Matthew 27:35

That It Might Be Fulfilled

KJV Reading Defended

And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

Why the KJV Reading Is Retained

The KJV’s fulfillment clause has a smaller Greek manuscript base than many traditional readings, but its support is ancient and diverse. It appears in Codex Bezae, Codex Θ, Codex Φ, additional Greek witnesses, Old Latin and Clementine Vulgate transmission, Syriac evidence, and Eusebius. That range demonstrates that the clause circulated long before the Textus Receptus.

Disputed unit

Presence of the fulfilment formula and the Psalm 22:18 quotation after “and parted his garments, casting lots”.

Short omitted phraseProphecy fulfillmentNot majority Greek supportLatin supportPatristic evidenceComplex evidence

Evidence assessment

The fulfilment clause stands in Sangallensis, Koridethi, Beratinus, 0233, 0250, Family 1, much of Family 13, ten further minuscules and lectionary 844, together with six Old Latin witnesses, the Syriac Harklean, Armenian, Georgian and mae-1. Eusebius quotes the whole clause and attributes it to Matthew in the early fourth century. Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Vaticanus, Bezae, Washingtonianus and the Byzantine tradition omit it.

Primary support for the KJV reading

Old Latin, Θ/Δ/Φ and early patristic support

King James Bible reading

And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

Open in Research Desk

Evidence sources

Where the evidence on this page comes from.

Sources used for the witnesses, readings, dates, and notes on this page. Complete citations appear in the References section at the end of the page.

Governing apparatus and count scope

Willker's selected Matthew apparatus with the primary transcription control for Matthew 27:35, which fixes the Greek sigla that PDF extraction distorts.

Full witness information

Earliest KJV-supporting evidence

The earliest reviewed support at a glance.

Early fourth century — Eusebius of Caesarea. Eusebius attests the fulfillment clause before the medieval period.

Earliest surviving Greek support: Fifth century — Codex D.

Primary support for the KJV reading

Old Latin, Θ/Δ/Φ and early patristic support

The sections below preserve each supporting, competing, and related record under its proper evidence type.

Source scope and denominator

Willker's selected Matthew apparatus with the primary transcription control for Matthew 27:35, which fixes the Greek sigla that PDF extraction distorts.

Greek support in the cited corpus

16 named Greek witnesses plus Family 1, much of Family 13 and lectionary 844

Greek competing evidence in the cited corpus

7 named Greek witnesses plus the Byzantine tradition

Principal competing witnesses named in the snapshot

Codex Sinaiticus (01)
Codex Alexandrinus (02)
Codex Vaticanus (03)
Codex Bezae (05)
Codex Washingtonianus (032)

Evidence represented on this page

Greek manuscripts

Represented

Ancient versions

Represented

Church fathers

Represented

Printed editions

Represented

Complete source-scoped roster

Complete roster within the stated source scope.

This roster preserves every named or grouped state recovered in the governing sources, including exact readings, competing readings, corrections, related forms, lacunae, versions, and aggregate traditions. When Maj or Byz appears on the KJV side, it marks the numerically dominant Greek transmission at that unit. The green Majority Text card above supplies the best available passage-specific estimate. The grouped siglum is then retained so it is not mistaken for one individual manuscript.

Apparatus and roster scope

Willker's selected Matthew apparatus with the primary transcription control for Matthew 27:35, which fixes the Greek sigla that PDF extraction distorts.

