Romans 16:20

Romans 16:20 h` ca,rij tou/ kuri,ou h`mw/n VIhsou/ meqV u`mw/n {A}

The shorter form of the benediction (î⁴⁶ a B 1881) appears to be more primitive, for if Cristou/ (A C P Y 33 81 1739 Byz all versions) were present originally there seems to be no reason why a copyist should have deleted it, whereas the general tendency was to expand liturgical formulations. Several Western witnesses (D G it^{d*, g} Sedulius Scotus) transfer the benediction to follow ver. Romans 16:23, thus preventing the greetings of verses Romans 16:21-23 from having the appearance of being an afterthought. Other witnesses (P 33 104 256 263 436 1319 1837 syr^p arm) place ver. Romans 16:24 following Romans 16:27 (i.e. after the doxology), thus concluding the epistle with a benediction. If, however, it stood in this position originally, there is no good reason why it should have been moved earlier.