Minuscule 196 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering), Zε23 (Soden),[1] is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 12th century.[2] It has marginalia.
The codex contains a complete text of the four Gospels on 369 thick parchment leaves (size).[2] The text is written in one column per page, 44 lines per page, biblical text in red, commentary's text in black ink.[3]
The text is divided according to the Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: κεφαλαια (chapters), whose numbers are given at the margin, and the Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: τιτλοι (titles of chapters) at the top of the pages.[3]
The text of Matt 15:10-17:22 is written on paper, in 27 lines per page.[3] It contains prolegomena, lists of the Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: κεφαλαια (lists of contents) before each Gospel, and portraits of the Evangelists (Luke with his disciple, John with Prochorus).[4] The biblical text is surrounded by a catena. The biblical text is written in red ink, the catena text in black.[4]
The Greek text of the codex is a representative of the Byzantine text-type. Aland placed it in Category V.[5] It was not examined by the Claremont Profile Method.[6]
The manuscript once belonged to Lorenzo de Midicis, who presented it in 1473 to the Convent of S. Marco de Florentia des Predigerordens.[3]
It was examined by Bianchini, Birch, Scholz, and Burgon. C. R. Gregory saw it in 1886.[3]
It is currently housed at the Laurentian Library (Plutei. VIII. 12), at Florence.[2]