Papyrus 115

Papyrus 115 (P. Oxy. 4499), designated by 𝔓115 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering of New Testament manuscripts) is a fragmented manuscript of the New Testament written in Greek on papyrus. It consists of 26 fragments of a codex containing parts of the Book of Revelation. [1] Using the study of comparative writing styles (palaeography), the manuscript is dated to the third century, c. 225-275 AD.[2] Scholars Bernard Pyne Grenfell and Arthur Hunt discovered the papyrus in Oxyrhynchus, Egypt.

Papyrus 𝔓115
New Testament manuscript
Red arrow points to χιϛ (616), "number of the beast" in P115
Red arrow points to χιϛ (616), "number of the beast" in P115
NameP. Oxy. 4499
TextRev 2-3, 5-6, 8-15
Datec. 275
FoundOxyrhynchus, Egypt
Now atAshmolean Museum
CiteJuan Chapa, Oxyrynchus Papyri 66:11-39. (#4499)
Size26 fragments; 15.5 x 23.5 cm; 33-36 lines/page
TypeAlexandrian, close agreement with A & C
CategoryI
NoteGives number of the beast as 616
Grenfell and Hunt
Bernard Grenfell Arthur Hunt
Bernard Grenfell
Arthur Hunt

𝔓115 was not deciphered and published until 2011. It is currently housed at the Ashmolean Museum.[3]

Description

The manuscript is a codex (precursor to the modern book) although in a very fragmentary condition. In its original form it had 33-36 lines per page of 15.5 cm by 23.5 cm. The surviving text includes Revelation 2:1-3, 13-15, 27-29; 3:10-12; 5:8-9; 6:5-6; 8:3-8, 11-13; 9:1-5, 7-16, 18-21; 10:1-4, 8-11; 11:1-5, 8-15, 18-19; 12:1-5, 8-10, 12-17; 13:1-3, 6-16, 18; 14:1-3, 5-7, 10-11, 14-15, 18-20; 15:1, 4-7.[1]

The manuscript has evidence of the following nomina sacra (names/titles considered sacred in Christianity): ΙΗΛ (Israel), ΑΥΤΟΥ (his), ΠΡΣ (Father), ΘΩ/ΘΝ/ΘΥ (God), ΑΝΩΝ/ΑΝΟΥ (man), ΠΝΑ (Spirit), ΟΥΝΟΥ/ΟΥΝΟΝ/ΟΥΝΩ (heaven), ΚΥ (Master/Lord).

The manuscript uses the Greek numeral system, with no number extant as being written out in full.[1]

The manuscript is considered to be a witness to the Alexandrian text-type, following the text of Codex Alexandrinus (A) and Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (C).[4]

An interesting element of 𝔓115 is that it gives the number of the beast in Revelation 13:18 as 616 (chi, iota, stigma (ΧΙϚ)), rather than the majority reading of 666 (chi, xi, stigma (ΧΞϚ)), as does Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus.

According to the transcription of the INTF, a conjectured reading of the manuscript, due to the space left, is [χξϛ] η χιϛ (666 or 616), therefore not giving a definite number to the beast.[5]

Some notable readings[6]

Revelation 8:12

και το τριτον της σεληνης (and a third of the moon):
omit. : 𝔓115
incl. : א‎ A

Revelation 9:11

ο απολλυων (the Destroyer) : 𝔓115 1740
απολλυων (Apollyon) : 𝔓47 א‎ pc gig 2344

Revelation 9:13

δ/τεσσάρων (fourth)
incl. : 𝔓115 Majority of manuscripts vgcl syp, h
omit. : 𝔓47 א‎ A 0207 1611 2053 2344 pc lat syh co

Revelation 11:15

λεγουσαι (they said) : 𝔓115 𝔓47 א‎ C 051 1006 1611 1841 1854 2329 2344 A
λεγοντες (saying) : A 2053 2351 K.

Revelation 13:8

το ονομα (name) : 𝔓115 co Bea.
τα ονοματα αυτων (their names) : 𝔓47 א‎ P 051 1006 1841 2329 al lat
το ονομα αυτου (his name) : C 1854 2053 pc Irlat Prim.

Revelation 13:13

εκ του ουρανου (out of heaven)
omit. : 𝔓115 175.
incl. : 𝔓47 א‎ A Majority of manuscripts

Revelation 14:6

κατοικουντας (who inhabit) : 𝔓115 A 2049 69.
καθημενους (dwelling) : 𝔓47 א‎ C P 1611 1854 2053 2329 pc syp, h Or

Revelation 14:20

βχ (2600) : 𝔓115.
αχ / χιλιων εξακοσιων (1600) : 𝔓47 א‎c2 A 42 69 82 93 177 325 456 498 627 699 1849 2138 2329 Majority of manuscripts

See also

References
  1. Comfort, Philip Wesley; David P. Barrett (2001). The Text of the Earliest New Testament Greek Manuscripts. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers. pp. 664–677. ISBN 978-0-8423-5265-9.
  2. Juan Chapa, Oxy. Pap., 66:11-39, no. 4499
  3. "Liste Handschriften". Münster: Institute for New Testament Textual Research. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
  4. Comfort, Philip Wesley (2005). Encountering the Manuscripts. An Introduction to New Testament Paleography & Textual Criticism. Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman & Holman. p. 77.
  5. "Institute for New Testament Textual Research Papyrus 115 Transcription". Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  6. Taken from NA27 Edition Apparatus, and http://ntvmr.uni-muenster.de/nt-transcripts Archived 13 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine

Further reading

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