Comparison between Papyrus 75 and the Textus Receptus (TR)

Introduction: Papyrus 75 and the Textus Receptus

Papyrus 75 (𝔓75)

Date: c. AD 175–225 (one of the earliest known NT manuscripts).

Contents: Large portions of the Gospels of Luke and John.

Text-type: Alexandrian—closely aligned with Codex Vaticanus (B).

Significance: Provides a very early witness to the text of the Gospels; important for comparing how the New Testament was transmitted before later manuscript traditions like the Byzantine.

Textus Receptus (TR)

Date: Compiled in the early 16th century, chiefly by Erasmus (1516), and revised by Stephanus, Beza, and the Elzevir brothers.

Basis: A handful of late (12th–15th century) Byzantine manuscripts.

Role: Forms the Greek base of the King James Version (KJV).

Text-type: Byzantine, which generally reflects a smoother and fuller text with harmonizations.

Are Papyrus 75 and the TR Identical?

No. Papyrus 75 and the Textus Receptus are not identical—they often differ in readings, word order, omissions, and additions. Their differences arise from:

Manuscript age: 𝔓75 is 1,300 years earlier than the manuscripts behind the TR.

Textual tradition: 𝔓75 is Alexandrian; TR is Byzantine.

Editing: TR involved editorial choices and back-translations (e.g., Erasmus had to reconstruct missing Greek text from the Latin Vulgate).

Examples of Differences Between Papyrus 75 and TR. Here are some notable examples from the Gospel of Luke and John:

Passage	Papyrus 75 (Alexandrian)	TR (Byzantine)
Luke 2:33	“His father and mother”	“Joseph and his mother” (to protect virgin birth doctrine)
Luke 10:41	“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled...”	Same meaning, but TR has slight wording variation
Luke 11:4	“Forgive us our sins...”	“Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.”
John 1:18	“the only God, who is at the Father’s side”	“the only begotten Son”
John 3:13	“...the Son of Man”	“...the Son of Man who is in heaven” (Byzantine addition)
John 6:47	“Whoever believes has eternal life.”	“He who believes in me has eternal life.” (TR adds "in me")

These differences are not trivial—they reflect additions, harmonizations, and theological concerns that shaped the Byzantine tradition used in the TR.

Observations and Scholarly Consensus

𝔓75 supports the Alexandrian tradition, shared with Codex Vaticanus.

TR adds smoothing phrases, liturgical language, and theological clarifications that are often absent in earlier manuscripts.

Most differences are not doctrinally heretical but reflect how scribes and editors shaped the transmission of the text.

Conclusion

Papyrus 75 and the Textus Receptus represent two very different stages and traditions in the transmission of the New Testament:

𝔓75 is early, concise, and Alexandrian, likely closer to the original autographs.

TR is late, fuller, and Byzantine, influenced by centuries of church use and theological concerns.

While both are valuable, they are not identical, and anyone claiming that the TR represents the perfectly preserved original form must grapple honestly with the existence of early manuscripts like Papyrus 75 that differ significantly.