Where Orthography Affects the New Testament Text

Beginning Greek students are often shocked when they discover the gap between the formatting of their modern, printed New Testaments and our earliest Greek New Testament manuscripts. The letters are all “uppercase,” there are few if any spaces between letters, accents and breathing marks are nowhere in sight, iotas aren’t written subscript, and punctuation is rare as well.

Having now been introduced to scriptio continua, the first question they ask is usually “How on earth could they read it?” This is quickly followed by two more questions: “Then who decides where to put all these things in our print editions and doesn’t the decision affect interpretation?” Last year I found myself telling my first-year students that editorial decisions about formatting only rarely affect interpretation (cf. Mark 4.30; Rom 9.5; Eph 5.21–22).

Rom 9.5 in P46

This is probably true in the grand scheme of things. But, almost as soon as I said it, I knew there must be far more examples than I’m actually familiar with. In prepping for a new Greek class this semester, I wanted to close the gap on my ignorance. So, I started compiling a list of places where matters of orthography—especially punctuation, accenting, spelling, and word division—affect the translation or interpretation.


Enter the wonder that is the Amsterdam Database of New Testament Conjectural Emendation. After asking for examples on Facebook, Jan Krans arrived in the comments with a long list of examples drawn from the database. Jan was able to provide all the places marked as “Editorial Alternative” or “e,” which means, per the editors, that “the conjecture record actually contains a proposal that does not alter the uncial text written without punctuation, accents and word divisions.” In other words, exactly what I was looking for.

Listed here is Jan’s list in table form. The link will give you more detail in the database. There are, of course, examples not listed here (e.g., ἀλλ’ οἷς vs. ἄλλοις in Mk 10.40 or the accenting of ἐσμεν in 1 Jn 3.1). But this is quite enough to keep me from ever saying again that these decisions only rarely affect the text!

