Textual Criticism

Textual Criticism
The necessity of applying textual criticism to the books of the New Testament arises from two circumstances: none of the original documents is extant, and the existing copies differ from one another. The textual critic seeks to ascertain from the divergent copies which form of the text should be regarded as most nearly conforming to the original.The New Testament has been preserved in three major manuscript traditions:

1.the 4th century AD Alexandrian text-type;

2.the Western text-type, also very early but prone to paraphrase and other corruptions;

3.and the Byzantine text-type, which makes up around 95% of all manuscripts, the majority comparatively very late in the tradition.

Scholars regard the Alexandrian text-type as generally more authoritative and closest to the original when treating textual variations. Modern translations of the New Testament are based on these copies.

Distribution of Greek manuscripts by century: New Testament Manuscripts

Lectionaries
Papyri
Uncials
Minuscules
Uncials
Minuscules


QUESTION

IN WHAT YEAR THE PAPER WAS INVENTED?