Editing Western text-type

The '''Western text-type''' is one of several [[Textual criticism#New Testament|text-types]] used in [[textual criticism]] to describe and group the textual character of [[Koine Greek|Greek]] [[New Testament]] [[biblical manuscript|manuscripts]]. It is the term given to the predominant form of the [[New Testament]] text witnessed in the [[Vetus Latina|Old Latin]] and [[Peshitta]] translations from the [[Koine Greek|Greek]]; and also in quotations from certain 2nd and 3rd-century Christian writers, including [[Cyprian]], [[Tertullian]] and [[Irenaeus]]. The Western text had a large number of characteristic features, which appeared in text of the [[Gospels]], [[Book of Acts]], and in [[Pauline epistles]]. The [[Catholic epistles]] and the [[Book of Revelation]] probably did not have a Western form of text. It was named "Western" by Semmler (1725–1791), having originated in [[Early centers of Christianity#Western Roman Empire|early centers of Christianity in the Western Roman Empire]].

== Description ==
Hort stated that the main characteristic of the Western text is a love of paraphrase: "Words and even clauses are changed, omitted, and inserted with surprising freedom, wherever it seemed that the meaning could be brought out with greater force and definiteness.<sup>[1]</sup> One possible source of glossing is the desire to harmonise and to complete: "More peculiar to the Western text is the readiness to adopt alterations or additions from sources extraneous to the books which ultimately became canonical."<sup>[2]</sup> This text often presents longer variants of text, but in a few places, including the end of the Gospel of Luke, it has shorter variants, named [[Western non-interpolations]].

Only one Greek [[Uncial]] manuscript is considered to transmit a Western text for the four [[Gospels]] and the [[Book of Acts]], the fifth century [[Codex Bezae]]; the sixth century [[Codex Claromontanus]] is considered to transmit a Western text for the letters of [[Paul of Tarsus|Saint Paul]] and is followed by two ninth century [[Uncials]]: F and G. Many "Western" readings are also found in the Old [[Syriac language|Syriac]] translations of the Gospels, the Sinaitic and the Curetonian, though opinions vary as to whether these versions can be considered witnesses to the Western text-type. A number of fragmentary early [[papyri]] from [[Egypt]] also have Western readings, [[Image:C3945eee4633c095c5059f9a67aca5f7.png]]<sup>29</sup>, [[Image:C3945eee4633c095c5059f9a67aca5f7.png]]<sup>38</sup>, [[Image:C3945eee4633c095c5059f9a67aca5f7.png]]<sup>48</sup>; and in addition, [[Codex Sinaiticus]] is considered to be Western in the first eight chapters of [[Gospel of John|John]]. The term "Western" is a bit of a misnomer because members of the Western text-type have been found in the Christian East, including Syria.<sup>[3]</sup>

One wonders why such a small amount of manuscripts could be considered a ''family'', especially when the Byzantine text ''family'' is almost 6000 witnesses. 

== Witnesses ==

{|"wikitable"
|style="background:#DAE" align="center"|'''Sign''' 
|style="background:#DAE" align="center"|'''Name''' 
|style="background:#DAE" align="center"|'''Date''' 
|style="background:#DAE" align="center"|'''Content''' 
|-
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| [[Image:C3945eee4633c095c5059f9a67aca5f7.png]]<sup>37</sup> 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| [[Papyrus 37]] 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| ca. 300 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| fragment of Matt 26 
|-
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| [[Image:C3945eee4633c095c5059f9a67aca5f7.png]]<sup>38</sup> 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| [[Papyrus 38|Papyrus Michigan]] 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| c. 300 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| fragment of Acts
|-
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| [[Image:C3945eee4633c095c5059f9a67aca5f7.png]]<sup>48</sup> 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| [[Papyrus 48]] 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| 3rd 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| fragment of Acts 23 
|-
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| [[Image:C3945eee4633c095c5059f9a67aca5f7.png]]<sup>69</sup> 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| [[Papyrus 69|Oxyrhynchus XXIV]] 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| 3rd 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| fragment of Luke 22 
|-
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| [[Uncial 0171|0171]] 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| 4th 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| fragments Matt and Luke 
|-
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| (01) ﬡ 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| [[Codex Sinaiticus]] 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| 4th 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| John 1:1–8:38 
|- 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| D<sup>ea</sup> (05) 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| [[Codex Bezae]] 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| c. 400 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| Gospels and Acts 
|-
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| W (032) 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| [[Codex Washingtonianus]] 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| 5th 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| Mark 1:1–5:30 
|-
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| D<sup>p</sup> (06) 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| [[Codex Claromontanus]] 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| 6th 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| Acts, CE, and Pauline Epistles 
|-
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| F<sup>p</sup> (010) 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| [[Codex Augiensis]] 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| 9th 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| Pauline Epistles 
|-
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| G<sup>p</sup> (012) 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| [[Codex Boernerianus]] 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| 9th 
|style="background:#EBE" align="center"| Pauline Epistles 
|}

