| Home | Chapter Index | Appendix Index | Complete on-line NWT |
The complete book: The Tetragrammaton and
the Christian Greek Scriptures
Click for downloadable Word
files or PDF files with
full font reproduction.
This appendix is included for the purpose of comparison. When reviewing the Greek manuscript information cited in the Kingdom Interlinear Translation, the reader may be left with the impression that relatively few reliable ancient Greek manuscripts are available for textual study. That is far from true.
The Greek New Testament, Third Edition,[1] prepared by the United Bible Societies is a source reference used by the Kingdom Interlinear Translation editors and is identified as "UBS." As does the Kingdom Interlinear Translation itself, the UBS lists in footnote form ancient Greek manuscripts and other sources consulted when the Greek wording is questionable. (We also note from the UBS list that versions can be used to authenticate a Greek wording. However, the verification comes from similarity of the translation to the original Greek language source. Versions are never used to replace the reading of a word in the Greek text itself.)
[1] The Greek New Testament, Third Edition (Corrected), © 1966, 1968, 1975, 1983, published by the UNITED BIBLE SOCIETIES. All textual citations in this appendix have come from either this edition or the companion volume, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, © 1971. (Three manuscript dates have been added from another edition.) Because of the constant revision process on the UBS text, each new edition will contain supplementary material. Comparison of textual apparatus material will not always be identical between subsequent editions.
Ability to understand and use a textual apparatus is a worthwhile skill for the advanced Bible student. For that reason, we will demonstrate the use of the UBS apparatus with one example of a problematic verse.
In the first section of this appendix, we will briefly compare the footnote material found in the UBS reference for Revelation 1:8 with that of the Kingdom Interlinear Translation for the same verse. We have chosen this verse merely because we are already familiar with its use in the Kingdom Interlinear Translation and because it represents a textual problem in another part of the wording.
In the second section, we will give the UBS list of manuscripts and other sources used to substantiate the wording of the Christian Greek Scriptures.
The manuscripts, versions, and lectionaries listed in the second section are the footnote citations used in the UBC "Greek New Testament" to confirm variant readings. Note their number!
In addition to the material included in this appendix, the UBS also includes citations from the patristics. Over 200 names are included in this latter catalog of patristics, and each may be cited multiple times in support of the Greek text.
(Refer to the Glossary for word definitions used in this appendix.)
Is the UBS acceptable to Witnesses?
As a reference source, the UBS must be acceptable to Witnesses. First, it must be acceptable for the simple reason that it is a citation source in the Kingdom Interlinear Translation. (However, we fully understand that mere citation does not imply that all information contained therein is wholly endorsed by the Kingdom Interlinear Translation editors.) Secondly, though this is a more recently updated Greek Scripture text than that of the Westcott and Hort source used for the New World Translation, the text is substantially the same. Rejection of the UBS text would be tantamount to rejection of the Greek textual basis for the New World Translation! (That is, with the exception of the 237 Kyrios passages, the Greek text relied upon by the New World Translation must, of necessity, align itself with the best Greek texts available today.)
The Revelation 1:8 footnotes compared
We have referred to Revelation 1:8 numerous times. This verse is interesting because there are textual variants which must be reconciled. However, as we will see in the extensive textual apparatus, none of the variants deal with the Tetragrammaton. (The textual apparatus is the footnote citation system which presents evidence for the best Greek wording from early manuscripts and related documents.) The New World Translation renders the verse,
"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says Jehovah* God, "the One who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty."
The Kingdom Interlinear Translation footnote reads, "8* Jehovah, J7,8,13,14,16-18,22-24; Lord, A(Aleph)AVgSyh," thus citing ten Hebrew translations supporting Jehovah followed by two Greek manuscripts and two versions supporting Lord.
However, from other ancient Greek manuscripts, we discover that there are at least two additional possible wordings for this verse. (As we will see, the readings are merely restatements of "Alpha…Omega," and present no theological difficulties.)
Notice the contrast with the UBC footnote for the same verse. (The footnote has three sections; the first cites textual evidences, the second cites various English translation renderings, and the third cites biblical [including Septuagint] cross references which, in turn, cite similar uses of Greek wording or structure.) The footnote portion for this verse will be reproduced verbatim without explanation of the symbols used.
