Codex Sinaiticus

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First Composed: 4 April 2000

Last Updated: 4 April 2000


Name

Codex Sinaiticus (, 01, d 2)

Date

4th Century CE.

Size

Written on vellum, 38.1 cm. x 33.7-35.6 cm. There are four columns and 48 lines per column. The ink is pale brown.

Contents

It has both the Old and New Testaments. The New Testament contains Four Gospels, Acts, Catholic Epistles and Pauline Epistles (including Hebrews), Apocalypse, the Epistle of Barnabas and Shepherd of Hermas.

Total number of leaves are 346.5 of which 199 are of the Old Testament (including the apocryphal books) and 147.5 leaves in the New Testament part (including Epistle of Barnabas and Shepherd of Hermas).

The text is Alexandrian ("Neutral").

Writing

The words are written continuously without separation. Accents and breathing are absent. The Old Testament quotations are not indicated. Ammonian sections and Eusebian canons in red are added by another (perhaps contemporary) hand.

The codex is the work of three scribes, who are frequently called as A, B and D. A wrote the entire New Testament with the exception of six whole leaves and a small part of another leaf, which were copied by D apparently. It appears that nine correctors, ranging in date from the fourth century to the twelfth century, have made corrections in the manuscripts.

Salient Features

Matthew 16:2 f. is omitted, Mark ends at 16:8, Luke 22:43 f. was marked as spurious by the first corrector, but these signs were canceled by the third corrector. John 5:4 and the Pericope de adultera are omitted. The doxology of Romans comes after 16:23 verse 24 being omitted. Hebrews follow immediately after II Thessalonians.

Location

British Museum, London, United Kingdom.


References

[1] W. H. P. Hatch, The Principal Uncial Manuscripts Of The New Testament, 1939, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Plate XV.

The New Testament Manuscripts