A New Testament papyrus is a copy of a portion of the New Testament made on papyrus . To date, over one hundred and twenty such papyri are known. In general, they are considered the earliest witnesses to the original text of the New Testament.[ 1]
This elite status among New Testament manuscripts only began in the 20th century. The grouping was first introduced by Caspar René Gregory , who assigned papyri texts the Blackletter character followed by a superscript number. This number refers not to the age of the papyrus, but to the order in which it was registered.[ 2] Before 1900, only 9 papyri manuscripts were known, and only one had been cited in a critical apparatus (11 by Constantin von Tischendorf ). These 9 papyri were just single fragments, except for 15 , which consisted of a single whole leaf.[ 3] The discoveries of the twentieth century brought about the earliest known New Testament manuscript fragments.[ 4] Kenyon in 1912 knew 14 papyri,[ 5] Aland in his first edition of Kurzgefasste... in 1963 enumerated 76 papyri, in 1989 were known 96 papyri, and in 2008 124 papyri. As of 2015, a total of 131 papyri are known.
The most important papyri are 45 (the Chester-Beatty papyrus), which contains the Gospels; 46 , which contains the letters of Paul; and 47 , which contains the Revelation of John. All of these date from sometime in the third century.[ 6]
Discoveries were also made of more complete manuscripts, which allowed scholars to examine the textual character of these early manuscripts.[ 7]
Not all of the manuscripts are simply New Testament texts: 59 , 60 , 63 , 80 are texts with commentaries; 2 , 3 , and 44 are lectionaries ; 50 , 55 , and 78 are talismans; and 42 , 10 , 12 , 42 , 43 , 62 , and 99 belong to other miscellaneous texts, such as writing scraps, glossaries, or songs.[ 8]
Every papyrus is cited in Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece .
List of all registered New Testament papyri
The P-numbers are the standard system of Gregory-Aland .
Dates are estimated to the nearest 50 year increment.
Content is given to the nearest chapter; verses are sometimes listed. Thus, many of the papyri are small fragments, not whole chapters. For instance, 52 contains 5 verses out of the 40 verses in John chapter 18.
Name
Date
Content
Institution
Ref #
City, State
Country
1
250
Matthew 1
University of Pennsylvania
P. Oxy. 2; E 2746
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
United States
2
550
John 12
National Archaeological Museum
Inv. 7134
Florence
Italy
3
600
Luke 7 ,10
Österreichische Nationalbibliothek
Pap. G. 2323
Vienna
Austria
4
175-250
Luke 1 -6
National Library of France
Suppl. Gr. 1120
Paris
France
5
250
John 1,16,20
British Library
P. Oxy. 208. 1781; Inv. 782. 2484
London
UK
6
350
John 10,11
National and University Library
Pap. copt. 379. 381. 382. 384
Strasbourg
France
7
300(?)
Luke 4
Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine
Petrov 553
Kiev
Ukraine
8
350
Acts 4-6
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Inv. 8683
Berlin
Germany
9
250
1 John 4
Houghton Library , Harvard
P. Oxy. 402; Inv. 3736
Cambridge
Massachusetts
United States
10
350
Romans 1
Houghton Library , Harvard
P. Oxy. 209; Inv. 2218
Cambridge
Massachusetts
United States
11
550
1 Corinthians 1 -7
Russian National Library
Gr. 258A
Saint Petersburg
Russia
12
250
Hebrews 1
Morgan Library
Pap. Gr. 3; P. Amherst 3b
New York City
United States
13
250
Hebrews 2-5,10-12
British Library
Laurentian Library
P. Oxy. 657; Inv. 1532 v
PSI 1292
London
Florence
UK
Italy
14
450
1 Corinthians 1 -3
Saint Catherine's Monastery
14
Sinai
Egypt
15
250
1 Corinthians 7 -8
Egyptian Museum
P. Oxy. 1008; JE 47423
Cairo
Egypt
16
300
Philippians 3 -4
Egyptian Museum
P. Oxy. 1009; JE 47424
Cairo
Egypt
17
350
Hebrews 9
Cambridge University Library
P. Oxy. 1078; Add. 5893
Cambridge
UK
18
300
Revelation 1 †
British Library
P. Oxy. 1079; Inv. 2053v
London
UK
19
400
Matthew 10 -11 †
Bodleian Library
P. Oxy. 1170; Gr. bibl. d. 6 (P)
Oxford
UK
20
250
James 2-3 †
Princeton University Library
P. Oxy. 1171; AM 4117
Princeton
New Jersey
United States
21
200
Matthew 12 †
Muhlenberg College
P. Oxy. 1227; Theol. Pap. 3
Allentown
Pennsylvania
United States
22
250
John 15-16 †
Glasgow University Library
