord Jesus Christ” (4 words) (Aland, NRSV, New Age Bible Versions Refuted p.22)

Eph 3:19 “God” vs. “Christ”

Eph 3:20 “above all things (Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Alexandrinus, Ephraemi Rescriptus, Byzantine Lectionary, Sahidic Coptic, Bohairic Coptic, Chrysostom) vs. “all things (p46 c.200 A.D., Claromontanus)

Eph 4:6 “in all” (Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Alexandrinus, Chrysostom) vs. “in all [of] you (plural)” (Claromontanus, Byzantine Lectionary)

Eph 4:8 “gave gifts” (p46, original Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Claromontanus, Sahidic Coptic, Bohairic Coptic) vs. “and gave gifts” (Vaticanus, original Ephraemi Rescriptus, Byzantine Lectionary, Armenian Georgian, Chrysostom)

Eph 4:9 “he also first descended/came down” vs. “he also descended/came down”

Eph 4:9 “lower parts” vs. “lower”

Eph 4:15 “the head, Christ” vs. “the head of Christ” (p46) vs. “head, Christ”

Eph 4:17 “ethnu” (p46, original Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Vaticanus, original Claromontanus, Sahidic Coptic, Bohairic Coptic, Ethiopic) vs. “loitha ethnu” Armenian, corrected Sinaiticus, corrected Claromontanus)

Eph 4:19 “having cast off” vs. (2 letters different)

Eph 4:28 “working the good with the hands” vs. “working with the hands the good”

Eph 4:29 “building up” vs. “building up faith”

Eph 4:29 “in respect of need” vs. “in respect of faith”

Eph 4:32 Christ Jesus forgave “you” (plural) vs. “us”

Eph 5:2 “loved you”(plural) vs. “loved us”

Eph 5:2 “you” (plural) vs. “us” a second time

Eph 5:4 “not  becoming/seemly (anuken)” (p46, p94 have this with some gaps, Aland et al., Siniaticus, Vaticanus, Alexandrinus) vs. “not becoming/seemly (anukonta)” (Green, Claromontanus) (until a pre-300 A.D. manuscript can be found with this, it is not counted in the totals)

Eph 5:5 “o” (p46, Sinaiticus, Vaticanus) vs. “os” (Alexandrinus, Claromontanus)

Eph 5:5 “God” (p46) vs. “Christ and God”

Eph 5:9 “fruit of the Spirit” vs. “fruit of the light” vs. “fruits of the light” (Syriac Peshitta) (only 1 word counted in the totals)

Eph 5:14 “shall shine upon you (singular) the Christ” (most manuscripts) vs. “shall shine upon the Christ” (Claromontanus (2 words not counted in the totals)

Eph 5:15 “carefully how” vs. “how carefully”

Eph 5:19 “songs spiritual” vs. “songs spiritual in grace” (2 words)

Eph 5:20 “God and Father” vs. “Father and God” (2 words)

Eph 5:21b “in the fear of God” vs. “in the love of Christ” (Syriac Peshitta) (2 words not counted in the totals)

Eph 5:22 “wives to their own husband subject yourselves as to the Lord” vs. “wives to their own husband as to the Lord” (2 words)

Eph 5:30 “of the flesh of him” vs. “of the flesh of him and of the bones of him.” (5 words)

Eph 6:1 “parents” vs. “parents in the Lord” (2 words)

Eph 6:12 “you” (plural) vs. “us”

Eph 6:19 “mystery” vs. “mystery of the gospel” (2 words)

Eph 6:20 “in it I may behold” vs. “I may behold in it” (Sinaiticus, Sahidic Coptic, Bohairic Coptic, Fayyumic Coptic) vs. “it” (p46, Vaticanus) (2 words)

Eph 6:24 “amen” at the end (corrected Sinaiticus, Claromontanus, Philoxenian Syriac, Harclean Syriac, apparently Bohairic Coptic, apparently Armenian, some Ethiopic) vs. absent (p46, original Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Vaticanus, Sahidic Coptic, Bohairic Coptic, Fayyumic Coptic, Armenian, some Ethiopian)

No postscript vs. “from Ephesus” (Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Vaticanus, Fayyumic Coptic), “To Ephesians written from Rome, by Tychicus” (Textus Receptus)

