Codex Cyprius
Encyclopedia
Codex Cyprius, designated by Ke or 017 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering), ε 71 (von Soden), is a Greek uncial
Uncial
Uncial is a majuscule script commonly used from the 3rd to 8th centuries AD by Latin and Greek scribes. Uncial letters are written in either Greek, Latin, or Gothic.-Development:...

 manuscript
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...

 of the four Gospels, on parchment. It was variously dated in the past (8th–11th centuries), currently it is dated to the 9th century. It was brought from Cyprus (hence name of the codex) to Paris. Sometimes it was called Codex Colbertinus 5149 (from new place of housing). The words are written continuously without any separation, with stichometrical points.

It is one of the very few uncial manuscripts with complete text of the four Gospels, and it is one of the more important late uncial manuscript of the four Gospels.

The text of the codex was examined by many scholars. It represents the Byzantine text-type
Byzantine text-type
The Byzantine text-type is one of several text-types used in textual criticism to describe the textual character of Greek New Testament manuscripts. It is the form found in the largest number of surviving manuscripts, though not in the oldest...

, typical for the majority of manuscripts, but it has numerous peculiar readings. The manuscript was examined by many palaeographers and textual critics since the end of the 17th century until to to half of the 20th century. Although its text is not high estimated by the present textual critics and full collation of its text was never made or published, it is often cited in editions of the Greek New Testament.

Description

The codex contains a complete text of the four Gospels. The entire work is arranged on 267 parchment leaves. The leaves each measure 26 centimetres (10 in) by 19 centimetres (7.5 in), in a quarto
Quarto
Quarto could refer to:* Quarto, a size or format of a book in which four leaves of a book are created from a standard size sheet of paper* For specific information about quarto texts of William Shakespeare's works, see:...

 format with four leaves to each quire. The text itself is written in brown ink in one single column per page. Each page contains 16 to 31 lines because the handwriting is irregular and varies in size, with some pages having letters that are quite large.

The style of handwriting of the codex bears a striking general resemblance to that of three Gospel lectionaries of the 10th and 11th centuries: Lectionary 296
Lectionary 296
Lectionary 296 , designated by siglum ℓ 296 is a Greek manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 10th century. The manuscript is very lacunose....

, 1599
Lectionary 1599
Lectionary 1599 , designated by siglum ℓ 1599 is a Greek manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 10th or 11th century.The manuscript is lacunose...

, and 3
Lectionary 3
Lectionary 3, designated by siglum ℓ 3 .It is a Greek manuscript of the New Testament, on vellum leaves. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 11th century. Scrivener dated to the 10th century.- Description :...

. The letters and words are not separated from one another (scriptio-continua). There is frequent insertion of a point as a mark of interpunction. This has been supposed to occur in an ancient stichometrical
Stichometry
Stichometry is a term applied to the measurement of ancient texts by στίχοι or verses of a fixed standard length.It was the custom of the Greeks and Romans to estimate the length of their literary works by measured lines...

 style of writing. A dot is always used to denote the end of the stichos.

The uncial letters of this codex are large, upright, not round, and compressed. In some of the pages letters are very large. It contains lectionary markings on the margin, Synaxarion (list of Saints) on pages 1–18, with Menologion (Saint days), and the Eusebian Canon tables on pages 19–28. It contains subscriptions after each of three first Gospels. In Matthew:
ευαγγελιον κατα ματθαιον ΣΤΙ ΑΒΨ
το κατα ματθαιον ευαγγελιον υπ αυτου εν ιεροσολυμοις
μετα χρονους η της του χριστου αναληψεως.

In Mark:
ευαγγελιον κατα μαρκον ΣΤΙ ΔΨ
το κατα μαρκον ευαγγελιον εξ δοτη μετα χρονους δεκα
της του χριστου αναληψεως

In Luke:
ευαγγελιον κατα λουκαν ΣΤΙ ΑΒΩ
το κατα λουκαν ευαγγελιον εξεδοτη μετα χρονους ιε
της του χριστου αναληψεως.


It has rough breathing, smooth breathing, and accents from the original scribe (prima manu), but often omitted or incorrectly placed.
The breathings are indicated by ⊢ and ⊣, these signs were often used in the codices from the 9th and 10th century. Errors of itacism
Iotacism
Iotacism is the process by which a number of vowels and diphthongs in Ancient Greek converged in pronunciation so that they all sound like iota in Modern Greek....

 are very frequent.

The text is divided according to the Ammonian Sections (Matthew 359, Mark 241, Luke 342, John 232 sections), whose numbers are given at the left margin of the text, but a references to the Eusebian Canons are absent. There was not another division according to the (chapters) in the original codex, though it has their (titles) at the top of the pages, and tables of the before each Gospel. The numbers of the (chapters) were added by a later hand (Matthew 68, Mark 48, Luke 83, John 19).

