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Textual variants in the Gospel of John

{{More footnotes needed|date=December 2021}}{{short description|Differences in New Testament manuscripts}}

Textual variants in the Gospel of John are the subject of the study called textual criticism of the New Testament. Textual variants in manuscripts arise when a copyist makes deliberate or inadvertent alterations to a text that is being reproduced.

An abbreviated list of textual variants in this particular book is given in this article below.

Origen, writing in the 3rd century, was one of the first who made remarks about differences between manuscripts of texts that were eventually collected as the New Testament. In John 1:28, he preferred "Bethabara" over "Bethany" as the location where John was baptizing (Commentary on John VI.40 (24)). "Gergeza" was preferred over "Geraza" or "Gadara" (Commentary on John VI.40 (24) – see Matthew 8:28).

Some common alterations include the deletion, rearrangement, repetition, or replacement of one or more words when the copyist's eye returns to a similar word in the wrong location of the original text. If their eye skips to an earlier word, they may create a repetition (error of dittography). If their eye skips to a later word, they may create an omission. They may resort to performing a rearranging of words to retain the overall meaning without compromising the context. In other instances, the copyist may add text from memory from a similar or parallel text in another location. Otherwise, they may also replace some text of the original with an alternative reading. Spellings occasionally change. Synonyms may be substituted. A pronoun may be changed into a proper noun (such as "he said" becoming "Jesus said"). John Mill's 1707 Greek New Testament was estimated to contain some 30,000 variants in its accompanying textual apparatusAdam Fox, John Mill and Richard Bentley: A Study of the Textual Criticism of the New Testament 1675–1729 (Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1954), pp. 105–115; John Mill, Novum Testamentum Graecum, cum lectionibus variantibus MSS (Oxford 1707) which was based on "nearly 100 [Greek] manuscripts."Metzger and Ehrman (2005), p.154 Peter J. Gurry puts the number of non-spelling variants among New Testament manuscripts around 500,000, though he acknowledges his estimate is higher than all previous ones.Peter J. Gurry, "[http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=10040842 The Number of Variants in the Greek New Testament: A Proposed Estimate]" New Testament Studies 62.1 (2016), p. 113

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Textual variants

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{{show begin|head-style=background-color: #F0F8FF; text-align: center;|1={{font|text=5|font=Helvetica|size=16px|color=#FF0000|bgcolor=white}} {{big|Textual variants in John 1}}|content-style=background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left;}}

File:Codex Bezae 0202a.JPG, text of John 1:1-16]]

John 1:4

: εν αυτῳ ζωη εστιν (in him is life) – א D it vg{{sup|mss}} Irenaeus{{sup|lat}} Heracleon Clement{{sup|pt}} Origen{{sup|pt}}

: text omitted – W{{sup|supp}}

: εν αυτῳ ζωη ῃν (in him was life) – All other mss. (rell)

John 1:18

: ο μονογενης υιος (the only-begotten son) – A C{{sup|3}} K X Δ Θ Π 063 0234 f{{sup|1,13}} 28 565 700 892 1009 1010 1071 1079 1195 1216 1230 1241 1242 1253 1344 1365 1546 1646 2148 Byz, syr{{sup|c}} Georgian mss. of Adysh (9th century)

: ο μονογενης θεος (the only-begotten God) – {{Papyrus link|75}} א{{sup|c}} 33 cop{{sup|bo}}

: μονογενης θεος (God [the] only-begotten) – {{Papyrus link|66}} א* B C* L

: {{lang|cop|ⲠⲚⲞⲨⲦⲈ ⲠϢⲎⲢⲈ ⲚⲞⲨⲰⲦ}} (only children God) – cop{{sup|sa}}

John 1:28

: εν Βηθανιᾳ εγενετο – {{Papyrus link|59}}{{sup|vid}}, {{Papyrus link|75}}, A, B, C,*, L, W{{sup|supp}}, X, Δ, Θ, Ψ, 063, 28, 565, 700, 892*, 1009, 1010, 1071, 1195, 1216, 1241, 1242, 1253, 1344, 1365*, 2148, 2174, Byz, Lect, it, vg, syr

