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The Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus

The Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus is a palimpsest manuscript of the 5th century (AD 400-440), discovered by Tischendorf in 1840 and held in the National Library of France. Written in Greek uncial script, it contains portions of the Old and New Testaments and belongs to the Alexandrian family of the biblical text, regarded as close to the originals. It is fundamental for textual criticism and the history of the transmission of the Scriptures.

2 min Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus palimpsest biblical manuscript textual criticism Alexandrian text

The Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus

The Ephraemi Rescriptus is a palimpsest manuscript of the fifth century. Here are some key facts about it:

History

Date: Around AD 400-440.
Discovery: It was discovered by Constantin von Tischendorf at Saint Catherine's Monastery on Mount Sinai in 1840.
Current owner: It is currently held in the National Library of France in Paris.

Composition

Text: It contains parts of the New Testament and a few books of the Old Testament.
Format: Written in Greek uncial script on parchment, it is a palimpsest, which means that the original text was erased and overwritten in the 12th century with texts by Ephrem the Syrian.
Condition: It is made up of 209 folios, of which 145 are for the New Testament and 64 for the Old Testament.

Importance

Text: It belongs to the Alexandrian family of the text, which means that it is very close to the original versions of the Scriptures.
Study: It is of crucial importance for textual criticism and the history of the biblical texts.

The Ephraemi Rescriptus is a precious witness to the history of the biblical text and the transmission of the Scriptures down the centuries.