The nomina sacra
Nomina sacra
Nomina sacra means "sacred names" in Latin, and can be used to refer to traditions of abbreviated writing of several frequently occurring divine names or titles in early Greek language Holy Scripture...

 are written in an abbreviated way: ΑΝΟΣ for ανθρωπος (men), ΔΑΔ for δαυιδ (David), ΘΣ for θεος (God), ΙΣ for Ιησους (Jesus), ΙΛΗΜ for ιερουσαλημ (Jerusalem), ΙΗΛ for ισραηλ (Israel), ΚΣ for κυριος (Lord), ΜΗΡ for μητηρ (mother), ΟΥΝΟΣ for ουρανος (heaven), ΟΥΝΙΟΣ for ουρανιος (heavenly), ΠΗΡ for πατηρ (father), ΠΝΑ for πνευμα (spirit), ΠΝΙΚΟΣ for πνευματικος (spiritual), ΣΡΙΑ for σωτηρια (salvation), ΥΣ for υιος (son), ΧΣ for χριστος (Christ).

Textual character

The Greek text of this codex
Codex
A codex is a book in the format used for modern books, with multiple quires or gatherings typically bound together and given a cover.Developed by the Romans from wooden writing tablets, its gradual replacement...

 is a representative of the Byzantine text-type
Byzantine text-type
The Byzantine text-type is one of several text-types used in textual criticism to describe the textual character of Greek New Testament manuscripts. It is the form found in the largest number of surviving manuscripts, though not in the oldest...

. Together with Codex Petropolitanus
Codex Petropolitanus (New Testament)
Codex Petropolitanus, designated by Π or 041 , ε 73 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the Gospels, dated palaeographically to the 9th century...

 belongs to the family Π, which is in close relationship to the Codex Alexandrinus
Codex Alexandrinus
The Codex Alexandrinus is a 5th century manuscript of the Greek Bible,The Greek Bible in this context refers to the Bible used by Greek-speaking Christians who lived in Egypt and elsewhere during the early history of Christianity...

. According to Tregelles
Samuel Prideaux Tregelles
Samuel Prideaux Tregelles was an English biblical scholar, textual critic, and theologian.- Life :Tregelles was born at Wodehouse Place, Falmouth, of Quaker parents, but he himself for many years was in communion with the Plymouth Brethren and then later in life became a Presbyterian...

, textual critic, it has many good and valuable readings, but according to another textual critic Kenyon
Frederic G. Kenyon
Sir Frederic George Kenyon GBE KCB TD FBA FSA was a British paleographer and biblical and classical scholar. He occupied from 1889 to 1931 a series of posts at the British Museum...

 the text of the codex has not remarkable value, because the manuscript is late. According to Gregory
Caspar René Gregory
Caspar René Gregory was a American-born German theologian theologian.-Life:Gregory was born in Philadelphia. He studied theology at two Presbyterian seminaries: in 1865-67 at the University of Pennsylvania and at Princeton Theological Seminary...

, textual critic, it has many old readings, older than Byzantine text-type. Hermann von Soden, textual critic, who designated codex by ε 71, classified it to the textual family Iκa
Caesarean text-type
Caesarean text-type is the term proposed by certain scholars to denote a consistent pattern of variant readings that is claimed to be apparent in certain Greek manuscripts of the four Gospels, but which is not found in any of the other commonly recognized New Testament text-types; the Byzantine...

 and provenance of this text associated with Jerusalem.

According to Silva Lake, textual critic, the text of the codex is a somewhat dilute form of family Π, with a large number of peculiar readings, most of which are either misspellings or careless and ignorant mistakes. An educated scribe could hardly have produced the variants in Mark 4:1; 6:26; 9:4; 13:3; 14:38; 16:4. The readings which it does not share with other representatives of Family Π are supported outside that family and they seem to be connected with the late Alexandrian group (C, L
Codex Regius (New Testament)
Codex Regius designated by siglum Le or 019 , ε 56 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the New Testament, dated paleographically to the 8th century. The manuscript is lacunose. It has marginalia....

, M
Codex Campianus
Codex Campianus designated by M or 021 , ε 72 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the New Testament, dated palaeographically to the 9th century...

, N
Codex Petropolitanus Purpureus
Codex Petropolitanus Purpureus, designated by N or 022 , ε 19 , is a 6th century Greek New Testament codex gospel book. Written in majuscules , on 231 parchment leaves, measuring 32 x 27 cm...

, Δ), but the number of the Alexandrian readings is not high and according to Silva they are rather result of accident than influence of a foreign text-type.

Kurt Aland
Kurt Aland
Kurt Aland was a German Theologian and Professor of New Testament Research and Church History. He founded the Institut für neutestamentliche Textforschung in Münster and served as its first director for many years...

 placed its text in Category V. The text of the codex is cited in 27th edition of Novum Testamentum Graece
Novum Testamentum Graece
Novum Testamentum Graece is the Latin name editions of the original Greek-language version of the New Testament.The first printed edition was the Complutensian Polyglot Bible by Cardinal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros, printed in 1514, but not published until 1520...

 of Nestle-Aland (NA27). According to the Claremont Profile Method it belongs to the textual family Πa in Luke 1, Luke 10, and Luke 20. The profile of this group is following: Luke 1: 1, 4, 12, 14, 30, 34, 41, 44; Luke 10: 1, 8, 15, 22, 23, 30, 32, 37, 38, 47, 48, 53, 57, 63; Luke 20: 2, 4, 8, 9, 19, 23, 24, 26, 28, 33, 34, 50, 61, 62, 64, 65, 70, 74, 75.

