Stichometric list in Codex Claromontanus (about A.D. 400).

A stichometric catalog ¹ thought to be from the third century is inserted between Philemon and Hebrews in Codex Claromontanus, a sixth-century Greek-Latin manuscript of the epistles of Paul. The catalog lacks Hebrews, Philippians, and 1 and 2 Thessalonians, but scholars generally suppose that these four books dropped out by an error of transcription, the scribe's eye jumping from the end of the word ephesious (Ephesians) to the end of ebraious (Hebrews). Strangely, the two epistles of Peter are listed as if they were epistles of Paul to Peter (ad Petrum). Some of the line totals given in the list cannot be right. The inclusion of such works as The Epistle of Barnabas and the Acts of Paul at the end of the catalog does not necessarily indicate that these were ever regarded as canonical books. Probably the list was made for the sake of the statistics, which would have been useful to scribes. Among other things, the number of lines would indicate the amount of paper, time, or money needed for the copying of each of the books.

The Latin text below is reproduced from Westcott's General Survey of the History of the Canon of the New Testament (London, 1870), appendix D.

NOTES

1. A "stichometry" is a table which gives the number of stichoi or lines of text (counting usually sixteen syllables as a line) for any series of books. This information was used by ancient scribes in quickly checking manuscripts for completeness.

2. The four books of the "Kings" refers to First and Second Samuel and First and Second Kings.

3. "Wisdom of Jesus" refers to Ecclesiasticus.

4. "Esdras" here evidently refers to both Ezra and Nehemiah.

5. The number of lines given for Second Corinthians is far too low. Probably the first digit has been lost in transcription.

6. The omission of Philippians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, and Hebrews is probably due to scribal error, the scribe's eye jumping from the end of the word ephesious (Ephesians) to the end of ebraious (Hebrews).