Other manuscripts: [[Image:C3945eee4633c095c5059f9a67aca5f7.png]]<sup>[[Papyrus 25|25]]</sup>, [[Image:C3945eee4633c095c5059f9a67aca5f7.png]]<sup>[[Papyrus 29|29]]</sup> (?), [[Image:C3945eee4633c095c5059f9a67aca5f7.png]]<sup>[[Papyrus 41|41]]</sup>, [[Uncial 066|066]], [[Uncial 0177|0177]], [[Minuscule 36|36]], [[Minuscule 88|88]], [[Minuscule 181|181]] (Pauline epistles), [[Minuscule 255|255]], [[Minuscule 257|257]], [[Minuscule 338|338]], [[Minuscule 383|383]] (Acts), [[Minuscule 440|440]] (Acts), [[Minuscule 614|614]] (Acts), 913, 915, 917, 1108, 1245, 1518, 1611, 1739, 1836, 1874, 1898, 1912, 2138, 2298, 2412 (Acts).<sup>[3]</sup>

Compared to the [[Byzantine text-type]] distinctive Western readings in the Gospels are more likely to be abrupt in their Greek expression. Compared to the [[Alexandrian text-type]] distinctive Western readings in the Gospels are more likely display glosses, additional details, and instances where the original passages appear to be replaced with longer paraphrases. In distinction from both Alexandrian and Byzantine texts, the Western text-type consistently omits a series of eight short phrases from verses in the [[Gospel of Luke]]; the so-called Western non-interpolations. In at least two Western texts, the [[Gospel]]s appear in a variant order: Matthew, John, Luke, Mark. The Western text of the Epistles of Paul - as witnessed in the [[Codex Claromontanus]] and uncials F and G - does not share the periphrastic tendencies of the Western text in the Gospels and Acts, and it is not clear whether they should be considered to share a single text-type.

Although the Western text-type survives in relatively few witnesses, some of these are every bit as early as the earliest witnesses to the Alexandrian text type.  Nevertheless, the majority of text critics consider the Western text in the Gospels to be characterised by periphrasis and expansion; and accordingly tend to prefer the Alexandrian readings.  In the letters of St Paul, the counterpart Western text is more restrained, and a number of text critics regard it as the most reliable witness to the original.

== Textual variants ==

Mark 13:2
* και μετα τριων ημερων αλλος αναστησεται ανευ χειρων — D W it

Mark 13:33 
* omitted phrase και προσευχεσυε (''and pray'') by codices B, D, a, c, k

Mark 15:34 (see Ps 22:2) 
* ὠνείδισάς με (''insult me'') — '''D, it<sup>[[Codex Colbertinus|c]], (i), [[Codex Bobiensis|k]]</sup>''', syr<sup>h</sup>
* ἐγκατέλιπές με (''forsaken me'') — Alexandrian mss
* με ἐγκατέλιπες (see Mt 27:46) — Byzantine mss

John 1:4
* ἐν αὐτῷ ζωὴ ἐστίν (''in him is life'') — Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Bezae and some Vetus Latina and Sahidic manuscripts. 
* ἐν αὐτῷ ζωὴ ᾓν (''in him was life'') — this variant is supported by mss of the Alexandrian, Byzantine and Caesarean texts 
John 1:30: 
* ὑπὲρ — [[Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 208 + 1781|p<sup>5</sup>]], [[Papyrus 66|p<sup>66</sup>]], [[Papyrus 75|p<sup>75</sup>]], Sinaiticus*, [[Codex Vaticanus Graecus 1209]], C*, W<sup>S</sup> 
* περι — Sinaiticus<sup>2</sup>, A, C<sup>3</sup>, L, Θ, Ψ, [[Uncial 063|063]], [[Uncial 0101|0101]], [[Family 1|''f''<sup>1</sup>]], [[Family 13|''f''<sup>13</sup>]], Byz 
John 1:34
* ὁ ἐκλεκτός — p<sup>5</sup>, Sinaiticus, i<sup>tb,e,ff<sup>2</sup></sup>, syr<sup>c,s</sup> 
* ὁ ἐκλεκτός ὑιος — it<sup>a, ff<sup>2c</sup></sup>, syr<sup>pal<sup>mss</sup></sup>, cop<sup>sa</sup> 
* ὁ ὑιος — mss of the Alexandrian, Byzantine and Caesarean texts 
John 3:15
* ἐν αὐτῷ — p<sup>75</sup>, B, W<sup>S</sup>, [[Uncial 083|083]], [[Uncial 0113|0113]] 
* ἐπ' αὐτῷ — [[Papyrus 63|p<sup>63</sup>]], A 
* εἰς αὐτον — p<sup>63</sup>, Sinaiticus, A, [[Codex Koridethi|Koridethi]], [[Codex Athous Lavrensis|Athous Lavrensis]], 063, [[Uncial 086|086]], ''f''<sup>1</sup>, ''f''<sup>13</sup>, Byz
John 7:8
* εγω ουκ αναβαινω εις την εορτην ταυτην — Sinaiticus, Bezae, Cyprius, [[Codex Petropolitanus (New Testament)|Petropolitanus]], 1071, 1079, 1241, 1242, 1546 
* εγω ουπω αναβαινω εις την εορτην ταυτην — [[Papyrus 66]], [[Papyrus 75]], Vaticanus, [[Codex Regius (New Testament)|Regius]], [[Codex Borgianus|Borgianus]], [[Codex Washingtonianus|Washingtonianus]], [[Codex Monacensis|Monacensis]], [[Codex Sangallensis 48|Sangallensis]], Koridethi, Athous Lavrensis, [[Uncial 0105]], [[Uncial 0180|0180]], [[Uncial 0250|0250]], [[Family 1|''f''<sup>1</sup>]], [[Family 13|''f''<sup>13</sup>]], [[Minuscule 28|28]], [[Minuscule 700|700]], [[Minuscule 892|892]], 1010, 1195, [[Minuscule 1216 (Gregory-Aland)|1216]], 1230, 1253, 1344, 1365, 1646, 2148, mss of Byz.