Textual variants

In Matthew 27:34 it reads οινον (wine) as Codex Sinaiticus
Codex Sinaiticus
Codex Sinaiticus is one of the four great uncial codices, an ancient, handwritten copy of the Greek Bible. It is an Alexandrian text-type manuscript written in the 4th century in uncial letters on parchment. Current scholarship considers the Codex Sinaiticus to be one of the best Greek texts of...

, Vaticanus
Codex Vaticanus
The Codex Vaticanus , is one of the oldest extant manuscripts of the Greek Bible , one of the four great uncial codices. The Codex is named for the residence in the Vatican Library, where it has been stored since at least the 15th century...

, Bezae
Codex Bezae
The Codex Bezae Cantabrigensis, designated by siglum Dea or 05 , δ 5 , is a codex of the New Testament dating from the 5th century written in an uncial hand on vellum. It contains, in both Greek and Latin, most of the four Gospels and Acts, with a small fragment of the 3 John...

, Regius
Codex Regius (New Testament)
Codex Regius designated by siglum Le or 019 , ε 56 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the New Testament, dated paleographically to the 8th century. The manuscript is lacunose. It has marginalia....

, Koridethi
Codex Koridethi
The Codex Koridethi, also named Codex Coridethianus, designated by Θ, 038, or Theta , ε 050 , is a 9th century manuscript of the four Gospels. It is written in Greek with uncial script in two columns per page, in 25 lines per page...

, manuscripts of Lake's family (f1), manuscripts of Ferrar's family (f13), and 33
Minuscule 33
Minuscule 33 , δ 48 , formerly it was called Codex Colbertinus 2844, is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament on parchment, dated palaeographically to the 9th century. The manuscript is lacunose. It has marginalia...

; Alexandrinus, Washingtonianus, Climaci Rescriptus, and majority of the manuscripts read οξος (see Psalm 69:22). According to Wettstein
Johann Jakob Wettstein
Johann Jakob Wettstein was a Swiss theologian, best known as a New Testament critic.-Youth and study:...

, textual critic, the reading οινον came from Latin version.

In Mark 10:19, the phrase μη αποστερησης (do not defraud) is omitted, as in codices B
Codex Vaticanus
The Codex Vaticanus , is one of the oldest extant manuscripts of the Greek Bible , one of the four great uncial codices. The Codex is named for the residence in the Vatican Library, where it has been stored since at least the 15th century...

 (added by second corrector), W
Codex Washingtonianus
The Codex Washingtonianus or Codex Washingtonensis, designated by W or 032 , ε 014 , also called the Washington Manuscript of the Gospels, and The Freer Gospel, contains the four biblical gospels and was written in Greek on vellum in the fourth or fifth century...

, Ψ, f1
Family 1
Family 1 is a group of Greek Gospel manuscripts, varying in date from the 12th to the 15th century. The group takes its name from the minuscule codex 1, now in the Basel University Library. "Family 1" is also known as "the Lake Group", symbolized as f1. Hermann von Soden calls the group Ih...

, f13
Family 13
Family 13, also known Ferrar Group , is a group of Greek Gospel manuscripts, varying in date from the 11th to the 15th century, which display a distinctive pattern of variant readings — especially in placing the story of Jesus and the woman taken in adultery in the Gospel of Luke, rather than in...

, 28
Minuscule 28
Minuscule 28 , ε 168 , formerly known as Colbertinus 4705, is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, written on vellum. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 11th century. It has marginalia. It is lacunose.- Description :The codex contains the text of the four Gospels on 292...

, 700
Minuscule 700
Minuscule 700 , ε 133 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the Gospels. Formerly it was labelled as 604 in all catalogues , Gregory gave it the number 700....

, 1010, 1079, 1242, 1546, 2148, 10
Lectionary 10
Lectionary 10, designated by siglum ℓ 10 .It is a Greek manuscript of the New Testament, on vellum leaves. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 13th century. The manuscript is lacunose.- Description :...

, 950, 1642, 1761, syrs, Armenian, Georgian manuscripts. This omission is typical for the manuscript of the Alexandrian
Alexandrian text-type
The Alexandrian text-type , associated with Alexandria, is one of several text-types used in New Testament textual criticism to describe and group the textual character of biblical manuscripts...

 and Caesarean text-type
Caesarean text-type
Caesarean text-type is the term proposed by certain scholars to denote a consistent pattern of variant readings that is claimed to be apparent in certain Greek manuscripts of the four Gospels, but which is not found in any of the other commonly recognized New Testament text-types; the Byzantine...

.

