Alexandrian text type

The Alexandrian text type is one of several text types of the Greek New Testament between which the textual criticism of the New Testament distinguishes. In older literature, this text type is also referred to as the neutral or Egyptian text type. The Alexandrian text type is the predominant one among the oldest surviving text witnesses and in most cases offers the shortest and, according to a text-critical view, the best text.

In later manuscripts, from the 9th century, the Byzantine text type became much more common, which is why it is also referred to as majority text . It remained the standard text in the Greek Orthodox Church and is also the basis of the Textus receptus and thus most Protestant translations from the Reformation period to the 19th century. Most of the followers of the Textus receptus see this text form as the God- inspired text form. Other text forms are the Western text type and the Caesarean text type , plus the so-called Western non-interpolations .

Most modern translations of the New Testament, however, are based on an eclectic Greek text developed by text-critical science that is closest to the Alexandrian text type. This text is the basis of the modern editions of the Novum Testamentum Graece , also called " Nestle - Aland ". With this text form an attempt is made based on objective criteria to decide which respective text form is the original. This text type makes the scientific claim to come closest to the original text .

Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus from the early 4th century are the most important manuscripts of the Alexandrian text type.

List of the most important manuscripts of the Alexandrian text type

Other manuscripts

Papyri: ¹ , ⁴ , ⁵ , ⁶ , ⁸ , ⁹ , ¹⁰ , ¹¹ , ¹² , ¹³ , ¹⁴ , ¹⁵ , ¹⁶ , ¹⁷ , ¹⁸ , ¹⁹ , ²⁰ , ²² , ²³ , ²⁴ , ²⁶ , ²⁷ , ²⁸ , ²⁹ , ³⁰ , ³¹ , ³² , ³³ , ³⁴ , ³⁵ , ³⁷ , ³⁹ , ⁴⁰ , ⁴³ , ⁴⁴ , ⁴⁵ , ⁴⁷ , ⁴⁹ , ⁵¹ , ⁵³ , ⁵⁵ , ⁵⁶ , ⁵⁷ , ⁶¹ , ⁶² , ⁶⁴ , ⁶⁵ , ⁷⁰ , ⁷¹ , ⁷² , ⁷⁴ , ⁷⁷ , ⁷⁸ , ⁷⁹ , ⁸⁰ (?), ⁸¹ , ⁸² , ⁸⁵ (?), ⁸⁶ , ⁸⁷ , ⁹⁰ , ⁹¹ , ⁹² , ⁹⁵ , ¹⁰⁰ , ¹⁰⁴ , ¹⁰⁶ , ¹⁰⁷ , ¹⁰⁸ , ¹¹⁰ , ¹¹¹ , ¹¹⁵ , ¹²² . ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$ ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {P}}}$

Uncial manuscripts: Codex Coislinianus , Porphyrianus (except Acts, Off.), Dublinensis , Sangallensis (only in Markus), Zakynthius , Athous Lavrensis (in Markus and Kath.), Vaticanus 2061 , 059 , 071 , 073 , 076, 077, 081, 083, 085, 087, 088, 089, 091, 093 (except Apg), 094, 096, 098, 0101, 0102, 0108, 0111, 0114, 0129, 0142, 0155, 0156, 0162, 0167, 0172, 0173, 0175, 0181, 0183, 0184, 0185, 0201, 0204, 0205, 0207, 0223, 0225, 0232, 0234, 0240, 0243, 0244, 0245, 0247, 0254, 0270, 0271, 0274.

Minuscule manuscripts: 20 , 94 , 104, 157 , 164, 215, 241, 254, 322, 323, 326, 376, 383, 579, 614, 718, 850, 1006, 1175, 1241, 1611, 1739, 1841, 1852, 1908, 2040, 2053, 2062, 2298, 2344 (Kath., Off.), 2351, 2464.

Individual evidence

1. ^ David Alan Black : New Testament Textual Criticism. A Concise Guide. Baker Books, Grand Rapids MI 2006, ISBN 0-8010-1074-8 , p. 64.

literature

• Bruce M. Metzger , Bart D. Ehrman : The Text of the New Testament. Its Transmission, Corruption and Restoration. 4th edition. Oxford University Press, New York NY et al. 2005, ISBN 0-19-516667-1 .
• Bruce M. Metzger: A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament. A Companion Volume to the United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament (fourth revised edition) 2nd edition. German Bible Society, Stuttgart 1994, ISBN 3-438-06010-8 , pp. 5 *, 15 *.