Crazy readings of Codex Sinaiticus
Codex Sinaiticus is the second oldest manuscript that we have that contains both the Old and the New testaments. Written in Greek, It is dated to around 350 AD. It is a much revered manuscript that has been given a huge amount of authority. So much in fact that it is only superseded in its authority by Codex Vaticanus.
When you hear someone say “the oldest and best manuscripts”, which is usually just a parroting of what they read in the footnotes somewhere, THESE are the two manuscripts that are in reference. The oldest and best, are a reference to Vaticanus and Sinaiticus, even if the person stating it is not aware of it.
The text of Westcott and Hort is almost entirely based on these two manuscripts. (The readings of Vaticanus does make up the majority of that text).
While oldest and best MAY have been what was once believed about these manuscripts NEITHER of these titles can, by anyone engaging in honest study, say about these two manuscripts.
Today we have manuscripts that predate both these manuscripts by at least 100+ years and maybe even closer to 200 years (P52 being just one) but we have around 30+ Papyri available today that predate these 2 manuscripts. So they are certainly not the oldest manuscripts.
As for them being the best, studies by Herman C. Hoskier in the early 20th century into these manuscripts show that they differ in readings between themselves in more than 3000 places in the Gospels alone. There are places where one manuscript omits a word or a verse where the other contains it.
I would recommend reading my writing (part 2 of a 2 part study on the Septuagint
here )
Of course we must also mention that Sinaiticus contains Apocrypha books within its texts not merely as separate and distinct text but integrated within the texts.
How can we trust a manuscript that does not distinguish between what is Apocrypha and that which is scripture? Also why would those that assert the Apocrypha is not scripture give authority to a manuscript that does not distinguish between the Apocrypha and scripture?
In this study we shall look at Sinaiticus, what we will see is that this much corrected manuscript has some readings that are not only crazy, they are in fact quite baffling.
In this study we are going to look at some of those more outrageous readings and highlight just how bizarre this manuscript really is.
This is not a complete list by any means. New readings will be added as I work though the manuscript. They are also in no particular order, significance or seriousness of error.
According to John Burgon, Sinaiticus contains 1460 unique readings and Vaticanus has 589 unique readings in the Gospels. Unique readings being that the reading is found in no other known manuscript.
Examples
REVELATION 4:8
This is a verse that includes a triadic declaration. Holy Holy Holy. 3 times the Greek word Ἅγιος (Hagios) is repeated.
The KJV has Holy, holy, holy.
Revelation 4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about
him; and
they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. KJV
The triadic holy holy holy is found in all major Bibles, including but not limited to the NIV, ESV, NASB, NET Bible, ISV, ASV, ERV and youngs literal Bible.
The reading is found in the Westcott and Hort text
καὶ τὰ τέσσερα ζῷα, ἓν καθ’ ἓν αὐτῶν ἔχων ἀνὰ πτέρυγας ἕξ, κυκλόθεν καὶ ἔσωθεν γέμουσιν ὀφθαλμῶν· καὶ ἀνάπαυσιν οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς λέγοντες Ἅγιος ἅγιος ἅγιος Κύριος, ὁ θεός, ὁ παντοκράτωρ, ὁ ἦν καὶ ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος.
The Greek of the UBS 4 and the Nestle Aland 27 text both read the same with Ἅγιος repeated 3 times.
καὶ τὰ τέσσερα / τέσσαρα ζῷα, ἓν καθ’ ἓν αὐτῶν ἔχων ἀνὰ πτέρυγας ἕξ, κυκλόθεν καὶ ἔσωθεν γέμουσιν ὀφθαλμῶν· καὶ ἀνάπαυσιν οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς λέγοντες Ἅγιος ἅγιος ἅγιος Κύριος, ὁ θεός, ὁ παντοκράτωρ, ὁ ἦν καὶ ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος.
In codex Sinaiticus, however, Ἅγιος (Holy) is repeated 8 times.