In Mark 10:47 it has singular reading Ναραιος, but corrector changed it into Ναζωραιος (of Nazareth);

In Luke 9:55–56 it has the interpolation: στραφεις δε επετιμησεν αυτοις και ειπεν, Ουκ οιδατε ποιου πνευματος εστε υμεις; ο γαρ υιος του ανθρωπου ουκ ηλθεν ψυχας ανθρωπων απολεσαι αλλα σωσαι (but He turned and rebuked them and He said: "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of; for the Son of man came not to destroy men's lives but to save them). The same interpolation have codices: Petropolitanus
Codex Petropolitanus (New Testament)
Codex Petropolitanus, designated by Π or 041 , ε 73 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the Gospels, dated palaeographically to the 9th century...

, 1079, 1242, 1546, (f1 omit γαρ), (Θ
Codex Koridethi
The Codex Koridethi, also named Codex Coridethianus, designated by Θ, 038, or Theta , ε 050 , is a 9th century manuscript of the four Gospels. It is written in Greek with uncial script in two columns per page, in 25 lines per page...

, f13 omit υμεις and γαρ);

In Luke 14:5 it reads ὄνος ἢ βοῦς (an ass or an ox) for υἱὸς ἢ βοῦς (a son or an ox); the reading of the codex is supported by א, L, X
Codex Monacensis
Codex Monacensis designated by X or 033 , A3 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the Gospels, dated palaeographically to the 9th or 10th century...

, Π, Ψ, f1, f13, 33, 892, 1071, 547;

In John 1:29 it lacks ο Ιωαννης (John) along with manuscripts Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Vaticanus, Campianus, Petropolitanus Purpureus
Codex Petropolitanus Purpureus
Codex Petropolitanus Purpureus, designated by N or 022 , ε 19 , is a 6th century Greek New Testament codex gospel book. Written in majuscules , on 231 parchment leaves, measuring 32 x 27 cm...

, Vaticanus 354
Codex Vaticanus 354
Codex Vaticanus, designated by S or 028 , ε 1027 , formerly called Codex Guelpherbytanus, is a Greek manuscript of the four Gospels which can be dated to a specific year instead of an estimated range. The colophon of the codex lists the date as 949...

, Nanianus
Codex Nanianus
Codex Nanianus, designated by siglum U or 030 , ε 90 , is a Greek uncial manuscripts of the New Testament on parchment, dated palaeographically to the 9th century. The manuscript has complex contents, with full marginalia . The codex is named after its last owner...

, Macedoniensis
Codex Macedoniensis
Codex Macedoniensis or Macedonianus designated by Y or 034 , ε 073 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the Gospels, dated palaeographically to the 9th century. The manuscript is lacunose....

, Sangallensis, Koridethi, Petropolitanus, Athous Lavrensis, 045
Codex Athous Dionysiou
Codex Athous Dionysiou, designated by Ω or 045 , ε 61 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the New Testament...

, 047
Uncial 047
Uncial 047 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the Gospels. The codex is dated paleographically to the 8th century. Formerly the codex was designated by Hebrew letter ב...

, 0141
Uncial 0141
Uncial 0141 , CL13 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the New Testament, dated palaeographically to the 10th century.- Description :...

, 8
Minuscule 8
Minuscule 8 , ε 164 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament on parchment. It is dated palaeographically to the 11th century. The manuscript has complex contents. It has complex contents anbd full marginalia.- Description :The codex contains the complete text of the four Gospels, on...

, 9
Minuscule 9
Minuscule 9 , ε 279 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 12th century, but according to the colophon it was written in the year 1167....

, 565
Minuscule 565
Minuscule 565 , ε 93 , also known as the Empress Theodora's Codex. It is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on purple parchment, dated palaeographically to the 9th century...

, 1192;

In John 1:42 it reads εγαγον along with the manuscripts Athous Lavrensis (044), 1519, lectionary 1692; majority reads εγαγεν;

In John 1:45 it reads Ιησουν τον υιον Ιωσηφ (Jesus, son of Joseph) along with Alexandrinus, Campianus, Macedoniensis
Codex Macedoniensis
Codex Macedoniensis or Macedonianus designated by Y or 034 , ε 073 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the Gospels, dated palaeographically to the 9th century. The manuscript is lacunose....

, Sangallensis, Petropolitanus, 047, 7
Minuscule 7
Minuscule 7 ; ε 287 . It is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 12th century.- Description :...

, 8
Minuscule 8
Minuscule 8 , ε 164 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament on parchment. It is dated palaeographically to the 11th century. The manuscript has complex contents. It has complex contents anbd full marginalia.- Description :The codex contains the complete text of the four Gospels, on...

, 196
Minuscule 196
Minuscule 196 , Zε23 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 12th century. It has marginalia.- Description :...

, 461, 817
Minuscule 817 (Gregory-Aland)
Minuscule 817 , Θε52 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament written on paper, with a commentary. It was used by Erasmus...

, 1514, 1519; majority of the manuscripts read Ιησουν τον υιον του Ιωσηφ;

In John 1:50 it reads οψη (you will see) along with Alexandrinus, Basilensis, Boreelianus
Codex Boreelianus
Codex Boreelianus, Codex Boreelianus Rheno-Trajectinus , designated by Fe or 09 in the Gregory-Aland numbering and ε 86 in von Soden numbering, is a 9th century uncial manuscript of the four Gospels in Greek. The manuscript, written on parchment, is full of lacunae , many of which arose between...