Greek support in cited scope: 16 named Greek witnesses plus Family 1, much of Family 13 and lectionary 844
Greek competing evidence in cited scope: 7 named Greek witnesses plus the Byzantine tradition
Evidence classification: Old Latin, Θ/Δ/Φ and early patristic support

Presence of the fulfilment formula and Psalm quotation

KJV/TR unit: ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ προφήτου· διεμερίσαντο τὰ ἱμάτιά μου ἑαυτοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν ἱματισμόν μου ἔβαλον κλῆρον

Greek manuscripts

Supports the KJV/TR form

037 038 043 0233 0250 2C 22 372 517 652 954 1071 1243 1424 1675 2737

Grouped evidence: Family 1 · Family 13 (much of the family)

Lectionaries

Supports the KJV/TR form

L844

Old Latin

Supports the KJV/TR form

a (VL3) aur (VL15) b (VL4) c (VL6) h (VL12) q (VL13)

Syriac, Coptic and other versions

Supports the KJV/TR form

Harklean Christian-Palestinian-Aramaic Armenian Georgian mae-1

Printed editions

Related or qualified evidence

Clementine-Vulgate-1592

Greek manuscripts

Related or qualified evidence

the clause placed after verse 36

983

Greek manuscripts

Related or qualified evidence

a Mark 15:24-like ἐπ’ αὐτά with deletion dots

892*

Greek manuscripts

Competing reading

01 02 03 05 032 174 828

Grouped evidence: Byz

Old Latin and Vulgate

Competing reading

d (VL5) f (VL10) ff1 (VL9) ff2 (VL8) g1 (VL7) l (VL11)

Grouped evidence: principal Vulgate text

Syriac and Coptic

Competing reading

Peshitta

Grouped evidence: other Coptic evidence

Lacunose

Non-directional evidence

04 Curetonian

Church Fathers and literary witnesses

Precisely located citations and additional names reported by the controlling apparatus are kept separate. An apparatus-level attribution is not presented as an independently verified exact quotation.

Eusebius of Caesarea

AD 301–333

Demonstratio Evangelica 10.8

Supporting witnessCitation type: Direct quotation

after citing John 19, Eusebius gives Matthew with the fulfillment clause

Open source

Roster distinctions

Codex Bezae (D/05) omits the clause; the supporting uncials are Δ (037), Θ (038) and Φ (043).
The earliest surviving Greek support is Φ/043 in the sixth century; Eusebius and Old Latin a are earlier.
Family 13 is split: 174 and 828 omit, and 983 places the clause after verse 36.

Evidence notes

Important distinctions in the evidence.

Codex Φ, not Codex Δ, is the supporting uncial identified in the controlling apparatus.
The clause is a minority Greek reading, but manuscript quantity alone does not erase its early and geographically diverse circulation.
John 19:24 securely preserves the same fulfillment quotation, providing a clear ancient source for the wording found in Matthew’s received text.
Codex Bezae (D/05) omits the clause; the supporting uncials are Δ (037), Θ (038) and Φ (043).
The earliest surviving Greek support is Φ/043 in the sixth century; Eusebius and Old Latin a are earlier.
Family 13 is split: 174 and 828 omit, and 983 places the clause after verse 36.

Evidence assessment

Why the KJV reading is retained

The fulfilment clause stands in Sangallensis, Koridethi, Beratinus, 0233, 0250, Family 1, much of Family 13, ten further minuscules and lectionary 844, together with six Old Latin witnesses, the Syriac Harklean, Armenian, Georgian and mae-1. Eusebius quotes the whole clause and attributes it to Matthew in the early fourth century. Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Vaticanus, Bezae, Washingtonianus and the Byzantine tradition omit it.

Primary support for the KJV reading

Old Latin, Θ/Δ/Φ and early patristic support

Evidence represented on this page

Evidence types, without turning rows into votes.

GreekRepresented

LatinRepresented

Other versionsRepresented

FathersRepresented

Printed editionsRepresented

Separate evidence category

Printed editions and reception history

Printed editions are presented apart from handwritten manuscripts and ancient versions. Edition-group summaries appear first; named supporting and competing editions then follow chronologically.

Edition evidence for both readings

Sources for the dates and readings in this section

Catalogued records

2

Named / aggregate

1 / 1

Date span

AD 1592–2007

Tradition conclusions appear first. Named manuscripts and other identifiable witnesses follow from oldest to newest with their dates and passage-specific readings.

