Textual variants in the Gospel of Luke are the subject of the study called textual criticism of the New Testament. Textual variants in manuscripts arise when a copyist makes deliberate or inadvertent alterations to a text that is being reproduced. An abbreviated list of textual variants in this particular book is given in this article below.
Most of the variations are not significant and some common alterations include the deletion, rearrangement, repetition, or replacement of one or more words when the copyist's eye returns to a similar word in the wrong location of the original text. If their eye skips to an earlier word, they may create a repetition (error of dittography). If their eye skips to a later word, they may create an omission. They may resort to performing a rearranging of words to retain the overall meaning without compromising the context. In other instances, the copyist may add text from memory from a similar or parallel text in another location. Otherwise, they may also replace some text of the original with an alternative reading. Spellings occasionally change. Synonyms may be substituted. A pronoun may be changed into a proper noun (such as "he said" becoming "Jesus said"). John Mill's 1707 Greek New Testament was estimated to contain some 30,000 variants in its accompanying textual apparatusAdam Fox, John Mill and Richard Bentley: A Study of the Textual Criticism of the New Testament 1675–1729 (Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1954), pp. 105–115; John Mill, Novum Testamentum Graecum, cum lectionibus variantibus MSS (Oxford 1707) which was based on "nearly 100 [Greek] manuscripts."Metzger and Ehrman (2005), p.154 Peter J. Gurry puts the number of non-spelling variants among New Testament manuscripts around 500,000, though he acknowledges his estimate is higher than all previous ones.Peter J. Gurry, "The Number of Variants in the Greek New Testament: A Proposed Estimate" New Testament Studies 62.1 (2016), p. 113
Scholars find that many textual variants in the narratives of the Nativity of Jesus (Luke 2, as well as Matthew 1–2) and the Finding in the Temple (Luke 2:41–52) involve deliberate alterations such as substituting the words 'his father' with 'Joseph', or 'his parents' with 'Joseph and his mother'. Alexander Globe (1980) concluded 'that most of the non-Neutral readings under consideration were introduced to remove inconsistencies between the biblical narratives and abstract doctrinal statements concerning the virginity of Mary.'
Legend
Textual variants
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Luke 1:28 καὶ εἰσελθὼν πρὸς αὐτὴν εἶπεν Χαῖρε, κεχαριτωμένη, ὁ Κύριος μετὰ σοῦ. (and [he] went to her and said: "Greetings, favoured one, the lord is with you.") – Alexandrian text-type: Westcott and Hort 1881, Westcott and Hort / [NA27 and UBS4 variants], 1864–94, Nestle 1904 καὶ εἰσελθὼν πρὸς αὐτὴν ὁ ἄγγελος εἶπεν· χαῖρε, κεχαριτωμένη, ὁ κύριος μετὰ σοῦ. (and the angel went to her and said: "Greetings, favoured one, the lord is with you.") – Tischendorf 8th Edition Καὶ εἰσελθὼν ὁ ἄγγελος πρὸς αὐτὴν εἴπεν, Χαῖρε, κεχαριτωμένη· ὁ κύριος μετὰ σοῦ, εὐλογημένη σὺ ἐν γυναιξίν. (And the angel went to her and said: "Greetings, favoured one, the Lord is with you, you are blessed among women.") – Byz: Stephanus Textus Receptus 1550, Scrivener's Textus Receptus 1894, RP Byzantine Majority Text 2005, Greek Orthodox Church
Luke 1:29 ἡ δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ λόγῳ διεταράχθη, (and she was troubled at the words,) – Alexandrian text-type: Westcott and Hort 1881, Westcott and Hort / [NA27 and UBS4 variants], 1864–94, Tischendorf 8th Edition, Nestle 1904 Ἡ δὲ ἰδοῦσα διεταράχθη ἐπὶ τῷ λόγῳ αὐτοῦ, (And when she saw [him], she was troubled at his words,) – Byz: Stephanus Textus Receptus 1550, Scrivener's Textus Receptus 1894, RP Byzantine Majority Text 2005, Greek Orthodox Church
Luke 1:75 πάσαις ταῖς ἡμέραις ἡμῶν. (all our days) – Alexandrian text-type πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν. (all the days of our lives) – Byz
Luke 2:5 γυναικί (woman) – Byz omitted by Alexandrian text-type
Luke 2:7 φατνη (manger) – א A B D L W Θ Ξ 700 τη φατνη (the manger) – Ψ 053 f f Byz τω σπηλαιω φατνη (the cave's manger) – Origen (via Epiphanius)
Luke 2:9 καὶ ἄγγελος (and the angel) – Alexandrian text-type Καὶ ἰδού, ἄγγελος (And see, the angel) – Byz
εφοβηθησαν σφοδρα (they feared exceedingly) – Β εφοβηθησαν φοβον μεγαν (they feared with great fear) – א A D L Ψ 053 f f Byz εφοβηθησαν φοβον μεγαν σφοδρα (they feared with exceedingly great fear) – W cop