, Seidelianus I
Codex Seidelianus I
Codex Seidelianus I, designated by siglum Ge or 011 , ε 87 is a Greek uncial manuscript of the Gospels, dated palaeographically to the 9th century . The codex contains 252 parchment leaves...

, Campianus
Codex Campianus
Codex Campianus designated by M or 021 , ε 72 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the New Testament, dated palaeographically to the 9th century...

, Vaticanus 354
Codex Vaticanus 354
Codex Vaticanus, designated by S or 028 , ε 1027 , formerly called Codex Guelpherbytanus, is a Greek manuscript of the four Gospels which can be dated to a specific year instead of an estimated range. The colophon of the codex lists the date as 949...

, Sangallensis, Koridethi
Codex Koridethi
The Codex Koridethi, also named Codex Coridethianus, designated by Θ, 038, or Theta , ε 050 , is a 9th century manuscript of the four Gospels. It is written in Greek with uncial script in two columns per page, in 25 lines per page...

, Petropolitanus, Athous Lavrensis, 045, 047, 9, 461, 1216, lectionary 253
Lectionary 253
Lectionary 253, designated by siglum ℓ 253 is a Greek manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. It is dated by a colophon to the year 1020. Scrivener labelled it as 196evl.- Description :...

; majority of the manuscripts read οψει (you will see);

In John 1:51 it reads και λεγει (and He said) along with Alexandrinus, Seidelianus I, Campianus, Nanianus, Macedoniensis, Koridethi, Petropolitanus, 0141
Uncial 0141
Uncial 0141 , CL13 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the New Testament, dated palaeographically to the 10th century.- Description :...

, 0211
Uncial 0211
Uncial 0211 , ε 051 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the New Testament, dated paleographically to the 7th century.- Description :...

, 210
Minuscule 210
Minuscule 210 , A133 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 11th or 12th century. It has marginalia.- Description :...

, 1212; the majority reads λεγει (He said);

In John 2:8 it reads οι δε (so they) along with the manuscripts Petropolitanus Purpureus, Petropolitanus, 044, 565, 1192; the majority reads και (and);

In John 2:22 it reads ελεγε αυτοις (said to them) along with Petropolitanus, 754, 1212, lectionary 1076; majority reads ελεγε (said);

In John 3:2 it reads αυτον (Him) along with Alexandrinus, Vaticanus 354, Nanianus, Macedoniensis, Sangallensis, Koridethi, Petropolitanus, 044, 045, 047, 0211, 7, 9, 194
Minuscule 194
Minuscule 194 , A130 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Paleographically it has been assigned to the 11th century. It has marginalia.- Description :...

, 196
Minuscule 196
Minuscule 196 , Zε23 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 12th century. It has marginalia.- Description :...

, 210
Minuscule 210
Minuscule 210 , A133 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 11th or 12th century. It has marginalia.- Description :...

, 461, 565, 743
Minuscule 743 (Gregory-Aland)
Minuscule 743 , α1401 Aν414Nι40 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament written on paper. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 14th century. The manuscript has no complex contents...

; majority reads τον Ιησουν (Jesus);

In John 3:19 it reads αυτων πονηρα τα εργα; majority has this phrase in sequence πονηρα αυτων τα εργα;

In John 4:1 it reads ο κυριος (the Lord) along with codices Alexandrinus, Basilensis, Boreelianus, Seidelianus I, Vaticanus 354, Nanianus, 034, 036, 037, 041, 044, 045, 0141
Uncial 0141
Uncial 0141 , CL13 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the New Testament, dated palaeographically to the 10th century.- Description :...

, 0211
Uncial 0211
Uncial 0211 , ε 051 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the New Testament, dated paleographically to the 7th century.- Description :...

, 2
Minuscule 2
Codex Basiliensis A. N. IV. 1, known as Minuscule 2 , ε 1214 . It is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, dated palaeographically to the 11th or 12th century. It was used by Erasmus in his edition of Greek text of the New Testament and became the basis for the Textus Receptus in the...

, 7
Minuscule 7
Minuscule 7 ; ε 287 . It is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 12th century.- Description :...

, 8
Minuscule 8
Minuscule 8 , ε 164 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament on parchment. It is dated palaeographically to the 11th century. The manuscript has complex contents. It has complex contents anbd full marginalia.- Description :The codex contains the complete text of the four Gospels, on...

, 9
Minuscule 9
Minuscule 9 , ε 279 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 12th century, but according to the colophon it was written in the year 1167....

, 27
Minuscule 27
Minuscule 27 , ε 1023 . It is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, written on vellum. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 10th century. It has marginalia.- Description :...

, 194, 196, 461, 475
Minuscule 475
Minuscule 475 , α 138 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 11th century.Scrivener labelled it by number 515...

