According to church tradition, the Church of the East received the New Testament writings by the apostles themselves in Syriac, the dialect of Aramaic that was spoken by them. This New Testament became known by the fifth century as the Peshitta. Assyrian scholar Dr. George Lamsa states in the introduction to the Holy Bible From the Ancient Eastern Text, "The term Peshitta means straight, simple, sincere and true, that is, the original." The traditional position of the Church of the East has always been that the Peshitta is the original New Testament (known as "Aramaic primacy").
The Peshitta text is unique in several ways. For one, it is the oldest complete version of the New Testament written in the Aramaic language. It also includes wordplays, poetry, and other hallmarks of Semitic literature that are completely missing in the popular Greek versions. Another interesting thing about the Peshitta text is that is does not fully agree with the Byzantine or Alexandrian versions of the Greek New Testament, but is a mix of both with it's own unique readings in several places. It also includes only 22 of the canonical 27 New Testament books. It's missing II Peter, II John, III John, and Revelation. The Church of the East encourages their people to read these Books, but has never accepted them into their canon because the present Aramaic versions we have are translated from Greek sources and they also did not receive them from the apostles.
The Peshitta has been revised several times, but the original version has stayed intact by the care of the Eastern scribes. The earliest revision was most likely the Western Peshitto, which occurred after the First Counsel of Ephesus (which condemned the teachings of Bishop Nestorius), resulting in the formation of the Western Syriac Orthodox Church, who took on a monophysite Christology (the belief that Jesus is divine alone and not human). The Church of the East held to Nestorianism (the belief in both deity and humanity residing separately in Jesus Christ). The Western Assyrian Christians are commonly referred to as Jacobites, while the Church of the East are referred to as Nestorians.
The Western Peshitto added the five missing books, translated from the Greek and changed several passages. The only significant changes were to Acts 20:28 and Hebrews 2:9. Here is Acts 20:28 according to the Western and Eastern readings:
ܐܙܕܗܪܘ ܗܟܝܠ ܒܢܦܫܟܘܢ ܘܒܟܠܗ ܡܪܥܝܬܐ ܗܝ ܕܐܩܝܡܟܘܢ ܒܗ ܪܘܚܐ ܕܩܘܕܫܐ ܐܦܣܩܘܦܐܕܬܪܥܘܢ ܠܥܕܬܗ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܗܝ ܕܩܢܗ ܒܕܡܗ
Ezdar hakhil b'naphashkhun w'wakhulah marita ha d'akimkhun bah Rukha d'Qudsha episqawpe d'terun l'idteh d'Alaha ha d'qana b'demeh.
"Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit hath established you bishops; that ye feed the church of God, which he hath acquired by his blood."- Murdock's Translation of the Peshitta (Western reading)
ܐܙܕܗܪܘ ܗܟܝܠ ܒܢܦܫܟܘܢ ܘܒܟܠܗ ܡܪܥܝܬܐ ܗܝ ܕܐܩܝܡܟܘܢ ܒܗ ܪܘܚܐ ܕܩܘܕܫܐ ܐܦܣܩܘܦܐ ܕܬܪܥܘܢ ܠܥܕܬܗ ܕܡܫܝܚܐ ܗܝ ܕܩܢܗ ܒܕܡܗ
Ezdar hakhil b'naphashkhun w'wakhulah marita ha d'akimkhun bah Rukha d'Qudsha episqawpe d'terun l'idteh d'Meshikha ha d'qana b'demeh.
"Take great care of yourselves, and of all the flock over which the Ruach haKodesh has established you as overseers for; that you feed the assembly of Mashiyach, which he has acquired by his blood."- Aramaic English New Testament (Eastern reading)
Now let's see Hebrews 2:9 and how it differs between the two:
ܗܘ ܕܝܢ ܕܡܟ ܩܠܝܠ ܡܢ ܡܠܐܟܐ ܚܙܝܢܢ ܕܗܘܝܘ ܝܫܘܥ ܡܛܠ ܚܫܐ ܕܡܘܬܗ ܘܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ ܘܐܝܩܪܐ ܣܝܡ ܒܪܝܫܗ ܗܘ ܓܝܪ ܒܛܝܒܘܬܗ ܐܠܗܐ ܚܠܦ ܟܠܢܫ ܛܥܡ ܡܘܬܐ
Haw den d'mak qalil men malace khazenan d'huwin Yeshua metul khasha d'mawteh w'teshbukhta w'iqara sim b'rishe haw ger b'tibuta Alaha khlaph culnash tem mawta.
