Western text-type
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The Western text-type is the term given to the predominant form of the New Testament text witnessed in the Old Latin translation from the Greek; and also in quotations from certain 2nd and 3rd Century Christian writers, including Cyprian, Tertullian and Irenaeus.
Only one Greek Uncial manuscript is considered to transmit a Western text for the four Gospels and the Book of Acts - the fifth century Codex Bezae; while the sixth century Codex Claromontanus is considered to transmit a Western text for the letters of Saint Paul, and is followed in this by two ninth century Uncials: F and G. Many "Western" readings are also found in the Old Syriac translations of the Gospels, the Sinaitic and the Curetonian, though opinions vary as to whether these versions can be considered witnesses to the Western text-type. A number of fragmentary early papyri from Egypt also have Western readings, P29, P38, P48 ; and in addition, Codex Sinaiticus is considered to be Western in the first eight chapters of John. The term "Western" is a bit of a misnomer because members of the Western text-type have been found in the Christian East, including Syria.
Compared to the Byzantine text-type, distinctive Western readings in the Gospels, are more likely to be abrupt in their Greek expression. Compared to the Alexandrian text-type distinctive Western readings in the Gospels are more likely display glosses, additional details, and instances where the original passages appear to be replaced with longer paraphrases. In distinction from both Alexandrian and Byzantine texts, the Western text-type consistently omits a series of eight short phrases from verses in the Gospel of Luke; the so-called Western non-interpolations. In at least two Western texts, the Gospels appear in a variant order: Matthew, John, Luke, Mark. The Western text of the Epistles of Paul - as witnessed in the Codex Claromontanus and uncials F and G - does not share the periphrasistic tendencies of the Western text in the Gospels and Acts, and it is not clear whether they should be considered to share a single text-type.
Although the Western text-type survives in relatively few witnesses, some of these are every bit as early as the earliest witnesses to the Alexandrian text type. Nevertheless, the majority of text critics consider the Western text in the Gospels to be characterised by periphrasis and expansion; and accordingly tend to prefer the Alexandrian readings. In the letters of St Paul, the counterpart Western text is more restrained, and a number of text critics regard it as the most reliable witness to the supposed original.