; majority reads ο Ιησους;

In John 4:42 it has unique reading εγνωμεν, other manuscripts have οιδαμεν (εγνωκαμεν – codices 034 and 041);

In John 4:51 it reads υπηντησαν along with Petropolitanus Purpureus, Koridethi, Athous Lavrensis, 565, 1194, 1519; majority reads απηντησαν;

In John 7:8 it reads εγω ουκ αναβαινω (I am not going), along with codices Sinaiticus, Codex Bezae
Codex Bezae
The Codex Bezae Cantabrigensis, designated by siglum Dea or 05 , δ 5 , is a codex of the New Testament dating from the 5th century written in an uncial hand on vellum. It contains, in both Greek and Latin, most of the four Gospels and Acts, with a small fragment of the 3 John...

, Cyprius, 1241, instead of εγω ουπω αναβαινω (I am not yet going) – Vaticanus, Regius
Codex Regius (New Testament)
Codex Regius designated by siglum Le or 019 , ε 56 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the New Testament, dated paleographically to the 8th century. The manuscript is lacunose. It has marginalia....

, Borgianus
Codex Borgianus
Codex Borgianus, designated by T or 029 , ε 5 , is a Greek and Sahidic uncial manuscript of the Gospels, dated palaeographically to the 5th century...

, Washingtonianus
Codex Washingtonianus
The Codex Washingtonianus or Codex Washingtonensis, designated by W or 032 , ε 014 , also called the Washington Manuscript of the Gospels, and The Freer Gospel, contains the four biblical gospels and was written in Greek on vellum in the fourth or fifth century...

, Koridethi
Codex Koridethi
The Codex Koridethi, also named Codex Coridethianus, designated by Θ, 038, or Theta , ε 050 , is a 9th century manuscript of the four Gospels. It is written in Greek with uncial script in two columns per page, in 25 lines per page...

, Athous Lavrensis, 0105
Uncial 0105
Uncial 0105 , ε 45 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the New Testament. It is dated paleographically to the 10th century. Formerly it was labelled by Wn.- Description :...

, 0180, Climaci Rescriptus, f1, f13, Byzantine manuscripts;

In John 8:9 it has reading οι δε ακουσαντες και υπο της συνειδησεως ελεγχομενοι εξερχοντο εις καθ εις – along with the codices Codex Basilensis, Seidelianus I
Codex Seidelianus I
Codex Seidelianus I, designated by siglum Ge or 011 , ε 87 is a Greek uncial manuscript of the Gospels, dated palaeographically to the 9th century . The codex contains 252 parchment leaves...

, Seidelianus II
Codex Seidelianus II
Codex Seidelianus II designated by He or 013 , ε 88 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the four Gospels, dated palaeographically to the 9th century. The manuscript is lacunose.- Description :...

, 1079 1365;

In John 8:10a it reads και μηδενα θεασαμενος πλην της γυναικος – along with manuscripts of the textual family Kr
Family Kr
Family Kr is a large group of the New Testament manuscripts. It belongs to the Byzantine text-type as one of the textual families of this group. It has no uncials, no early minuscules, it has only hundreds of minuscules.- Description :...

; this phrase is omitted by the manuscripts Codex Bezae
Codex Bezae
The Codex Bezae Cantabrigensis, designated by siglum Dea or 05 , δ 5 , is a codex of the New Testament dating from the 5th century written in an uncial hand on vellum. It contains, in both Greek and Latin, most of the four Gospels and Acts, with a small fragment of the 3 John...

, Tischendorfianus IV
Codex Tischendorfianus IV
Codex Tischendorfianus IV – designated by Γ or 036 , ε 70 – is a Greek uncial manuscript of the Gospels, dated palaeographically to the 10th century...

, 1
Minuscule 1
Codex Basilensis A. N. IV. 2, Minuscule 1 , δ 254 ; formerly it was designated by 1eap...

, 892, 1010;

In John 8:10b it reads που εισιν εκεινοι οι κατηγοροι σου; other manuscripts read που εισιν οι κατηγοροι σου (Basilensis, Boreelianus, Seidelianus I, Nanianus, 1079), or που εισιν οι κατηγοροι σου (Seidelianus I, Vaticanus 354, f13, 28
Minuscule 28
Minuscule 28 , ε 168 , formerly known as Colbertinus 4705, is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, written on vellum. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 11th century. It has marginalia. It is lacunose.- Description :The codex contains the text of the four Gospels on 292...

, 225
Minuscule 225
Minuscule 225 , ε 1210 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. It is dated by a colophon to the year 1192. It was adapted for liturgical use.- Description :...

, 700, 1009), or που εισιν as manuscripts Bezae, Campianus, Tischendorfianus IV, Tischendorfianus III, and manuscripts of Lake's Family (f1).

Colophon

At the end of the manuscript, on the page 267 verso, there is a colophon
Colophon (publishing)
In publishing, a colophon is either:* A brief description of publication or production notes relevant to the edition, in modern books usually located at the reverse of the title page, but can also sometimes be located at the end of the book, or...

