The Pericope de Adultera

I. Introouction & Lelinition

A. 1Le pericope oe aoultera is tLe oisputeo text ol [oLn 7:53-8:11. It is one ol tLe most signilicant problem texts in tLe
Mev 1estament.
b. CtLer signilicant problem texts.
1. 1Le eno ol tLe gospel ol MarL. 1Lere are lour separate enoings lor MarL in tLe manuscript evioence available
tooay. 1Le sLort enoing (v.8), tLe intermeoiate enoing, tLe long enoing (v.20), ano tLe long, expanoeo enoing.
2. The Comma Johanneum is tLe oisputeo passage (1
st
[n. 5:7,8) tLat Lrasmus Lnev oiont belong in tLe text.
II. 1Le 1extual Lvioence against [oLn 7:53-8:11.
1

A. 1Le account is lacLing in tLe earliest existing CreeL manuscripts.
1. It is lacLing in p

p
75
b L M 1 V X 33 157 55 892 1241 lam. 1424.
2. Cooexes A & C are oelective at tLis point, but it is LigLly probable tLat neitLer containeo tLe section, lor tLere
voulo not Lave been space enougL on tLe missing leaves to incluoe it along vitL tLe rest ol tLe text.
3. 1Le earliest CreeL mss. Lnovn to contain tLe passage is cooex bezae (L), ol tLe liltL, or sixtL century, ano is
oineo by several Clo Latin manuscripts (b c e ff
2
j). 1Le pericope appears to be a piece ol lloating traoition
vLicL circulateo in certain parts ol tLe Vestern cLurcL. It vas subsequently inserteo into various manuscripts at
various places.
a. Most scribes tLougLt tLat it voulo interrupt [oLns narrative least il it vere inserteo alter 7:52 (L L I C H K
M S L 28 579 700 1579 &c.).
b. AnotLer placeo it alter 7:3 (ms. 225).
c. CtLers placeo it alter 21:24 (lam.1: 1 118 131 209; 107 1570 1582).
o. 1Le Clo Ceorgian revision ol 11
tL
cent., alter [n. 7:44.
e. Alter LuLe 21:38 (lam.13: 13 9 124 230 et al); or LuLe 24:53 (1333).
l. Several mss. marLeo tLe passage vitL an obelus ( or ) (S), or an asterisL (L M ).
g. A lev mss. aooeo tLe voros tLat [esus vrote in tLe oirt (tLe sins ol eacL ol tLem).
b. Ancient translations ol tLe Mev 1estament are also lacLing tLe passage.
1. 1Le Clo Syriac ano tLe Arabic lorm ol 1atians Liatessaron betray no Lnovleoge ol tLe passage, nor is it
containeo in tLe best manuscripts ol tLe FesLitta.
2. 1Le olo Coptic cLurcLes oio not incluoe it in tLeir bible, lor tLe SaLioic, sub-AcLmimic, ano tLe oloer boLairic
manuscripts lacL it.
3. Armenian manuscripts, Clo Ceorgian versions, tLe CotLic version ano several Clo Latin manuscripts (a f l` q)
omit tLe story.
C. Mo CreeL CLurcL IatLer lor a tLousano years alter CLrist relers to tLe pericope.
1. 1Lis incluoes even tLose vLo, liLe Crigen, CLrysostoam, ano Monnus, oealt vitL tLe entire Cospel verse by
verse.
2. LutLymius Zigabenus, vLo liveo in tLe lirst part ol tLe 12
tL
century, is tLe lirst CreeL vriter to comment on tLe
passage, ano even Le oeclares tLat tLe accurate copies ol tLe Cospel oo not contain it.
L. Larly Latin CLurcL IatLers oio not quote it: Irenaus, 1ertullian, & Cyprian. 1ertullian & Cyprian oio vrite
specilically on aoultery, but oio not relerence tLis passage.
L. Internal evioence lrom tLe text
1. 1Le style ano vocabulary ol tLe pericope oiller marLeoly lrom tLe rest ol [oLn. 14 out ol 82 vocabulary voros in
tLe section are unoLannine. Also, tLe use ol Los as a temporal conunction ratLer tLan [oLns usual oun.
2. 1Le pericope interrupts tLe sequence ol 7:52 ano 8:12ll.
III. 1extual evioence lor [oLn 7:53-8:11
2

A. 1Le passage is louno in a maority ol existing CreeL manuscripts.
b. It is easier to compreLeno tLat a tvelve verse section ol Scripture voulo be oeleteo by a scribe, tLan it is to
compreLeno a tvelve verse section ol Scripture being inserteo by a scribe.
C. Mev 1estament text variants appear to Lave early attestation. 1Le maority ol variants appeareo in tLe lirst tvo
Lunoreo years ol transmission.
L. VLile it is true tLat tLe FessLita omitteo [oLn 7:53-8:11, it also omitteo 2
no
Feter, 2
no
& 3
ro
[oLn, [uoe, & Revelation!
L. Many Latin CLurcL IatLers quoteo it.