Luke 2:12 κείμενον (lying) – omitted by Tischendorf 8th Edition
Luke 2:14 εὐδοκίας (of good will or of favour – genitive) – Alexandrian text-type εὐδοκία (good will or favour – nominative) – Byzantine text-type
Luke 2:21 ἐπλήσθησαν (fulfilled) – א Β A L Ψ 053 f f Byz επληρωθησαν (finished) – Θ 33 συνετελέσθησαν (completed) – D cop
Luke 2:21 αυτον και εκληθη (and he was called) – א Β A L Ψ 053 f Βyz αυτον εκληθη (he was called) – Θ f 565 το παιδιον ωνομασθη (the child was called) – D
Luke 2:22 αὐτῶν – א, A, B, K, L, W, Δ, Θ, Ξ, Π, Ψ, 053 etc. αυτου – D, 2174, syr, cop αὐτῆς – 76 omit – 435, cop
Luke 2:27 τοὺς γονεῖς (the parents) – almost all manuscripts,Ehrman, The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture (1993), p. 56, 118. (e-book) including most Byzantine and Alexandrian ones omitted by a few late Greek manuscripts, including Minuscule 245, 1347, 1510, 2643 (Joseph and Mary) – Middle English, Tuscan, and Liège Diatessarons (13th–14th century) (they) – Venetian Diatessaron (Codex Marcianus 4975, 14th century)
Luke 2:33 καὶ ἦν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡ μήτηρ θαυμάζοντες (and his father and mother were amazed) – 01, B, D, L, W, 700, Vg, cop. Alexandrian text-type: Westcott and Hort 1881, Westcott and Hort / [NA27 and UBS4 variants], 1864–94, Nestle 1904. καὶ ἦν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ θαυμάζοντες (and his father and his mother were amazed) – Tischendorf 8th Edition καὶ ἦν Ἰωσὴφ καὶ ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ θαυμάζοντες (and Joseph and his mother were amazed) – A, K, X, Δ, Θ, Π, Ψ, 053, ƒ13, 28, 565, ... it syrph, h, pal(MSS), copbo(MSS), goth, Dia. Byz: Stephanus Textus Receptus 1550, Scrivener's Textus Receptus 1894, RP Byzantine Majority Text 2005, Greek Orthodox Church.
Luke 2:38 καὶ αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ (and at that hour) – א, A, B, D, L, W, Δ, Ξ, Ψ, 0130, 28, 33 καὶ αὕτη αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ (and at that hour she) – Θ, 053, f, f, Byz
Luke 2:40 ἐκραταιοῦτο (became strong) – Alexandrian text-type ἐκραταιοῦτο πνεύματι (became strong in spirit) – Byz
Luke 2:41 οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ (his parents) – almost all manuscripts, including most Byzantine and Alexandrian ones ὁ τε Ἰωσὴφ καὶ ἡ Μαριάμ (both Joseph and Mary) – 1012, a, b, g1, 1, r1, and some Diatessarons. (his mother) – it (Old Latin) manuscripts c and ff2 (his kinsfolk) – syrs, syrp, Arabic Diatessaron
Luke 2:42 ἀναβάντων αὐτῶν (they went up) – Alexandrian text-type ἀναβάντων αὐτῶν εἰς Ἰεροσόλυμα (they went up to Jerusalem) – Byz
Luke 2:43 οὐκ ἔγνωσαν οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ. (his parents didn't know it.) – Alexandrian text-type. 01, B, D, L, W, θ οὐκ ἔγνω Ἰωσὴφ καὶ ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ· (Joseph and his mother didn't know it.) – Byz. A, C, Ψ, 0130, ƒ13, it, syrp, h, copbo(MSS) E, Π, 565 (his kinfolk didn't know it.) – syrs
Luke 2:48 Ἰδού, ὁ πατήρ σου κἀγὼ ὀδυνώμενοι (ἐ)ζητοῦμεν σε. (Look, your father and I have been anxiously searching you.) – almost all manuscripts,Ehrman 1993, p. 55, 118. including most Byzantine and Alexandrian ones Ἰδού, οἱ σῠγγενεῖς σου κἀγὼ ὀδυνώμενοι (ἐ)ζητοῦμεν σε. (Look, your relatives and I have been anxiously searching you.) – Cvid, β, ε Οδυνώμενοι (ἐ)ζητοῦμεν σε. ([We] have been anxiously searching you.) – a, b, ff2, g2, 1, r1 Ἰδού, ἡμεῖς ὀδυνώμενοι (ἐ)ζητοῦμεν σε. (Look, we have been anxiously searching you.) – syrc
Luke 3:8 καὶ μὴ ἄρξησθε λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς (And do not begin to say to yourselves) – א, A, C, B [w], D, W, Δ, Ξ, θ, K, M, N, U, Δ, Λ, Π, 33, 157, 579, 28, 565, 700, 1071, 1424, u[w]t καὶ μὴ δόξητε λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς (And do not think to say to yourselves) – L, Ψ καὶ μὴ δόξησθε λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς (And do not think to yourself to say to yourselves) – Γ
Luke 4:17 ἀνοίξας (opened) – B, A, L, W, Ξ, 33, 892, 1195, 1241, ℓ 547, syr, h, pal, cop ἀναπτύξας (unrolled) – א, D, K, Δ, Θ, Π, Ψ, f, f, 28, 565, 700, 1009, 1010, 1071, 1079, 1216, 1230, 1242, 1253, 1344, 1546, 1646, 2148, 2174, Byz ἁπτύξας (touched) – D*
Luke 5:26 και εκστασις ελαβεν απαντας και εδοξαζον τον θεον (And ecstasy took hold of them all, and they were glorifying God) – omitted by D M S W X Ψ Ω* 13 69 118 124 157 174 205 209 579 788 1241 it
Luke 5:39 verse omitted by D it
Luke 6:4 Codex Bezae contains the following addition immediately after Luke 6:4.