Ref.	Variation	Source	Link
Matt 5:33	μοιχᾶται. Πάλιν ἠκούσατε ] μοιχᾶται πάλιν. Ἠκούσατε	Markland	cj12290
Matt 6:34	ἑαυτῆς ] αὑτῆς	Westcott & Hort	cj10234
Matt 8:18	αὐτόν ] αὑτόν	Erasmus	cj10136
Matt 9:6	τότε ] τό, τε	Petit	cj12296
Matt 9:16	αὐτοῦ ] αὑτοῦ	Heinsius	cj12300
Matt 11:12	ἁρπάζουσιν αὐτήν. πάντες γάρ ] ἁρπάζουσιν. αὐτὴν πάντες γάρ	Peerlkamp	cj12310
Matt 11:21	Χοραζίν ] χῶρα Ζίν	Origen	cj11216
Matt 15:5	ὠφεληθῇς ] ὠφελήθης	Blass	cj15781
Matt 20:22	οἴδατε ] οἶδα τε	Harleß	cj12343
Matt 23:25	ἐξ ἁρπαγῆς ] ἐξαρπαγῆς	Beza	cj12358
Matt 23:37	αὐτήν ] αὑτήν	Fritzsche	cj14020
Matt 24:2	οὐ ] οὗ	Meyer	cj12423
Matt 24:41	ἐν τῷ ] ἔν τῳ	Anonymous	cj10051
Matt 26:29	ἀπ’ ἄρτι ] ἀπαρτί	Alberti	cj12369
Matt 26:64	ἀπ’ ἄρτι ] ἀπαρτί	Heinsius	cj10617
Matt 27:29	ἀκανθῶν ] ἀκάνθων	Pearce	cj10057
Matt 27:51	καταπέτασμα ] κατὰ πέτασμα	Möller	cj15473
Matt 28:1	σαββάτων ] σαββατών	Masius	cj13619
Mark 2:21	ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ ] αὑτοῦ	Heinsius	cj13868
Mark 6:14	φανερὸν γὰρ ἐγένετο ] (φανερὸν γὰρ ἐγένετο)	Grotius	cj12561
Mark 7:11	ὠφεληθῇς ] ὠφελήθης	Blass	cj10728
Mark 9:11	ὅτι ] ὅ τι	Lachmann	cj15378
Mark 11:13	οὐ γὰρ ἦν καιρὸς σύκων (𝔐) ] οὗ γὰρ ἦν, καιρὸς σύκων	Heinsius	cj12611
Mark 12:32	καλῶς, διδάσκαλε, ἐπ’ ἀληθείας εἶπες ] καλῶς, διδάσκαλε. ἐπ’ ἀληθείας εἶπες	Peerlkamp	cj12617
Mark 14:19	εἷς κατὰ εἷς ] εἷς κᾷθ’ εἷς	Beza	cj12623
Mark 14:36	ὁ ] ὅ	Heinsius	cj15382
Luke 2:2	αὕτη ] αὐτή	Triller	cj10414
Luke 3:36	τοῦ Καϊνάμ ] τοῦ καὶ Νάν	Knittel	cj13628
Luke 6:35	μηδέν ] μηδέν’	de Dieu	cj11385
Luke 8:17	γάρ ἐστιν ] γὰρ ἔστιν	Westcott & Hort	cj11617
Luke 20:19	πρὸς αὐτούς ] πρὸς αὑτούς	Bornemann	cj11312
Luke 22:70	ὅτι ] ὅ, τι	Gataker	cj13728
John 1:2–3	οὗτος … θεόν. πάντα δι’ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς … οὐδὲ ἕν. ὃ γέγονεν ] οὗτος … θεόν πάντα. δι’ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο (καὶ χωρὶς … οὐδὲ ἕν) ὃ γέγονεν.	Hosmann	cj12439
John 1:24	ἀπεσταλμένοι ] ἁπεσταλμένοι	Holwerda	cj12480
John 4:27	ὅτι ] ὅ, τι	Coccejus	cj11924
John 5:27	ὅτι ] ὅ τι	Markland	cj10779
John 5:35	αὐτοῦ. ] αὐτοῦ;	Peerlkamp	cj11931
John 6:37	ἐκβάλω ] ἐκβαλῶ	Anonymous	cj14628
John 7:29	εἰμι ] εἶμι	Schmidius	cj11945
John 7:34	εἰμί ] εἶμι	Stephanus	cj11678
John 7:36	εἰμί ] εἶμι	Stephanus	cj11946
John 8:9	εἷς καθ’ εἷς ] εἷς κᾷθ’ εἷς	Beza	cj15034
John 8:24	ὅτι ] ὅ τι	Colomesius	cj11949
John 8:28	ὅτι ] ὅ τι	Maldonatus	cj11950
John 8:37	οὐ χωρεῖ ] οὐχ ὡρεῖ	Michaelis	cj11951
John 9:21	ἑαυτοῦ ] αὑτοῦ	Erasmus	cj10223
John 13:19	ἀπ’ ἄρτι ] ἄπαρτι	Mangey	cj11967
John 14:3	εἰμί ] εἶμι	Schmiedel	cj11544
John 14:7	εἰ ἐγνώκατέ με ] εἰ ἐγνώκειτ’ ἐμέ	Holwerda	cj11976
John 15:9	ἠγάπησέν με ] ἠγάπησ’ ἐμέ	Holwerda	cj11979
