Bible Query - Early
Manuscripts of 2 Corinthians
Q: In 2 Cor, what are early New Testament manuscripts we have preserved today?
A: Here are many of them.
p46 Chester Beatty II 100-150 A.D. 2 Cor 1:1-11:10; 11:12-21; 11:23-13:13 and other parts of Paul's letters and Hebrews. 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).
p34 - 1 Cor 16:4-7; 10; 2 Cor 5:18-21; 10:13-14; 11:2,4,6-7 (7th century) Alexandrian text.
7th century - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament.
Vaticanus 325-350 A.D.
Sinaiticus 340-350 A.D.
Bohairic Coptic 3rd/4th century
Sahidic Coptic 3rd/4rth century
Gothic 493-555 A.D.
Ephraemi Rescriptus 5th 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
Q: In 2 Cor, 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 45 words between the Textus Receptus and the majority text. These are in 34 places (in every chapter). In addition, he also records approximately 5 words (3 places) of alternates.
Q: In 2 Cor, what are some of the manuscript variations?
A: The book of 2 Corinthians has a total of about 1,495 Greek words and a word-for-word accuracy of 96.3%, with 55 words in question. These are in 33 verses (42 places), out of 257 total verses. Below are the variations with the primary choice and the top alternate choice. Aland, from which this primarily is based, also gives a judgment of the degree of certainty for each variation.
2 Cor 1:6-7 placement of words: "and salvation, whether we are comforted it is for your comfort" (8 words)
2 Cor 1:10 "great a "death" vs. "great a danger"
2 Cor 1:10 "and delivers" vs. "and flows"
2 Cor 1:10 "hope that even" vs. "hope even"
2 Cor 1:11 "your(plural) behalf" vs. "our behalf"
2 Cor 1:12 "simplicity" vs. "holiness"
2 Cor 1:14 "day of the Lord" vs. "day of our Lord"
2 Cor 1:15 "benefit" vs. "pleasure"
2 Cor 2:1 "for" vs. a word that adds emphasis
2 Cor 2:7 "you more" vs. "more you"
2 Cor 2:9 "if" vs. "than"
2 Cor 2:17 "like so many" vs. "like the others"
2 Cor 3:2 "your" vs. "our"
2 Cor 3:3 "heart" vs. "hearts" (1 letter)
2 Cor 3:9 "the" vs. "that" (1 letter)
2 Cor 4:5 "of Jesus" vs. "Jesus" vs. "of Christ"
2 Cor 4:10 "dying of the Lord Jesus" vs. "dying of Jesus" (Syriac, Irenaeus in Against Heresies Book 5 ch.13 p.540) (1 word)
2 Cor 4:14 "Lord Jesus" vs. "Jesus"
2 Cor 5:3 "take it off" vs. "put if on"
2 Cor 5:3 "being clothed" (p46, Vaticanus, Alexandrinus, Ephraemi Rescriptus, 2nd corrector to Claromontanus, Byzantine Lectionary) vs. "unclothed" (original Claromontanus) (1 word not counted in the totals)
2 Cor 5:17 "the new has come" vs. "all things new have come"
2 Cor 6:16 "temple" vs. "temples"
2 Cor 6:16 "we" vs. "you"
2 Cor 7:8 "I see for that" vs. "I see that"
2 Cor 8:7 "our love for you(plural)" vs. "your(plural) love for us" (2 words)
2 Cor 8:9 "sake of you (plural)" (p46, Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Claromontanus, Byzantine Lectionary) vs. "sake of us" (Ephraemi Rescriptus) (1 word not counted in the totals)
2 Cor 8:19 "therefore" vs. "in"
2 Cor 8:19 "Lord" vs. "Lord Himself"
2 Cor 9:4 "we" vs. "I"
2 Cor 9:4 "undertaking" vs. "boasting"
2 Cor 9:12 case of "thanksgivings"
2 Cor 10:12-13 case of perceptive/wise.
2 Cor 11:3 "simplicity" vs. "purity/holiness" vs. "simplicity and purity/holiness" (2 words)
2 Cor 11:17 "Lord" vs. "God. "Lord" is in p46, Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Bezae Cantabrigiensis, Byzantine Lecitonary, some Italic, Palatine Syriac, Harclean Syriac, Sahidic Coptic, Bohairic Coptic, Armenian, Georgian, Chrysostom). "God" is in in some Italic. Not counted in the totals
2 Cor 11:21 "we have been week" (p46, Sinaiticus, Vaticanus) vs. "we were weak" (Claromontanus, Byzantine Lectionary, Chrysostom)
2 Cor 11:32 "seize" vs. "in order to seize" vs. "desiring me to seize"
2 Cor 12:1 "but" vs. "should" (1 letter)
2 Cor 12:1 "I do not profit" vs. "not profitable to me"
2 Cor 12:7 "Therefore" is absent at the beginning of the verse.
2 Cor 12:7 "that I not be made proud" is absent (5 words)
2 Cor 12:9 "for power" (original Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, original Claromontanus, Sahidic Coptic) vs. "for my power" (2nd corrector of Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Byzantine Lectionary, Chrysostom)
2 Cor 12:10 "and" vs. "in"
2 Cor 12:15 added "and"
2 Cor 12:15 "I love" added a letter (nu) at the end of agape. This is very similar to in English using the word "an" instead of "a".
