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Biblical Manuscripts: Greek OT Manuscripts

A list of texts that can be found online to aid the study of textual criticism.

Early Uncial Manuscripts

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Codex Sinaiticus, a manuscript of the Christian Bible written in the middle of the fourth century, contains the Old Testament in Greek and the earliest complete copy of the Christian New Testament. The hand-written text is in Greek. The Old Testament appears in the version known as the Septuagint or Old Greek that was adopted by early Greek-speaking Christians. The New Testament appears in the original vernacular language (Koine). The text of both the Septuagint and the New Testament has been heavily annotated by a series of early correctors.

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Codex Vaticanus is one of the oldest extant manuscripts of the Greek Bible (Old and New Testament) dating from the fourth century AD. The Codex is named after its place of conservation in the Vatican Library where it has been kept since at least the 15th century. It is written on 759 leaves of vellum in uncial letters and has been dated paleographically to the 4th century.

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Codex Alexandrinus, is a fifth-century manuscript of the Greek Bible, containing the majority of the Septuagint and the New Testament. It is one of the four Great uncial codices. Along with the Codex Sinaiticus and the Codex Vaticanus, it is one of the earliest and most complete manuscripts of the Bible.

Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus is a fifth century manuscript of the Greek Bible, containing six books of the Greek Old Testament and the majority of the New Testament (except 2 Thessalonians and 2 John). The Old Testament books that remain are Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Wisdom, and Sirach.

Other Manuscripts

The Exodus-Revelation Papyrus (Papyrus 2053 f001r)

Exodus-Revelation fragment (Papyrus 2053), is 3rd century fragment with the end of Exodus on one side and the beginning of Revelation on the other. 

Octateuch with catena (Add MS 35123 f085r)

12th Century Commentary on the Octateuch (MS 35123) is a manuscript containing the Torah, Joshua, Judges, and Ruth with an extensive catena (commentary) surrounding the text.

Catena on the Octateuch (Burney MS 34 f001r)

Commentary on the Octateuch and the Letter of Aristeas, a 16th century manuscript containing commentary on the first 8 books of the Septuagint and the Letter of Aristeas, a letter that purports to explain the history of the Septuagint although many elements of the letter are apocryphal.

Chester Beatty Collection LXX Manuscripts

Rahlfs 961 - Early fourth century manuscript on papyrus. Contents: Genesis 9–44.

Rahlfs 962 - Late third century manuscript on papyrus. Contents: Genesis 8–46.

Rahlfs 963 - Second century manuscript on papyrus. Contents: Numbers and Deuteronomy.

Rahlfs 964 - Fourth century manuscript on papyrus. Contents: Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 36.28–37.11; 37.1–122. 46.16b–47.2; 46.6–11.

Rahlfs 965 - Early third century manuscript on papyrus. Contents: Isaiah. 

Rahlfs 966 - Late second century or early third century manuscript on papyrus. Contents: Jeremiah 4.30–5.1; 5.9–13; 5.13–14; 5.23–24. 

Rahlfs 967 - Early third century manuscript on papyrus. Contents: Ezekiel and Esther. 

Rahlfs 968 - Early third century manuscript on papyrus. Contents: Daniel and Esther.

Rahlfs 2149 - Fourth century manuscript on papyrus. Contents: Psalms 72.6–88.2 (sans Ps76).

Rahlfs 2150 - Fourth century manuscript on papyrus. Contents: Psalms 31, 26, and 2.