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Reading Text with a Textual Critical Apparatus
A common example of a text with a critical apparatus is the Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament. It contains a reconstruction of Biblical Greek text. Scholars examined textual variants and evaluated evidence to choose the strongest reading. At the bottom of the text contains the “critical apparatus” where the reader can make their own decisions concerning about the variants. The various codes and symbols can be confusing. Here is a guide to help you understand what is going on!
Example 2.1
Cross Reference Notes:
Text on the outer right-hand margin is simply a list of cross references to other scripture.
SBL Notes in the Critical Apparatus:
Majuscule manuscripts are abbreviated in the apparatus using a number in the form 0XXX. A system of letters is used for the most well-known codices.
*You may notice two "D' abbreviations. These are two different codices. D in the apparatus of the gospels and Acts refers to Codex Bezae. D in the Pauline letters refers to Codex Claromontanus.
Minuscule manuscripts are abbreviated in the apparatus with a number in the form XXX. The important minuscule manuscripts are referred to by a "family" of manuscripts with similar texts, abbreviated as / XX. The two most important are:
Papyrus fragments appear in the apparatus with the symbol p followed by a numeral.
The most important are:
The apparatus abbreviates lectionaries with the symbol "i" followed by a series of numerals and church fathers as witnesses.
You may sometimes see an asterisk (*) or a superscript number after one of the manuscript abbreviations. These signs distinguish the work of the original scribe from that of correctors. B* would be the original scribe of Vaticanus, while B' would indicate the first corrector of that passage in Vaticanus.
The most important critical sigla are as follows:
