The Secret Text of John 11

It is easy to forget that early Christian texts, including the Gospels, were written by real scribes who made changes and alterations to correct or smooth over inconsistencies they found in the text. The examples below present various scribal changes made to the text of John 11:1–5 as attested in a number of early Christian manuscripts. As discussed by Elizabeth Schrader Polczer in the accompanying article, these changes affected the Lazarus story, and especially the presence of the sisters Mary and Martha, in profound and surprising ways.

MARTIN BODMER FOUNDATION, GENEVA

A. Papyrus 66 at John 11:1
Here the name Maria (Mary) is changed to Martha, by the erasure of the iota (Ι) and insertion of a theta (Θ) just above.

FROM THE BRITISH LIBRARY COLLECTION: ROYAL MS 1 D VIII F.48V

B. Codex Alexandrinus at John 11:1
The same correction is made here, with the theta written directly over the erased iota.

MARTIN BODMER FOUNDATION, GENEVA

C. Papyrus 66 at John 11:3
Multiple changes have been made here. On the left, the name Mar[?]a (whether ΜΑΡΙΑ “Mary” or ΜΑΡΘΑ “Martha”) has been over-written with the words “the sisters” (ΑΙ ΑΔΕΛΦΑΙ), which are very cramped in the limited space. On the right, the two verbs have been changed from singular to plural: in the verb “sent,” an epsilon (Ε) has been overwritten with an alpha (Α), resulting in ΑΠΕϹΤΙΛΑΝ; and “saying” has been adjusted by the addition of the letter iota at the end: ΛΕΓΟΥϹΑΙ.

BIBLIOTHÈQUE NATIONALE DE FRANCE

D. Codex Corbiensis at John 11:5
In this Old Latin manuscript from the fifth century, where the verse refers to lazarum et mariam et sororem eius, “Lazarus and Mary and his/her sister,” someone decided centuries later to add the name marthā.

BIBLIOTHÈQUE NATIONALE DE FRANCE

E. Codex Colbertinus at John 11:5
This Old Latin manuscript, copied in the 12th century but believed to preserve a fourth-century text, simply omits any woman’s name and reads Diligebat autem iħs (iesus) lazarum et sororem eius, “Now Jesus loved Lazarus and his sister.”