 (subscription) inserted by second hand (secunda manu). According to this colophon the manuscript was written by scribe named Basil (εγραφη δε η δελτος αυτη διαχειρ[] βασιλειου μοναχου), and it was bound by one Theodulos, who commend themselves to the Virgin
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...

 and St. Eutychios (προσδεξη ταυτην [την δελτον] η παναγια θεοτοκος και ο αγιος Ευτυχιος). Some parts of the colophon are uncertain. Full text of the colophon:
εγραφη δε η δελτος αυτη διαχειρ[] βασιλειου μοναχου
ημφιασκεται εκεφ[]κεωθη υπ[..θε]οδουλου του μοναχου
προσδεξητε αυτην η παναγια θκος και ο αγιος ευτυχιος
κσδεοθς δια πρεσβειων της υπερ [αγι]λς θκου και
του αγιου ευτυχιου χαρισηται ημιν την βασιλειαν
των ουνων αιωνιζησαν αμην:~

Dating

Richard Simon
Richard Simon
Richard Simon was a French Oratorian, influential advanced biblical critic, orientalist, and controversialist.-Early years:...

, biblical scholar and the first textual critic, dated the manuscript to the 10th century. According to palaeographer Bernard de Montfaucon
Bernard de Montfaucon
Bernard de Montfaucon was a French Benedictine monk, a scholar who founded a new discipline, palaeography; an editor of works of the Fathers of the Church; he is also regarded to be one of the founders of modern archaeology.-Early life:Montfaucon was born January 13, 1655 in the castle of...

 and biblical scholar Scholz it was written in the 8th century. According to Leonard Hug
Johann Leonhard Hug
Johann Leonhard Hug , was a German Roman Catholic theologian.-Life:In 1783 he entered the University of Freiburg, where he became a pupil in the seminary for the training of priests, and soon distinguished himself in classical and Oriental philology as well as in biblical exegesis and criticism...

, biblical scholar, it is not older than the ninth century, because no one has yet shown that the compressed letters Σ, Ε, Ο, and Θ were ever used in manuscripts at so early a date as the 8th century. The letters Ζ and Ξ ever have their strokes prolonged beneath the line, or that the small strokes at the bottom of the letter Δ are ever extended below the line, in the manuscripts from the 8th century.

Constantin von Tischendorf
Constantin von Tischendorf
Lobegott Friedrich Constantin Tischendorf was a noted German Biblical scholar. He deciphered the Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus, a 5th century Greek manuscript of the New Testament, in the 1840s, and rediscovered the Codex Sinaiticus, a 4th century New Testament manuscript, in 1859.Tischendorf...

, palaeographer and textual critic, and Caspar René Gregory
Caspar René Gregory
Caspar René Gregory was a American-born German theologian theologian.-Life:Gregory was born in Philadelphia. He studied theology at two Presbyterian seminaries: in 1865-67 at the University of Pennsylvania and at Princeton Theological Seminary...

, textual critic, dated the manuscript to the 9th century. According to Tregelles, textual critic, the manuscript is not older than the middle of the ninth century. According to Frederic G. Kenyon
Frederic G. Kenyon
Sir Frederic George Kenyon GBE KCB TD FBA FSA was a British paleographer and biblical and classical scholar. He occupied from 1889 to 1931 a series of posts at the British Museum...

, biblical scholar, the manuscript must be not earlier than the 11th century, because of the formal liturgical hand and the palaeographic ground. But Kenyon saw only Scrivener's facsimile and his assessment was made only on the basis of this facsimile text.

According to Henri Omont
Henri Omont
Henri Auguste Omont, was a librarian, philologist and French historian, born on September 15, 1857, died December 9, 1940.- Life :In 1881 he wrote a thesis De la ponctuation and was employed in the École Nationale des Chartes as an archivist. He became general inspector in the Bibliothèque...

, palaeographer, it is impossible to give precise date to this manuscript on the palaeographical ground, because there are many manuscripts written in that way, but they are not dated. The 9th century is possible as well as the 11th century.

According to Silva Lake, textual critic, it is hardly to prove it have been written earlier than the year 1000, and is perhaps as late as the middle of the eleventh century. This assessment was based rather on the textual dependency from other manuscript, members of the family Π, than on the palaeographical
Palaeography
Palaeography, also spelt paleography is the study of ancient writing. Included in the discipline is the practice of deciphering, reading, and dating historical manuscripts, and the cultural context of writing, including the methods with which writing and books were produced, and the history of...

 ground (variations of letter forms). According to Silva codex 1219 represents text of the family Π in its earlier stage than Codex Cyprius. Cyprius could be copied from the codex 1219 (Gregory-Aland) or copy of codex 1219 (Lake's hypothetical codex b). Codex 1219 can hardly have written before the year 980 or long after 990, in result Codex Cyprius can hardly be dated very long before the year 1000.

According to William Hatch
William Hatch
William Henry Paine Hatch, Ph.D., D.D. was an American theologian, born at Camden, N. J. He attended Harvard, graduating in 1898 . Afterward, he graduated at the Episcopal Theological Seminary in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and from the General Theological Seminary in New York City...

, palaeographer, the letters Β, Δ, Κ, Λ, Μ, Ξ, Π, Υ, Φ, Χ, Ψ, and Ω have forms which are characteristic for the late 10th or the early 11th century. The handwriting of this codex bears a striking general resemblance to that of three Gospel lectionaries of the 10th and 11th centuries: Lectionary 3
Lectionary 3
Lectionary 3, designated by siglum ℓ 3 .It is a Greek manuscript of the New Testament, on vellum leaves. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 11th century. Scrivener dated to the 10th century.- Description :...

