Minuscule 223

New Testament manuscripts
papyri • uncials • minuscules • lectionaries

Minuscule 223
The beginning of the Acts
Text	Acts, Pauline epistles
Date	14th century
Script	Greek
Now at	University of Michigan Library
Size	28.2 cm by 21.3 cm
Type	Byzantine
Category	V

Minuscule 223 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering), α263 (Von Soden numbering),^[1] is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 14th century.^[2] Formerly it was labeled by 223^a and 277^p.^[3] Scrivener labelled it by 220^a and 264^p.^[4]

Description

The codex contains the text of the Acts, Pauline, and Catholic epistles on 376 parchment leaves (size 28.2 cm by 21.3 cm), with some lacunae (first leaves in 2 Corinthians with 1:1-3, Ephesians with 1:1-4, and Hebrews with 1:1-6).^[2] The text is written in one column per page, 22-23 lines per page,^[2] on fine vellum with broad margins.^[4] Titles in gold, initial letters ornamented, brilliantly illuminated.^[5]

The text is divided according to the κεφαλαια (chapters), whose numbers are given at the margin, and the τιτλοι (titles of chapters) at the top of the pages.^[3]

It contains double prolegomena, Journeys and death of Paul, tables of the κεφαλαια (to the Acts), lectionary markings at the margin, Synaxarion, Menologion, and subscriptions at the end of books.^[3] The illuminations are given before each book.

Text

The Greek text of the codex is a representative of the Byzantine text-type. Aland placed it in Category V.^[6]

History

The manuscript was written by Antonius, a monk.^[3] According to the colophon the manuscript was written by Antonios of Malaka in 1244. Dating of the manuscript is problematic, possibly the colophon was not inserted by original scribe. It was examined by Scrivener and Gregory (1883).^[3]

Formerly it was labeled by 223^a and 277^p.^[3] In 1908 C. R. Gregory gave number 223 for it.^[1]

It is currently housed at the University of Michigan Library (Ms. 34), at Ann Arbor, Michigan.^[2]

See also

• List of New Testament minuscules
• Biblical manuscript
• Textual criticism

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Gregory, Caspar René (1908). Die griechischen Handschriften des Neuen Testament. Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs'sche Buchhandlung. p. 56. http://www.archive.org/stream/diegriechischen00greggoog#page/n67/mode/2up. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d} K. Aland, M. Welte, B. Köster, K. Junack, "Kurzgefasste Liste der griechischen Handschriften des Neues Testaments", Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, New York 1994, p. 60.
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Gregory, Caspar René (1900). Textkritik des Neuen Testaments. 1. Leipzig: Hinrichs. p. 282. http://www.archive.org/stream/textkritikdesne00greggoog#page/n295/mode/2up. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Scrivener, Frederick Henry Ambrose; Edward Miller (1894). A Plain Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament. 1 (4 ed.). London: George Bell & Sons. pp. 299–300. 
5. ^ Bruce M. Metzger, Manuscripts of the Greek Bible, Oxford University Press, 1991, p. 134.
6. ^ Aland, Kurt; Barbara Aland; Erroll F. Rhodes (trans.) (1995). The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. p. 138. ISBN 978-0-8028-4098-1. 

Further reading

• F. H. A. Scrivener, Adversaria critica sacra (Cambridge, 1893).
• K. W. Clark, Eight American Praxapostoloi, (Chicago, 1941).

External links

• Minuscule 223 at the Encyclopedia of Textual Criticism
• Images from Minuscule 223 at the CSNTM