Fascinating thread. I was unaware that ix even existed.

I wanted to note that to my knowledge only one fragment showing 616 has ever been found, (in a landfill if I recall). One did not normally discard hand transcribed documents lightly. I believe the author of this text was probably the scribes idiot nephew who he was obligated to hire. The master comes in and is like wtf?
Throws away the inaccurate text and sends the kid to clean the latrine.

Also at no point in the bible does it say that one should use gematria to interpret 666. It says let him who has understanding understand. The interpretation is actually in the bible in the clear.