P. Oxy. 1228; MS 2-X.I
Glasgow
UK
23
250
James 1 †
University of Illinois
P. Oxy. 1229; G. P. 1229
Urbana, Illinois
United States
24
350
Revelation 5-6 †
Franklin Trask Library
Andover Newton Theological School
P. Oxy. 1230; OP 1230
Newton
Massachusetts
United States
25
350
Matthew 18 -19 †
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Inv. 16388
Berlin
Germany
26
600
Romans 1 †
(Joseph S) Bridwell Library
Southern Methodist University
P. Oxy. 1354
Dallas, Texas
United States
27
250
Romans 8 -9 †
Cambridge University Library
P. Oxy. 1355; Add. 7211
Cambridge
UK
28
250
John 6 †
Palestine Institute Museum
Pacific School of Religion
P. Oxy. 1596; Pap. 2
Berkeley
California
United States
29
250
Acts 26 †
Bodleian Library
P. Oxy. 1597; Gr. bibl. g. 4 (P)
Oxford
UK
30
250
1 Ths 4-5; 2 Ths 1
Ghent University Library
P. Oxy. 1598; Inv. 61
Ghent
Belgium
31
650
Romans 12 †
John Rylands University Library
P. Ryl. 4; Gr. P. 4
Manchester
UK
32
200
Titus 1:11-15; 2:3-8 †
John Rylands University Library
P. Ryl. 5; G. P. 5
Manchester
UK
33 =58
550
Acts 7 †
Österreichische Nationalbibliothek
Pap. G. 17973, 26133, 35831, 39783
Vienna
Austria
34
650
1 Co 16; 2 Co 5,10-11
Österreichische Nationalbibliothek
Pap. G. 39784
Vienna
Austria
35
350(?)
Matthew 25
Laurentian Library
PSI 1
Florence
Italy
36
550
John 3
Laurentian Library
PSI 3
Florence
Italy
37
300
Matthew 26
University of Michigan
P. Mich. 137; Inv. 1570
Ann Arbor
Michigan
United States
38
300
Acts 18-19
University of Michigan
P. Mich. 138; Inv. 1571
Ann Arbor
Michigan
United States
39
250
John 8
Green Collection
P. Oxy. 1780; Inv. 8864
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma
United States
40
250
Romans 1-4,6,9
Institute for Papyrology
University of Heidelberg
P. Bad. 57; Inv. 45
Heidelberg
Germany
41
750
Acts 17-22
Österreichische Nationalbibliothek
Pap. K. 7541-48
Vienna
Austria
42
700
Luke 1-2
Österreichische Nationalbibliothek
Pap. K. 8706
Vienna
Austria
43
600
Revelation 2,15-16
British Library
Inv. 2241
London
UK
44
600
Matthew 17-18,25
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Inv. 14. 1. 527, 1 fol
New York City
United States
45
250
Mt 20 -21 , 25 -26 ; Mk 4-9,11-12;
Lk 6-7,9-14; Jn 4-5,10-11; Acts 4-17
Chester Beatty Library
Österreichische Nationalbibliothek
BP I
Pap. g. 31974
Dublin
Vienna
Ireland
Austria
46
200
Ro 5-6,8-16; 1 Co ; 2 Co ;
Gal ; Eph ; Php ; Col ; 1 Th ; Heb
Chester Beatty Library
University of Michigan
BP II
Inv. 6238
Dublin
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ireland
United States
47
250
Revelation 9-17
Chester Beatty Library
BP III
Dublin
Ireland
48
250
Acts 23
Laurentian Library
PSI 1165
Florence
Italy
49
250
Ephesians 4-5
Yale University Library
P. 415
New Haven
Connecticut
United States
50
300
Acts 8,10
Yale University Library
P. 1543
New Haven
Connecticut
United States
51
400
Galatians 1
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 2157
Oxford
UK
52
125
John 18:31-33; 18:37-38
John Rylands University Library
Gr. P. 457
Manchester
UK
53
250
Matthew 26 ; Acts 9-10
University of Michigan
Inv. 6652
Ann Arbor
Michigan
United States
54
500
James 2-3
Princeton University Library
P. Princ. 15; Garrett Depots 7742
Princeton
New Jersey
United States
55
600
John 1
Österreichische Nationalbibliothek
Pap. G. 26214
Vienna
Austria
56
500
Acts 1
Österreichische Nationalbibliothek
Pap. G. 19918
Vienna
Austria
57
400
Acts 4-5
Österreichische Nationalbibliothek
Pap. G. 26020
Vienna
Austria
58 =33
550
Acts 15 †
Österreichische Nationalbibliothek
Pap. G. 17973, 26133, 35831, 39783
Vienna
Austria
59
650
John 1-2,11-12,17-18,21
Morgan Library
P. Colt 3
New York City
United States
60
650
John 16-19
Morgan Library
P. Colt 4
New York City
United States
61
700
Ro 16; 1 Co 1,5; Php 3; Col 1,4;
1 Th 1; Tit 3; Phm
Morgan Library
P. Colt 5
New York City
United States
62
350
Matthew 11
Oslo University Library
Inv. 1661
Oslo
Norway
63
500
John 3-4
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Inv. 11914
Berlin
Germany
64+67
200
Matthew 3 , 5 , 26
Magdalen College
Fundación Sant Lluc Evangelista
Gr. 18
Inv. I
Oxford
Barcelona
UK
Spain
65
250
1 Thessalonians 1-2
Girolamo Vitelli Papyrological Institute
PSI 1373
Florence
Italy
66
200
John
Bodmer library
P. Bodmer II
Cologny , Geneva
Switzerland
68
650(?)