1
Material taken directly from Bruce M. Metzger, The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration,
3
rd
edition, Oxford University Press, 1992.
2
Taken from Zane Hodges, BibSac Vol. 136 #544 Oct-Dec 1979.
Yehoshua
[ ]
A lev mss. aooeo tLe voros tLat [esus vrote in tLe oirt (tLe sins ol eacL ol tLem). Yehoshua Yehoshua
Alter LuLe 21:38 (lam.13: 13 9 124 230 et al); or LuLe 24:53 (1333). et al et al
). 1Le pericope appears to be a piece ol lloating traoition
vLicL circulateo in certain parts ol tLe Vestern cLurcL. It vas subsequently inserteo into various manuscripts at
various places.
8:11. 1Le 1extual Lvioence against [oLn 7:53-8:11.
1Le account is lacLing in tLe earliest existing CreeL manuscripts.
Cooexes A & C are oelective at tLis point, but it is LigLly probable tLat neitLer containeo tLe section, lor tLere
voulo not Lave been space enougL on tLe missing leaves to incluoe it along vitL tLe rest ol tLe text.
p

p
75
It is lacLing in b L M 1 V X 33 157 55 892 1241 lam. 1424.
Ancient translations ol tLe Mev 1estament are also lacLing tLe passage.
1Le Clo Syriac ano tLe Arabic lorm ol 1atians Liatessaron betray no Lnovleoge ol tLe passage, nor is it
containeo in tLe best manuscripts ol tLe FesLitta.
1Le olo Coptic cLurcLes oio not incluoe it in tLeir bible, lor tLe SaLioic, sub-AcLmimic, ano tLe oloer boLairic
manuscripts lacL it.
Armenian manuscripts, Clo Ceorgian versions, tLe CotLic version ano several Clo Latin manuscripts (a f l` q)
omit tLe story.
Mo CreeL CLurcL IatLer lor a tLousano years alter CLrist relers to tLe pericope.
1Lis incluoes even tLose vLo, liLe Crigen, CLrysostoam, ano Monnus, oealt vitL tLe entire Cospel verse by
verse.
benus, vLo liveo in tLe lirst part ol tLe 12
tL
LutLymius Zigabenus, vLo liveo in tLe lirst part ol tLe 12 century, is tLe lirst CreeL vriter to comment on tLe
passage, ano even Le oeclares tLat tLe accurate copies ol tLe Cospel oo not contain it.
Larly Latin CLurcL IatLers oio not quote it: Irenaus, 1ertullian, & Cyprian. 1ertullian & Cyprian oio vrite
specilically on aoultery, but oio not relerence tLis passage.
1Le pericope interrupts tLe sequence ol 7:52 ano 8:12ll.
1Le style ano vocabulary ol tLe pericope oiller marLeoly lrom tLe rest ol [oLn. 14 out ol 82 vocabulary voros in
tLe section are unoLannine. Also, tLe use ol Los as a temporal conunction ratLer tLan [oLns usual oun.
Internal evioence lrom tLe text
1Le earliest CreeL mss. Lnovn to contain tLe passage is cooex bezae (L), ol tLe liltL, or sixtL century, ano is
b c e ff
2
b c e ff b c e ff j oineo by several Clo Latin manuscripts (b c e ff
2
j). 1Le pericope appears to be a piece ol lloating traoition jj
1Le Clo Ceorgian revision ol 11
tL
1Le Clo Ceorgian revision ol 11 cent., alter [n. 7:44.
CtLers placeo it alter 21:24 (lam.1: 1 118 131 209; 107 1570 1582).
AnotLer placeo it alter 7:3 (ms. 225).
Most scribes tLougLt tLat it voulo interrupt [oLns narrative least il it vere inserteo alter 7:52 (L L I C H K
M S L 28 579 700 1579 &c.).
is tLe oisputeo passage (1
st
[n. 5:7,8) tLat Lrasm The Comma Johanneum is tLe oisputeo passage (1 [n. 5:7,8) tLat Lrasmus Lnev oiont belong in tLe text.
1Le pericope oe aoultera is tLe oisputeo text ol [oLn 7:53-8:11. It is one ol tLe most signilicant problem texts in tLe
Mev 1estament.
CtLer signilicant problem texts.
Ambrose at Milan (374) quotes it at least nine times; as vell as Augustine in MortL Alrica (39) about tvice
as olten. It is quoteo besioes by Facian, in tLe nortL ol Spain (370),by Iaustus tLe Alrican (400),by
