Philippians 1:1

Philippians 1:1 su.n evpisko,poij

Several witnesses, including B³ D^c K many minuscules it^r arm Chrysostom Euthalius Cassiodorus Theophylact, read sunepisko,poij (“fellow-bishops”). This reading, which arose no doubt from dogmatic or ecclesiastical interests, is to be rejected ¹ because (a) the construction would be imperfect, the sun& having no appropriate reference, and (b) the letter is obviously intended for the whole community (toi/j a`gi,oij … toi/j ou=sin evn Fili,ppoij (cf. Philippians 3:1; Philippians 4:1, and especially Philippians 4:15)).

¹ As already Theodore of Mopsuestia recognized (see quotation in Tischendorf’s apparatus in his 8th ed.).