1 Corinthians 4-5
Russian National Library
Gr. 258B
Saint Petersburg
Russia
69
250
Luke 22
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 2383
Oxford
UK
70
250
Matthew 2 -3 , 11 -12 , 24
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 2384
Oxford
UK
71
350
Matthew 19
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 2385
Oxford
UK
72
300
1 Peter ; 2 Peter ; Jude
Bodmer library
P. Bodmer VII, VIII
Cologny , Geneva
Switzerland
73
650
Matthew 25 -26
Bodmer library
P. Bodmer L
Cologny , Geneva
Switzerland
74
650
Acts ; James ; 1 Pe 1-3; 2 Pe 2-3;
1 Jo ; 2 Jo ; 3 Jo
Bodmer library
P. Bodmer XVII
Cologny , Geneva
Switzerland
75
175-225
Luke 3-18,22-24; John 1-15
Vatican Apostolic Library
P. Bodmer XIV, XV
Vatican City
Vatican City
76
550
John 4
Österreichische Nationalbibliothek
Pap. G. 36102
Vienna
Austria
77
200
Matthew 23
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 2683 and 4405
Oxford
UK
78
300
Jude
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 2684
Oxford
UK
79
650
Hebrews 10
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Inv. 6774
Berlin
Germany
80
250
John 3
Fundación Sant Lluc Evangelista
Inv. 83
Barcelona
Spain
81
350
1 Peter 2-3
Professor Sergio Daris, University of Trieste
Inv. 20
Trieste
Italy
82
400
Luke 7
National and University Library
Gr. 2677
Strasbourg
France
83
550
Matthew 20 , 23 -24
Catholic University of Leuven Library
P. A. M. Kh. Mird 16, 29
Leuven
Belgium
84
550
Mark 2,6; John 5,17
Catholic University of Leuven Library
P. A. M. Kh. Mird 4, 11
Leuven
Belgium
85
400
Revelation 9-10
National and University Library
Gr. 1028
Strasbourg
France
86
350
Matthew 5
Institut für Altertumskunde
University of Cologne
Theol. 5516
Cologne
Germany
87
250
Philemon
Institut für Altertumskunde
University of Cologne
Theol. 12
Cologne
Germany
88
350
Mark 2
Catholic University of the Sacred Heart
Inv. 69.24
Milan
Italy
89
350
Hebrews 6
Laurentian Library
PL III/292
Florence
Italy
90
150
John 18:36-19:1; 19:1-7 †
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 3523; 65 6 B. 32/M (3-5)a
Oxford
UK
91
250
Acts 2:30-37;
2:46-3:2
Università degli Studi di Milano
Macquarie University
P. Mil. Vofl. Inv. 1224
P. Macquarie inv. 360
Milan
Sydney
Italy
Australia
92
300
Ephesians 1; 2 Thessalonians 1
Egyptian Museum
PNarmuthis 69.39a/229a
Cairo
Egypt
93
450
John 13 †
Girolamo Vitelli Papyrological Institute
PSI 108
Florence
Italy
94
500
Romans 6
Egyptian Museum
P. Cair. 10730
Cairo
Egypt
95
250
John 5
Laurentian Library
PL II/31
Florence
Italy
96
550
Matthew 3
Österreichische Nationalbibliothek
Pap. K 7244
Vienna
Austria
97
600
Luke 14
Chester Beatty Library
BP XVII
Dublin
Ireland
98
150(?)
Revelation 1
Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale
P. IFAO inv. 237b
Cairo
Egypt
99
400
Glossary, words and phrases from:
Ro , 2 Co , Gal and Eph
Chester Beatty Library
BP XXI (Ac. 1499), fol 11-14
Dublin
Ireland
100
300
James 3-5
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4449
Oxford
UK
101
250
Matthew 3 -4
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4401
Oxford
UK
102
300
Matthew 4
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4402
Oxford
UK
103
200
Matthew 13 -14
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4403
Oxford
UK
104
150
Matthew 21 :34-37; 21:43,45?
