Scribal Habits in Greek New Testament Manuscripts 115 Harmonizations Disharmonizations Word Parallel GU IC Total Total (HT, HA, Ditt.) Net Length 2 29 5 16 50 52 (13) 39 3-4 19 6 10 35 38 (10) 28 5-8 9 0 4 13 20 (15) 5 9+ 10 0 0 10 24 (17) 7 Total 136 17 51 204 411 (110) 301 To get a clear comparison, we need to exclude harmonizations to immediate context and general usage55 and just compare parallel harmo- nizations in column 2 against net disharmonizations in the final column (that is, excluding disharmonizations with mechanical explanations). When we do so, we see that disharmonization tends to heavily predomi- nate in shorter variation units while harmonization tends to predominate the longer the variation unit. When we analyse harmonizations and disharmonizations according to the type of scribal variation, the results present as follows: Harmonizations Disharmonizations Additions 131 53 Omissions 46 265 Substitutions 26 75 Transpositions 1 18 Totals 204 411 This table is perhaps the most important in terms of understanding the phenomenon of disharmonization. Harmonizations are usually addi- tions to the text, while disharmonizations usually involve omissions from the text. Or perhaps it is better to say that disharmonization is usually a consequence of omission, for a manuscript that drops out words produ- ces disharmony between originally near-parallel passages. Where we have two passages with close parallels, the other two types of textual variation, substitutions and transpositions, will usually introduce discord too. Scri- bes, by the very nature of their task, tend to make mistakes and corrupt the text, introducing disharmony. The principle is logical enough: there are many ways to produce discord, but far fewer options that create har- mony. Anyone who has had children and a piano will realise the common sense here. 55 There was no attempt made in this study to try to define or count disharmonizations to immediate context or general usage. This study primarily compared disharmonizations against harmonizations in parallel passages.