Friday, September 25, 2015

The Provenance of Greek New Testament Manuscripts

There are a number of lists of New Testament manuscripts available, most of them based on the one at the back of the Nestle-Aland edition of the Greek New Testament. A good list will tell you about where the manuscript is found now, what texts it contains, and when the manuscript is thought to be written. What the lists do not tell you is where the manuscript was found. So this list is to provide that information, to the extent it is known.

I am arranging the list chronologically as well as geographically. Many of the dates in the standard lists are wrong. I am adjusting the dates following the new ones given by Orsini and Clarysse (two papyrologists) rather than the standard ones given by theologians. Papyrologists can at best date business hands to the nearest half-century; literary hands can at best be dated to the nearest century. (So I think that even some of the Orsini and Clarysse dates are too precise.)

I have also included a number of other details about some of these manuscripts that are not well known. The contents only mention the book or books that show up in the manuscript and in most cases the entire book is not attested. I have added the Trismegistos number and links for those interested in more information.

Take the question marks seriously.

Oxyrhynchus (Bahnasa)
100-200
p104 (= TM 61782, Matthew)
150-200
p90 (= TM 61625, John)
150-225
P.Oxy. 50 3528 (= TM 59983, Shepherd of Hermas)
170-250
P.Oxy. 69 4706 (= TM 69384, Shepherd of Hermas)
175-225
p30 (= TM 61860, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians)
200-250
P.Oxy. 69 4705 (= TM 69383, Shepherd of Hermas)
200-300
p1 (= TM 61787, Mathew)
p5 (= TM 61630, John)
p18 (= TM 61636, Revelation)
p20 (= TM 61618, James)
p27 (= TM 61854, Romans)
p29 (= TM 61701, Acts)
p69 (= TM 61700, Luke)
p70 (= TM 61789, Matthew)
p100 (= TM 61619, James)
p101 (= TM 61786, Matthew)
p103 (= TM 61785, Matthew)
p106 (= TM 61631, John)
p107 (= TM 61632, John)
p108 (= TM 61633, John)
p109 (= TM 61634, John)
p111 (= TM 65894, Luke)
p113 (= TM 65896, Romans)
p114 (= TM 65897, Hebrews)
p119 (= TM 112358, John)
p121 (= TM 112360, John)
P.Oxy. 15 1828 (= TM 59987, Shepherd of Hermas)
P.Oxy. 50 3527 (= TM 59986, Shepherd of Hermas)
P.Oxy. 69 4707 (= TM 69385, Shepherd of Hermas)
200-400
P. Oxy 3 404 (= TM 59989, Shepherd of Hermas)
250-300
p22 (= TM 61629, John)
p23 (= TM 61620, James)
p77 (= TM 61784, Matthew)
250-350
p13 (= TM 61861, Hebrews)
p28 (= TM 61635, John)
p78 (= TM 61695, Jude)
p115 (= TM 65898, Revelation)
P. Oxy. 15 1783 (= TM 59991, Shepherd of Hermas)
275-300
p39 (= TM 61638, John)
275-325
p9 (= TM 61639, 1 John)
p125 (= TM 117814, 1 Peter)
300-350
p10 (= TM 61868, Romans)
p123 (= TM 113259, 1 Corinthians)
300-400
p15+16 (= TM 61859, 1 Corinthians, Philippians) p17 (= TM 61862, Hebrews)
p71 (= TM 61794, Matthew)
p102 (= TM 61790, Matthew)
p110 (= TM 65893, Matthew)
p120 (= TM 112359, John)
P.Oxy. 9 1172 (= TM 59993, Shepherd of Hermas)
P.Oxy. 13 1599 (= TM 59992, Shepherd of Hermas)
P.Oxy. 50 3526 (= TM 59993, Shepherd of Hermas)
300-500
p19 (= TM 61798, Matthew)
p21 (= TM 61796, Matthew)
325-375
p48 (= TM 61702, Acts)
350-400
p24 (= TM 61641, Revelation)
350-450
p51 (= TM 61869, Galatians)
p122 (= TM 112361, John)
400-500
p127 (= TM 119313, Acts)
400-600
p54 (= TM 61622, James)
p105 (= TM 61803, Matthew, amulet)
450-500
p35 (= TM 61802, Matthew)
p112 (= TM 65895, Acts)
500-600
p36 (= TM 61662, John)
p124 (= TM 113260, 2 Corinthians)
600-700
p26 (= TM 61898, Romans)
Oxyrhynchus(?)/Arsinoites(?)
125-175
p52 (= TM 61624, John)

