Textual variants in the Gospel of John are the subject of the study called textual criticism of the New Testament. Textual variants in manuscripts arise when a copyist makes deliberate or inadvertent alterations to a text that is being reproduced. An abbreviated list of textual variants in this particular book is given in this article below.
Origen, writing in the 3rd century, was one of the first who made remarks about differences between manuscripts of texts that were eventually collected as the New Testament. In , he preferred "Bethabara" over "Bethany" as the location where John was baptizing (Commentary on John VI.40 (24)). "Gergeza" was preferred over "Geraza" or "Gadara" (Commentary on John VI.40 (24) – see ).
Some common alterations include the deletion, rearrangement, repetition, or replacement of one or more words when the copyist's eye returns to a similar word in the wrong location of the original text. If their eye skips to an earlier word, they may create a repetition (error of dittography). If their eye skips to a later word, they may create an omission. They may resort to performing a rearranging of words to retain the overall meaning without compromising the context. In other instances, the copyist may add text from memory from a similar or parallel text in another location. Otherwise, they may also replace some text of the original with an alternative reading. Spellings occasionally change. Synonyms may be substituted. A pronoun may be changed into a proper noun (such as "he said" becoming "Jesus said"). John Mill's 1707 Greek New Testament was estimated to contain some 30,000 variants in its accompanying textual apparatus which was based on "nearly 100 [Greek] manuscripts." Peter J. Gurry puts the number of non-spelling variants among New Testament manuscripts around 500,000, though he acknowledges his estimate is higher than all previous ones.
Legend
Textual variants
<onlyinclude><br>
õý ñÃÂ
ÃÂῳ öÃÂ÷ õÃÂÃÂùý (in him is life) â àD it vg Irenaeus Heracleon Clement Origen
text omitted â W
õý ñÃÂ
ÃÂῳ öÃÂ÷ á¿Âý (in him was life) â All other mss. (rell)
ÿ üÿýÿóõý÷àÃÂ
ùÿà(the only-begotten son) â A C K X ààà063 0234 f 28 565 700 892 1009 1010 1071 1079 1195 1216 1230 1241 1242 1253 1344 1365 1546 1646 2148 Byz, syr Georgian mss. of Adysh (9th century)
ÿ üÿýÿóõý÷àøõÿà(the only-begotten God) â à33 cop
üÿýÿóõý÷àøõÿà(God [the] only-begotten) â ÃÂ* B C* L
(only children God) â cop
õý ÃÂ÷øñýùᾳ õóõýõÃÂÿ â , , A, B, C,*, L, W, X, ÃÂ, ÃÂ, è, 063, 28, 565, 700, 892*, 1009, 1010, 1071, 1195, 1216, 1241, 1242, 1253, 1344, 1365*, 2148, 2174, Byz, Lect, it, vg, syr
õóõýõÃÂÿ õý ÃÂ÷øñýùᾳ â , ÃÂ*, it, cop
õý ÃÂ÷øñòñÃÂá¾³ õóõýõÃÂÿ â C, K, è, 083, 0113, f, f, 33, 1079, 1230, 1365, 1546, 1646, and Byz
õý ÃÂ÷øñÃÂñòᾳ õóõýõÃÂÿ â 892, syr, Origen
õóõýõÃÂÿ õý ÃÂ÷øñÃÂñòᾳ â ÃÂ
ÃÂ
ÃÂõàâ , , , ÃÂ* B C* W
