In discussing the signification of the number of the beast in Rev.xiii.18, Irenaeus already found himself confronted by a variety of reading: some MSS.

with which he was acquainted read 616 ([Greek: chis']) for 666 ([Greek: chxs']).
Irenaeus himself was not in doubt that the latter was the true reading.

He says that it was found in all the 'good and ancient copies,' and that it was further attested by 'those who had seen John face to face.' He thinks that the error was due to the copyists, who had substituted by mistake the letter [Greek: i] for [Greek: x].

He adds his belief that God would pardon those who had done this without any evil motive.
Here we have opened out a kind of vista extending back almost to the person of St.John himself.

There is already a multiplicity of MSS., and of these some are set apart 'as good and ancient' ([Greek: en pasi tois spoudaiois kai archaiois antigraphois]).