: εγενετο εν Βηθανιᾳ – {{Papyrus link|66}}, א*, it{{sup|a, b, e, r{{sup|1}}}}, cop{{sup|sa}}

: εν Βηθαβαρᾳ εγενετο – C{{sup|2}}, K, Ψ, 083, 0113, f{{sup|1}}, f{{sup|13}}, 33, 1079, 1230, 1365{{sup|c}}, 1546, 1646{{sup|c}}, and Byz

: εν Βηθαραβᾳ εγενετο – 892, syr{{sup|h{{sup|mg}}}}, Origen

: εγενετο εν Βηθαραβᾳ – א{{sup|2}}

John 1:30

: υπερ – {{Papyrus link|5}}, {{Papyrus link|66}}, {{Papyrus link|75}}, א* B C* W{{sup|supp}}

: περι – א{{sup|2}} A C{{sup|3}} L Θ, Ψ, 063, 0101 Family 1 Family 13 Byz

John 1:34

: ο εκλεκτος (the Elect One) – {{Papyrus link|5}} {{Papyrus link|106}}{{sup|vid}} 187 218 228 1784 it{{sup|b*, e, Codex Corbeiensis II}} syr{{sup|s, c}} Ambrose Augustine

: ο εκλεκτος του υιος (the elect Son) – it{{sup|a,ff{{sup|2c}}}} syr{{sup|pal{{sup|mss}}}} cop{{sup|sa}}

: ο υιος (the Son) – rell

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{{show begin|head-style=background-color: #F0F8FF; text-align: center;|1={{font|text=1|font=Helvetica|size=16px|color=#FF0000|bgcolor=white}} {{big|Textual variants in John 2}}|content-style=background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left;}}

John 2:3

: οινον ουκ ειχον οτι συνετελεσθη ο οινος του γαμου, ειτα (they did not have wine because the wine of the wedding reception was finished, then) – א* it{{sup|mss}} syr{{sup|h{{sup|mg}}}}

: υστερησαντος οινου (they were running short of wine) – rell

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{{show begin|head-style=background-color: #F0F8FF; text-align: center;|1={{font|text=3|font=Helvetica|size=16px|color=#FF0000|bgcolor=white}} {{big|Textual variants in John 3}}|content-style=background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left;}}

John 3:12

: πιστευετε (ye believe) – {{Papyrus link|75}} 050 083 579 it{{sup|aur,ff{{sup|2}},l}} vg{{sup|mss}} co{{sup|bo{{sup|mss}}}}

: πιστευσετε (ye will believe) – rell

John 3:16

: υιον – {{Papyrus link|66}} {{Papyrus link|75}} א* B W{{sup|supp}}

: υιον αυτου – rell

John 3:20

: τα εργα αυτου – א B Δ 050 063 083 086 28 700 1230 1242{{sup|c}} 1253 1365 2148 Byz ℓ{{sup|mss}} it cop{{sup|fay}} arm geo

: αυτου τα εργα – {{Papyrus link|75}}, A, K, W{{sup|supp}}, Π, f{{sup|1}}, 565, 892*, 1079, 1546,

: τα εργα αυτου οτι πονηρα εστιν – {{Papyrus link|66}} Θ f{{sup|13}} 33 1009 1010 1071 1195 1216 1242* 1344 1646 2174 it{{sup|r{{sup|1}}}} cop{{sup|sa,bo,ach{{sup|2}}}}

: τα εργα αυτου πονηρα εστιν οτι – L

: τα εργα αυτου οτι πονηρα εισιν – Ψ

: αυτου τα εργα οτι πονηρα εισιν – 892{{sup|mg}} 1241

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{{show begin|head-style=background-color: #F0F8FF; text-align: center;|1={{font|text=5|font=Helvetica|size=16px|color=#FF0000|bgcolor=white}} {{big|Textual variants in John 4}}|content-style=background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left;}}

John 4:9

: ου γαρ συγχρωνται Ιουδαιοι Σαμαριταις (for Jews have no association with Samaritans) omitted by א* D it{{sup|a,b,d, e, j}} Coptic versions of the Bible#New Testament#Middle Egypt