John 19:14	ὥρα ἦν ὡς ἕκτη ] ὥρᾳ ἦν ὡς ἕκτῃ	Bauldri	cj11990
John 19:14	ὥρα ἦν ὡς ἕκτη ] ὥρα δὲ ὡς εἶε, κτῇ	Knittel	cj13618
John 19:29	ὑσσώπῳ περιθέντες ] ὑσσῷ πὼ περιθέντες	Chapman	cj11554
John 20:2	οἴδαμεν ] οἶδα μεν	Leyser	cj11999
John 20:17	μή μου ἅπτου ] μή. μου ἅπτου	Bauldri	cj12002
John 20:18	αὐτῇ ] αὑτῇ	Pallis	cj16148
John 20:21	ἀπέσταλκέν με ] ἀπέσταλκ’ ἐμέ	Holwerda	cj10834
John 21:24	οἴδαμεν ] οἶδα μεν	Leyser	cj12007
Acts 2:9	Μεσοποταμίαν, Ἰουδαίαν ] Μεσοποταμίαν Ἰουδαίαν	Hilgenfeld	cj14673
Acts 2:45	καθότι ] καθ’ ὁ, τι	Venema	cj12199
Acts 4:31	παντὶ τῷ θέλοντι πιστεύειν (D05) ] παντί τῳ θέλοντι πιστεύειν	Hilgenfeld	cj15923
Acts 9:27	ὅτι ] ὅ, τι	Beza	cj12223
Acts 9:35	Σαρῶνα ] Ἁσσαρῶνα	Nestle	cj10244
Acts 13:8	Ἐλύμας ] Ἐλυμᾶς	Scaliger	cj12244
Acts 13:8	ὁ ] ὅ	Heinsius	cj12245
Acts 14:13	πρὸ πόλεως (D05) ] Προπόλεως	Ramsay	cj11547
Acts 19:38	ἀγοραῖοι ] ἀγόραιοι	Camerarius	cj12405
Acts 19:38	ἀγοραῖοι ] ἀγοραὶ οἷ	Chishull	cj11709
Acts 20:30	αὐτῶν ] αὑτῶν	Stephanus	cj10087
Acts 23:3	κρίνων ] κρινῶν	Stephanus	cj16372
Acts 27:13	ἆσσον ] Ἆσσον	Erasmus	cj11711
Acts 28:4	δίκη ] Δίκη	Markland	cj11712
Acts 28:15	οἱ ἀδελφοί ] ἁδελφοί	Holwerda	cj12481
Rom 1:30	θεοστυγεῖς ] θεοστύγεις	Beza	cj12729
Rom 5:5	καταισχύνει ] καταισχυνεῖ	Pallis	cj15728
Rom 5:7	γὰρ τοῦ ] γάρ του	Hilgenfeld	cj10278
Rom 5:18	εἰς … εἰς ] εἷς … εἷς	Bruston	cj14705
Rom 7:10	αὕτη ] αὐτή	Baumgarten	cj10286
Rom 7:14	οἴδαμεν ] οἶδα μέν	Semler	cj10287
Rom 8:15	ὁ ] ὅ	Heinsius	cj12893
Rom 8:34	κατακρινῶν ] κατακρίνων	Erasmus	cj15132
Rom 13:11	ὅτε ] ὁτέ	Schmidius	cj12956
Rom 13:11	ὅτε ] ὅ τε	Oederus	cj12957
Rom 14:1	διαλογισμῶν ] διὰ λογισμῶν	Mangey	cj12958
Rom 14:14	ἑαυτοῦ ] αὑτοῦ	Griesbach	cj10304
Rom 14:21	μηδὲ ἐν ᾧ ] μηδὲ ἓν ᾧ	von Hofmann	cj10305
Rom 16:7	Ἰουνίαν ] Ἰουνιᾶν	Bentley	cj10310
Rom 16:15	Ἰουλίαν ] Ἰουλιᾶν	Anonymous	cj10311
1 Cor 1:20	συζητητής ] σὺ ζητητής	Naber	cj10932
1 Cor 3:13	ὅτι ] ὅ τι	Lisco	cj10317
1 Cor 4:6	τὸ μή ] τὸ Μή	Westcott & Hort	cj10318
1 Cor 5:13	ἐξάρατε ] ἐξαρεῖ τε	Anonymous	cj13083
1 Cor 6:11	τινες ] τίνες	zu Stolberg	cj15035
1 Cor 8:1	οἴδαμεν ] οἶδα μέν	Semler	cj10324
1 Cor 9:8	ταῦτα ] ταὐτά	Erasmus	cj10325
1 Cor 9:10	ἤ ] ἦ	Hess	cj10326
1 Cor 9:15	ἢ – τό ] ἦ τό	Bachmann	cj10328
1 Cor 11:6	ξυρᾶσθαι ] ξύρασθαι	Naber	cj13113
1 Cor 11:27	ἂν ἐσθίῃ … τοῦ κυρίου ἀναξίως ] ἂν ἀξίως ἐσθίῃ … τοῦ κυρίου	Bois	cj16211
1 Cor 12:2	Οἴδατε ] οἶδά τε	von Hofmann	cj15528
1 Cor 12:2	ὡς ἂν ἤγεσθε ] ὡσὰν ἤγεσθε	Bengel	cj10329
1 Cor 12:2	ἂν ἤγεσθε ] ἀνήγεσθε	Kuenen and Cobet	cj15076
1 Cor 14:7	ὅμως ] ὁμῶς	Faber Stapulensis	cj10332
1 Cor 14:27	εἴτε ] εἴ τε	von Hofmann	cj10333
1 Cor 15:8	ὡσπερεὶ τῷ ] ὡσπερεί τῳ	Rittershusius	cj10335