Hermopolis (el-Ashmunein)
150-200
P.Iand. 1 4 (= TM 59982, Shepherd of Hermas)
350-400
P.Berl. 13272 (= TM 59990, Shepherd of Hermas)
Koptos (Qift)
175-200
p4+64+67 (= TM 61783, Matthew, Luke)
Aphroditopolis (Atfih) (?)/Panopolis (Akhmim) (?)/Arsinoites(?)
200-225
p46 (= TM 61855, Romans, Hebrews, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians)
200-250
p45 (= TM 61826, Matthew, John, Luke, Mark, Acts)
Aphroditopolis (Atfih) (?)
200-250
p47 (= TM 61628, Revelation)
Panopolis (Akhmim)
200-250
p66 (?) (= TM 61627, John)
300-350
p72 (= TM 61420, Protevangelium of Jacob, 3 Corinthians, Odes of Solomon, Jude, Melito of Sardis Peri Pascha, 1 Peter, 2 Peter)
350-450
P. Bodmer 38 (= TM 59994, Shepherd of Hermas, Dortheus Visio)
Hipponon (Qararo)
200-300
p40 (= TM 61846, Romans)
Egypt (further specification unknown)
200-225
p95 (= TM 61651, John)
200-250
p87 (= TM 61857, Philemon)
p98 (= TM 61626, Revelation)
200-300
p32 (= TM 61853, Titus)
p75 (= TM 61743, Luke, John)
p91 (= TM 61699, Acts)
250-350
p49 (= TM 61858, Ephesians)
p65 (= TM 61856, 1 Thessalonians)
300-350
p8 (= TM 61704, Acts)
p116 (= TM 66065, Hebrews)
300-400
p50 (= TM 61709, Acts)
p62 (= TM 61839, Matthew, Greek and Coptic [Akhmimic], Daniel)
p81 (= TM 61911, 1 Peter)
p82 (= TM 61706, Luke)
p86 (= TM 61793, Matthew)
p89 (= TM 61863, Hebrews)
p117 (= TM 68759, 2 Corinthians)
p126 (= TM 68735, Acts)
300-500
P.Hamburg 24/P.Iand. inv. 45 (= TM 59995, Shepherd of Hermas)
P.Prague I 1 (= TM 59996, Shepherd of Hermas)
350-400<
p88 (= TM 61757, Mark)
375-425
p85 (= TM 61644, Revelation)
p118 (= TM 68810, Romans)
400-450
p6 (= TM 61656, John in Greek and Coptic [Akhmimic]; James in Coptic; 1 Clement in Coptic)
400-500
p93 (= TM 61650, John)
p99 (= TM 61873, Romans, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians)
400-550
p94 (= TM 61885, Romans)
450-550
p63 (= TM 61661, John)
P. Amherst 2 190 (= TM 59999, Shepherd of Hermas)
475-500
p25 (= TM 61823, Matthew)
500-600
p76 (= TM 61669, Matthew)
p96 (= TM 61810, Matthew, Greek and Coptic [Sahidic])
P.Berl. BKT 6 (= TM 60001, Shepherd of Hermas)
600-700
p31 (= TM 61901, Romans)
p73 (= TM 61814, Matthew)
p74 (= TM 61742, Acts, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude)
p80 (= TM 61645, John)
600-800
p42 (= TM 62320, Luke in Greek and Coptic)
Arsinoites
200-300
P.Mich 2.2 130 (= TM 59984, Shepherd of Hermas)
200-400
P.Berl. 5513/BKT 6.2.1 (= TM 59988, Shepherd of Hermas)
250-300
p12 (= TM 62312, Hebrews 1:1 and Genesis 1:1-5 palimpsest amulet over a letter)
p37 (?) (= TM 61788, Matthew)
p38 (?) (= TM 61703, Acts)
350-400
p53 (= TM 61827, Matthew, Acts)
350-450
p57 (= TM 61707, Acts)
400-500
P.Berl. 5104 (= TM 59997, Shepherd of Hermas)
400-600
p56 (= TM 61721, Acts)
500-600
p33+58 (= TM 61731, Acts)
500-700
p3 (= TM 61732, Luke)
p55 (= TM 61671, John)
600-700
p34 (= TM 61903, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians)
p79 (= TM 61907, Hebrews)
Sinai
200-500 (?)
p7 (= TM 61747, Luke)
500-600
p11 (= TM 61908, 1 Corinthians)
p14 (= TM 61886, 1 Corinthians)
600-700
p68 (?) (= TM 61902, 1 Corinthians)
Theadelphia (Batn el-Hatit)
250-300
P.Mich. 2.2 129 (= TM 59985, Shepherd of Hermas)
Narmouthis (Medinet Madi)
250-350
p92 (= TM 61852, Ephesians, 2 Thessalonians)
Djeme (Medinet Habu)
500-600
p2 (= TM 61744, John in Greek and Luke in Coptic)
500-700
p44 (= TM 61825, Matthew, John)
Khirbet Mird, Israel
500-600
p83 (= TM 61808, Matthew)
p84 (= TM 61775, Mark, John)
Wadi Sarga
500-700
p43 (= TM 61673, Revelation)
Aphrodito (Kom Ishqau) (?)
500-700
p97 (= TM 61698, Luke)
Nessana (Auja Hafir) Israel
600-700
p59 (= TM 61676, John)
p60 (= TM 61677, John)
650-750
p61 (= TM 61906, Romans, 1 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, Titus, Philemon)
Krokodilopolis (Medinet el-Fayyum)
700-800
p41 (= TM 61739, Acts, in Greek and Coptic)
A few things stand out. First, we do not know the provenance of a large percentage of these manuscripts.