The wording in question is shown in the following three possibilities. Their order indicates the strength of the Greek manuscript support from greatest to least:
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, is saying the Lord, the God…"
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, beginning and ending, is saying the Lord, the God…"
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the ending, is saying the Lord, the God…"
The Kingdom Interlinear Translation gives the following Greek and English entry:
The UBS footnote tells us that the following sources give the first reading as it is found in the Kingdom Interlinear Translation:
| (Aleph) אa[2] | Aleph, an important 4th cent. manuscript cited frequently by KIT |
| A | Codex Alexandrinus, an important 5th cent. manuscript cited frequently by KIT. |
| C | Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus, a 5th century manuscript quoted by KIT. |
| P | A 9th cent. Greek manuscript. |
| 046 | A 10th cent. Greek manuscript. |
| 94 | A 12th cent. Greek manuscript. |
| 1006 | An 11th cent. Greek manuscript. |
| 1611 | A 12th cent. Greek manuscript. |
| 1859 | A 14th cent. Greek manuscript. |
| 2020 | A 15th cent. Greek manuscript. |
| 2042 | A 14th cent. Greek manuscript. |
| 2053 | A 13th cent. Greek manuscript. |
| 2138 | An 11th cent. Greek manuscript. |
| ith | A 5th cent. Old Latin version. |
| syrph.h | Includes both 6th and 7th cent. Old Latin versions. |
| arm | A 13th cent. Armenian version cited by KIT. |
| eth | A 6th cent. Ethiopic version. |
| Ambrose | A quotation from a writing by a patristic who died in 397 C.E. |
| Diadochus | A quotation from a writing by a patristic who died in 468 C.E. |
| Primasius | A quotation from a writing by a patristic who died in 552 C.E. |
| Arethas | A quotation from a writing by a patristic who died in 914 C.E. |
[2] א (Aleph) designates Codex Sinaiticus which is a fourth century manuscript. However, in the sixth and seventh centuries, margin notes were added, supplying alternate readings. These margin notes are identified with superscript letters as aa,b,c, and so on. In this instance, the margin notation aa does not alter the wording, whereas ab adds the words "beginning and ending."
A variant wording of Revelation 1:8 is familiar to us from the King James Version. (The KJV adds the article the to make a smooth English sentence.) The wording of this variant is:
The UBS footnote tells us that the following sources give this second reading. This list of sources carries less weight than the first group:
| (Aleph) אb | Aleph, a 4th cent. manuscript. (See footnote 2 on the previous page.) |
| 1 | A 12th cent. Greek manuscript. |
| 1828 | A 12th cent. Greek manuscript. |
| 1854 | An 11th cent. Greek manuscript. |
| 2065 | A 15th cent. Greek manuscript. |
| 2073 | A 14th cent. Greek manuscript. |
| 2081 | An 11th cent. Greek manuscript. |
| 2344 | An 11th cent. Greek manuscript. |
| 2432 | A 14th cent. Greek manuscript. |
| itar,c,dem,div, gig,haf,t,z | A family of Old Latin versions between the 8th and 13th cents. A total of 8 individual versions are represented. |
| vg | The Latin Vulgate cited by KIT. |
| Origenlat | A quotation from a writing by Origen, a patristic who died in 254 C.E. It is of note that he did not use יהוה. (Origen was thoroughly competent in Hebrew.) |
| Andrewbav,c | Two separate quotations of a patristic who died in 614 C.E. |
A final variant wording of Revelation 1:8 adds an article before the words beginning and ending :
The UBS footnote tells us that the following sources give this third reading. Again, this list of manuscripts carries less weight than either of the preceding two possibilities:
| 2081 | An 11th century Greek manuscript. |
| Andrewa | A quotation-distinct from the above citation-of a patristic who died in 614. |
| copbo | A Coptic version from the 4th cent. |
Textual Commentary information
The United Bible Societies publishes a companion volume to the Greek New Testament entitled A Textual Commentary on The Greek New Testament. This volume gives further explanation of the textual apparatus. The entire entry for Revelation 1:8 is as follows:
1.8 ΅Ώ {B}
After ΅Ώ the Textus Receptus [the Greek text from which the King James Version was translated], following א* 1 (2344) itgig.61 vg al, adds άρχη και τέλος [beginning and ending], and twenty other minuscules add ή άρχη και το τέλος [the beginning and the ending]. If the longer text were original no good reason can be found to account for the shorter text, whereas the presence of the longer expression in 21.6 obviously prompted some copyists to expand the text here.
This brief quotation is interesting primarily in that it gives us insight into the use of the UBS textual apparatus. In this case, we are not particularly concerned with the argument against including the "beginning and ending" clause. There is a second area of interest, however, because once again we see no evidence of a textual discussion concerning Greek manuscripts which contain יהוה.
Importance of variant information
The variants of Revelation 1:8 are interesting illustrations for several reasons. First, we can see an example of a wording variant which must be resolved because we desire an accurate text. Yet neither of the two variants change the theological content of the verse. The phrase in question, "[the] beginning and [the] ending," adds nothing to that which the original author said. It is redundant inasmuch as "A" (alpha) is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and ΅Ώ" (omega) is the last.
Secondly, because of the variant, there has been heightened study of early Greek manuscripts to determine the original word used by the Apostle John in this verse. With all this attention to the manuscripts, not a single citation is made indicating the presence of the Tetragrammaton. Most certainly, if a heresy of such catastrophic proportions as the removal of the Tetragrammaton had taken place in the second century, it would have come to light in the study of the Greek Scripture manuscripts or writings of the early patristics.
