The order of the New Testament texts in this codex is as follows: the Four Gospels, the Pauline Epistles (including Hebrews), Acts, the General Epistles, and Revelation. It encompasses the entire Old Testament and New Testament. The journey of Codex Sinaiticus from its monastic origins to its current status as a treasured artifact in biblical scholarship underscores its enduring value and impact on the study of Christian scripture.Ĭodex Sinaiticus, designated by the symbol א, is a seminal ancient biblical manuscript. Originally located at Saint Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinai Peninsula, parts of the codex have since been dispersed across four libraries globally, though the majority of the manuscript is proudly housed and displayed in the British Library in London. Lithograph of Saint Catherine’s Monastery, based on sketches made by Porphyrius Uspensky in 1857.

The discovery of Codex Sinaiticus by Constantin von Tischendorf in 1844 marked a turning point in biblical scholarship, providing a critical comparative tool alongside Codex Vaticanus for the analysis and study of the biblical text. The significance of Codex Sinaiticus in New Testament textual criticism cannot be overstated, sharing the spotlight with Codex Vaticanus as one of the pivotal Greek texts for New Testament studies. Dated through paleographical analysis to the mid-fourth century (330-360 C.E.), this manuscript is a pivotal resource for biblical scholars, offering an unparalleled glimpse into the textual history and transmission of the biblical canon. Positioned alongside Codex Alexandrinus and Codex Vaticanus, Codex Sinaiticus is celebrated as one of the earliest and most comprehensive biblical manuscripts, harboring the oldest complete copy of the New Testament known to date. Crafted with uncial script on parchment, Codex Sinaiticus belongs to the elite cadre of the four great uncial codices, a distinguished group originally comprising the complete texts of both the Old and New Testaments. This Greek Bible manuscript encompasses the vast majority of the Greek Old Testament, inclusive of the deuterocanonical books, as well as the entire Greek New Testament, complemented by the inclusion of the Epistle of Barnabas and the Shepherd of Hermas. The Codex Sinaiticus, with its official designation in the British Library as Add MS 43725 and known by the siglum א or 01 (according to the Gregory-Aland numbering system), and δ 2 (in the von Soden numbering system), stands as a monumental fourth-century Christian manuscript.

Codex sinaiticus jesus