1 Cor 16:16	παντὶ τῷ ] παντί τῳ	Hilgenfeld	cj10014
1 Cor 16:22	μαράνα θά ] μαρ αναθα	von Hofmann	cj16054
1 Cor 16:22	μαράνα θά ] txt	Nöldeke	cj10338
2 Cor 3:14	ὅτι ] ὅ τι	Erasmus	cj10339
2 Cor 3:17	οὗ ] οὐ	Turner	cj15654
2 Cor 8:12	καθό … καθό ] καθ’ ὅ … καθ’ ὅ	Anonymous	cj10340
2 Cor 11:4	ἀνέχεσθε ] ἂν εἴχεσθε	Hagge	cj10015
Gal 1:7	τινες ] τίνες	Baljon	cj12701
Gal 1:9	προειρήκαμεν ] προείρηκα μέν	Owen	cj12499
Gal 2:17	ἆρα ] ἄρα	Lachmann	cj10341
Gal 2:19	διὰ νόμου ] δι’ ἀνόμου	Penn	cj15858
Gal 3:15	ὅμως ] ὁμῶς	Whitby	cj10342
Gal 5:10	ἄλλο φρονήσετε ] ἀλλοφρονήσετε	Naber	cj14478
Eph 1:1	[ἐν Ἐφέσῳ] ] spatium	Ussher	cj14590
Eph 1:4	αὐτῷ ] αὑτῷ	Morus	cj13218
Eph 1:5	αὐτόν ] αὑτόν	Erasmus	cj10018
Eph 1:9	αὐτῷ ] αὑτῷ	Erasmus	cj10019
Eph 2:2	αἰῶνα ] Ἀιῶνα	Owen	cj13223
Eph 2:11	διό ] δι’ ὅ	Ewald	cj10588
Eph 3:13	ἥτις ] ἢ τίς	Ewald	cj10345
Eph 4:21	ἀλήθεια ] ἀληθείᾳ	Westcott & Hort	cj10346
Eph 4:29	ἀλλ’ εἴ ] ἀλλ’ ἀεί	Michelsen	cj15556
Phil 1:25	ὅτι ] ὅ τι	Ewald	cj10023
Phil 4:3	σύζυγε ] Σύζυγε	Anonymous	cj10690
Col 1:15	πρωτότοκος ] πρωτοτόκος	Isidore of Pelusium	cj10687
Col 1:20	αὐτόν ] αὑτόν	Anonymous	cj10348
Col 2:13	αὐτῷ ] αὑτῷ	Heinrichs	cj16166
Col 2:15	αὐτῷ ] αὑτῷ	Erasmus	cj10024
Col 2:23	καὶ ἀφειδίᾳ … ἐν τιμῇ ] ἀφειδία … ἐντίμη	von Dobschütz	cj10651
Col 2:23	ἀφειδίᾳ ] ἀφειδία	Nestle	cj10028
Col 4:13	Ἱεραπόλει ] Ἱερᾷ Πόλει	Westcott & Hort	cj10029
1 Thess 3:3	μηδένα σαίνεσθαι ] μηδὲν ἀσαίνεσθαι	Reiske	cj10350
1 Thess 4:6	ἐν τῷ ] ἔν τῳ	Rittershusius	cj11545
1 Thess 5:11	εἷς ] εἰς	Faber Stapulensis	cj10352
1 Thess 5:13	ἑαυτοῖς ] αὑτοῖς	Schmiedel	cj10031
2 Thess 2:4	αὐτόν ] αὑτόν	Verschuir	cj13370
1 Tim 1:3	προσμεῖναι ] πρόσμειναι	Knatchbull	cj13376
1 Tim 2:10	ἀλλ’ ὅ ] ἄλλο	Wohlenberg	cj10032
1 Tim 6:5	διαπαρατριβαί ] δι’ ἃ παρατριβαί	Penn	cj15860
2 Tim 2:2	μαρτύρων ] μαρτυρῶν	Junius	cj13854
Heb 1:3	αὐτοῦ ] αὑτοῦ	Valckenaer	cj12166
Heb 3:6	αὐτοῦ ] αὑτοῦ	Stephanus	cj13031
Heb 5:3	αὐτοῦ ] αὑτοῦ	Griesbach	cj10363
Heb 10:6	ὁλοκαυτώματα ] ὁλοκαυτώμα· τά	Dähne	cj15779
Heb 10:14	μιᾷ γὰρ προσφορᾷ ] μία γὰρ προσφορά	Bengel	cj10364
Heb 11:11	αὐτὴ Σάρρα ] αὐτῇ Σάρρᾳ	Michaelis	cj11546
Heb 12:3	ἑαυτόν ] αὑτόν	Stephanus	cj10366
Jas 2:4	διαλογισμῶν ] διὰ λογισμῶν	Mangey	cj13842
Jas 3:6	τροχόν ] τρόχον	Heinsius	cj15284
1 Pet 2:21	ὅτι ] ὅ τι	Venema	cj13501
1 John 3:20	ὅτι ] ὅ τι	Bengel	cj10394
1 John 5:18	ἑαυτόν ] αὑτόν	Schmiedel	cj10395
Jude 1	ἐν θεῷ ] ἐν spatium, θεῷ	Green	cj10396
Jude 9	ὁ δέ ] ὅ τε	von Tischendorf	cj10397
Rev 14:13	ἀπ’ ἄρτι ] ἀπαρτί	Heinsius	cj10404
Rev 16:16	Ἁρμαγεδών ] Ἃρ Μαγεδών	Westcott & Hort	cj11684
Rev 16:16	Ἁρμαγεδών ] Ἂρ Μαγεδών	Schmiedel	cj10405
Rev 18:23	φάνῃ ] φανῇ	Anonymous	cj10410