![]() ![]() On the one hand, a large majority of manuscripts are text-critically unnecessary for establishing the original text, producing no more noticeable effect than a pebble dropped in the ocean. It is also true that a very good and reliable text existed with Westcott and Hort’s edition published more than a century ago, when there were far fewer manuscripts available. The reality is that many manuscripts have no noticeable impact on scholarship or critical editions, let alone on, say, English Bibles. The first point is that bigger numbers do not necessarily equate to better evidence. Standard divisions of the NT manuscript tradition:ĭistribution of Greek NT MSS by contents for the first millennium:ĭiffering Sizes of Manuscripts Summary Conclusion That leaves the other 99% containing only portions of the text. There are a little over 60 manuscripts of the whole NT. Of the approximately 5,300 manuscripts, 83% come from AD 1000 or later. 10th: 174 continuous texts 159 lectionaries.9th: 75 continuous texts 121 lectionaries.8th: 28 continuous texts 20 lectionaries.6th: 77 continuous texts 3 lectionaries.5th: 59 continuous texts 2 lectionaries.Dates of Manuscriptsĭistribution of Greek New Testament manuscripts by century: Manuscripts need to be weighed, not just counted. A one-papyrus-per-year rate is the approximate trend since 1898.It would be imprudent to guess how many manuscripts could be discovered in archaeological digs. ![]() The majority of recent discoveries are interesting but not important for textual criticism.
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