"But we see him, who was depressed somewhat lower than the angels, to be this Jesus, because of the passion of his death; and glory and honor are placed on his head; for God himself, in his grace, tasted death for all men."- Murdock's Translation of the Peshitta (Western reading)
Haw den d'mak qalil men malace khazenan d'huwin Yeshua metul khasha d'mawteh w'teshbukhta w'iqara sim b'rishe haw ger satar men Alaha khlaph culnash tem mawta.
"We see that he is Y'shua, who humbled himself to become a little lower than the Messengers through his suffering and death, but now he is crowned with honor and glory because he tasted death for the sake of everyone apart from Elohim."- Aramaic English New Testament (Eastern reading)
None of the readings seen in the Eastern Peshitta manuscripts are denial's of Jesus's deity. On the contrary, both the Peshitta and the Peshitto emphatically declare the deity of Jesus. The Jacobites saw these readings in the Peshitta as support for Nestorianism, so they changed them to support their theology. The Philoxenian, Harklean, Syriac Sinaiticus, and the Curetonian versions of the Aramaic text were also revisions made for theological reasons (also the Sinaiticus and Curetonian are only composed of the four Gospels). These revisions were made for not only theological reasons, but to move the Peshitta closer to the Greek. All of these revisions made after the Peshitto were practically forgotten by Assyrian Christians, who always went back to the Peshitta or Peshitto.
Here is a list of other differences between the two manuscript families compiled by my friend Chuck (Thirdwoe):
1: Matthew 4:21
Khabouris Peshitta: has "and Eshu' called them" The Ashael Grant, The Mingana, The 1886 Mosul, and the Paul Younan Interlinear text, all have “and Eshu called them”. The Curetonian has "and Eshu called them'", but the Sinaitic has "and he called them". English translations that have the Khabouris or Eastern Peshitta reading: Paul Younan, Andrew Roth, James Murdock, John Etheridge, George Lamsa, Joseph Pashka, Lonnie Martin, Victor Alexander.
UBS Peshitto: has "and He called them", as does ADD MSS 14470 (5th-6th century) and the Sinaitic (Old Scratch) version. English translations that go with the Western Peshitto version: David Bauscher, Janet Magiera, The Way International, Herb Jahn, Francis A. Werner.
2: Matthew 6:32
Khabouris Peshitta: The Khabouris, in it's secondary script (East Adiabene), which is a later scribal replacement page, has “the Nations of the World.” as does Younan's Interlinear, Etheridge, Murdock, Roth, Magiera, Alexander, Pashka, and Lamsa. The Curetonian text reads as The Khabouris Peshitta text does here. The Diatessaron of 165 A.D. text in its extant 10th century Arabic translation from an 8th century Aramaic Ms. has the Khabouris Peshitta reading. Neither the Latin or any of the Greek versions have "of the World".
UBS Peshitto: has “the Nations", as does Bauscher, Jahn, and A. Frances Werner. Lon Martin has "the heathen" and The Way International's ANT & MS. ADD 14453 (5th-6th century) doesn't have "d'Alma" (of the World) in that Aramaic MS. The Mingana Ms. reads the same as the UBS text and the 1199 A.D. "Asahel Grant" Ms. does too, both being clearly Eastern Peshitta Ms, also the 1886 Mosul Edition Peshitta text does not have "of the world"....which begs the question...is the reading "of the World" actually an Eastern Peshitta reading?
3: Matthew 21:4
Khabouris Peshitta: has “all this happened” as does Younan, Etheridge, Murdock, Alexander, Pashka, and Lamsa. Martin has "This all took place". The Diatessaron of 165 A.D. also has the Peshitta reading. The Byzantine Greek (Greek Orthodox Church, Majority Greek Text, and the Textus Receptus) and The Latin Vulgate text has the Eastern Peshitta reading. The Mingana Ms. reads the same as the Khabouris text.
