2 Corinthians 11:3

2 Corinthians 11:3 avpo. th/j a`plo,thtoj @kai. th/j a`gno,thtoj# {C}

In this set of variant readings the external evidence and the transcriptional probabilities are susceptible of quite diverse interpretations. On the one hand, assuming that the reading avpo. th/j a`plo,thtoj kai. th/j a`gno,thtoj (î⁴⁶ a* B G 33 451 it^{g, r, ar} syr^{h with *} cop^{sa, bo} goth eth) is original, scribal oversight occasioned by homoeoteleuton (&o,thtoj and &o,thtoj) can easily account for the readings avpo. th/j a`plo,thtoj (a<sup>c</sup> D<sup>c</sup> H K P Y 614 1739 Byz Lect vg syr<sup>p, h</sup> arm) and avpo. th/j a`gno,thtoj (Lucifer Ambrose Augustine Vigilius). It is more difficult to account for the reversed order of words in the reading avpo. th/j a`gno,thtoj kai. th/j a`plo,thtoj (D* it^d Epiphanius), although it may be the result of mere inattention on the part of copyists.

On the other hand, the several readings may also be interpreted as modifications of an original avpo. th/j a`plo,thtoj in the following manner. In order to explain a`plo,thtoj in terms of the marriage symbolism of ver. 2 Corinthians 11:2 (parqe,non a`gnh,n), in an early copy someone wrote a`gno,thtoj in the margin as a gloss, and later copyists introduced the word into the text, either before or after a`plo,thtoj. It is more difficult to account for the reading avpo. th/j a`gno,thtoj, although the witnesses (apparently all of them are patristic) may have had special interests that led them to quote only one part of the conflated text.

In view of the age and character of such witnesses as î⁴⁶ a* B 33, the Committee retained the longer reading in the text, but in deference to the testimony of a^c D^c H K P Y 614 1739 al they enclosed kai. th/j a`gno,thtoj within square brackets.