Chronological List of Major Greek New Testament Manuscripts

by Luke Wayne | Oct 31, 2018 | Minor Groups & Issues, King James Onlyism

There are thousands of Greek New Testament manuscripts, hundreds of which are from the earliest centuries, so this list is far from exhaustive. Indeed, it barely scratches the surface. Still, it is helpful to familiarize ourselves with some of the copies that come up most often in text-critical discussions and some that provide especially early attestation of particular New Testament books.

Date	Name	Abbreviation	Comments
Second Century	John Rylands Papyrus P52	^P52	Small fragment from John’s Gospel Usually dated around 125 AD, making it the oldest known manuscript
Second Century	Papyrus 90	P90	Small fragment of John’s Gospel dated to the late 2nd century
Second Century	Papyrus 104	P104	Small fragment of the Matthew
Late 2nd/Early 3rd Century	Papyrus 4	P4	Early fragments containing portions of Luke 1-6 Considered by many scholars to be part of the same manuscript as P⁶⁴ and P⁶⁷
Late 2nd/Early 3rd Century	Papyrus 64	P64	Early fragments containing portions of Matthew 3-5 Considered by many scholars to be part of the same manuscript as P⁴ and P⁶⁷
Late 2nd/Early 3rd Century	Papyrus 67	P67	Early fragments containing portions of Matthew 25-26 Considered by many scholars to be part of the same manuscript as P⁶⁴ and P⁴
Late 2nd/Early 3rd Century	Uncial 0189	0189	Small fragment of the Book of Acts
Late 2nd/Early 3rd Century	Papyrus 66	P66	Fragmentary copy of the Gospel of John
Late 2nd/Early 3rd Century	Papyrus 46	P46	Contains portions of most of Paul’s letters Includes the Book of Hebrews
Late 2nd/Early 3rd Century	Papyrus 75	P75	Contains large portions of Luke and John
Late 2nd/Early 3rd Century	Papyrus 20	P20	Small fragment of the Book of James
Late 2nd/Early 3rd Century	Papyrus 98	P98	Small fragment of Revelation
3rd Century	Papyrus 45	P45	Contains portions of each of the four gospels and of Acts Oldest surviving manuscript of the Gospel of Mark
3rd Century	Papyrus 47	P47	Contains significant portion of Revelation
Late 3rd/Early Fourth Century	Uncial 0171	0171	Contains Portions of Matthew and Luke
Late 3rd/Early Fourth Century	Papyrus 115	P115	Contains significant portion of Revelation
Late 3rd/Early Fourth Century	Papyrus 72	P72	Contains 1 & 2 Peter and Jude
Late 3rd/Early Fourth Century	Papyrus 100	P100	Fragment of the Book of James
Fourth Century	Codex Sinaiticus	א	Contains the entire New Testament
Fourth Century	Codex Vaticanus	B	Contains the majority of the New Testament
Late Fourth/Early Fifth Century	Codex Washintonianus	W	Contains the four Gospels
Fifth Century	Codex Alexandrinus	A	Contains the entire New Testament
Fifth Century	Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus	C	Contains the entire New Testament Manuscript is a palimpsest (original text was erased and the pages reused, though technology allows us to see the original).
Fifth Century	Codex Freerianus	I	Contains the Pauline Epistles
Fifth Century	Codex Guelferbytanus B	Q	Contains portions of Luke and John
Fifth Century	Codex Borgianus	T	Contains portions of Luke and John Has the text in both Greek and Sahidic Coptic
Fifth Century	Uncial 048	048	Contains Acts, the Pauline Epistles, and the General Epistles
Fifth Century	Codex Bezae Cantabrigensis	D	Contains the Gospels and Acts Has the text in both Latin and Greek, in parallel columns Shares an abbreviation with Codex Claromontanus
Sixth Century	Codex Claromontanus	D	Contains the Pauline Epistles Has the text in both Latin and Greek, in parallel columns Shares an abbreviation with Codex Bezae Cantabrigensis
Sixth Century	Codex Laudianus	E	Contains the Book of Acts Shares an abbreviation with Codex Basilensis
Sixth Century	Codex Coislinianus	H	Contains the Pauline Epistles Shares an abbreviation with Codex Seidelianus II and Codex Mutinensis
Sixth Century	Codex Petropolitanus Purpureus	N	Contains the Gospels The pages of this manuscript were decoratively dyed purple
Sixth Century	Codex Sinopensis	O	Contains Matthew In addition to the text, this manuscript also contained illustrations.
Sixth Century	Codex Nitriensis	R	Contains Luke Manuscript is a palimpsest (original text was erased and the pages reused, though technology allows us to see the original).
Eighth Century	Codex Regius	L	Contains the Gospels Shares an abbreviation with Codex Angelicus
Eighth Century	Uncial 047	047	Contains the Gospels
Eighth Century	Codex Basilensis	E	Contains the Gospels Shares an abbreviation with Codex Laudianus
Ninth Century	Codex Boreelianus	F	Contains the Gospels Shares an abbreviation with Codex Augiensis
Ninth Century	Codex Augiensis	F	Contains the Pauline Epistles Has the text in both Latin and Greek, in parallel columns Shares an abbreviation with Codex Boreelianus
Ninth Century	Codex Seidelianus II	H	Contains the Gospels Shares an abbreviation with Codex Coislinianus and Codex Mutinensis
Ninth Century	Codex Mutinensis	H	Contains the Book of Acts Some significant gaps in the text due to damamge Shares an abbreviation with Codex Coislinianus and Codex Seidelianus II
Ninth Century	Codex Angelicus	L	Contains most of the Book of Acts, the General Epistles, and the Book of Romans Shares an abbreviation with Codex Regius
Ninth Century	Codex Sangellensis	Δ	Contains the Gospels Contains the text in both Greek and Latin
Ninth Century	Codex Coridethianus	Θ	Contains the Gospels
Ninth Century	Codex Petropolitanus	Π	Contains the Gospels There are numerous gaps in the text due to damage
14th/15th Century	Minuscule 629	629	Contains the entire New Testament Has the text in both Latin and Greek The Greek text appears to have been shaped by the Latin Earliest manuscript to contain the Comma Johanneum of 1 John 5:7-8 in the Greek text
16th Century	Codex Montfortianus	61	Contains the entire New Testament Manuscript cited by Erasmus in his decision to add the Comma Johanneum of 1 John 5:7-8 Erasmus called this manuscript Codex Britannicus