UBS Peshitto: has “this happened” as does *Younan's interlinear (see note), Bauscher, Magiera, *Roth, Jahn, and Werner.
The Curetonian text reads the same as the Western Peshitto does here. The Way International's ANT & MS. ADD 14453 (5th-6th century) does not have "K'uleh" (all) in it's text. The Alexandrian Greek text has the Western Peshitto reading.
*Note: Paul Younan has said that this is a mistake in his interlinear readings, and should have the Eastern reading of The Peshitta.
* Roth follows Paul Younan's mistaken Interlinear reading, as it was his base text.
4: Mark 14:31
Khabouris Peshitta: has “all the Disciples said” as does Younan, Etheridge, Murdock, Roth, Alexander, Pashka, Lamsa, and Martin. The Way International's ANT & MS. ADD 14453 (5th-6th century) has "T'almiyd'e" (the Disciples). The Diatessaron of 165 A.D. also has the Peshitta reading. Neither the Latin Vulgate or any Greek version has "the Disciples", nor do they have "my Lord" in this verse, as does both the Eastern and Western forms of the Aramaic NT. The Diatessaron though, has the Peshitta text's reading "my Lord". The Mingana Ms. reads the same as the Khabouris text.
UBS Peshitto: has "they all said" as does Bauscher, Magiera, Jahn, and Werner, lacking "the Disciples". The Syriac Sinaitic Palimpsest (Old Scratch) and The Curetonian versions have "and so all of them also said".
5: Luke 22:17
Khabouris Peshitta: Younan, Magiera, Roth, and Martin, don’t have this verse. Neither does the Syriac Sinaitic Palimpsest (Old Scratch) or the Curetonian. The Way International's ANT & MS. ADD 14453 (5th-6th century) does not have it. The Diatessaron of 165 A.D. also lacks the reading. The Mingana Codex doesn't have it.
UBS Peshitto: Bauscher, Etheridge, [Murdock], Alexander, Pashka, Lamsa, *Jahn, and Werner, has it. All Greek versions and the Latin Vulgate has this verse.
(*Herb Jahn has a note for this verse which says, "not in the Aramaic", yet he has it translated.)
6: Luke 22:18
Khabouris Peshitta: Younan, Magiera, Roth, and Martin, don’t have this verse. Neither does the Syriac Sinaitic Palimpsest (Old Scratch) or the Curetonian. The Way International's ANT & MS. ADD 14453 (5th-6th century) does not have it. The Diatessaron of 165 A.D. also lacks the reading. The Mingana Ms. doesn't have it.
UBS Peshitto: Bauscher, Etheridge, [Murdock], Alexander, Pashka, Lamsa, *Jahn, and Werner, has it. All Greek versions and the Latin Vulgate has this verse.
(*Herb Jahn has a note for this verse which says, "not in the Aramaic", yet he has it translated.)
7: John 7:53
Khabouris Peshitta: Younan, Etheridge, and Roth, don't have it. Neither does the Syriac Sinaitic Palimpsest (Old Scratch) or the Curetonian. The Diatessaron of 165 A.D. also lacks the reading. The Mingana does not have it.
UBS Peshitto: Bauscher, Magiera, Murdock, Lamsa, Alexander, Pashka, Jahn, Werner, and Martin (citing Bauscher's notes), have it. The Way International's "The Aramaic New Testament" which uses MS ADD 14453 (5th-6th century) for the Gospel of John, shows this verse in [brackets]. The old Latin and the Latin Vulgate has it, as do the standard Greek texts, which the translations use, though many Greek Ms copies lack it.
8: John 8:1-11 (The story of the Woman caught in adultery)
Khabouris Peshitta: Younan, Etheridge and Roth, does not have it. Neither does the Syriac Sinaitic Palimpsest (Old Scratch) or the Curetonian versions. The Diatessaron of 165 A.D. also lacks the reading. Many Greek Ms copies lack it, and some have the passage in other places, such as John chapter 21 . The Mingana Ms. does not have it.
