Matthew 15:39 preserves “Magadan,” not “Magdala,” because the earliest and strongest witnesses support the harder reading.
Magadan, Not Magdala: The Documentary Priority of the Harder Reading in Matthew 15:39
Textual Variants in Matthew 15: A Detailed Analysis of the Manuscript Evidence
A comprehensive textual analysis of Matthew 15 reveals early manuscript support for the original readings and common scribal expansions or harmonizations.
