wIn 1611, very few manuscripts known from before AD
1000.
wSince then, several hundred earlier mss on parchment
have been found, with two nearly
complete from before AD
400.
wSince 1900, many fragmentary NT mss have been found
written on more fragile papyrus and
copied before AD 400.
wThese include substantial parts of several mss from before
AD 200 and a small fragment of
John from about AD 130.