[aimhigh]

"This is very early confirmation of that number, earlier than any other text we've found of that passage,"

Early isn't always more accurate. The Gnostics tried to corrupt Christianity very early on.

[followerofchrist]

"Early isn't always more accurate. The Gnostics tried to corrupt Christianity very early on."

The Gnostics wrote down their versions, but I wouldn't qualify that as an attempt to corrupt. They should be given some credence because they were among the first Christians. When Pagans are converted, they fashion the religion to reflect their own culture. Europeans did too.
No conspiracy there, just an effort to make a foreign religion palatable to their people.