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4404
Oxford
UK
105
500
Matthew 27 -28
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4406
Oxford
UK
106
250
John 1
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4445
Oxford
UK
107
250
John 17
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4446
Oxford
UK
108
250
John 17/18
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4447
Oxford
UK
109
250
John 21
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4448
Oxford
UK
110
300
Matthew 10 :13-15,25-27
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4494
Oxford
UK
111
250
Luke 17
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4495
Oxford
UK
112
450
Acts 26-27
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4496
Oxford
UK
113
250
Romans 2
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4497
Oxford
UK
114
250
Hebrews 1
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4498
Oxford
UK
115
300
Revelation 2-3,5-6,8-15
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4499
Oxford
UK
116
600
Hebrews 2-3
Österreichische Nationalbibliothek
P. Vindob. G 42417
Vienna
Austria
117
400
2 Corinthians 7
University of Hamburg
Inv. 1002
Hamburg
Germany
118
250
Romans 15-16
Institut für Altertumskunde
University of Cologne
Inv. 10311
Cologne
Germany
119
250
John 1
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4803
Oxford
UK
120
350
John 1
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4804
Oxford
UK
121
250
John 19
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4805
Oxford
UK
122
400
John 21
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4806
Oxford
UK
123
350
1 Corinthians 14-15
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4844
Oxford
UK
124
550
2 Corinthians 11
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4845
Oxford
UK
125
300
1 Peter 1:23-2:5; 2:7-12
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4934
Oxford
UK
126
350
Hebrews 13:12-13.19-20
Girolamo Vitelli Papyrological Institute
PSI inv. 1479
Florence
Italy
127
450
Acts 10-17 †
Sackler Library
P. Oxy. 4968
Oxford
UK
128
600
John 9-10,12[ 9]
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Inv 14.1.527
New York City
USA
129
250
1 Corinthians 7:36-39; 8:10-9:3; 9:14-17; 9:27-10:6[ 9]
Green Collection
USA
130
300
Hebrews 9:9-12, 19-23[ 9]
Green Collection
USA
131
250
Romans 9:18-21,22-10:3[ 9]
Green Collection
USA
Distribution based on content
Distribution of Papyri Witness for each New Testament book
NT Book
Total
Early
NT Book
Total
Early
Matthew
23
11
1 Timothy
0
0
Mark
3
2
2 Timothy
0
0
Luke
10
6
Titus
2
1
John
30
19
Philemon
2
1
Acts
14
7
Hebrews
8
4
Romans
10
5
James
6
4
1 Corinthians
8
3
1 Peter
3
1
2 Corinthians
4
2
2 Peter
2
1
Galatians
2
1
1 John
2
1
Ephesians
3
3
2 John
1
0
Philippians
3
2
3 John
1
0
Colossians
2
1
Jude
3
2
1 Thessalonians
4
3
Revelation
7
4
2 Thessalonians
2
2
Note: "Early" manuscripts are manuscripts from the fourth century or earlier. Roughly half of the papyri are "early". Some manuscripts contain content from more than one New Testament book, so the numbers above do not directly correspond to the total number of manuscripts.[ 10]
See also
Lists
Other articles
Notes
^ Nestle-Aland 1996
^ Law 2012, p. 95
^ Aland 1996, pp. 83-84, 87
^ '52 , 90 , 98 , and 104 all dating to the 2nd century
^ Kenyon, F. G., Handbook to the Textual Criticism of the New Testament , London2 , 1912, p. 129.
^ Law 2012, p. 95
^ 66 , 72 , and 75 of the Bodmer Papyri are notable in this regard. In fact, the preservation level of 66 surprised scholars because the first 26 leaves were basically fully intact, and even the stitching of the binding remained.
^ Aland 1996, p. 85
^ a b c d New NT Papyrus Manuscripts - Peter M. Head, June 3, 2015.
^ NOT Aland 1996, p. 85
References
Aland, Kurt ; Barbara Aland (1995). The Text of The New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism . Translated by Erroll F. Rhodes (2nd ed.). Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company . ISBN 0-8028-4098-1.
K. Aland , M. Welte, B. Köster, K. Junack, Kurzgefasste Liste der griechischen Handschriften des Neues Testaments , (Berlin, New York: Walter de Gruyter , 1994), p. 3-17. ISBN 3-11-011986-2
"Continuation of the Manuscript List" INTF , University of Münster. Retrieved February 4, 2010
Nestle-Aland. Novum Testamentum Graece . 27th ed. Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft , Druck: 1996, p. 57-63, 684-689
Law, David R. The Historical-Critical Method: A Guide for the Perplexed , Bloomsbury Publishing, 2012.
External links
New Testament papyri