, 296
Lectionary 296
Lectionary 296 , designated by siglum ℓ 296 is a Greek manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 10th century. The manuscript is very lacunose....

, and 1599
Lectionary 1599
Lectionary 1599 , designated by siglum ℓ 1599 is a Greek manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 10th or 11th century.The manuscript is lacunose...

. On the other hand no such likeness exists between the codex and uncial manuscript of the New Testament which were written in the 9th century. The manuscript should be written about 1000.

Textual critics like Frederic G. Kenyon
Frederic G. Kenyon
Sir Frederic George Kenyon GBE KCB TD FBA FSA was a British paleographer and biblical and classical scholar. He occupied from 1889 to 1931 a series of posts at the British Museum...

, Kurt Aland and Bruce Metzger
Bruce Metzger
Bruce Manning Metzger was a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary and Bible editor who served on the board of the American Bible Society. He was a scholar of Greek, New Testament and Old Testament, and wrote prolifically on these subjects.- Biography :Metzger was born in Middletown,...

 dated it to the 9th century. Currently the manuscript is dated by the Institute for New Testament Textual Research
Institute for New Testament Textual Research
The Institute for New Testament Textual Research at the University of Münster, Westphalia, Germany, is an institute for the investigation of the text of the New Testament. The INTF was founded in Münster in 1959 by Professor Kurt Aland , the first director of the Institute...

 to the 9th century.

Discovery and further research

The early history of the codex is unknown. It was brought from Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...

 – hence actual name of the codex – to the Colbert Library (no. 5149 – sometimes it was called Codex Colbertinus 5149) in Paris in 1673, whence it passed into its present locality – Bibliothèque nationale de France
Bibliothèque nationale de France
The is the National Library of France, located in Paris. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in France. The current president of the library is Bruno Racine.-History:...

.

The manuscript was examined by Richard Simon
Richard Simon
Richard Simon was a French Oratorian, influential advanced biblical critic, orientalist, and controversialist.-Early years:...

, who made some extracts for John Mill
John Mill
John Mill was an English theologian. He is noted for his critical edition of the Greek New Testament which included notes on many variant readings.-Biography:...

, who used readings of the codex in his edition of Novum Testamentum in Greek. Montfaucon
Bernard de Montfaucon
Bernard de Montfaucon was a French Benedictine monk, a scholar who founded a new discipline, palaeography; an editor of works of the Fathers of the Church; he is also regarded to be one of the founders of modern archaeology.-Early life:Montfaucon was born January 13, 1655 in the castle of...

, published the first facsimile of the codex, with text of Matthew 2:19–22, and used this manuscript for his palaeographical studies. Wettstein, textual critic, used readings of the codex but with not great accuracy (with a large number of errors). Scholz, textual critic, though valued it very highly, collated the text of the manuscript and edited its textual variants in 1820, but with so little care and with numerous errors that his testimony is worth but little. Tischendorf in 1842 and 1849, and Tregelles in 1950 gave a new and more accurate collation (in 1950 in Leipzig they compare their collations and made one). It is cited in Tischendorf's Editio Octava Critica maior. Scrivener published its facsimile with text of Gospel of John 6:52–53.
Henri Omont and William Hatch
William Hatch
William Henry Paine Hatch, Ph.D., D.D. was an American theologian, born at Camden, N. J. He attended Harvard, graduating in 1898 . Afterward, he graduated at the Episcopal Theological Seminary in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and from the General Theological Seminary in New York City...

 published some fragments of the codex in facsimile.

It was also examined and described by Bianchini
Giuseppe Bianchini
Giuseppe Bianchini was an Italian Oratorian, biblical, historical, and liturgical scholar. Clement XII and Benedict XIV, who highly appreciated his learning, entrusted him with several scientific labors...

, Silva Lake, and Gregory, who saw the codex in 1883.

According to Wettstein the text of the codex was altered by Old Latin manuscripts. According to William Hatch
William Hatch
William Henry Paine Hatch, Ph.D., D.D. was an American theologian, born at Camden, N. J. He attended Harvard, graduating in 1898 . Afterward, he graduated at the Episcopal Theological Seminary in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and from the General Theological Seminary in New York City...

 Codex Cyprius is "one of the more important of the later uncial manuscripts of the four Gospels".

Currently the codex is located in the Bibliothèque nationale de France
Bibliothèque nationale de France
The is the National Library of France, located in Paris. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in France. The current president of the library is Bruno Racine.-History:...

 (Gr. 63) in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

.

See also

  • Biblical manuscript
    Biblical manuscript
    A biblical manuscript is any handwritten copy of a portion of the text of the Bible. The word Bible comes from the Greek biblia ; manuscript comes from Latin manu and scriptum...

  • List of New Testament uncials
  • Textual criticism
    Textual criticism
    Textual criticism is a branch of literary criticism that is concerned with the identification and removal of transcription errors in the texts of manuscripts...

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