Minuscule 81

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Minuscule 81 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering), or α162 (in the Soden numbering) is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on a parchment. Dated by a colophon to the year 1044.^[1] Formerly it was labelled by 61^a and 61^p (Gregory). The manuscript is lacunose.

Description

The codex contains almost complete text of the Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline epistles on 282 parchment leaves (18 by 12.6 cm), with some lacunae (Acts 4:8-7:17; 17:28-23:9 - 297 verses). Written in one column per page, in 23 lines per page, in small letters.

It contains lists of κεφαλαια for Epistle of James. Lectionary markings were added by a later hand.^[2][3]

Text

The Greek text of the codex, is a representative of the Alexandrian text-type, with some the Byzantine readings. It is one of the most important of all minuscule manuscripts.^[4] It was only one minuscule manuscript examined by Constantin von Tischendorf. Aland placed it in "at least Category II".^[5]

It has been called "the best minuscule witness to Acts" or "the most important minuscule copy of the Acts". F. H. A. Scrivener stated "its value is shown not so much by the readings in which it stands alone, as by agreement with the oldest uncial copies, where their testimonies coincide".^[2]

In 1 Timothy 3:16 it has textual variant θεός ἐφανερώθη (God manifested) (Sinaiticus^e, A², C², D^c, K, L, P, Ψ, 81, 104, 181, 326, 330, 436, 451, 614, 629, 630, 1241, 1739, 1877, 1881, 1962, 1984, 1985, 2492, 2495, Byz, Lect), against ὃς ἐφανερώθη (he was manifested) supported by Sinaiticus, Codex Alexandrinus, Ephraemi, Boernerianus, 33, 365, 442, 2127, ℓ 599^[6][7]

In 1 John 5:6 it has textual variant δι' ὕδατος καὶ πνεύματος καὶ αἵματος (through water and spirit and blood) together with the manuscripts: Codex Porphyrianus, 88, 442, 630, 915, 2492, arm, eth^[8][a] Bart D. Ehrman identified it as Orthodox corrupt reading.^[9]

History

According to the colophon, it was written in April 20, 1044, by a scribe named John for the wish another monk, named Jakob.^[3]

The codex was discovered by Tischendorf in Egypt in 1853, who took 57 leaves (Acts of the Apostles) with himself. He sold it to the Trustees of the British Museum in 1854.^[2] Now they are located in British Library (Add. 20003) at London. 225 leaves are still in Alexandria, where are holded in Patriarchat Library (59).^[1]

Tischendorf collated and published text of it in 1854.

See also

• List of New Testament minuscules
• Textual criticism
• Biblical manuscript

Notes

• a. For another variants of this verse see: Textual variants in the First Epistle of John.

References

• 1. K. Aland, M. Welte, B. Köster, K. Junack, "Kurzgefasste Liste der griechischen Handschriften des Neues Testaments", Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, New York 1994, p. 47.
• 2. F. H. A. Scrivener, A Plain Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament (George Bell & Sons: London 1894), vol. 1, p. 205.
• 3. Gregory, Caspar René (1900). Textkritik des Neuen Testaments, Vol. 1. Leipzig. p. 269.
• 4. Bruce M. Metzger, Bart D. Ehrman, The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption and Restoration, (Oxford University Press, 2005), p. 86.
• 5. Kurt Aland, Barbara Aland, The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism, transl. Erroll F. Rhodes, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1995, p. 129.
• 6. UBS3, p. 823.
• 7. Bart D. Ehrman, The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture, Oxford University Press, Oxford 1993, p. 60.

Further reading

• F. H. A. Scrivener, Exact Transcript, pp. 68-70.
• Constantin von Tischendorf, Anecdota sacra et profana (1855), pp. 130-146.

External links

• Minuscule 81 at the Encyclopedia of Textual Criticism
• Wikipedia Article on Minuscule 81