Rulinus ol Aquilea (400),by CLrysologus at Ravenna (433),by Seoulius a Scot (434). It is relerreo to by
Victorius or Victorinus (475),by Vigilius ol 1apsus (484) in MortL Alrica,by Celasius, bp. ol Rome
(492),by Cassiooorus in SoutLern Italy,by Cregory tLe Creat, ano by otLer latLers ol tLe Vestem
CLurcL (burgon, Causes of Corruption, pp. 247-48).
I. [erome incluoeo tLe passage in tLe latin Vulgate, ano noteo tLat (ca. 420), in tLe Cospel accoroing to [oLn in many
manuscripts, botL CreeL ano Latin, is louno tLe story ol tLe aoulterous voman vLo vas accuseo belore tLe Loro.
[erome, 1Le Lialogue against tLe Felagians (2.17).
C. Augustine (ca. 430) vas ol tLe opinion tLat certain manuscripts vere lacLing tLe passage because it vas oeliberately
removeo. certain persons ol little laitL, or ratLer enemies ol tLe true laitL, learing, I suppose, lest tLeir vives sLoulo
be given impunity in sinning, removeo lrom tLeir manuscripts tLe Loros act ol lorgiveness tovaro tLe aoulteress, as
il He vLo Lao saio sin no more Lao granteo permission to sin. Augustine, Aoulterous Marriages (2.7)
IV. 1Le eoitorial opinion ol various mooern LnglisL translators:
A. MIV bible: [1Le earliest ano most reliable manuscripts oo not Lave [oLn 7:53-8:11|.
b. MASb bible: [oLn 7:53-8:11 is not louno in most ol tLe olo mss.
C. 1Le Ryrie Stuoy bible: 1Lis story, tLougL probably autLentic, is omitteo in many mss. ano may not Lave
been originally a part ol tLis gospel.
L. 1Le Mev American bible, St. [osepL Loition: 1Le story ol tLe aoulteress is missing lrom tLe best early CreeL MSS.
VLere it ooes appear, it is louno in oillerent places in oillerent MSS: Lere; or alter [n. 7:3; or at tLe eno ol tLis
gospel; or alter LL. 21:38. It seems to Lave been preserveo largely in Vestern ano Latin circles. 1Lere are many
non-[oLannine leatures in tLe language, ano tLere are also many ooubtlul reaoings. It appears in [eromes Vulgate.
Hovever, it is certainly out ol place Lere; it lits better vitL tLe general situation in LL. 21:38. 1Le CatLolic CLurcL
accepts it as inspireo Scripture.
L. 1Le MIV Stuoy bible (Zonoervan Stuoy bible): [1Le earliest manuscripts ano many otLer ancient vitnesses oo not
Lave [oLn 7:53-8:11|. 1Lis story may not Lave belongeo originally to tLe Cospel ol [oLn. It is absent
lrom almost all tLe early manuscripts, ano tLose tLat Lave it sometimes place it elsevLere (e.g., alter LL. 21:38). but
tLe story may vell be autLentic.
I. Mev Scolielo Stuoy bible: AltLougL [oLn 7:53-8:11 is not louno in some ancient manuscripts, tLe immeoiate
context, beginning vitL CLrists oeclaration, I am tLe ligLt ol tLe vorlo (8:12) seems clearly to Lave its occasion in
tLe conviction createo in tLe Learts ol tLe FLarisees as recoroeo in 8:9, ano also Lelps to explain tLe FLarisees voros
in 8:41. It is tLerelore to be consioereo a genuine part ol tLe Cospel.
V. Summarizing 1LougLts on tLe Inspiration ol Scripture, tLe Inerrancy ol tLe original manuscripts, ano tLe inevitable
errors in tLe oescenoant manuscripts.
A. Scripture is Coo-breatLeo. It is tLe vorL ol Coo, ano not tLe vorL ol man (2
no
1im. 3:1).
b. Coos vorLs are never tLvarteo by Luman limitations ano lailures ([ob 23:13; 42:2; Isa. 14:27; 4:10; Lan. 4:35).
C. Mo textual variation allects any ooctrine ol tLe CLurcL. 1Le same ortLooox lunoamental CLristianity is preacLeo by
laitLlul pastors using tLe 1extus Receptus, tLe Maority 1ext, tLe Critical 1ext, or tLe reasoneo ecclectic approacL
to textual criticism.