John 4:37

: Verse omitted in {{Papyrus link|75}}

John 4:42

: ο χριστος (the Christ) – A C{{sup|3}} D L X{{sup|supp}} Δ Θ Ψ 0141 f{{sup|1,13}} 33 565 579 1071 Byz it{{sup|mss}} syr{{sup|p,h}} cop{{sup|bo{{sup|mss}}}}

: text omitted – {{Papyrus link|66}} {{Papyrus link|75}} א B C* W{{sup|supp}} 083{{sup|vid}} ℓ{{sup|mss}} it{{sup|mss}} vg syr{{sup|c}} cop{{sup|sa,bo{{sup|mss}}}} arm Irenaeus{{sup|lat}} Origen

John 4:46

: ο Ιησους (Jesus) – A Θ Ψ f{{sup|1,13}} Byz it{{sup|mss}} syr{{sup|p,h}} cop{{sup|bo{{sup|mss}}}}

: text omitted – {{Papyrus link|66}} {{Papyrus link|75}} א B C* W{{sup|supp}} 086 33 1241 it{{sup|mss}} vg syr{{sup|c}} cop{{sup|sa,bo{{sup|mss}}}}

John 4:53

: text ο Ιησους omitted – א* N*

: ο Ιησους (Jesus) – rell

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{{show begin|head-style=background-color: #F0F8FF; text-align: center;|1={{font|text=2|font=Helvetica|size=16px|color=#FF0000|bgcolor=white}} {{big|Textual variants in John 5}}|content-style=background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left;}}

John 5:2

: βηθζαθα – א 33 b 1 ff{{sup|2}}

: βηλζεθα – D a r{{sup|1}}

: βηζαθα – L e

: βηθεσδα – A C Byz f q TR

: βησθεσδα – N

: βηθσαιδα – {{Papyrus link|75}} B W 0125 aur c vg bo

: βηδσαιδα – {{Papyrus link|66}} sa

John 5:4

: Verse omitted by {{Papyrus link|66}} {{Papyrus link|75}} א B C* D T W{{sup|supp}} 0141 33 157 821 2718 it{{sup|mss}} vg{{sup|mss}} syr{{sup|c}} co arm geo

{{main article|Pool of Bethesda}}

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{{show begin|head-style=background-color: #F0F8FF; text-align: center;|1={{font|text=2|font=Helvetica|size=16px|color=#FF0000|bgcolor=white}} {{big|Textual variants in John 6}}|content-style=background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left;}}

John 6:1

: της θαλασσης της Γαλιλαιας της Τιβεριαδος – א A B K L W Δ Π Ψ 063 f{{sup|1,13}} 28 33 565

: της θαλασσης της Γαλιλαιας – {{Papyrus link|66}} 1546

: της θαλασσης της Τιβεριαδος – 0210 1242 1344 2174 ℓ 184

: της θαλασσης της Γαλιλαιας και της Τιβεριαδος – V it{{sup|f}} goth

: της θαλασσης της Γαλιλαιας εις τα μερη της Τιβεριαδος – D Θ 892 1009 1230 1253

John 6:4

: Verse omitted by 472

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{{show begin|head-style=background-color: #F0F8FF; text-align: center;|1={{font|text=2|font=Helvetica|size=16px|color=#FF0000|bgcolor=white}} {{big|Textual variants in John 7}}|content-style=background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left;}}

John 7:1

: ου γαρ ειχεν εξουσιαν (for he did not have authority) – W 196 743 it{{sup|a,b,ff{{sup|2}}l,r{{sup|1}}}} syr{{sup|c}} Chrysostom

: ου γαρ ηθελεν (for he was not wanting) – All other mss. (rell)

File:Papyrus66.jpg

John 7:53-8:11

: Include Dea, Fe, Ge, He, Ke, M, U, Γ, Π, 047, 0233, 28, 318, 700, 892, 1009, 1010, 1071, 1079, 1195, 1216, 1344, 1365, 1546, 1646, 2148, 2174, lat, syr{{sup|pal}}, Didascalia, Didymus the Blind, Jerome, Augustine, Apostolic Constitutions

