The Reconstructed Text of John 8:1-11

[Nazaroo]

Here is our semi-finalized preliminary stemma for the Pericope de Adultera (PA - John 7:53-8:11)

And here is the M5 Text, believed to be the most accurately preserved line of transmission for the passage;

Last Updated: Feb 12 2009

Text Notes επορευθη εκαστος εις τον οικον αυτου (7:53)
Ιησους δε επορευθη εις το ορος των Ελαιων.
(8:1)
ορθρου δε παλιν παρεγενετο εις το ιερον
(8:2) 1 και πας ο λαος ηρχετο 2 (8:2)
και καθισας εδιδασκεν αυτους
(8:2) αγουσιν δε οι γραμματεις και οι Φαρισαιοι
(8:3) προς αυτον γυναικα εν μοιχεια καταληφθεισαν
και στασαντες αυτην εν 3 μεσω
(8:3) λεγουσιν αυτω
(8:4) πειραζοντες
" διδασκαλε αυτη η γυνη κατεληφθη
επ αυτοφωρω μοιχευομενη.
εν δε τω νομω Μωσης ημιν ενετειλατο τας τοιαυτας λιθοβολεισθαι. συ ουν τι λεγεις;
4 " (8:5) τουτο δε ελεγον πειραζοντες αυτον ινα
(8:6) εχωσι κατηγορειν αυτου.
ο δε Ιησους κατω κυψας
τω δακτυλω εγραφεν εις την γην
μη προσποιυμενος.

ως δε επεμενον ερωτωντες αυτον
(8:7) ανεκυψας ειπεν προς αυτους, " ο αναμαρτητος υμων πρωτος
επ αυτην τον λιθον βαλετω. "


και παλιν κατω κυψας 5 εγραφεν εις την γην.
(8:8) 6
7 οι δε ακουσαντες και υπο της 8
(8:9) συνειδηεσως ελεγξομενοι
εξηρχοντο εις καθ εις αρχαμενοι απο των πρεσβυτερων 9 και κατελειφθη
μονος ο Ιησους και η γυνη εν μεσω ουσα.

ανακυψας δε ο Ιησους,
(8:10)
και μηδενα θεασαμενος πλην της γυναικος,
ειπεν αυτη,
" που εισιν εικενοι, οι κατηγοροι σου;
ουδεις σε κατεκινεν; "

η δε ειπεν,
(8:11) " ουδεις κυριε. " ειπεν δε ο Ιησους,
" ουδε εγω σε κρινω.
πορευου και 10 μηκετι αμαρτανε."

 

[Biblicist]

Okay, I'm impressed. Even though I place no weight toward the old TR, could you maybe spend a bit of time explaining this rather intriguing diagram. I expect that there would be a number who will gain a lot from it.

 

[Nazaroo]

Okay, I'm impressed. Even though I place no weight toward the old TR, could you maybe spend a bit of time explaining this rather intriguing diagram. I expect that there would be a number who will gain a lot from it.

Sure:

The diagram naturally poses an original form for the pericope,
identified essentially with the surviving copies of the M5 text
found by Von Soden.

Divergent transmission lines and resultant traditions
headed in essentially two directions:
Some authorities discovered the passage missing from a few copies,
likely from simply copying errors in the 2nd century,
and this omission was passed down the Alexandrian copying stream (on left).

The omission itself then (not a text or version) is found in most
of the Egyptian/Alexandrian copies.
This omission, probably finding its way to Latin churches in the 2nd cent.,
was probably amongst copies used by Tertullian and other Latins
who relied on the early Latin translations (not the later Vulgate).

On the other hand, in the East (Damascus, Antioch, Turkey),
the passage was extant, but suffered a different fate.
The early church in major centers was quickly organized along
similar lines to synagogues, with portions or pericopes of scripture
being read at services weekly, and an early Lectionary system developed.

At first this system was simply a set of marginal markings noting
the beginning and end of chosen readings, but eventually special
'Lectionaries' (copies designed for public reading in church) developed.
These texts were modified slightly, typically at the beginning and end
of each section, to make it more suitable for reading as a stand-alone
portion of text, i.e., a "pericope" or mini-story from the Gospels.

As a result, certain minor variants crept into the Lectionary text
and were perpetuated independently from the main copying streams
of true Gospels. Thus two basic streams of transmission developed,
one being the bona fide Gospel copies, and the other being the
various "Lectionary texts" of gospels modified for public worship.

In the diagram, the early Lectionary text is postulated, which forms
its own stream with stepped and accumulative editing changes,
namely the B1, B2, B3 texts, each a stage in the early lectionary
tradition.

From these (now long lost) early Lectionary copies, occasionally
false corrections crept back into the main Gospel copying streams.
It was natural before releasing copies to make a comparison with
another known reliable copy to check for errors, both in regard to
the master-copy and even earlier errors that might accumulate.

At another portion of the history of this passage (as Von Soden relates),
the passage was reinserted into copies from which it had been lost,
because of reliance upon the Egyptian/Alexandrian manuscripts.
Unfortunately, this would often be a copy of the passage from
a Lectionary text, already slightly modified for church use.

It was the task of textual criticism to identify the stages in copying,
the minor alterations which accumulated in various streams of transmission,
and identify and restore the original version of this passage
as it must have stood in John's Gospel in the 2nd and early centuries.

