Codex Colbertinus is a manuscript of the Latin New Testament. It contains the entirety of the New Testament and includes the Apocryphal Epistle to the Laodiceans. It is designated by 6 or c in the Beuron register of Latin New Testament manuscripts. [1] Using the study of comparative writing styles (palaeography), it has been assigned to the 11th or 12th century. [2] It was probably produced in southern France. [2] [1]
The manuscript is a codex (precursor to the modern book format), containing the text of the entire Latin New Testament including the Epistle to the Laodiceans [1] written on 146 folios (292 pages, sized 17.5 x 9.5cm). [1] The text is written in two columns of 40 lines in black ink. [1] There are decorations in red, green and blue ink, along with illustrations before each of the four gospels. [1]
Before each gospel and Acts are Prologues and chapter lists, with all the other books only having Prologues. [1] Following the book of Acts is a note regarding the apocryphal Passion of Peter and Paul , similar to that seen in Codex Complutensis I. [1]
Its version of the four Gospels and Book of Acts follows the Old Latin, while the rest of the New Testament follows the Vulgate. [3] Thus the codex represents a mixed form of the Latin New Tesament text. It is generally a European Old Latin text, named Itala, strongly interpolated by Afra. Both text were contaminated by Jerome's Vulgate. [2] [3]
In Matthew 27:38, the two robbers who were crucified on either side of Jesus are named as Zoatham (right-hand) and Camma (left-hand), [4] but in Mark 15:27 they are named 'Zoatham and Chammatha. [5] [2] : 270
The earliest history of the manuscript is unknown. The text of the codex was edited by scholar Johannes Belsheim in 1888, scholar Heinreich Vogels in 1953, and by Jülicher. [3] The manuscript is currently housed at the National Library of France (shelf number Latin 254) in Paris. [2] [3]
Tunc crucifixerunt cum eo duo latrones, unus a dextris nomine Zoatham et unus a sinistris nomine Camma,
Et crucifixerunt cum eo duos latrones, unum a dextris nomine Zoatban et alium a sinistris nomine Chammatba.