The Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts (CSNTM)

Snapshot Dallas is almost here and you won’t want to miss it!
Join us on April 26 for an evening where history, faith, and scholarship come together.

✔️ Get up close with rare New Testament books and manuscript facsimiles
✔️ Engage with CSNTM scholars ready to answer your questions
✔️ Connect with others who share your passion for the New Testament—while enjoying Texas-sized hors d’oeuvres
✔️ Hear Dr. Dan Wallace present “Anchor Management: Trusting the Word—Weather or Not”—explaining why we can be confident the Bible we hold today is truly the Word of God

Special Offer: Bring 5+ guests and receive a FREE signed copy of Reinventing Jesus by Dr. Dan Wallace & Ed Komoszewski.

Gather your group and register before it’s too late: https://buff.ly/kb6YUM0

Last week, we had the privilege of joining Heritage Christian Academy’s 2nd Annual Science Night! Over 60 elementary students stopped by our table to copy a verse onto papyrus and digitize their own “manuscript.” It was an amazing, hands-on way to introduce young minds to the world of ancient manuscripts and digital preservation.

We’re currently post-processing the images and will be sending them to the students soon — swipe to see some of the “manuscripts” they created!

Interested in hosting something like this? Email us at [email protected] — we’re excited for more opportunities like this one!

Featured Variant: In Matthew 5:44, many manuscripts include a longer passage than others—and these differences are reflected in various English translations. The shorter reading, found in many translations, says: “But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you.” The longer reading adds: “bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you.”

The image illustrates how the manuscripts are divided. Textual critics must consider whether a scribe accidentally omitted the phrase—possibly by skipping over it—or added it by harmonizing with a similar passage in Luke. As the English translations show, translators also grapple with these manuscript differences.

GA 0162 is a single vellum leaf from the 3rd–4th century containing a portion of John 2. Currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, it is one of the manuscripts Grenfell and Hunt excavated at Oxyrhynchus.

See more images at https://buff.ly/1hUfwo0

This week, former CSNTM intern Nicholas Lammé led our interns through a seminar on the Coherence-Based Genealogical Method (CBGM)—the focus of his upcoming book! If you remember, he landed the book deal while attending the Society of Biblical Literature annual conference as a CSNTM intern the year before last. We’re excited to see his work contribute to the field!

Ever wanted to learn from Dr. Dan Wallace or even meet him in person? Now’s your chance! Join us on April 26th for Snapshot Dallas, where Dr. Wallace will deliver a timely message: “Anchor Management: Trusting the Word—Weather or Not.”

This is a rare opportunity to engage directly with Dr. Wallace and the CSNTM team, explore rare books and manuscript facsimiles, and connect with others who share your love for the New Testament—all while enjoying Texas-sized hors d’oeuvres!

Spots are filling up fast! Grab a friend and secure yours today: https://buff.ly/Jo4qenx

P.S. Bring 5+ guests and receive a FREE signed copy of Reinventing Jesus by Dr. Dan Wallace & Ed Komoszewski!

Amy Myshrall is a Research Fellow at ITSEE at Birmingham University. Her career has focused on implementing digital tools to aid with textual criticism, including the Codex Sinaiticus Digitization Project. She is currently working on the Pauline Epistles for the Editio Critica Maior, and was featured in a recent documentary, which can be viewed here: https://buff.ly/pgNKgzs

Six years ago, CSNTM digitized Codex Robertsonianus (GA 2358), a manuscript named after the Greek grammarian A. T. Robertson. Housed at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, its story bears witness to the value of digitization. Learn more here: https://buff.ly/XERw3iK

From CSNTM intern to Resident Theologian—Nika Spaulding’s journey was shaped by the opportunity to study and help preserve ancient New Testament manuscripts. Now, she’s making theology accessible to the everyday person through her new series, Theology in 10.

Read Nika's story and see how CSNTM's internship program is shaping the future of biblical scholarship: https://buff.ly/HztTGb6
And grab your copy of Theology in 10 here: buff.ly/tRPFd0o

Did you know GA 0171 consists of just two leaves with passages from Matthew and Luke? This fragmentary majuscule has been dated by scholars anywhere from the late 2nd to the 4th century. In 2011, CSNTM photographed the leaf containing Luke at the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana in Florence.

See more images here: https://buff.ly/rekwrkV

Today, we had the joy of welcoming a family for a tour of CSNTM!

Did you know we offer tours of our office? It’s a great way to see our manuscript facsimiles, rare books and artifacts, and the specialized equipment we use to preserve ancient New Testament manuscripts. If you’re curious about our work and want to see it up close, we’d love to show you around! Email [email protected] to schedule a visit!

That’s a wrap on our first Text to Translation series of the year!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this 7-part series as we explored how the writings of Jesus’ closest followers were preserved and passed down through the centuries.

Missed it? No worries! We’re hosting a special 4-part version this June at Watermark Church in Dallas, TX. Bring your friends, family, or anyone curious about the history of the New Testament, and save the dates today! Visit https://buff.ly/1ugDxDu

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, enjoy some photos from CSNTM’s 2013 expedition to the Chester Beatty in Dublin, Ireland!

During this expedition, our team digitized some significant New Testament papyri, Greek Old Testament papyri, and beautiful minuscules. Among these were some of the oldest and most important biblical manuscripts known to exist—including P45, P46, and P47.

Explore the manuscript images here: https://buff.ly/EJE8TFH

Our final lesson of this spring’s Text to Translation is just around the corner and we don't want you to miss it!

In the final lecture of our series, we explore the process of translation, examining how scholars bridge the gap between ancient texts and modern readers. We’ll discuss how to effectively use different translations and what criteria make a translation “good.”

Register now: https://buff.ly/niXE14h

Missed this series? No worries! We’re offering a 4-part version this summer. Save your spot today: https://buff.ly/4eBAPIQ

Featured Variant: There are significant points of variation found in Acts 15:20, 29, and 21:25 involving a list of prohibitions known as the “Apostolic Decree.” What is most interesting is that some manuscripts associated with the so-called “Western” Tradition also read a version of the inverse of the Golden Rule after 15:20 and 29. Here is an image of Codex Bezae (GA 05), including the inverse of the Golden Rule in the highlighted portion (translated as “and whatever they do not wish to be done to them, do not do to another”).

Did you know CSNTM owns a manuscript? In October 2005, the Center acquired a 10th–11th century minuscule of the Gospel of Luke on parchment. Unknown until that time, it is now catalogued as Gregory-Aland 2882. See more images here: https://buff.ly/QgWyBKa

SAVE THE DATE: Snapshot Dallas is coming up on April 26!

Join us for an evening where history, scholarship, and faith come together. Get an up-close look at rare books and manuscript facsimiles, and engage with CSNTM scholars—all while enjoying Texas-sized hors d’oeuvres and connecting with others who share your interest in the New Testament!

Special Offer: Bring 5+ guests and receive a signed copy of Reinventing Jesus by Dr. Dan Wallace & Ed Komoszewski.

Register today to secure your spot: https://buff.ly/yVnNumS