UBS Peshitto: Bauscher, Magiera, Murdock, Lamsa, Alexander, Pashka, *Jahn, Werner, and Martin, (citing Bauscher's notes), have it. The Way International's ANT which uses MS ADD 14453 (5th-6th century) for the Gospel of John, shows these verses in [brackets].
(*Herb Jahn has a note for this verse which says, "not in the Aramaic", yet he has it translated.) The old Latin and the Latin Vulgate has this passage, some Greek Ms copies have it.
9: John 16:27
Khabouris Peshitta: has "from the presence of The Father" as does Younan, Etheridge, Murdock, Roth, Lamsa, Alexander and Martin. The Diatessaron of 165 A.D. has "from my Father". Alexandrian Greek versions have "from The Father". The Mingana Ms. reads the same as the Khabouris text.
UBS Peshitto: has "from the presence of God" as does Magiera, Bauscher, Pashka, Jahn, and Werner, who has "from next-to God". The Curetonian version has "from God" as does The Way International's ANT & MS. ADD 14453 (5th-6th century). Byzantine Greek versions and the Latin Vulgate text, have "from God".
10: Acts 3:6
Khabouris Peshitta: reads, "...of our Lord Eshu' M'Shikha..." Etheridge, Murdock, Lamsa, Pashka (and shows the variant in brackets), Martin, and Alexander, have the Eastern Peshitta reading. The 1199 Ashael Grant Mss has the Khabouris reading, as does the Mingana Codex, and the 1886 Mosul Peshitta.
UBS Peshitto: reads, "...of Eshu' M'Shikha..." Roth, Bauscher, Werner, The Way, Magiera, and Jahn, and MSS 14473 (Jacobite), have the Western reading. Paul Younan's Interlinear text shows the Western reading for some reason.
11: Acts 8:37
Khabouris Peshitta: Younan, Etheridge, Magiera, Roth, and Martin, don’t have it. The Way International's ANT & MS. ADD 14473 (5th-6th century) does not have it. The Mingana does not have it.
UBS Peshitto: Bauscher, [Murdock], Alexander, Pashka, Lamsa, *Jahn, and Werner, have it.
(*Herb Jahn has a note for this verse which says, "not in the Aramaic", yet he has it translated.)
12: Acts 15:34
Khabouris Peshitta: Younan, Etheridge, Magiera, Roth, and Martin, don’t have it. The Way International's ANT & MS. ADD 14473 (5th-6th century) does not have it. The Mingana Ms. does not have it.
UBS Peshitto: Bauscher, *[Murdock], Alexander, Pashka, Lamsa, *Jahn, and Werner, have it.
(*Murdoch has this note: “this verse is removed to the margin in the editions of the British and Foreign Bible Society.”)
(*Herb Jahn has a note for this verse which says, "not in the Aramaic", yet he has it translated.)
13: Acts 18:23
Khabouris Peshitta: reads "...in the regions of Phrygia and of Galatia." as does Etheridge, Murdock, Roth, Pashka, Alexander, and Lamsa. Also, the 1199 (Ashael Grant MS.), the Mingana MS., the 1846 Urmia printed Peshitta text, and the 1886 printed Peshitta text has the same reading as the Khabouris does here.
UBS Peshitto: reads "...in the regions of Galatia and of Phrygia." as does Bauscher, Magiera, The Way International, Werner, Martin, and Jahn. Also, MS. 14473 has this reading, which seems to be the source for the UBS text, as I have seen it match up many times against the Eastern text's readings. It is a Western "Jacobite" text, not the Eastern Peshitta text.
14: Acts 20:28
Khabouris Peshitta: reads "...the Church of M'shikha... as does Etheridge, Roth, *Alexander, Lamsa, and Martin, have the Eastern reading. The Mingana reads as the Khabouris does.
UBS Peshitto: reads "...the Church of Alaha..." as does Bauscher, Magiera, Pashka, Murdock, Jahn, and Werner, have the Western reading. The Way International's ANT & MS. ADD 14473 (5th-6th century) has the Western reading.
(*Victor Alexander has this reading “…to shepherd the church of Jesus Christ, that which he established by his blood.”)