Witness	Date range	Notes
Stuttgart Vulgate Textual unitἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ προφήτου· διεμερίσαντο τὰ ἱμάτιά μου ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν ἱματισμόν μου ἔβαλον κλῆρον (“that it might be fulfilled ... they cast lots”), a quotation of Psalm 22:18. Aggregate / traditionCompeting witness	AD 1969–2007	The modern critical Vulgate text omits the clause; this is an edition-level judgment.
Clementine Vulgate Textual unitἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ προφήτου· διεμερίσαντο τὰ ἱμάτιά μου ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν ἱματισμόν μου ἔβαλον κλῆρον (“that it might be fulfilled ... they cast lots”), a quotation of Psalm 22:18. Named witnessPrinted edition	AD 1592	The 1592 printed Vulgate text includes the clause; it is an edition, not a medieval manuscript.

Witness

Date range

Notes

Stuttgart Vulgate

Textual unitἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ προφήτου· διεμερίσαντο τὰ ἱμάτιά μου ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν ἱματισμόν μου ἔβαλον κλῆρον (“that it might be fulfilled ... they cast lots”), a quotation of Psalm 22:18.

Aggregate / traditionCompeting witness

AD 1969–2007

The modern critical Vulgate text omits the clause; this is an edition-level judgment.

Clementine Vulgate

Textual unitἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ προφήτου· διεμερίσαντο τὰ ἱμάτιά μου ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν ἱματισμόν μου ἔβαλον κλῆρον (“that it might be fulfilled ... they cast lots”), a quotation of Psalm 22:18.

Named witnessPrinted edition

AD 1592

The 1592 printed Vulgate text includes the clause; it is an edition, not a medieval manuscript.

References

Editions and works cited.

Willker, Wieland. A Textual Commentary on the Greek Gospels. Vol. 1, Matthew. 12th ed. Bremen, 2015.
A Textual Commentary on the Greek Gospels. Vol. 1, Matthew
Eusebius of Caesarea. Demonstration of the Gospel, Book 10, §8.
Wieland Willker, A Textual Commentary on the Greek Gospels, Vol. 1: Matthew. TVU 386, PDF p. 623.
Open source
greeknewtestament.net transcription control, Matthew 27:35. Matthew 27:35 supporting and omitting sigla.
Open source
INTF Kurzgefasste Liste / NTVMR manuscript metadata. Physical dates for the named Greek manuscripts.
Open source
Vetus Latina Gospel manuscripts register (ITSEE, University of Birmingham). Identity and physical date of the named Old Latin manuscripts.
Open source
British Library Archives and Manuscripts record, Curetonian Syriac (Add MS 14451). Physical date of the Curetonian manuscript, c. AD 450–470; it is lacunose at Matthew 27:35.
Open source
Wieland Willker, study of Middle Egyptian mae-2 (Schøyen MS 2650). Identity and date of mae-1 (Codex Scheide).
Open source
Eusebius, Demonstratio Evangelica, book 10. Demonstratio Evangelica 10.8.
Open source

That It Might Be Fulfilled

Matthew 27:35 in the King James Bible

Where the evidence on this page comes from.

The earliest reviewed support at a glance.

Old Latin, Θ/Δ/Φ and early patristic support

Complete roster within the stated source scope.

Presence of the fulfilment formula and Psalm quotation

Greek manuscripts

Lectionaries

Old Latin

Syriac, Coptic and other versions

Printed editions

Greek manuscripts

Greek manuscripts

Greek manuscripts

Old Latin and Vulgate

Syriac and Coptic

Lacunose

Church Fathers and literary witnesses

Eusebius of Caesarea

Important distinctions in the evidence.

Why the KJV reading is retained

Evidence types, without turning rows into votes.

Printed editions and reception history

Edition evidence for both readings

Editions and works cited.