Introduction
This page examines the evidence we have for the New Testament, including the age of the earliest manuscripts, their distribution over time, and the textual relationships between various books.
The Manuscripts
The distribution of New Testament manuscripts shows a clear pattern: very few early manuscripts exist, with the vast majority coming from much later centuries:
Data from Institute for New Testament Textual Research
This data shows a significant gap between the events described in the New Testament (c. 30-100 CE) and our earliest manuscript evidence. The vast majority of manuscripts date from medieval times, over 700 years after the events they describe.
Earliest Gospel Manuscripts
The four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) form the core of the New Testament and are the primary sources for information about Jesus' life, ministry, death, and resurrection.
| Earliest Manuscript | Date | Type | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| P104 | c. 150-200 CE | Fragment | Matthew 21:34-37, 43, 45 |
| P137 | c. 150-250 CE | Fragment | Mark 1:7-9, 16-18 |
| P75 | c. 175-225 CE | Partial | Portions of Luke 3-18, 22-24 |
| P52 | c. 125-175 CE | Fragment | John 18:31-33, 37-38 |
| Codex Sinaiticus | c. 330-360 CE | Complete | First complete manuscript of all four gospels |
Earliest Pauline Manuscripts
The letters attributed to Paul constitute a significant portion of the New Testament and provide crucial insights into early Christian theology and community formation.
| Manuscript | Date | Type | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| P46 | c. 175-225 CE | Partial | Contains portions of Romans, Hebrews, 1-2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Galatians, Philippians, Colossians, and 1 Thessalonians |
| P32 | c. 200 CE | Fragment | Contains Titus 1:11-15, 2:3-8 |
| P87 | c. 250 CE | Fragment | Contains Philemon 13-15, 24-25 |
| Codex Sinaiticus | c. 325 CE | Complete | Contains all of Paul's letters in the modern canon |
Earliest Other Manuscripts
Beyond the gospels and Pauline epistles, the New Testament contains several other important texts, including Acts, the general epistles, and Revelation.
| Manuscript | Date | Type | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| P29 | c. 175-225 CE | Fragment | Acts 26:7-8, 20 |
| P47 | c. 250-300 CE | Partial | Revelation 9:10-17:2 |
| P72 | c. 300-350 CE | Complete | Contains complete text |
Textual Variants and Interpolations
The New Testament manuscripts contain numerous textual variants and later interpolations, showing that the texts evolved over time:
Gospels
The Ending of Mark
Mark 16:9-20 (the resurrection appearances) is not found in the earliest and most reliable manuscripts. Most scholars believe the original ending was lost and this longer ending was added later. (Read More)
The Woman Caught in Adultery
John 7:53-8:11 is absent from the earliest manuscripts and appears in different locations in later manuscripts, indicating it was a later addition. (Read More)
Luke's Account of Jesus Sweating Blood
Luke 22:43-44 (describing Jesus sweating blood in Gethsemane) is not found in some of the earliest manuscripts (Read More).
Luke 23:34 (Father, forgive them...)
Jesus' prayer from the cross, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," is missing from several early and important manuscripts, including Papyrus 75 and Codex Vaticanus. Its absence raises questions about its originality. (Read More)
Matthew 27:16-17 (Jesus Barabbas)
Some ancient manuscripts refer to the prisoner released instead of Jesus as "Jesus Barabbas." This reading suggests Pilate offered the crowd a choice between "Jesus Barabbas" and "Jesus who is called Christ," adding a layer of irony. (Read More)
Mark 1:1 (Son of God)
The phrase "Son of God" in the opening verse of Mark is missing in a few significant early manuscripts, including Codex Sinaiticus (original hand). This potentially alters the explicit declaration of Jesus' divinity at the very beginning of the Gospel. (Read More)
Other New Testament Texts
The Johannine Comma
1 John 5:7-8, which explicitly mentions the Trinity, is absent from all Greek manuscripts before the 16th century and is now recognized as a later addition. (Read More)
Doxology in Romans
The doxology in Romans (16:25-27) appears in different locations in various manuscripts, suggesting it may have been a later addition. (Read More)
Variant Endings of Romans
Some manuscripts end Romans at chapter 15, others at 16:23, and still others include the doxology at different points, suggesting the letter may have circulated in multiple forms. (Read More)
Acts 8:37 (Ethiopian Eunuch's Confession)
The confession of faith by the Ethiopian eunuch ("I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God") is missing from the earliest and best manuscripts of Acts, suggesting it was added later to align with baptismal practices. (Read More)
Revelation 13:18 (Number of the Beast)
While most manuscripts have the number 666, some early important ones (like Papyrus 115) have 616. This variation might stem from different ways of calculating the numerical value of a name (gematria). (Read More)
Jude 5 (Who Saved Israel from Egypt?)
Manuscripts differ on who is credited with saving Israel: "Jesus," "the Lord," or "God." This variation highlights early uncertainty or differing theological emphases regarding Jesus' pre-existence and role in Old Testament events. (Read More)
Revelation 22:14 (Access to the Tree of Life)
Some manuscripts read "Blessed are those who wash their robes," while others read "Blessed are those who do His commandments." This difference affects the basis upon which believers gain access to the tree of life. (Read More)
These examples demonstrate that the New Testament texts were not perfectly preserved but underwent changes during transmission. The later the manuscript evidence, the more opportunity existed for alterations, embellishments, and theological adjustments.
Conclusion
The numerous textual variants, including significant additions and omissions found across the manuscript tradition, demonstrate a clear pattern of textual evolution. Scribes, whether intentionally or unintentionally, altered the texts they copied over centuries.
This observable history of changes within our existing manuscript record raises a critical question: If additions, omissions, and modifications occurred *after* our earliest copies were made, is it not plausible, even likely, that similar changes occurred *before* these earliest copies? The period between the original composition (autographs) and our first surviving manuscripts is often centuries long, leaving ample time for undocumented textual development.
Therefore, while textual criticism attempts to reconstruct the earliest attainable text, the established pattern of textual instability suggests that we cannot be certain that even our best reconstructions perfectly match the original autographs. The textual tradition itself implies that what was originally written may have already been subject to change before our manuscript evidence even begins.