Papyrus 122

Papyrus 122, also known as P.Oxy. LXXI 4806, is an early copy of the New Testament in Greek. It is a papyrus manuscript of the Gospel of John in a fragmentary condition, only containing verses 21:11-14 and 21:22-24. It is designated by the siglum in the Gregory-Aland numbering of New Testament manuscripts. Using the study of comparative writing styles (palaeography), it has been assigned by the INTF to the 4th/5th century CE. Though discovered in one of the digs in Oxyrhynchus in the 19th and early 20th century, it wasn't published until 2007.

Description

The original manuscript was likely a codex (precursor to the modern book) made of papyrus, of which only two pieces from one leaf have survived. The original codex is estimated to have had a writing area of around 10cm x 24cm, with 25-27 letters per line, and 44 lines on each page. The surviving texts of John are verses 21:11-14,22-24. Based on this data, the original codex is estimated to have been made of 32 leaves, giving 64 pages to contain the entire Gospel of John. It was written by irregular hand, which scholar Juan Chapa describes as a "poor attempt at 'Biblical Uncial', made by an inexperienced scribe."

The manuscript employs the nomina sacra (sacred names, these being names/titles considered sacred in Christianity), with the name Ιησους (Jesus) abbreviated to . The number "one hundred and fifty-three" is also written by this sort of contraction in Greek numerals — .

Text

Though the text sampling is small, it does appear to have a few interesting features: in John 21:14, the name Ιησους (Jesus) is possibly omitted, as also seen in Codex Washingtonianus ( / He appeared to the disciples). Alternatively due to the non-extant porition, the manuscript could have agreed with Codex Regius (L) in reading the name following the words τοῖς μαθηταῖς ( / Appeared to the disciples Jesus). The majority of manuscripts contain the name, usually with an article ( / Jesus appeared to the disciples). The manuscript is currently housed at the Papyrology Rooms of the Sackler Library (shelf number P. Oxy. 4806) at Oxford.

Transcription of the Front side of Extant letters in black; those in red are not extant, but likely the reading of the manuscript. Ανεβη ουν Σιμων Πετρος και ειλSo Simon Peter went aboard and κυσεν το δικτυον εις την γην μεσhauled the net ashore, full τον ιχθυων μεγαλων και το of large fish, a 153 of them; and σουτων οντων ουκ εσχισθη το δικalthough there were so many, the net was not τυον λεγει αυτοις ο δευτε αριστηtorn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have σατε ουδεις δε ετολμα των μαθητων ε breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ξετασαι αυτων Συ τις ει ειδοτες οτι ask him, “Who are you?” They knew ο εστιν ερχεται και λαμit was the Lord. Jesus came and took βανει τον αρτον και διδωσιν αυτοις the bread and gave it to them, και το οψαριον ομοιως τουτο ηδη and so with the fish. This was now τριτον εφανερωθη τοις μαθηταις the third time that He appeared to the disciples

Papyrus 122

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