The verse is written as follows
και αναπαυϲιν ουχ εξοϲαν ημεραϲ και νυκτοϲ λεγοντεϲ αγιοϲ · αγιοϲ · αγιοϲ · αγιοϲ · αγιοϲ · αγιοϲ ˙ αγιοϲ αγιοϲ κϲ ┬ θϲ παντοκρατωρ · ο ην και ο ων και ο ερχομενοϲ”
We can put aside the the fact that this is NOT a scribal copyist error. You don’t write a word 8 times instead of 3 as a mistake. EVEN allowing for a very unlikely repeat of the 3 words this would still only allow for a maximum of 6 times and if we allowed for the copyist to somehow have repeated it 3 times we would come to a total of 9 repetitions not 8. The obvious fact is this was a deliberate and conscious decision that the scribe made to include the word 8 times. This, then is not a scribal error but a deliberate scribal alteration.
It is interesting that the UBS and Nestle Aland text do not include the 8 repetitions, especially as so much authority is given to this manuscript along with Vaticanus. The fact that the entire book of Revelation is missing from Vaticanus so we have no reading at all in this verse from the manuscript to counter the reading of Sinaiticus. This then would make the none inclusion of the 8 fold repetition found in Sinaiticus a dishonest exclusion, especially when we take into consideration the longer ending of Mark and the authority given to these 2 manuscripts there.
Now, although I cannot in any way prove a direct connection, and there may well not actually be one, it must at least be noted that there is a possibility that this is an Octoecho or at least an allusion to one, which was not developed as a concept until much later with John of Damascus in the 7th or 8th century.
If this is, in fact, an Octoecho then this would categorically rule out Sinaiticus from being a 4th century manuscript.
REVELATION 7:4
Revelation 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed:
and there were sealed an hundred
and forty
and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. KJV
144,000 is the reading of all major Bibles. The NIV, ESV, ASV, NASB, Net Bible, ERV and many many more.
It is the reading of the Westcot and Hort text
Καὶ ἤκουσα τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῶν ἐσφραγισμένων, ἑκατὸν τεσσεράκοντα τέσσαρες χιλιάδες, ἐσφραγισμένοι ἐκ πάσης φυλῆς υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ· (W+H)
It is also the reading of the UBS4 and the Nestle-Aland 27 texts
Καὶ ἤκουσα τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῶν ἐσφραγισμένων, ἑκατὸν τεσσεράκοντα τέσσαρες χιλιάδες, ἐσφραγισμένοι ἐκ πάσης φυλῆς υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ·
However, Sinaiticus has 140,000 in this verse
We know that the correct reading here is 144,000 as the following 4 verses give us the number 12 thousand from each of the 12 tribes. 12,000 x 12 is 144,000.
140,000 is simply incorrect.
Revelation 7:
5 Of the tribe of Juda
were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben
were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad
were sealed twelve thousand.
6Of the tribe of Aser
were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim
were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses
were sealed twelve thousand.
7Of the tribe of Simeon
were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi
were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar
were sealed twelve thousand.
8Of the tribe of Zabulon
were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph
were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin
were sealed twelve thousand.
12 Tribes, 12,000 from each tribe. There is no way that the number can be 140,000. Sinaiticus is in error here.
The 144,000 can also be found in Revelation 14:3
Revelation 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred
and forty
and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. KJV
Again the reading of all major Bibles here is 144,000.
It is the reading of the Westcott and Hort text
καὶ ᾄδουσιν ὡς ᾠδὴν καινὴν ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου καὶ ἐνώπιον τῶν τεσσάρων ζῴων καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων· καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐδύνατο μαθεῖν τὴν ᾠδὴν εἰ μὴ αἱ ἑκατὸν τεσσεράκοντα τέσσαρες χιλιάδες, οἱ ἠγορασμένοι ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς.
And also the UBS4 and Nestle-Aland texts
καὶ ᾄδουσιν ὡς ᾠδὴν καινὴν ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου καὶ ἐνώπιον τῶν τεσσάρων ζῴων καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων· καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐδύνατο μαθεῖν τὴν ᾠδὴν εἰ μὴ αἱ ἑκατὸν τεσσεράκοντα τέσσαρες χιλιάδες, οἱ ἠγορασμένοι ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς.
Sinaiticus doesn’t even agree with itself and has 141,000 in contrast to the 140,000 it has back in Revelation 7:4.
Not only is Sinaiticus incorrect in both these verses with its recorded numbers, it actually contradicts itself.
