The Appendices to the Gospel according to Mark. 379 



churches. However since the twelfth century it has been customary in 

 the Armenian Church to use this lection, and the equivalent of "For 

 Ascension Day" is usually written against v. 9. in Armenian MSS 

 written since that time. 



These twelve verses probably belonged to the original Armenian 

 version of the Gospels, prior to the revision of Mesrop early in the 

 fifth century, but were afterwards excised. 



This is hinted by some of the above evidence and also b}^ the fact 

 that in the fifth century vs. 17 and 18 are quoted in almost precisely 

 the form we have them in the present Armenian version, by Eznik, a 

 fellow worker of S. Mesrop and S. Sahik, in his work on Heresies, 

 Book I which Conybeare dates 420— 430A.D. Conybeare also notes 

 "plentiful citation" of these verses in the Armenian Acts of Pilate 

 which version "must be almost as early as the sixth century." Again 

 the text is the same as found in such Armenian codices as contain the 

 longer ending. 



But we know of other parts of the Armenian version of the fifth 

 century which were omitted from the later Armenian canon, as the 

 Apocalypse. Moreover the pericope adulterae is absent from the 

 oldest MSS though cited by Gregory of Narek in 950 A.D. 



But, though absent from all other known codices prior to 1100 A.D. 

 Dr. F. C. Conybeare has found the longer ending in a most interesting 

 MS in the Patriarchal Library at Edschmiadzin at the foot of Mount 

 Ararat, which is said to be the most important library in Armenia. 

 This earliest known codex to contain the longer ending is also the 

 oldest codex to contain the pericope adulterae, though in an ancient 

 and unusual form. 



This uncial codex was written in 989 A.D. (not 986 as stated by 

 Conybeare in his first article, a mistake which Swete has perpetuated, 

 though it was early corrected by Zahn) . Before the last twelve verses 

 has been inserted Ariston Eritzou "Of the Presbyter Ariston." 



0/ the Presbyter Ariston. 



In the Expositor for October, 1893 Mr. F. C. Conybeare stated that 

 in November 1891 he had collated at Edschmiadzin a codex of the 

 Gospels in which the last twelve verses were prefaced by the words 

 "Ariston Eritzou" "Of the Presbyter Ariston." 



The following later and more accurate description is given by Dr. 

 Conybeare in Swete p. civ (cf. the description in the original article 

 in the Expositor, Oct. 1893, p. 243). 



" In this codex verse 8 of ch. xvi. ends at the beginning of a line, 



in the second column of a page. The line is partly filled up with 



Trans. Conn. Acad., Vol. XVIlI. 26 Februaky, 1915. 



