This document provides a starting point for compiling a comprehensive list of New Testament manuscripts, including papyri, majuscules, minuscules, lectionaries, and translations in various languages. Due to the vast number (over 20,000), this is a selective list of notable examples, organized by category, with sources for further research.

Papyri (c. 140 known)

Earliest witnesses, written on papyrus, primarily from the 2nd–4th centuries. Approximately 141 papyri are cataloged, often fragmentary.

• 𝔓52 (Rylands Papyrus): c. 125–150 AD, John 18:31–33, 37–38, oldest known NT fragment. Housed at John Rylands Library, Manchester.
• 𝔓46 (Chester Beatty II): c. 200 AD, Pauline Epistles and Hebrews, extensive codex. University of Michigan/Chester Beatty Library.
• 𝔓66 (Bodmer Papyrus): c. 200 AD, most of John. Bodmer Library, Geneva.
• 𝔓75: c. 200–225 AD, Luke and John. Vatican Library.
• 𝔓45: c. 250 AD, portions of Gospels and Acts. Chester Beatty Library.

Source for full list: Wikipedia’s “List of New Testament Papyri” () and the Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts (CSNTM) digital library ().

Majuscules (c. 338 known)

Parchment manuscripts in uppercase Greek, 4th–8th centuries.

• Codex Sinaiticus (01): c. 350 AD, nearly complete NT and Septuagint. British Library.
• Codex Vaticanus (B, 03): c. 325 AD, most of NT, high-quality Alexandrian text. Vatican Library.
• Codex Alexandrinus (A, 02): c. 5th century, mixed text (Byzantine in Gospels, Alexandrian elsewhere). British Library.
• Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (C, 04): c. 5th century, palimpsest with NT portions. National Library, Paris.
• Codex Bezae (D, 05): c. 400–600 AD, Gospels and Acts in Greek and Latin. Cambridge University Library.

Source: CSNTM () and “Greek NT Manuscripts” ().

Minuscules (c. 2,958 known)

Lowercase Greek manuscripts, 9th century onward, often on parchment or paper.

• Minuscule 33: 9th century, Alexandrian text, “Queen of the Cursives.” National Library, Paris.
• Minuscule 1739: 10th century, early text with 4th-century marginal notes. Mount Athos, Greece.
• Family 13: Cluster of medieval manuscripts, notable for placing John 7:53–8:11 after Luke 21:38.

Source: CSNTM () and “New Testament Manuscripts, Textual Families, and Variants” ().

Lectionaries (c. 2,501 known)

Church reading manuscripts, 8th–16th centuries, often in majuscule script.

• Examples less individually famous but cataloged in the Gregory-Aland system.
  Source: CSNTM () and Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece.

Translations (c. 19,300 known)

Manuscripts in Latin, Coptic, Syriac, Armenian, Ethiopic, etc.

• Latin (c. 10,000):
  • Codex Amiatinus: c. 8th century, Vulgate, nearly complete Bible. Laurentian Library, Florence.
  • Old Latin (it): Pre-Vulgate translations, e.g., Codex Vercellensis, 4th century.
• Coptic (c. thousands):
  • Sahidic: 4th–6th century, e.g., Psalm 88:31–35 (LXX).
  • Bohairic: Later dialect, Alexandria-based.
• Syriac:
  • Peshitta (syp): Standard Syriac NT, 5th century onward.
  • Sinaitic Palimpsest (sys): 4th–5th century, Gospels.
• Gothic:
  • Codex Argenteus: 6th century, Ulfilas’ translation of Gospels. Uppsala University, Sweden.
• Armenian, Ethiopic, Georgian, Slavic: Thousands of manuscripts, 4th–15th centuries.

Source: “Biblical Manuscript” () and “Text and Manuscripts of the New Testament” ().

Compilation Guidance

• Total Estimate: Over 5,800 Greek manuscripts (papyri, majuscules, minuscules, lectionaries) and 19,300+ in other languages (Latin, Coptic, Syriac, etc.), totaling ~25,000.
• Accessing Full Lists:
  • CSNTM (www.csntm.org): Digital library with images and metadata.
  • Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece: Standard critical edition citing all papyri and major manuscripts.
  • Leuven Database: Tracks manuscript details.
  • New Testament Virtual Manuscript Room (NTVMR): Searchable database for Greek manuscripts.
• Methodology:
  1. Start with papyri (Wikipedia’s list, CSNTM).
  2. Add majuscules and minuscules from CSNTM/NTVMR.
  3. Include lectionaries from Nestle-Aland.
  4. For translations, consult language-specific catalogs (e.g., Codex Amiatinus for Latin, Codex Argenteus for Gothic).
  5. Cross-reference with paleographic dating and textual families (Alexandrian, Byzantine, Western, Caesarean).
• Challenges:
  • Many manuscripts are fragmentary or privately held.
  • New discoveries (e.g., 47 in Albania, 2008) require updates.
  • Variations (c. 400,000) are mostly minor (spelling, word order).

Notes

• Only 61 Greek manuscripts contain the entire NT; most are partial.
• Church Fathers’ quotations (e.g., Didymus the Blind) can reconstruct much of the NT.
• Use paleography for dating and textual criticism to assess reliability.

upplement with Other Sources:

• Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece (28th ed.): Lists all Greek manuscripts with GA numbers and textual variants. Available in libraries or via academic institutions.
• Leuven Database of Ancient Books (www.trismegistos.org/ldab): Provides data on papyri and early translations (e.g., Coptic, Latin). Cross-reference with CSNTM/NTVMR for translations without GA numbers.researchgate.net
• Library Catalogs: Check digitized collections at Vatican Library (digi.vatlib.it), British Library (www.bl.uk), or Chester Beatty Library for translations (e.g., Codex Amiatinus, Codex Argenteus).en.wikipedia.org
• Kurzgefasste Liste: Official catalog of Greek manuscripts, maintained by INTF (Münster). Request access via NTVMR for complete GA listings.