Bibliography for this question: The Greek New Testament Third Edition by Kurt Aland et al., The Greek New Testament Fourth Edition by Kurt Aland et al., Interlinear Greek-English New Testament by George Ricker Berry, the Interlinear Bible by Jay P. Green, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary volume 8, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament 2nd edition by Bruce M. Metzger, The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture by Bart Ehrman, The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts edited by Philip W. Comfort and David P. Barrett, The Expositor’s Greek Testament edited by W. Robertson Nicoll, and footnotes in the NASB, NIV, NKJV, and NRSV Bible translations. Manuscripts of the Greek Bible : An Introduction to Paleography by Bruce M. Metzger also has interesting information on the characteristics and quality of the copying of each manuscript.

 

Q: In Eph, how do the early manuscripts compare with each other?

A: The table below shows each of the places in question, and the number says which variant is in each manuscript.

Place

words

p46

p49

 

Si

A

B

C

D

I

Sah

Boh

Fay

Iren

Clem A

Origen

Cyp

Ital b

Ital c

Hilary

Lucifer

Vg

Pelag

Eth

Chrys

Byz

Arm

Geo

Pal Syr

P Syr

H

Syr

Eph 1:1

2

2

-

 

2

1

2

-

1

-

1

1

-

-

-

2?

-

1

1

-

-

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

-

1

1

Eph 1:6a

1

1

-

 

1

1

1

-

2

-

-

-

 

-

-

-

-

 

 

-

-

-

-

-

1

-

-

-

 

 

2

Eph 1:6b

2

1

-

 

1

1

1

-

2

-

2

-

 

-

-

1

-

2

2

-

-

1/ 2

1/ 2

2

1

1

1

1

1

1

2

Eph 1:14

1

1

-

 

2

1

1

-

2

-

-

-

 

-

-

1

-

1

1

-

-

2

2

 

1/ 2

2

 

 

-

1

-

Eph 1:15a

2

2

-

 

2

2

2

-

1

-

-

1 /2

 

-

-

2

 

1

1

-

-

-

1

1

1

1

1

1

-

-

1

Eph 1:15b

1

2

-

 

1

1

1

-

1

-

-

-

 

-

-

-

-

 

 

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eph 1:18

1

2A

-

 

1

1

2A

-

1

-

1

1

1

-

-

2

-

1

1

-

-

1

1

1

1

1

2A

1

1

1

1

Eph 2:5a

1

3

-

 

1

1

3

-

1

-

3

3

-

-

1

1/(2)

-

1

1

2

-

1

1

3

3

1

3

3

2

2

(2)

Eph 2:5b

1

1

-

 

1

1

1

-

3

-

2

(2)

-

-

-

-

-

3

3

-

-

1/ 2?/3

3

(1)

-

1

2

1

2

-

1

Eph 2:17

1

1

-

 

1

1

1

-

1

-

1

1

 

-

-

-

1

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

2

2

Eph 2:21

1

-

-

 

1

2

1

2

1

-

2

2

 

-

1

1/ 2

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

2

1/ 2

1

2

 

-

-

-

Eph 3:1

1

1

-

 

5

1

1

3

5

-

 

 

 

-

-

1

-

-

5

4

-

 

1

5

 

1

2

 

-

2

1

Eph 3:9a

3

1

-

 

 

1

1

1

1

-

 

 

 

 

-

-

-

 

 

-

-

 

 

 

2

1A/2

 

 

 

 

 

Eph 3:9b

3

1

-

 

2

2

1

1

1

-

1

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

-

1

1

Eph 3:9b

3

1

-

 

2

2

1

1

1

-

1

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

Eph 3:13

1

2

-

 

1

1

1

2

1

-

1

1/ 2?

 

-

 

1

 

1

1

 

-

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

-

1

1

Eph 3:14

4

1

-

 

1

1

1

1

2

-

1

1

 

-

 

1/ 2

 

2

2

 

-

 

2

1

 

2

2

1

1

2

2

Eph 3:19

1

3

-

 

1

1

3

1

1

-

3

 

 

-

 

-

 

1

1

 

-

 

1

(1)

(1)

1

1

1

1

1

1

Eph 3:20

1

2

-

 

1

1

1

1

2

1?