Τη αυτη ημερα θεασαμενος τινα εργαζομενον τω σαββατω ειπεν αυτω ανθρωπε, ει μεν οιδας τι ποιεις, μακαριος ει ει δε μη οιδας, επικαταρατος και παραβατης ει του νομου. – D Eodem die videns quendam operantem sabbato et dixit illi: Homo, siquidem scis, quod facis, beatus es, si autem nescis, maledictus et trabaricator legis. – d On that same day, seeing someone working on the Sabbath, he (Jesus) said to him, "Man, if you know what you do, blessed are you; but if you do not know, you are cursed and a transgressor of the law."
Luke 7:7 διο ουδε εμαυτον ηξιωσα προς σε ελθειν (For this reason I did not deem myself worthy to come to you) – omitted by D 700* it syr
Luke 7:13 ο Ιησους (Jesus) – D W f 700 1241 it vg syr co ο κυριος (the lord) – rell
Luke 8:26 Γερασηνων (Gerasenes) – B D 0267 latt co Γεργεσηνων (Gergesenes) – א L X Θ Ξ f 22 33 157 579 700* 1241 1342 syr co arm geo Eusebius Epiphanius Γαδαρηνων (Gadarenes) – A R W Δ Ψ 0135 f 700 1071 Byz syr goth
Luke 8:43 ιατροις προσαναλωσασα ολον τομ βιον (and had spent all her living upon physicians) – omitted by B (D) 0279 syr co arm geo Origen. Generally omitted by Alexandrian text-type, but included by Byzantine text-type. Most scholars think that inclusions of this phrase in later manuscripts are probably a result of harmonisation attempts with Mark 5:26 rather than a Lukan rewriting of the Markan original, especially because προσαναλωσασα is a hapax legomenon. εἰς ἰατρούς προσαναλωσασα ολον τομ βιον (and had spent all her living to(wards) physicians) – Stephanus Textus Receptus 1550, Scrivener's Textus Receptus 1894
Luke 8:43 ἀπ’ οὐδενὸς ap’ oudenos ((away) from / because of no one) – Alexandrian text-type. ὑπ’ οὐδενὸς hup’ oudenos (under(neath) / by / through no one) – Byzantine text-type.
Luke 8:45 εἶπεν ὁ Πέτρος Ἐπιστάτα, οἱ ὄχλοι συνέχουσίν σε καὶ ἀποθλίβουσιν. (Peter said: 'Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you'.) – Alexandrian text-type. εἶπεν ὁ Πέτρος Ἐπιστάτα, οἱ ὄχλοι συνέχουσίν σε καὶ ἀποθλίβουσιν. (Peter and those beside him said: 'Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you'.) – Tischendorf 8th Edition εἴπεν ὁ Πέτρος καὶ οἱ μετ’ αὐτοῦ, Ἐπιστάτα, οἱ ὄχλοι συνέχουσίν σε καὶ ἀποθλίβουσιν, καὶ λέγεις, Tίς ὁ ἁψάμενός μου; (Peter and those with him said: 'Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you, and you say: "Who touched me?") – Byzantine text-type.
Luke 8:48 Θυγάτηρ, ("Daughter,...") – Alexandrian text-type. Θάρσει, θύγατερ, ("Courage, daughter,...") – Byzantine text-type.
Luke 8:49 μηκέτι σκύλλε τὸν διδάσκαλον ("... do not trouble the teacher anymore.") – Alexandrian text-type. μὴ σκύλλε τὸν διδάσκαλον ("... do not trouble the teacher.") – Byzantine text-type.
Luke 8:51 οὐκ ἀφῆκεν εἰσελθεῖν τινα σὺν αὐτῷ εἰ μὴ Πέτρον καὶ Ἰωάνην καὶ Ἰάκωβον (he did not allow anybody to enter with him if not Peter and John and James) – Alexandrian text-type. οὐκ ἀφῆκεν εἰσελθεῖν οὐδένα, εἰ μὴ Πέτρον καὶ Ἰάκωβον καὶ Ἰωάννην, (he did not allow nobody to enter if not Peter and James and John) – Byzantine text-type.
Luke 8:54 αὐτὸς δὲ κρατήσας τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῆς (But he took her by the hand) – Alexandrian text-type.