Difference between revisions of "Papyrus 66"
(→Omissions: Less than 5% of later manuscripts is missing in this very early manuscript discovered hundreds of miles away in Egypt. This is a remarkable independent confirmation of the authenticity and preserved integrity of the Gospel of John.) |
(Papyrus 66 is a remarkable independent corroboration, found far away in Egypt, which corroborates more than 95% of the authenticity and integrity of the Gospel of John as found in the Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus.) |
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| − | Papyrus 66, 𝔓<sup>66</sup>, is the earliest near-complete copy of the [[Gospel of John]], estimated to date from A.D. 100-200 by multiple biblical experts. The older [[Papyrus 52]] is merely a fragment of a few verses. | + | Papyrus 66, 𝔓<sup>66</sup>, is the earliest near-complete copy of the [[Gospel of John]], estimated to date from A.D. 100-200 by multiple biblical experts. Papyrus 66 is a remarkable independent corroboration, found far away in [[Egypt]], which corroborates more than 95% of the authenticity and integrity of the [[Gospel of John]] as found in the [[Codex Vaticanus]] and Codex Sinaiticus. (The even older [[Papyrus 52]] is merely a fragment of a few verses.) |
This manuscript reportedly includes John 1:1–6:11, John 6:35b–14:26 and 29–30, John 15:2–26, John 16:2–4 and 6–7, John 16:10–20:20, 22–23, and 25-31, and John 21:1-9, 12 and 17. The [[Adulteress story]] is not there, and most of the [[John ending]] of Chapter 21 is lacking, which is highly suggestive that neither were in this original Gospel. | This manuscript reportedly includes John 1:1–6:11, John 6:35b–14:26 and 29–30, John 15:2–26, John 16:2–4 and 6–7, John 16:10–20:20, 22–23, and 25-31, and John 21:1-9, 12 and 17. The [[Adulteress story]] is not there, and most of the [[John ending]] of Chapter 21 is lacking, which is highly suggestive that neither were in this original Gospel. | ||
Revision as of 06:58, January 17, 2024
Papyrus 66, 𝔓66, is the earliest near-complete copy of the Gospel of John, estimated to date from A.D. 100-200 by multiple biblical experts. Papyrus 66 is a remarkable independent corroboration, found far away in Egypt, which corroborates more than 95% of the authenticity and integrity of the Gospel of John as found in the Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus. (The even older Papyrus 52 is merely a fragment of a few verses.)
This manuscript reportedly includes John 1:1–6:11, John 6:35b–14:26 and 29–30, John 15:2–26, John 16:2–4 and 6–7, John 16:10–20:20, 22–23, and 25-31, and John 21:1-9, 12 and 17. The Adulteress story is not there, and most of the John ending of Chapter 21 is lacking, which is highly suggestive that neither were in this original Gospel.
Omissions
There is very little that is omitted in this early text compared with the Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus. The omissions, listed below, raise a potential issues for further investigation as to their authenticity as found in later manuscripts (the longest omissions are in bold below):
- John 6:12-35a (23.5 verses)
- John 14:27-28, 31 (3 verses)
- John 15:1, 27 (2 verses)
- John 16:1, 5, 8-9 (3 verses)
- John 20:21, 24 (2 verses)
- John 21, of which is omitted: John 21:10-11, 13-16, 18-25
Aside from the disputable John 21, only 33.5 verses out of a total of 854 verses in this very early Egyptian manuscript are not in the Gospel of John chapters 1-20. Less than 5% of later manuscripts is missing in this very early manuscript discovered hundreds of miles away in Egypt. This is a remarkable independent confirmation of the authenticity and preserved integrity of the Gospel of John.
Date Estimates
A superb online analysis of this manuscript provides the following dates by biblical experts:[1]
- 100-150 Herbert Hunger
- 100-150 Philip W. Comfort
- 175-225 Bruce M. Metzger
- 175-225 Daniel B. Wallace
- 200 Victor Martin
- 200-225 Kurt and Barbara Aland
- 200-250 Eric G. Turner