Minuscule 6 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering of New Testament manuscripts), δ 356 (in the von Soden numbering of New Testament manuscripts),[1] is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, written on parchment. Using the study of comparative writing styles (palaeography), it has been dated to the 13th century.[2] The manuscript has complex contents and full marginal notes. It was adapted for liturgical use.
The manuscript is a codex (precursor to the modern book), containing the entirety of the New Testament except the Book of Revelation made of 235 parchment leaves, with some lacunae. It has the Catholic epistles placed before the Pauline epistles, something not done in modern bibles. The text is written in one column per page, 29-47 lines per page. It is written in elegant small letters.[3]
The text is divided according to the chapters (known as Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: κεφαλαια / kephalaia), whose numbers are given in the margin, and their titles (known as Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: τιτλοι / titloi) at the top of the pages. The text of Gospels is also divided according to the smaller Ammonian Sections (Matthew 356, Mark 234 – the last section in 16:9, Luke 342, John 226).
It contains introductions (known as prolegomena), the tables of contents (also known as Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: κεφαλαια) are placed before each book; it contains synaxaria,[4] the Euthalian Apparatus, and ornamentations. At the end it has liturgy of John Chrysostom. The subscriptions at the end of each book with the numbers of lines (known as Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: [[Stichometry|στιχοι]] / stichoi) were added by a later hand.
The order of books is as follows: Gospels, Book of Acts, Catholic epistles, Pauline epistles.
At the end of the Second Epistle to Timothy it has the subscription Τιμοθεον Β' απο Ρωμης (Second Timothy, from Rome), the same subscription as seen in the manuscripts Codex Porphyrianus (P), Minuscule 1739 and 1881.[5]
The text of the Catholic epistles and Pauline epistles are considered a representative of the Alexandrian text-type, with numerous alien readings. Biblical scholar Kurt Aland placed these books from the manuscript in Category III of his New Testament manuscript classification system. This text belongs to the textual Family 1739. In the Gospels and Acts it is considered a representative of the Byzantine text-type, close to the codex Minuscule 4. Aland placed these books from the manuscript in Category V.[6]
According to the Claremont Profile Method, in Luke 1, Luke 10, and Luke 20 it belongs to the textual group Π6, along with Codex Petropolitanus.[7]
Greek, Modern (1453-);: ουκ εστιν (does not exist)
include - Majority of manuscripts
Greek, Modern (1453-);: τω θεω (to God)
include - Majority of manuscripts
Greek, Modern (1453-);: τη προσευχη (prayer) - 6 * A B] C D F G P Ψ 33 81 104 181 629 630 1739 1877 1881 1962 it vg cop arm eth
Greek, Modern (1453-);: τη νηστεια και τη προσευχη (fasting and prayer) - Majority of manuscripts[8] [9]
Greek, Modern (1453-);: και καλεσας δια της χαριτος αυτου (and called by his favour)
include - Majority of manuscripts
Greek, Modern (1453-);: εν εφεσω (in Ephesus)
include - Majority of manuscripts
Greek, Modern (1453-);: ταις (ιδιαις) χερσιν (his (own) hands)
include - Majority of manuscripts
Greek, Modern (1453-);: και προσκολληθησεται προς την γυναικα αυτου (and be joined to his wife)
include - Majority of manuscripts
Greek, Modern (1453-);: προς σε (towards you)
omit — 6 F G 263 424** 1739 1881
include - Majority of manuscripts
Greek, Modern (1453-);: πασσι (to all)
omit — 6 D** 424** (1739) 1881 lat Ambrosiaster
include - Majority of manuscripts
Greek, Modern (1453-);: τινα (someone)
omit — 6 Uncial 075 424** 1739 1881
include - Majority of manuscripts
Jude 12
Greek, Modern (1453-);: ευωχιαις (happy feasts) - 6
Greek, Modern (1453-);: αγαπαις (love feasts) - Majority of manuscripts
The manuscript once belonged to Fontainebleau. It was used by Robert Estienne in his Editio Regia, and designated by him as ε'. It was examined by biblical scholars Johann Jakob Wettstein, Johann Jakob Griesbach, and Johann Martin Augustin Scholz (though Scholz only examined Matthew, Mark 1-4, and John 7), and in 1885 it was examined by biblical scholar Caspar René Gregory. It was also examined and described by Paulin Martin.[10]
Wettstein gave the number 6 to it. This number is still in use.
In 27 editions of the Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece, it is cited only twice (1 Cor 11:24; 15:6).[11]
The manuscript is currently located in the Bibliothèque nationale de France (National Library of France, shelf number Gr. 112) in Paris.[12]