15: Acts 21:13
Khabouris Peshitta: reads "...Eshu' M'shikha." at the end of the verse. Etheridge, Murdock, *Roth, **Pashka, Alexander Martin, and Lamsa have it as the Khabouris does. Also The 1199 Ashael Grant MS, The Mingana MS, The 1886 printed Peshitta text, and The 1846 Urmia printed Peshitta text has it as The Khabouris MS does.
*Roth has the same Eastern Peshitta reading here as Murdock, since he revised Murdock's translation, but, his Aramaic text to the right in his editions have the UBS reading, since he revised the UBS Peshitto text, while leaving a number of Western readings in...like this one. His note says as much.
**Pashka has the Eastern Peshitta reading in his translation, but, his Aramaic text, which I believe is the UBS edited to some degree, has the Western Peshitto reading.
UBS Peshitto: reads "...Eshu'." at the end of the verse. Bauscher, Magiera, The Way International, Werner, and Jahn, have it as the UBS does. Also MSS 14473 (Jacobite) has the UBS reading. The Greek texts match the UBS Peshitto text.
16: Acts 26:28
Khabouris Peshitta: reads "...King Agrippa said..." as does Etheridge, Murdock, Lamsa, Martin, Alexander, *Roth, **Pashka. The 1199 Grant MS, The Mingana MS, the 1846 Urmia Peshitta, and the 1886 Peshitta, all agree with the Khabouris.
* Roth has the same reading as Murdock here, though his interlinear (UBS with edits) has the Western Peshitto reading still there.
** Pashka has the Eastern Peshitta reading in his translation, while his Aramaic text has the UBS reading.
UBS Peshitto: reads ..."Agrippa said..." as does Bauscher, Magiera, The Way International, Werner, and Jahn. The UBS follows MS 14473, which is a Jacobite (Syrian Orthodox Church) MS. The Way International's Aramaic text is taken from the same MS 14473.
17: Acts 28:29
Khabouris Peshitta: Etheridge, Magiera, Roth, and Martin, don’t have it. The Way International's ANT & MS. ADD 14473 (5th-6th century) doesn't have it. The Mingana Ms. does not have it.
UBS Peshitto: Bauscher, *Murdock, Alexander, Pashka, Lamsa, *Jahn, and Werner, have it.
(*Murdoch notes, “this verse 29 is not in the MS., nor in any of the earlier editions: and the later editions place it in the margin.”)
(*Herb Jahn has a note for this verse which says, "not in the Aramaic", yet he has it translated.)
18: 1 Corinthians 16:24
Khabouris Peshitta: reads "...in M’shikha Eshu’ Amiyn." the same as the Byzantine Greek text form, as does Etheridge, Murdock, Roth, Lamsa, Norton, Alexander, Martin. Also The Mingana Codex has the same reading as the Khabouris, and the other Eastern Peshitta Manuscript I can see, from 1199, given to the English Protestant Missionary Asahel Grant, by Mar Abraham, The Patriarch/Catholicos of The Church of the East, has the same reading as the Khabouris.
UBS Peshitto: reads "...in M’shikha Eshu’." the same as the Alexandrian Greek text form, as does Bauscher, Magiera, Werner, Jahn, Also, MS ADD. 14475 (5th-6th century), as well as The Way International's translation of it's text has this reading.
19: 2nd Corinthians 13:1
Khabouris Peshitta: reads "...three times that I'm ready to come unto you." as does Roth, Murdock, Etheridge, Lamsa, Norton, *Alexander, and **Martin
* Victor Alexander's version reads "...three seasons that I have desired to come to you." The Mingana reads the same as the Khabouris text.
** Lonnie Martin's version reads "...the third time that I have prepared to come to you. As does Roth's and Murdock's version.
UBS Peshitto: reads "...three times that I come unto you." as does Bauscher, Jahn, Werner, Magiera, and The Way International
20: Galatians 6:17
Khabouris Peshitta: reads "Our Lord Eshu' M'shikha" as does Roth, Etheridge, Murdock, Norton, Alexander, Martin, and Lamsa. The Mingana reads the same as the Khabouris text.
UBS Peshitto: reads "Our Lord Eshu' " as does Magiera, Bauscher, Jahn, and Werner. The Way International's translation and MS. ADD. 14475 (5th-6th century) has the Peshitto reading.