bibSac vol.95 #377 [an. 1938
Fart 4 bibliology Levis Sperry CLaler
II. Inspiration 4. Ceneral Cbections to Verbal Flenary Inspiration
1Le claim lor verbal, plenary inspiration is maoe only lor tLe original vritings ano ooes not exteno to any transcriptions
or translations. It is also true tLat no original manuscript is nov available. Maturally, tLese lacts give rise to tLe query as to
vLetLer tLe present existing translations-notably tLe text vitL vLicL one is most lamiliar-is really trustvortLy. 1Lis problem
is vortLy ol serious consioeration ano Las receiveo tLe attention ol tLe greatest textual critics in all generations ol tLe cLurcL.
Lr. FLilip ScLall, CLairman ol tLe American Committee ol tLe Revisers, vrites: 1Lis multituoe ol various reaoings ol
tLe CreeL text neeo not puzzle or alarm any CLristian. It is tLe natural result ol tLe great vealtL ol our oocumentary
resources; it is a testimony to tLe immense importance ol tLe Mev 1estament; it ooes not allect, but ratLer insures, tLe
integrity ol tLe text; ano it is a uselul stimulus to stuoy. Cnly about 400 ol tLe 100,000 or 150,000 variations materially allect
tLe sense. Cl tLese, again, not more tLan about lilty are really important lor one reason or anotLer; ano even ol tLese lilty not
one allects an article ol laitL or a precept ol outy vLicL is not abunoantly sustaineo by otLer ano unooubteo passages, or by
tLe vLole tenor ol Scripture teacLing. 1Le 1extus Receptus ol StepLens, beza, ano Llzevir, ano ol our LnglisL Version, teacL
precisely tLe same CLristianity as tLe uncial text ol tLe Sinaitic ano Vatican manuscript, tLe oloest versions ano tLe Anglo-
American Revision.
Yah's
Yah Yah
And remember:
Wisdom Never Lies Inked To The Pages Coddled By A Book
But Yet Rather At Rest Supply About The Inside Of Open Minds
That Render The Confounds Thereof.
Seek And Ye Shall Find
Yea Unto Therefore
Read The Word of YHWH Ore And Ore ...
Extolling Ever Again
To Thine Be The Glory
Hallelu-YaH Awmane [Strongs #H543]
YHWH
YaH
{2 Timo-Theos 2:15}
Make every effort to Study diligently thineownself,
acceptable - being ready at hand before Eloheem,
a teacher that needs not to be ashamed,
preaching correctly the Word; the Truth.
Honor
IV. 1Le eoitorial opinion ol various mooern LnglisL translators:
A. MIV bible: [1Le earliest ano most reliable manuscripts oo not Lave [oLn 7:53-8:11|.
b. MASb bible: [oLn 7:53-8:11 is not louno in most ol tLe olo mss.
C. 1Le Ryrie Stuoy bible: 1Lis story, tLougL probably autLentic, is omitteo in many mss. ano may not Lave
been originally a part ol tLis gospel.
L. 1Le Mev American bible, St. [osepL Loition: 1Le story ol tLe aoulteress is missing lrom tLe best early CreeL MSS.
VLere it ooes appear, it is louno in oillerent places in oillerent MSS: Lere; or alter [n. 7:3; or at tLe eno ol tLis
gospel; or alter LL. 21:38. It seems to Lave been preserveo largely in Vestern ano Latin circles. 1Lere are many
non-[oLannine leatures in tLe la -- nguage, ano tLere are also many ooubtlul reaoings. It appears in [eromes Vulgate.
Hovever, it is certainly out ol place Lere; it lits better vitL tLe general situation in LL. 21:38. 1Le CatLolic CLurcL
accepts it as inspireo Scripture.
L. 1Le MIV Stuoy bible (Zonoervan Stuoy bible): [1Le earliest manuscripts ano many otLer ancient vitnesses oo not
Lave [oLn 7:53-8:11|. 1Lis story may not Lave belongeo originally to tLe Cospel ol [oLn. It is absent
lrom almost all tLe early manuscripts, ano tLose tLat Lave it sometimes place it elsevLere (e.g., alter LL. 21:38). but
tLe story may vell be autLentic.