Minuscule 553 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering), ε 331 (in the Soden numbering),[1] is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 13th century.[2] Scrivener labelled it by number 540.[3]
The codex contains a complete text of the four Gospels on 303 parchment leaves (size). The writing is in one column per page, 21 lines per page.[2]
It contains tables of the Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: κεφαλαια, the Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: κεφαλαια, the Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: τιτλοι, subscriptions at the end of the Gospels, Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: [[Stichometry|στιχοι]], and faded decorations.[3] [4] According to Scrivener the manuscript is "extremely uninteresting".[3]
The Greek text of the codex is a representative of the Byzantine text-type. Hermann von Soden classified it to the textual family Kr. Aland placed it in Category V.[5] According to the Claremont Profile Method it represents the textual family Kr in Luke 1 and Luke 20. In Luke 10 no profile was made. It belongs to subgroup 35.[6]
The Pericope Adulterae (John 7:53-8:11) is marked with an obelus.[4]
The manuscript was held in the monastery Mar Saba. In 1834 Robert Curzon, Lord Zouche, brought this manuscript to England (along with the codices 548, 552, 554).[3] [4] The entire collection of Curzon was bequeathed by his daughter in 1917 to the British Museum, where it had been deposited, by his son, since 1876.[7]
The manuscripts was added to the list of the New Testament minuscule manuscripts by F. H. A. Scrivener (540) and C. R. Gregory (553).[3] [4]
The manuscript was examined by Scrivener, Dean Burgon, and Gregory.[4]
It is currently housed at the British Library (Add MS 39596) in London.[2]