21: Ephesians 1:8
Khabouris Peshitta: reads "of The Spirit" at the end of the verse, as does Etheridge; where Roth, Murdock, Lamsa, and Martin, all have ("Spiritual") and Norton has ("the Spirit's") and Alexander has ("of Spirit"). The Mingana reads the same as the Khabouris text.
UBS Peshitto: doesn't have any mention of "Spirit" or "Spiritual" in the text, nor does Magiera, Bauscher, Jahn, and Werner. The Way International's ANT & MS. ADD 14475 (5th-6th century) doesn't have it.
22: Ephesians: 1:15
Khabouris Peshitta: reads "all the Holy Ones" as does Etheridge, Murdock, Roth, Lamsa, Norton, Alexander, Martin, and even Bauscher (though his Interlinear Aramaic text and word for word translation has the Western Peshitto reading). The Mingana reads the same as the Khabouris text.
UBS Peshitto: reads "the Holy Ones" as does Magiera, Jahn, and Werner. The Way International's TANT & MS. ADD 14475 (5th-6th century), have the Western reading.
23: 2nd Thessalonians 3:18
Khabouris Peshitta: reads "all of you, my brothers; Amen." as does Roth, Etheridge, Alexander, Norton, and Murdock. The Way International's TANT & MS. ADD 14475 (5th-6th century), has the Eastern reading. The Mingana has the same reading as the Khabouris text.
UBS Peshitto: reads “all of you; Amen." as does Lamsa, Bauscher, Magiera, Jahn, Martin, and Werner.
24: Philemon 1:25
Khabouris Peshitta: has "be with your spirit, my brothers; Amen." as does Roth, Etheridge, Murdock, Norton, and Alexander. The Mingana reads the same as the Khabouris text.
UBS Peshitto: has "be with your spirit; Amen." as does Magiera, Bauscher, Lamsa, Jahn, Martin, and Werner. The Way International's ANT & MS. ADD 14475 (5th-6th century), which doesn't have "my Brothers".
25: Hebrews 2:9
Khabouris Peshitta: Roth, Lamsa, and *Martin, have the Eastern reading. The Mingana Ms. has the Eastern reading. "who independently from God, for all men tasted death".
UBS Peshitto: Bauscher, Magiera, Murdock, *Alexander, Norton, Etheridge, Jahn, and Werner, have the Western reading.
While The Way International's ANT & MS. ADD 14475 (5th-6th century), has the Western reading, it's odd that the text agrees with the Khabouris readings in the other places in the verse where the Khabouris varies with the UBS text.
(* Victor Alexander has this reading: “He is, then, very little like the angels, for we have seen that He is Eashoa because of the Passion of His death, and the glory and honor that was consecrated on His head is, therefore, imposed by God in tasting death on behalf of every human being.”)
* Lonnie Martin has a strange reading here, which doesn't line up with what is actually in the text itself. "9 But now we see Someone who was made slightly inferior to the spirit messengers, ‘namely’ Yeshua Himself, crowned with majesty and honor, because He suffered death. Due to YHVH’s mercy, He could ‘experience’ death for everyone."
26: Hebrews 2:16
Khabouris Peshitta: Etheridge, Roth, Murdock, Magiera, Alexander, Norton, Lamsa, and Martin, all have the Eastern reading. The Mingana has the Eastern reading.
UBS Peshitto: Bauscher, Jahn, and Werner, have the Western reading. The Way International's ANT & MS. ADD 14475 (5th-6th century), has the Western reading, exactly as the UBS text reads.
27: James 3:10
Khabouris Peshitta: has "curses and blessings" as does Etheridge, Roth, Murdock, Norton, Alexander, Lamsa, and Martin, which is a unique reading only found in the Eastern Aramaic text. The Mingana reads the same as the Khabouris text.
UBS Peshitto: has "blessings and curses" as does Bauscher, Magiera, Jahn, and Werner, which aligns with the Greek and Latin reading. The Way International's ANT & MS. ADD 14473 (5th-6th century), has the Western reading.
So Informative! Thank You 👍🏿👍
ReplyDeleteWhere can one get the eastern reading in english?
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