| New Testament manuscript | |
| Text | Evangelistarium |
|---|---|
| Date | 9th century |
| Script | Greek |
| Found | 1859 |
| Now at | Russian National Library |
| Size | 19.7 cm by 14.6 cm |
Lectionary 249 is a Greek manuscript of the New Testament written on parchment. It is designated by the siglum ℓ 249 in the Gregory-Aland numbering of New Testament manuscripts. Using the study of comparative writing styles (palaeography), it has been assigned to the 9th century.12 Biblical scholar Frederick H. A. Scrivener labelled it as 191evl.
Description
The manuscript is a codex (precursor to the modern book format) containing weekly lessons/readings from the Gospels and Epistles, known as a lectionary (Evangelistarium, Apostolarium).34 It contains 10 lessons from the Gospel of Matthew, 2 from Mark, 2 from Luke, 3 from John, 5 from Romans, 4 from Corinthians, 1 from Galatians, 1 from Ephesians, and 1 from Hebrews.5
The text is written in Greek uncial letters, on 69 parchment leaves (sized 19.7 cm by 14.6 cm), with one column and 14-17 lines per page.1 It has breathing and accents, but no use of the interrogative sign. It has errors of itacism. It also contains the conventional nomina sacra.5
History
The manuscript was brought in 1859 by biblical scholar and manuscript hunter Constantin von Tischendorf, who gave the first description of it.6
The manuscript was examined and described by the Swiss-German theologian and palaeographer Eduard de Muralt.5 The manuscript was added to the list of New Testament manuscripts by Scrivener (number 191),4 and incorporated into Gregory's list (number 249).3 The manuscript is categorized as a "consistently cited witness" in the Nestle-Aland 28th edition for the Pauline letters (including Hebrews), but not for the Gospels.7
It has been assigned by the Institute for New Testament Textual Research to the 9th century.12 It is currently housed at the Russian National Library (shelf number Gr.44) in Saint Petersburg.12
See also
See also
Notes and references
- Aland, Kurt; M. Welte; B. Köster; K. Junack (1994). Kurzgefasste Liste der griechischen Handschriften des Neues Testaments [A Concise List of the Greek Manuscripts of the New Testament] (in German). Berlin, New York: Walter de Gruyter. p. 233. ISBN 3-11-011986-2.
- "40249: Lectionary 249". INTF. Retrieved 7 Nov 2025.
- Gregory, Caspar René (1900). Textkritik des Neuen Testaments [Textual Criticism of the New Testament] (in German). Vol. 1. Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs. p. 408.
- Scrivener, Frederick Henry Ambrose; Edward Miller (1894). A Plain Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament. Vol. 1 (4th ed.). London: George Bell & Sons. p. 340.
- de Muralt, Eduard (1864). Catalogue des manuscrits grecs de la Bibliothèque Impériale publique [Catalogue of the Greek Manuscripts from the Imperial Public Library]. Petersburg: Imperial Academy of Science. pp. 24-25 (as XLIV-V).
- von Tischendorf, Constantin (1860). Notitia Editionis Codicis Sinaitici cum Catalogo Codicum et Scholiis Origenis [Notice of the Edition of Codex Sinaiticus with the Catalogue of Codices and Scholia of Origen]. Leipzig: F. A. Brockhaus. p. 54.
- Aland, Kurt; Aland, Barbara; Karavidopoulos, Johannes; Martini, Carlo Maria; Metzger, Bruce Manning, eds. (2012). Novum Testamentum Graece [The Greek New Testament] (28th ed.). Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft. pp. 63*–65*. ISBN 978-168307068-9. Retrieved 7 Nov 2025.