Ancient Bible is recreated online

Last Modified: 24 Jul 2008
Source: PA News

One of the oldest copies of the Bible which has been scattered around the globe for more than a century is being made available online.

The Codex Sinaiticus will be available as a complete book for the first time since it was unearthed at a Monastery in Egypt in 1844, thanks to a £1 million online project.

The British Library has digitally reconnected the manuscript, which has been housed in libraries in the UK, Russia, Egypt and Germany.

The Book of Psalms and St Mark's Gospel will become the first parts of the Codex to be put online for public use, with the rest of the reconstructed document following in the next year.

The Codex Sinaiticus was put together in the Fourth Century AD after Roman emperor Constantine adopted Christianity as his official religion, and offers a version of the Scriptures that differ from later editions of the Bible.

St Mark's Gospel ends 12 verses before later versions, omitting the appearance of Jesus Christ resurrected.

"That's quite a big difference," said Juan Garces who curated the project for the British Library.

"It is unusual because in the other Gospels, you have the appearance of the risen Christ. You would read the Gospel of Mark differently. It shows how important this book is in studying Bible history."

Two religious works, the Epistle of St Barnabus and Shepherd of Hermas, are included that do not appear in later versions.

It will be available at www.Codexsinaiticus.org.

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