2 Cor 12:19 "And do you (plural) think" (original Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Vaticanus, Sahidic Coptic) vs. "were/since and you (plural) think" (p46) vs. "Again do you (plural) think" (2nd corrector to Sinaiticus, Claromontanus, Byzantine Lectionary, Chrysostom) (2 words)
2 Cor 13:4 "by God's power to/towards you" (Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, original Claromontanus, Byzantine Lectionary) vs. "to you by God's power" (Vaticanus, Chrysostom) (2 words)
2 Cor 13:4 we are weak "in Him" vs. "in ourselves" vs. "with Him" (2 words)
Some manuscripts have the postscript, "To Corinthians Second written from Philippi of Macedonia, by/of/through/via Titus and Lucas" (11 words)
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 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 2 Cor, 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 |
Si |
A |
B |
C |
D |
Sah |
Boh |
Fay |
Origen |
Ital |
Vg |
Eth |
Chrys |
Byz |
Arm |
Geo |
Pal Syr |
P Syr |
H
|
|
2 Cor 1:6-7 |
8 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
(1) |
4 |
4 |
(1) |
4 |
(1) |
||||||
|
2 Cor 1:10a |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3/ 4 |
1 |
1/3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
||||
|
2 Cor 1:10b |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
2/3 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
||||||
|
2 Cor 1:10c |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1/3 |
(3) |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
(1) |
|||||
|
2 Cor 1:11 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1/ 2 |
1 |
1/ 2 |
1 |
1/ 2 |
1 |
1 |
|||||
|
2 Cor 1:12 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1/ 2 |
1 |
1 |
|||||
|
2 Cor 1:14 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1/ 2 |
1 |
1 |
|||||
|
2 Cor 1:15 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|||||
|
2 Cor 2:1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1/3 |
1/3 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|||||||||
|
2 Cor 2:7 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
(1) |
3 |
1 |
||||
|
2 Cor 2:9 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|||||
|
2 Cor 2:17 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1/ 2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
||||
|
2 Cor 3:2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|||||
|
2 Cor 3:3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
(2) |
(2) |
2 |
(2) |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
(1) |
||||||
|
2 Cor 3:9 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
|||||
|
2 Cor 4:5 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1? |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2/3/4 |
1/2/4 |
(1) |
1 |
1 |
3 |
2/3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
||||
|
2 Cor 4:14 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
1/ 4 |
1/ (2) |
1 |
1/ 4 |
1 |
4 |
1/3 |
1 |
1 |
|||||
|
2 Cor 5:3 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1/3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
||||
|
2 Cor 5:17 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1/3 |
2 |
2 |
2/3 |
2 |
1/3 |
1 |
||||||
|
2 Cor 6:16 (both) |
1 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
3/ 4 |
3 |
2/3 |
1 |
(3) |
3 |
||||
|
2 Cor 7:8 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|||||||
|
2 Cor 8:7 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
(2) |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|||||
|
2 Cor 8:9 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|||||
|
2 Cor 18:19a |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
|||||||||
|
2 Cor 8:19b |
1 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
||||||
|
2 Cor 9:4a |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1/ 2 |
2 |
1 /2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
||||||
|
2 Cor 9:4b |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
(2) |
2 |
2 |
1/ 2 |
(2) |
2 |
||||||
|
2 Cor 10:12-13 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
3 |
3 |
5/6 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
|||||||
|
2 Cor 11:3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2? |
1 |
1 |
1/ 2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
||||||
|
2 Cor 11:17 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1/ 2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|||||||
|
2 Cor 11:21 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
(1) |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
||||||||||
|
2 Cor 11:32 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
||||||||
|
2 Cor 12:1a |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
1/3 |
1/ 4 |
3 |
2 |
1/ 2 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
||||||
|
2 Cor 12:1b |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
4/5 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
|||||||||
|
2 Cor 12:7a |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1/ 2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|||||||
|
2 Cor 12:7b |
5 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|||||
|
2 Cor 12:9 |
1 |
1? |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
||||||||
|
2 Cor 12:10 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
||||||
|
2 Cor 12:15a |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1/ 2 |
2 |
2 |
||||
|
2 Cor 12:15b |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
(2) |
(2) |
||||||||||
|
2 Cor 12:19 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
1/ 3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
||||||
|
2 Cor 13:4a |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|||||||
|
2 Cor 13:4b |
2 |
1? |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1/ 2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
||||||
|
Postscript |
11 |
||||||||||||||||||||
|
Place |
words |
p46 |
Si |
A |
B |
C |
D |
Sah |
Boh |
Fay |
Origen |
Ital |
Vg |
Eth |
Chrys |
Byz |
Arm |
Geo |
Pal Syr |
P Syr |
H Syr |
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