ÃÂõÃÂù â àA C L ÃÂ, è, 063, 0101 f f Byz
John 1:34
ÿ õúûõúÃÂÿà(the Elect One) â 187 218 228 1784 it syr Ambrose Augustine
ÿ õúûõúÃÂÿàÃÂÿÃÂ
ÃÂ
ùÿà(the elect Son) â it syr cop
ÿ ÃÂ
ùÿà(the Son) â rell
<br> John 2:3
ÿùýÿý ÿÃÂ
ú õùÃÂÿý ÿÃÂù ÃÂÃÂ
ýõÃÂõûõÃÂø÷ ÿ ÿùýÿàÃÂÿÃÂ
óñüÿÃÂ
, õùÃÂñ (they did not have wine because the wine of the wedding reception was finished, then) â ÃÂ* it syr
ÃÂ
ÃÂÃÂõÃÂ÷ÃÂñýÃÂÿàÿùýÿÃÂ
(they were running short of wine) â rell
<br> John 3:12
ÃÂùÃÂÃÂõÃÂ
õÃÂõ (ye believe) â 050 083 579 it vg co
ÃÂùÃÂÃÂõÃÂ
ÃÂõÃÂõ (ye will believe) â rell
ÃÂ
ùÿý â ÃÂ* B W
ÃÂ
ùÿý ñÃÂ
ÃÂÿÃÂ
â rell
John 3:20
ÃÂñ õÃÂóñ ñÃÂ
ÃÂÿÃÂ
â àB à050 063 083 086 28 700 1230 1242 1253 1365 2148 Byz â it cop arm geo
ñÃÂ
ÃÂÿÃÂ
ÃÂñ õÃÂóñ â , A, K, W, à, f, 565, 892*, 1079, 1546,
ÃÂñ õÃÂóñ ñÃÂ
ÃÂÿÃÂ
ÿÃÂù ÃÂÿý÷ÃÂñ õÃÂÃÂùý â àf 33 1009 1010 1071 1195 1216 1242* 1344 1646 2174 it cop
ÃÂñ õÃÂóñ ñÃÂ
ÃÂÿÃÂ
ÃÂÿý÷ÃÂñ õÃÂÃÂùý ÿÃÂù â L
ÃÂñ õÃÂóñ ñÃÂ
ÃÂÿÃÂ
ÿÃÂù ÃÂÿý÷ÃÂñ õùÃÂùý â è
ñÃÂ
ÃÂÿÃÂ
ÃÂñ õÃÂóñ ÿÃÂù ÃÂÿý÷ÃÂñ õùÃÂùý â 892 1241
<br> John 4:9
ÿÃÂ
óñàÃÂÃÂ
óÃÂÃÂÃÂýÃÂñù ÃÂÿÃÂ
ôñùÿù ãñüñÃÂùÃÂñùà(for Jews have no association with Samaritans) omitted by ÃÂ* D it cop
John 4:37
Verse omitted in
John 4:42
ÿ ÃÂÃÂùÃÂÃÂÿà(the Christ) â A C D L X ààè 0141 f 33 565 579 1071 Byz it syr cop
text omitted â àB C* W 083 â it vg syr cop arm Irenaeus Origen
John 4:46
ÿ ÃÂ÷ÃÂÿÃÂ
à(Jesus) â A àè f Byz it syr cop
text omitted â àB C* W 086 33 1241 it vg syr cop
John 4:53
text ÿ ÃÂ÷ÃÂÿÃÂ
àomitted â ÃÂ* N*
ÿ ÃÂ÷ÃÂÿÃÂ
à(Jesus) â rell
<br> John 5:2
ò÷øöñøñ â à33 b 1 ff
ò÷ûöõøñ â D a r
ò÷öñøñ â L e
ò÷øõÃÂôñ â A C Byz f q TR
ò÷ÃÂøõÃÂôñ â N
ò÷øÃÂñùôñ â B W 0125 aur c vg bo
ò÷ôÃÂñùôñ â sa
John 5:4
Verse omitted by ÃÂ B C* D T W 0141 33 157 821 2718 it vg syr co arm geo
<br> John 6:1
ÃÂ÷àøñûñÃÂÃÂֈÃÂֈÃÂñûùûñùñàÃÂ÷àäùòõÃÂùñôÿàâ àA B K L W ààè 063 f 28 33 565
ÃÂ÷àøñûñÃÂÃÂֈÃÂֈÃÂñûùûñùñàâ 1546
ÃÂ÷àøñûñÃÂÃÂֈÃÂ÷àäùòõÃÂùñôÿàâ 0210 1242 1344 2174 â 184
ÃÂ÷àøñûñÃÂÃÂֈÃÂֈÃÂñûùûñùñàúñù ÃÂ÷àäùòõÃÂùñôÿàâ V it goth
ÃÂ÷àøñûñÃÂÃÂֈÃÂֈÃÂñûùûñùñàõùàÃÂñ üõÃÂ÷ ÃÂ÷àäùòõÃÂùñôÿàâ D à892 1009 1230 1253
John 6:4
Verse omitted by 472
<br> John 7:1
ÿÃÂ
óñàõùÃÂõý õþÿÃÂ
ÃÂùñý (for he did not have authority) â W 196 743 it syr Chrysostom
ÿÃÂ
óñà÷øõûõý (for he was not wanting) â All other mss. (rell)
John 7:53-8:11
Include D<sup>ea</sup>, F<sup>e</sup>, G<sup>e</sup>, H<sup>e</sup>, K<sup>e</sup>, M, U, ÃÂ, ÃÂ , 047, 0233, 28, 318, 700, 892, 1009, 1010, 1071, 1079, 1195, 1216, 1344, 1365, 1546, 1646, 2148, 2174, lat, syr, Didascalia, Didymus the Blind, Jerome, Augustine, Apostolic Constitutions
Exclude ÃÂ, B, ðÂÂÂ75, ðÂÂÂ66, W, T, N, è, C, A, goth
<br> John 8:8
õýÿàõúñÃÂÃÂÿÃÂ
ñÃÂ
ÃÂÃÂý ÃÂñàñüñÃÂÃÂùñà(the sins of every one of them) â U 73 331 364 658 700 782 1592 it arm
text transposed to John 8:6 â 264
<br> John 9:35
õùàÃÂÿý ÃÂ
ùÿý ÃÂÿÃÂ
ñýøÃÂÃÂÃÂÿÃÂ
(in the Son of Man) â ààD W 397 it syr co
õùàÃÂÿý ÃÂ
ùÿý ÃÂÿÃÂ