Thirdly, the very Greek manuscripts used by the UBS to substantiate the preferred reading are the same Greek manuscripts used by the translators of the New World Translation as citations for Kyrios (Lord) in this verse. It is only by reference to much later Hebrew translations that the word Jehovah can be brought into the verse.
Finally, it is interesting to realize that Origen himself is one of the early patristics cited. Most certainly, if Origen had written the Tetragrammaton in this verse, a citation of his comment for the present wording could not be used without recognition of יהוה as being the greater variant. The inference by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society that Origen used the Tetragrammaton in the Christian Greek Scriptures must be completely reevaluated. In this one instance, he most certainly did not use יהוה! Thus, in at least this verse, Origen recognized that Kyrios could properly be identified with "God ...the Almighty."
UBS textual apparatus citations
The UBS includes two tables of information listing the early Greek manuscripts, lectionaries, and versions cited in support of readings within the Greek text. (Lectionaries are portions of Scripture organized for daily-or church service-readings. They are Scripture portions, but they are not organized chronologically in book form.) The first table contains the identification of all citations irrespective of frequency. The second list contains only the principle sources for citation.
It will be of interest to the reader to see the large number of Greek manuscripts and related material which are used to substantiate the wording of the Greek Scriptures. Within this appendix, we have included all of the entries in the Papyri section because these represent the earliest documents available. Under the headings for Uncials, Minuscules, Lectionaries, and Versions, we have generally given only those which are included in the UBS's shorter list.
For interest's sake, in Table 10 we have tabulated the information of all UBS references at the close of this appendix.
The following material is noted as the PRINCIPAL MANUSCRIPTS AND VERSIONS CITED IN THE TEXTUAL APPARATUS from the Third Edition of The Greek New Testament by the United Bible Societies. The first column headed, No. identifies the document in question with its universally recognized letter or number identification. The heading, Content identifies the portion of the Christian Greek Scriptures which is contained in the document. (See the KEY below.) The heading, Date identifies the approximate century of the Common Era in which the manuscript was produced. In the case of the writings of an early patristic, the date is the time (or best approximation) of death. The section headings, Papyri, Uncials, Minuscules, Lectionaries, and Versions, refer to a specific type of manuscript. (See the Glossary for definitions.)
KEY Content: e-Gospels; a-Acts; p-Pauline Epistles; c-General Epistles; r Revelation. Date: E-early; L-late; c.-circa.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Summary of UBS citations
The following table summarizes the early Greek manuscripts, lectionaries, early versions, and writings of the patristics used to verify the original wording of the Christian Greek Scriptures in the United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament. The manuscripts which were available as of 1976 are listed in the Total available column. No total number is given for versions.
| Manuscript type | Earliest / Latest | UBS total | Total available[3] |
| Papyri | c.200 / 8th C.E. | 53 | 88 |
| Uncials | 4th / 10th C.E. | 179 | 274 |
| Minuscules | 9th / 18th C.E. | 522 | 2795 |
| Lectionaries | 8th / 15th C.E. | 149 | 2209 |
| Versions | |||
| Old Latin | 4th / 13th C.E. | 58 | 86[4] |
| Syriac | 4th / 7th C.E. | 9 | N/A |
| Coptic | 3rd / 4th C.E. | 5 | N/A |
| Ethiopic | 6th C.E. | 3 | N/A |
| Georgian | 5th C.E. | 3 | N/A |
| Other versions | 4th / 8th C.E. | 8 | N/A |
| Patristics (Fathers) | 110 / 1135 C.E. | 212 | N/A |
[3] Manuscripts of the Greek Bible, Metzger, p. 54.
[4] From UBS sources.
Table 10. Manuscript evidence supporting the UBS Greek text.
One may correctly draw the conclusion that Table 10 documents the supporting evidence for Kyrios (Κύριος) in the Christian Greek Scriptures. This large number of Greek Scripture manuscripts (and supplementary documents) is used to validate the entire Greek Scripture text. Thus, any single variant, such as יהוה, will be subject to evaluation by all known documents. In that light, contrast the sources supporting יהוה in the New World Translation and Kyrios (Κύριος) in the UBS text. (The UBS text is comparable to the Kingdom Interlinear Translation text.) The New World Bible Translation Committee used 26 Hebrew versions, all of which were translated (with the exception of J2 and the related recensions of Matthew's Hebrew Gospel) between 1385 and 1979, to introduce Jehovah into the English Greek Scriptures. Each of these translations were made from the Greek text, which itself contains Kyrios (Κύριος). In contrast to 26 versions, the UBS has used 86 versions dating as early as the third and fourth centuries. In addition, UBS has cited a total of 754 Greek manuscripts and 149 lectionaries. The New World Translation itself cites 12 Greek manuscripts and eight versions in support of Kyrios (Κύριος), but no Greek manuscripts in support of יהוה.