Revelation 21:5
And he that sat upon the throne said,
Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
http://www.laparola.net/greco/index.php?rif1=73&rif2=21:5
https://www.codexsinaiticus.org/en/...book=59&chapter=21&lid=en&side=r&zoomSlider=0
New is the reading of basically every Bible translation today
However
, Sinaiticus reads “I make all things empty”.
"κενα ποιω παντα"
θεν και ειπεν ο
καθημενοϲ επι
τω θρονω ϊδου
κε
να ποιω παντα κ(αι)
λεγει μοι γραψον
οτι ουτοι οι λογοι
πιϲτοι και αληθι
Revelation 20:5
But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This
is the first resurrection. KJV
http://www.laparola.net/greco/index.php?rif1=73&rif2=20:5
Codex Sinaiticus is one of the most important books in the world. Handwritten well over 1600 years ago, the manuscript contains the Christian Bible in Greek, including the oldest complete copy of the New Testament. The Codex Sinaiticus Project is an international collaboration to reunite the...
www.codexsinaiticus.org
The ISV, ASV, NASB all include these words.
The NIV, ESv and NET bible include the words in brackets.
The words “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” are not found in Sinaiticus.
Mark 6:22
In this verse we are told that the daughter of Herodias, the wife of King Herod, danced for the king.
Mark 6:22 And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give
it thee.
This is the reading found in the majority of all modern versions including the NIV, ESV and NASB.
However, Sinaiticus has the reading HIS daughter Herodias came in and danced.
τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτου Ἡρῳδιάδος
Thus making Herodias his daughter.
Very clearly there is a major error here. It is, however, also the reading of codex Vaticanus and so BOTH manuscripts are in error. I should point out that manuscripts D L Δ 238 and 565 also support this erroneous reading.
There are in fact some modern versions that have even gone with this incorrect reading and translated the verse as HIS daughter Herodias including the NET Bible
Mark 6:22 When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.” NET Bible.
In Matthew 14:6 we get another account that it was the daughter of Herodias and NOT his own daughter
Matthew 14:6 But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. KJV
The NET Bible now contradicts itself by rendering this verse the daughter of Herodias
Matthew 14:6 But on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod, NET bible.
So there is internal support for the reading found in the majority of manuscripts.
The correct reading, τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτῆς τῆς Ἡρῳδιάδος – Which means “the daughter of Herodias herself” is found in around 99% of all Greek manuscripts including but certainly not limited to A C K M N U. It is also the reading of the Latin Vulgate, and Old Latin manuscripts
a,
d,
ff2,
i,
l,
q, and
r1
Matthew 14:6 But on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased
The UBS4 and Nestle-Aland text renders Mark 6:22 the same as Sinaiticus and Vaticanus
καὶ εἰσελθούσης τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτοῦ Ἡρῳδιάδος καὶ ὀρχησαμένης, ἤρεσεν τῷ Ἡρῴδῃ καὶ τοῖς συνανακειμένοις. «ὁ (δὲ) βασιλεὺς» ⇔ εἶπεν τῷ κορασίῳ Αἴτησόν με ὃ ἐὰν θέλῃς, καὶ δώσω σοι·
As did Westcott and Hort.
καὶ εἰσελθούσης τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτοῦ Ἡρῳδιάδος καὶ ὀρχησαμένης, ἤρεσεν τῷ Ἡρῴδῃ καὶ τοῖς συνανακειμένοις. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς εἶπεν τῷ κορασίῳ Αἴτησόν με ὃ ἐὰν θέλῃς, καὶ δώσω σοι·
Therefore the Westcott and Hort text, the UBS and Nestle-Aland text are in error.
Also worthy of note regarding the readings in Mark 6:22 À B C* L Δ and 33 read ἤρεσεν instead of the reading καὶ ἀρεσάσης which is found in around 99% of manuscripts and is attested to by P45 which is the oldest manuscript of this section of Mark.
LUKE 1:26
In the Gospel of Luke we are told that the the angel Gabriel was sent by God to Nazareth, a city in Galilee
Luke 1:26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, KJV
However , Siniaticus reads a city of JUDEA, named Nazareth.
This is a geographical error as Nazareth is in Galilee not Judea which is 150km -200km away (depending on which part).
There is not much else to say about this other than this is an error that cannot even begin to be defended as a correct reading.
Matthew 13:35 Which prophet stated the words??