øõÿÃÂ
(in the Son of God) â A K L X ààè 070 0141 0250 f 28 33 565 700 Byz â it vg syr co arm goth
<br> John 10:7
÷ øÃÂ
ÃÂñ (door) â majority
ÿ ÃÂÿùü÷ý (shepherd) â cop cop
<br> John 11:1
<br> John 12:28
ôÿþñÃÂÿý ÃÂÿÃÂ
ÃÂÿ ÿýÿüñ (glorify thy name) â àA C K W àààè 0250 28 565 700 892 1009 1010 1079 1195 1216 1230 1242 1344 1365 1546 1646 2148 Byz â 69 â 70 â 211 â 1579 â 1761
ôÿþñÃÂÿý üÿÃÂ
ÃÂÿ ÿýÿüñ (glorify my name) â B
ôÿþñÃÂÿý ÃÂÿÃÂ
ÃÂÿý ÃÂ
ùÿý (glorify thy son) â L X f33 1071 1241 vg sy, cop
ôÿþñÃÂÿý ÃÂÿÃÂ
ÃÂÿ ÿýÿüñ õý ÃÂ÷ ôÿþ÷ ÷ õùÃÂÿý ÃÂñÃÂñ ÃÂÿù ÃÂÃÂÿ ÃÂÿÃÂ
ÃÂÿý úÿÃÂüÿý óõýõÃÂÃÂñù â D it
<br> John 13:2
ÃÂÿÃÂ
ôñàãùüÃÂýÿàÃÂÃÂúñÃÂùÃÂÃÂÿÃÂ
â L è 0124 1241
ÃÂÿÃÂ
ôñ ãùüÃÂýÿàñÃÂÿ ÃÂñÃÂÃÂ
ÃÂÃÂÿÃÂ
â D it
<br> John 14:14
Verse omitted by X ÃÂ* 0141 f 565 1009 1365 â 76 â 253 it vg syr arm geo Diatessaron
<br> John 15:1
<br>
John 16:28
õþ÷ûøÿý ÃÂñÃÂñ ÃÂÿÃÂ
ÃÂñÃÂÃÂÿà(I came forth from the Father) omitted in D W it syr cop
<br> John 17:14
úñøÃÂàõóàÿÃÂ
ú õùüù õú ÃÂÿÃÂ
úÿÃÂüÿÃÂ
(just as I am not of the world) omitted in * D f it syr
<br> John 18:5
ÿ ÃÂñÃÂñôùôÿÃÂ
àñÃÂ
ÃÂÿý (the one betraying him), the phrase is omitted in * syr
John 18:11
ÃÂñýÃÂõàóñàÿù ûñòÿýÃÂõàüñÃÂñùÃÂñý õý üñÃÂñùÃÂñ ñÃÂÿûÿÃÂ
ýÃÂñù â ÃÂ
John 18:21
õÃÂÃÂÃÂñàâ ÃÂ* A B C L W àè 054 0250 33 1424 al
õÃÂõÃÂÃÂÃÂñàâ D f f Byz
<br> John 19:29
ÃÂ
ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂàâ àA D K L X àè 054 f 28 33 565 700 1009 1010 1071 Byz
üõÃÂñ ÃÂÿû÷àúñù ÃÂ
ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÿÃÂ
â à892 1195 2174
John 19:39
üïóüñ â àA D K L X àà054 f f 28 33 565 700 1009 1010 1071
á¼Âûùóüñ â ÃÂ* B W cop
ÃÂüïóüñ â è 892 2174 â 47
ÃÂüá¿Âóüñ â 1242* â 181 syr
malagmani â it
<br>
ÿ ÃÂ÷ÃÂÿÃÂ
à(Jesus) omitted in àD L W è 050 lat syr co
öÃÂ÷ý ñùÃÂýùÿý (life eternal) â àC(*) D L è 0100 f 33 it vg syr cop Irenaeus
öÃÂ÷ý (life) â rell
<br> John 21:7
ÿù ôõ õùÃÂÿý ôù ÿû÷ò (ÃÂ÷ò) ýÃÂ
úÃÂÿò õúÿÃÂùñòñüõý úñù (úÿÃÂùñòñýÃÂõò) ÿÃÂ
ôõý õûñòÿüõý õÃÂù ôõ ÃÂàòàÃÂ÷üñÃÂù (ÿýÿüñÃÂù) òñûÿÃÂ
üõý (and they said: we toiled all night and took nothing, but at your word we will let down) â , ÃÂ, è, some mss of Vulgate, cop
</onlyinclude>
See also
References
Further reading
- Novum Testamentum Graece et Latine, ed. E. Nestle, K. Aland, Stuttgart 1981.
- Bruce M. Metzger & Bart D. Ehrman, "The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration", OUP New York, Oxford, 4 edition, 2005
- Bart D. Ehrman, "The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture. The Effect of Early Christological Controversies on the Text of the New Testament", Oxford University Press, New York - Oxford, 1996, pp. 223âÂÂ227.
- Bruce M. Metzger, "A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament: A Companion Volume to the United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament", 1994, United Bible Societies, London & New York.
External links