Page:The New Testament in the original Greek - 1881.djvu/26

 xviii INTRODUCTION TO THE AMERICAN EDITION.

Acts: X A B C D E F G G b H I s * L P = 15. Cath. : x A B C K(s) L P(*) = 7.

Paul: K A B C D E(s) F(*) F G(s) H(a) ! K L(s) M

N O  O b (*) P (*) Q (*) R  = 20. Apoc.: X AB(*)CP = 5.

Whole number of distinct MSS. :

X ABB 1 ? ' CD evv * et DP' E E ct EP JU ' FFP 1 " 1 FGG ICI GP IU|

Qb(0 JJ JJ ct JJ paul 1 1- 1. 1 . 6- 7. I b g g cth. paul L L <: '> paul M M P* ul N N P* ul O O * b e d e ' O P ul O b 01) P P <=t. clh. pul. .poc

QQpi RRp uI ST(onT)T woi T bcde U V W bcdef XYZ

��The Sinaitic and the Vatican MSS. are by far the most important for antiquity, completeness, and value. I give a brief description of the best uncial MSS. which are most frequently quoted by critics.

(1.) Uncials of the first class. They are four two from the fourth, two from the fifth century ; one complete (x), two nearly complete (A and B), one defective (C). To these is usually added I> as the fifth of the great uncials, but it contains only the Gospels and Acts, and has strange peculiarities. In the Gospels the text of C, L, Z, 5?, and of A in Mark, is bettor than that of A, but in the rest of the New Testament A is undoubtedly, after X and B, the most important MS.

K (Aleph). Codex SINAITICUS, formerly in the Convent of Mount Sinai (hence its name), now in the Imperial Library at St. Petersburg. It dates from the middle of the fourth century, is written on fine parchment (13 inches wide by 14 high), in large uncials, with four columns to a page (of 48 lines each). It has 346^ leaves. It was discovered and secured by the indefatigable Prof. C. Tischendorf, in the Convent of St. Catharine, at the foot of Mount Sinai,

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