Romans 12:11
* it reads καιρω for κυριω, – [[Codex Claromontanus]]*, [[Codex Augiensis]], [[Codex Boernerianus]] [[Minuscule 5|5]] it <sup>d,g</sup>, [[Origen]]<sup>lat</sup>.<sup>[4]</sup>

1 Corinthians 7:5
* τη προσευχη (''prayer'') – [[Image:C3945eee4633c095c5059f9a67aca5f7.png]]<sup>[[Papyrus 11|11]]</sup>, [[Image:C3945eee4633c095c5059f9a67aca5f7.png]]<sup>[[Papyrus 46|46]]</sup>, א*, A, B, C, D, F, G, P, Ψ, [[Minuscule 6|6]], 33, 81, 104, 181, 629, 630, 1739, 1877, 1881, 1962, it vg, cop, arm, eth
* τη νηστεια και τη προσευχη (''fasting and prayer'') – א<sup>c</sup>, K, L, 88, 326, 436, 614, 1241, 1984, 1985, 2127, 2492, 2495, Byz, Lect, syr<sup>p,h</sup>, goth
* τη προσευχη και νηστεια (''prayer and fasting'') – 330, 451, [[John of Damascus]]

== See also ==
* [[Categories of New Testament manuscripts]] 
* [[Alexandrian text-type]] 
* [[Byzantine text-type]] 
* [[Caesarean text-type]] 
* [[Western non-interpolations]] 
* [[Acts of the Apostles#Text]]

== Notes ==
* 1. "[[Brooke Foss Westcott]], [[Fenton John Anthony Hort]]. ''The New Testament In The Original Greek'', 1925. p. 550
* 2. J. N. Birdsall, Collected Papers in Greek And Georgian Textual Criticism, University of Birmingham Press, 2001, pp. 29-43.
* 3. [[David Alan Black]], New Testament Textual Criticism, Baker Books, 2006, p. 65.
* 4. UBS3, p. 564.

== Bibliography ==

* [[J. Rendel Harris]], [http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029305393 ''Four lectures on the western text of the New Testament''] (London 1894)
* A. F. J. Klijn, ''[http://books.google.pl/books?id=VpY3AAAAIAAJ&pg=p66 A Survey of the Researches Into the Western Text of the Gospels and Acts]'' (1949-1959), Novum Testamentum, Volume 3, Numbers 1-2, 1959, pp.&nbsp;1–53. 
* [[Bruce M. Metzger]], [[Bart D. Ehrman]], ''The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration'', Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford 2005, pp.&nbsp;276–277. 
* Bruce M. Metzger, ''A Textual Commentary On The Greek New Testament: A Companion Volume To The United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament'', 1994, United Bible Societies, London & New York, pp.&nbsp;5*-6*. 
* Delobel J., ''Focus on the ‘Western’ Text in Recent Studies'', [[Ephemerides Theologicae Lovanienses]], 1997, vol.73, pp.&nbsp;401–410.

== External links ==
* [http://www.skypoint.com/members/waltzmn/TextTypes.html#WestText Western text at the Encyclopedia of Textual Criticism] 
* [http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/acts_long_02_text.htm The Western Text of the Acts of the Apostles (1923)] 
* [http://www.skypoint.com/~waltzmn/WestNonInterp.html The Western Non-Interpolations] {{dead link|date=August 2013}}
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/noninterp.html Hort's Theory of 'Western Non-Interpolations]

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