The New Testament

Texts circulated before there was a single bound New Testament

Early Christian communities copied and exchanged Gospels, letters, and other writings. Surviving manuscripts range from small papyrus fragments and individual books to large codices containing substantial collections.

Codex Sinaiticus

Codex Sinaiticus, generally dated to the middle of the fourth century, preserves the earliest complete copy of the Christian New Testament. It is also heavily corrected, making it unusually valuable for studying not just a biblical text but the history of copying, checking, and using that text.

Collection and canon were historical processes

Questions about which writings were read as Scripture developed across communities and centuries. The existence of an early manuscript containing a book tells us that the book was copied and valued in that context; it does not by itself tell the entire story of canon formation everywhere.