: Exclude א, B, 𝔓75, 𝔓66, W, T, N, Ψ, C, A, goth

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John 8:8

: ενος εκαστου αυτων τας αμαρτιας (the sins of every one of them) – U 73 331 364 658 700 782 1592 it arm

: text transposed to John 8:6 – 264

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{{show begin|head-style=background-color: #F0F8FF; text-align: center;|1={{font|text=1|font=Helvetica|size=16px|color=#FF0000|bgcolor=white}} {{big|Textual variants in John 9}}|content-style=background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left;}}

John 9:35

: εις τον υιον του ανθρωπου (in the Son of Man) – {{Papyrus link|66}} {{Papyrus link|75}} א Β D W 397 it{{sup|d}} syr{{sup|s}} co{{sup|sa}}

: εις τον υιον του θεου (in the Son of God) – A K L X Δ Θ Ψ 070 0141 0250 f{{sup|1,13}} 28 33 565 700 Byz ℓ{{sup|mss}} it{{sup|mss}} vg syr{{sup|p,h,pal}} co{{sup|bo}} arm goth

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{{show begin|head-style=background-color: #F0F8FF; text-align: center;|1={{font|text=1|font=Helvetica|size=16px|color=#FF0000|bgcolor=white}} {{big|Textual variants in John 10}}|content-style=background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left;}}

John 10:7

: η θυρα (door) – majority

: ο ποιμην (shepherd) – {{Papyrus link|75}} cop{{sup|sa}} cop{{sup|ac}}

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{{show begin|head-style=background-color: #F0F8FF; text-align: center;|1={{font|text=0|font=Helvetica|size=16px|color=#FF0000|bgcolor=white}} {{big|Textual variants in John 11}}|content-style=background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left;}}

John 11:1

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{{show begin|head-style=background-color: #F0F8FF; text-align: center;|1={{font|text=1|font=Helvetica|size=16px|color=#FF0000|bgcolor=white}} {{big|Textual variants in John 12}}|content-style=background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left;}}

John 12:28

: δοξασον σου το ονομα (glorify thy name) – א A C K W Δ Θ Π Ψ 0250 28 565 700 892 1009 1010 1079 1195 1216 1230 1242 1344 1365 1546 1646 2148 Byz ℓ 69 ℓ 70 ℓ 211 ℓ 1579 ℓ 1761

: δοξασον μου το ονομα (glorify my name) – B

: δοξασον σου τον υιον (glorify thy son) – L X f{{sup|1,13}}33 1071 1241 vg sy{{sup|h mg}}, cop{{sup|bo}}

: δοξασον σου το ονομα εν τη δοξη η ειχον παρα σοι προ του τον κοσμον γενεσται – D it{{sup|d}}

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{{show begin|head-style=background-color: #F0F8FF; text-align: center;|1={{font|text=1|font=Helvetica|size=16px|color=#FF0000|bgcolor=white}} {{big|Textual variants in John 13}}|content-style=background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left;}}

John 13:2

: Ιουδας Σιμωνος Ισκαριωτου – L Ψ 0124 1241

: Ιουδα Σιμωνος απο Καρυωτου – D it{{sup|(d),e}}

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{{show begin|head-style=background-color: #F0F8FF; text-align: center;|1={{font|text=1|font=Helvetica|size=16px|color=#FF0000|bgcolor=white}} {{big|Textual variants in John 14}}|content-style=background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left;}}

John 14:14

: Verse omitted by X Λ* 0141 f{{sup|1}} 565 1009 1365 ℓ 76 ℓ 253 it{{sup|b}} vg{{sup|ms}} syr{{sup|s,pal}} arm geo Diatessaron{{sup|mss}}

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{{show begin|head-style=background-color: #F0F8FF; text-align: center;|1={{font|text=0|font=Helvetica|size=16px|color=#FF0000|bgcolor=white}} {{big|Textual variants in John 15}}|content-style=background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left;}}

John 15:1

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File:P. Oxy 208 John 16,22-30.jpg

John 16:28

: εξηλθον παρα του πατρος (I came forth from the Father) omitted in D W it{{sup|b,d,ff{{sup|2}}}} syr{{sup|s}} cop{{sup|mss}}