Matthew 13:35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. KJV
As you can see the KJV does not mention the prophet by name in this verse. Matthew simply records as it was spoken by the prophet.
This is also found in the NIV, ESV, NASb
the prophet is unnamed in the Westcott and Hort text
Matthew 13:35 ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος Ἀνοίξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὸ στόμα μου, ἐρεύξομαι κεκρυμμένα ἀπὸ καταβολῆς.
And the prophet is not identified in the NA/UBS text
ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος Ἀνοίξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὸ στόμα μου, ἐρεύξομαι κεκρυμμένα ἀπὸ καταβολῆς. [κόσμου]
Sinaiticus, however, does name the prophet. Sinaiticus names the prophet as Isaiah.
This is in error.
Matthew 13:35 is a reference back to Psalm 78:2
Psalm 78:2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
But when we go to verse 78:1, we find that the prophet is actually Asaph
Psalm 78:1 Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people,
to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
The scribe of Sinaiticus has either, seeing that the prophet is unnamed, decided to help the reader by naming the prophet but through error has included the name of the wrong prophet, or the exemplar of the scribe had the incorrect name already in it. Either way the naming of Isaiah is simply incorrect.
Sinaiticus goes from 1 Chronicles 19:17 to Ezra 9:9
1 Chronicles 19:17 And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over Jordan, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him.
Ezra 9:9 For we were bondmen; yet -> our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
(Bold text is not included in Sinaiticus.)
The scribe of Sinaiticus jumped from the end of 1 Chronicles 9:17 to part way through the 9th verse of 9 Ezra.
Luke 22: 43And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 44And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Vaticanus omits both of these verses.
Sinaiticus original contains these words, they were then omitted by a corrector scribe but then another scribe has added them back as being part of scripture.
Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. KJV
The words “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” are not found in Vaticanus
However, they are found in Sinaiticus original and Sinaiticus 2nd correction, A, C, D correction, E, F, G, H, K, L, M, Q, S, U, V, X, Gamma, Delta, Lambda, Pi, Psi, the Old Latin copies aur, b, c, e, f, ff2, l, r1, the Latin Vulgate, the Syriac Peshitta, Curetonian, Harclean, Palestinian, some Coptic Boharic, Slavonic, Georgian, Armenian, Ethiopic and Diatessaron 160-175 A.D. ancient versions. The whole sentence was originally in the Sinaitic mss. Then some scribe removed it, and then another scribe put the words back in the text.
Source (Brandplucked,webs.com )
The words are included in the Westcott and Hort text
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἔλεγεν Πάτερ, ἄφες αὐτοῖς, οὐ γὰρ οἴδασιν τί ποιοῦσιν. διαμεριζόμενοι δὲ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ ἔβαλον κλῆρον.
They are also in the NA27/ubs27 and NA28/UBS5 texts although they are in brackets.
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἔλεγεν Πάτερ, ἄφες αὐτοῖς, οὐ γὰρ οἴδασιν τί ποιοῦσιν διαμεριζόμενοι δὲ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ ἔβαλον κλῆρον / κλήρους.
They are included in the NIv, ESv, NASB, ISV,
The NET bible has them in brackets.
Matthew 27:49
Matthew 27:49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. 50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
However, both Sinaiticus and vaticanus include the words “AND ANOTHER TOOK A SPEAR AND PIERCED HIS SIDE AND THERE CAME OUT WATER AND BLOOD.” after the ending of verse 49
This, however, has Jesus being stabbed by the spear while still being alive on the cross. Effectively then, it was the spear of the soldier that killed Jesus on the cross.
This , would contradict the Gospel of John where Jesus was already dead when the spear was thrust into his side.
John 19:30When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. 31The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. 33But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: 34But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
If you have read my study into the Gospel of Mark and the Longer ending, you will know that the longer ending of Mark is brought into doubt because of its absence and therefore the witness against the verse in vaticanus and Sinaiticus. It must therefore be asked as to why based on the inclusion by these 2 manuscripts are the words NOT included in the modern Bibles. This seems very dishonest and certainly inconsistent.
Also miited by Vaticanus and Siniaticus are Mattew 16:2 and 3 (words in red are omitted)
Matthew 16:2He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
bible.by
Look at keva on Reve 21:5 make all things empty