 

[Job8]

Are you aware of Dean Burgon's assessment of how and why this passage in Scripture was corrupted? He did first hand research and was an outstanding scholar, but nobody brings up his name. He's the one who examined all the Lectionaries also.

The bottom line is that the Textus Receptus and the KJV have the true text, and there is no question whatsoever that this is genuine Scripture. All the modern versions followed Westcott-Hort. But even Nestle did not cast any doubt on this passage (only portions of verse 2 and 6), but verses 9 and 10 were corrupted in his text.

 

[Nazaroo]

Yes, actually we are pretty familiar with Dean Burgon's pioneering work in defending John 8:1-11.

We have carefully followed and commented upon all the textual-critical work that has surrounded these
verses, and have posted those articles and added commentary and footnotes here:

Textual Critics for John 8:1-11

1675 J. Lightfoot - hints at solution!
1707 J. Mill - coming soon
1710 Whitby - coming soon
1729 R. Bentley - early collations
1742 J. Bengel new! - (Eng.xlat-1877)
1786 Matthaei - coming soon
1793 Dettmers - coming soon
1801 Michaelis brief examination
1806 Staudlin - coming soon
1807 P. Doddridge agrees with Mill new!
1816 Hug - coming soon
1825 A. Clarke new! supports authenticity
1826 S. T. Bloomfield a masterly defence!
1830 Scholz - coming soon
1842 W. Trollope scholarly analysis
1856 T. H. Horne & Tregelles' tampering
1863 Hilgenfeld - coming soon
1864 F. L. Godet with modern footnotes
1865 Dr. F. Nolan United Church minister
1870 S. Leathes new! Integrity of John
1871 Lange new! John's Authenticity
1872 Dunwell with Scrivener/Burgon
1885 D. Thomas quotes Farrar new!
1888 W. Kelly Textual Commentary
1891 R. Harris 2nd cent. evidence: PA
1892 R. Harris PA: Lost Quire?
1892 S. Whitney authentic tradition
1893 J. Robinson Montanist Deletion new!
1894 F. H. A. Scrivener a balanced review
1896 J. Burgon the classic defence!
1897 E. Miller 2 opposing schools
1914 J. MacRory new! RC commentator
1925 C. Bushnell a famous defence
1956 W. Barclay positive commentator
1966 R.E. Brown mixed signals
1979 Z. Hodges great introduction!
1984 E. F. Hills strong evang. defence
1984 G.H. Clark evidence, arguments
1997 W.L. Petersen deep study: Prot.James
1999 F. N. Jones textual commentary
2006 D.Sutton Syriac evidence
2008 C. Keith recent survey
2010 J.D. Punch more review soon!
2010 G. Davis new! traditional evidence

These articles document the accumulation of evidence and the changes in viewpoint over
two centuries of activity in New Testament Textual Criticism.

 

[Nazaroo]

By the way, the text in the original post has become unreadable,
because this forum has changed its methods of text-display over the years,
and forum software has evolved. I will try to re-post a readable Greek text below
for the M5 line of transmission:


Last Updated: Feb 12 2009

Text Notes
επορευθη εκαστος εις τον οικον αυτου (7:53)

Ιησους δε επορευθη εις το ορος των Ελαιων.
(8:1)

ορθρου δε παλιν παρεγενετο εις το ιερον
(8:2)
1 και πας ο λαος ηρχετο 2 (8:2)

και καθισας εδιδασκεν αυτους
(8:2)
αγουσιν δε οι γραμματεις και οι Φαρισαιοι
(8:3)
προς αυτον γυναικα εν μοιχεια καταληφθεισαν
και στασαντες αυτην εν 3 μεσω
(8:3)
λεγουσιν αυτω
(8:4)
πειραζοντες
" διδασκαλε αυτη η γυνη κατεληφθη
επ αυτοφωρω μοιχευομενη.
εν δε τω νομω Μωσης ημιν ενετειλατο τας τοιαυτας λιθοβολεισθαι. συ ουν τι λεγεις;
4 " (8:5)
τουτο δε ελεγον πειραζοντες αυτον ινα
(8:6)
εχωσι κατηγορειν αυτου.
ο δε Ιησους κατω κυψας
τω δακτυλω εγραφεν εις την γην
μη προσποιυμενος.
ως δε επεμενον ερωτωντες αυτον
(8:7)
ανεκυψας ειπεν προς αυτους, " ο αναμαρτητος υμων πρωτος
επ αυτην τον λιθον βαλετω. "

και παλιν κατω κυψας 5 εγραφεν εις την γην.
(8:8)
6
7 οι δε ακουσαντες και υπο της 8
(8:9)
συνειδηεσως ελεγξομενοι
εξηρχοντο εις καθ εις αρχαμενοι απο των πρεσβυτερων 9 και κατελειφθη
μονος ο Ιησους και η γυνη εν μεσω ουσα.
ανακυψας δε ο Ιησους,
(8:10)

και μηδενα θεασαμενος πλην της γυναικος,
ειπεν αυτη,
" που εισιν εικενοι, οι κατηγοροι σου;
ουδεις σε κατεκινεν; "
η δε ειπεν,
(8:11)
" ουδεις κυριε. " ειπεν δε ο Ιησους,
" ουδε εγω σε κρινω.
πορευου και 10 μηκετι αμαρτανε."