Another is that a number of the Greek manuscripts are actually bilingual Greek-Coptic manuscripts and they start appearing in the fourth century. The language switch helps explain why there are comparatively fewer copies of the Greek New Testament from Egypt after about 500.

A large percentage of our Greek New Testament manuscripts come from Oxyrhynchus. Most of those come from the third century. All the Oxyrhynchus manuscripts were found in the garbage dump. They were discarded manuscripts.

Half the manuscripts (5 of 10) from Arsinoites contain the book of Acts. Three quarters of the Sinai manuscripts contain 1 Corinthians.

Our second century manuscripts are all gospels (Matthew, John, and Luke) and the Shepherd of Hermas. The Revelation of John and James are also early popular works.

The early attestations at Coptos come as something of a surprise since Coptos is not really on  the radar of scholars in early Christianity. Arsinoites is another place that does not show up as a site of importance to those studying early Christianity but it has produced the second greatest number of papyri from a known site. Hermopolis is also not noted for its early Christian community and perhaps should be.

A number of the papyri come from the land of Israel rather than Egypt, though they figure in somewhat later.

The presence of Barnabas, 1 Clement, and the Shepherd of Hermas probably surprise some people but Barnabas and Shepherd of Hermas are included in the canon of scripture of Codex Sinaiticus, 1 Clement is included in Codex Alexandrinus. Note that the attestations are almost all early. After these books were excluded from the canon, they fell out of favor and generally stopped being copied.

Shepherd of Hermas is much more popular than the Gospel of Thomas and yet it figures much less prominently in the scholarship about early Christianity.

The lists in Nestle-Aland are very good at telling you which verses are actually attested but they are not good at telling you if works outside the Protestant New Testament are part of the manuscript or if there are languages other than Greek.

Provenance has not figured into discussions of New Testament manuscripts and perhaps it should.