1

1

 

-

 

-

 

2A

2A

 

-

 

2A

 

 

1

1

1

1

1

1

Eph 4:6

1

1

-

 

1

1

1

1

2

-

1

1

 

2

 

1

 

2

2

 

-

 

2

1

1 /2

2

2

 

-

2

2

Eph 4:8

2

1

-

 

1

1

2

2

1

-

1

1

 

1

 

-

 

1

1

 

 

 

1

3

2

2

2

2

-

2

2

Eph 4:9a

1

1

-

 

1

1

2

1

1

1?

1/ 2

1

 

1

 

1

 

1

1

 

1

 

1

1

2

2

2

2

-

2

2

Eph 4:9b

1

2

-

 

1

1

1

1

2

1

2

1

 

2A

 

2A

 

2A

2A

 

2A

 

1

2

1

1

1

 

-

-

1

Eph 4:15

1

2

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eph 4:17

1

1

 

 

1

1

1

 

1

-

1

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

Eph 4:19

1

1

2

 

1

1

1

 

2

-

1

1

 

2

1

1

 

2

2

 

-

2

2

2

1

1

2

 

-

2

1

Eph 4:28

1

2

2

 

1

1

2

 

1

-

1/5

(1)

 

-

 

3

 

1

1

 

-

 

2/6?

(1)

3

3/4

1

 

-

-

-

Eph 4:29

1

1

-

 

1

1

1

 

2

1?

1

1

 

-

 

1

 

2

2

 

-

 

2

1

1

1

1

1

1

(1)

1

Eph 4:32

1

1

2

 

1

1

2

 

2

-

1

1/ 2

 

-

1

1/ 2

-

1

1

-

-

 

1

1

1/ 2

2

2

(2)

2

2

2

Eph 5:2a

1

1

4

 

2

2

2

 

1

 

2

2

 

-

(1)/(2)

 

-

2

1

-

-

1/ 2?

1

2

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

Eph 5:2b

1

1

1

 

2

1

5

 

3

 

5

5

 

-

 

 

 

3

1

 

-

1

1

5

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

Eph 5:4

1

1

1

 

1

1

1

 

2

 

 

 

 

-

1

 

-

 

 

-

-

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eph 5:5a

1

1

 

 

1

2

1

 

2

 

 

 

 

-

2

 

-

 

 

-

-

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eph 5:5b

3

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-

-

 

-

 

 

-

-

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eph 5:9

1

2

1

 

1

1

1

 

1

 

1

1

 

-

-

 

-

1

1

-

1

-

1

1

2

2

1

 

1

1

2

Eph 5:14

2

1

-

 

1

1

1

 

2

 

1

1

 

-

1

1/ 2

 

2

2

 

-

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

Eph 5:15

1

1

-

 

1

3

1

 

2

 

1

3?

 

-

 

1

 

2

(2)

 

2

2?/3

3

(2)

1 /2

2

(2)

1

2

2

2

Eph 5:19

2

3

-

 

~1

2

3

 

1

 

1

1

 

-

 

1

 

3

3

 

-

 

1

 

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

Eph 5:20

2

2

-

 

1

1

1

 

2

 

1

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

2

 

2

1

1

Eph 5:22

2

1

-

 

4

4

1

 

2

4

(4)

(4)

 

-

 

4

 

4

2

 

-

 

4

4

3

3

4

3

4

-

3

Eph 5:30

5

1

-

 

1

1

1

 

3

 

1

1

 

3

 

2

 

3

3

 

-

 

3

1

3

3

3

3

 

(3)

3

Eph 6:1

2

1

-

 

1

1

2

 

2

 

1

1

 

-

 

1

 

2

2

 

-

 

1

(1)

1

1

1

 

-

1

1

Eph 6:12

1

2

-

 

1

1

2

 

2

1

1/ 2

1

 

1

 

2/ 3

 

2

2

 

2

 

1

2

1

1

1

1

2

2

1

Eph 6:19

2

-

-

 

1

1

2

 

1

1

1

1

1/ 2

-

 

1

 

2A

1

 

-

 

1

1

 

1

1

1

1

1

1

Eph 6:20

2

3

-

 

2

1

3

 

1

1

2

2

2

-

 

-

 

1

1

 

-

 

1

(1)

1

1

1

1

1

3

1

Eph 6:24

1

1

-

 

1

1

1

 

2

 

1

1/ 2

1

-

 

1