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{{show begin|head-style=background-color: #F0F8FF; text-align: center;|1={{font|text=1|font=Helvetica|size=16px|color=#FF0000|bgcolor=white}} {{big|Textual variants in John 17}}|content-style=background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left;}}

John 17:14

: καθως εγω ουκ ειμι εκ του κοσμου (just as I am not of the world) omitted in {{Papyrus link|66}}* D f{{sup|13}} it syr{{sup|s}}

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{{show begin|head-style=background-color: #F0F8FF; text-align: center;|1={{font|text=3|font=Helvetica|size=16px|color=#FF0000|bgcolor=white}} {{big|Textual variants in John 18}}|content-style=background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left;}}

John 18:5

: ο παραδιδους αυτον (the one betraying him), the phrase is omitted in {{Papyrus link|66}}* syr{{sup|s}}

John 18:11

: παντες γαρ οι λαβοντες μαχαιραν εν μαχαιρα απολουνται – Θ

John 18:21

: ερωτας – א* A B C L W Θ Ψ 054 0250 33 1424 al

: επερωτας – D{{sup|s}} f{{sup|1}} f{{sup|13}} Byz

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{{show begin|head-style=background-color: #F0F8FF; text-align: center;|1={{font|text=2|font=Helvetica|size=16px|color=#FF0000|bgcolor=white}} {{big|Textual variants in John 19}}|content-style=background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left;}}

John 19:29

: υσσωπω – {{Papyrus link|66}} א{{sup|c}} A D{{sup|supp}} K L X Π Ψ 054 f{{sup|1}} 28 33 565 700 1009 1010 1071 Byz

: μετα χολης και υσσωπου – Θ 892{{sup|supp}} 1195 2174

John 19:39

: μίγμα – {{Papyrus link|66}} א{{sup|c}} A D{{sup|supp}} K L X Θ Π 054 f{{sup|1}} f{{sup|13}} 28 33 565 700 1009 1010 1071

: ἕλιγμα – א* B W cop{{sup|bo}}

: σμίγμα – Ψ 892{{sup|supp}} 2174 ℓ 47

: σμῆγμα – 1242* ℓ 181 syr{{sup|pal}}

: malagmani – it{{sup|e}}

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{{show begin|head-style=background-color: #F0F8FF; text-align: center;|1={{font|text=2|font=Helvetica|size=16px|color=#FF0000|bgcolor=white}} {{big|Textual variants in John 20}}|content-style=background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left;}}

John 20:21

: ο Ιησους (Jesus) omitted in א D L W Ψ 050 lat syr{{sup|s}} co

John 20:31

: ζωην αιωνιον (life eternal) – א C(*) D L Ψ 0100 f{{sup|13}} 33 it vg{{sup|mss}} syr{{sup|p, h}} cop{{sup|sa,bo}} Irenaeus{{sup|lat}}

: ζωην (life) – rell

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{{show begin|head-style=background-color: #F0F8FF; text-align: center;|1={{font|text=1|font=Helvetica|size=16px|color=#FF0000|bgcolor=white}} {{big|Textual variants in John 21}}|content-style=background-color: #FFFFFF; text-align: left;}}

John 21:7

: οι δε ειπον δι οληϲ (τηϲ) νυκτοϲ εκοπιαϲαμεν και (κοπιαϲαντεϲ) ουδεν ελαβομεν επι δε τω ϲω ρηματι (ονοματι) βαλουμεν (and they said: we toiled all night and took nothing, but at your word we will let down) – {{Papyrus link|66}}, א{{sup|1}}, Ψ, some mss of Vulgate, cop{{sup|bo}}

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See also

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

Further reading

External links

  • [http://www.triviumpursuit.com/downloads/the-comparative-critical-greek-new-testament.pdf The Comparative Critical Greek New Testament]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20110120220811/http://dubitando.no.sapo.pt/nt_gr.htm#3 Variantes textuais] {{in lang|pt}}
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20110606153005/http://www-user.uni-bremen.de/~wie/translation/TR-Varianten/index.html Varianten Textus receptus versus Nestle-Aland]
  • [http://www.bibletranslation.ws/trans/john.pdf The Gospel of John part of the Holy Bible]

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