Textus Receptus

Textus Receptus

The term "Textus Receptus" was first used to refer to the edition of the Greek New Testament published by the Elzevirs in 1633.

The preface to this edition, written by Daniel Heinsius, includes the Latin phrase "Textum ergo habes, nunc ab omnibus receptum: in quo nihil immutatum aut corruptum damus". Because of this, the 1633 edition became known as the "Textus Receptus" or the Received Text. It consists of the established Byzantine text-type and is also called the Majority Text because it represents the vast majority of the 5,800 plus Greek manuscripts of at least the New Testament.

The Textus Receptus was defended by John William Burgon who the opinion that the Codex Alexandrinus and Codex Ephraemi were older than the Sinaiticus, the Vaticanus, and also that the Peshitta translation into Syriac He believed that the Textus Receptus was to be preferred to the Alexandrian Text, it still required to be corrected in certain readings against the manuscript tradition of the Byzantine text.

Many believe that God must ensure a preserved transmission of the correct revealed text but every reader, because of the finite nature of language, is translating mere words into understanding. All biblical scholarship is eating of the tree of knowledge if the Holy Spirit is not present with the reader.

Christ sent his disciples out in at least groups of two and stated in Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." which suggest that we should have the conversation with others while also seeking the Holy Spirit and no merely be a respecter of persons who say they know or have done the scholarly work.

Textus Receptus type manuscripts and versions have existed as the majority of texts for almost 2000 years.

Peshitta (150 A.D.) was based on the Textus Receptus type manuscripts

Papyrus 66 used Textus Receptus type manuscripts

The Italic Church in the Northern Italy (157 A.D.) used Textus Receptus type manuscripts

The Gallic Church of Southern France (177 A.D.) used Textus Receptus type manuscripts

The Celtic Church used Textus Receptus type manuscripts

The Waldensians used Textus Receptus type manuscripts

The Gothic Version of the 4th or 5th century used Textus Receptus type manuscripts

Curetonian Syriac is basically a Textus Receptus type manuscript

Vetus Itala is from Textus Receptus type manuscripts

Codex Washingtonianus of Matthew used Textus Receptus type manuscripts

Codex Alexandrinus in the Gospels used Textus Receptus type manuscripts

• The vast majority of extant New Testament Greek manuscripts are Textus Receptus type manuscripts (99% of them)

Westcott and Hort published The New Testament in the Original Greek in 1881 in which they rejected what they considered to be the dated and inadequate Textus Receptus. Their text is based mainly on Codex Vaticanus in the Gospels.