Papyrus 104 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering), designated by the symbol đ104, is a fragment that is part of a leaf from a papyrus codex, it measures 2.5 by 3.75 inches (6.35 by 9.5Â cm) at its widest. It is conserved in the Papyrology Rooms at Bodleian Art Library, Oxford, UK. The front (recto) contains lines from the Gospel of Matthew 21:34-37, in Greek, the back (verso) contains tentative traces of lines from verses 43 and 45.[2]
| New Testament manuscript | |
 | |
| Name | P.Oxy.LXIV 4404 |
|---|---|
| Sign | đ104 |
| Text | Matthew 21v34-37; 43 and 45(?) |
| Date | 100-200[1] |
| Script | Greek |
| Found | Egypt |
| Now at | Papyrology Rooms, Bodleian Art Library, Oxford |
| Size | 7 x 5.2 cm |
| Type | Western text-type |
| Category | I |
| Note | Matt. 21:44 omitted |
Description
editThis papyrus ranks among the earliest surviving texts of Matthew. It consists of six verses from the Gospel of Matthew, in a fragmentary condition, and is dated from early to late 2nd century.[3][4] The text of the manuscript concurs with the NA27/UBS4 (Greek New Testaments) completely, with the exception that it does not include Matthew 21:44. This verse is also omitted in manuscripts: Codex Bezae, Minuscule 33, some Old-Latin manuscripts, Syriac Sinaiticus (syrs), Diatessaron. However, it is included in Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Ephraemi, Regius, Washingtonianus, and Dublinensis. This verse thus belongs to the so-called Western non-interpolations, making đ104 the earliest witness to the interpolated nature of this verse.
Greek text
editThe papyrus is written on both sides, and the surviving portion also includes part of the top and outer margins of the page. Since the text for the verso is nearly illegible, only the text for the recto is given. The characters that are in bold style are the ones that can be seen in Papyrus đ104.
Gospel of Matthew 21:34-37 (recto)
AÎ E-
ÎŁTEIÎEN TOYÎŁ ÎOYÎOYÎŁ AYTOY Î POÎŁ
TOYÎŁ ÎEΩPÎOYÎŁ ÎABEIN TOYÎŁ KAP-
Î OYÎŁ AYTOY KAI ÎABONTEÎŁ OI ÎEΩP-
ÎOI TOYÎŁ ÎOYÎOYÎŁ AYTOY ON MEN
EÎEIPAN ON ÎE AÎ EKTEINAN ON
ÎE EÎIÎOBOÎHÎŁAN Î AÎIN AÎ E-
ÎŁTEIÎEN AÎÎOYÎŁ ÎOYÎOYÎŁ Î ÎEIO-
NAΣ TΩN ΠPΩTΩN KAI EΠOIHΣAN
AYTOIÎŁ ΩΣAYTΩΣ YÎŁTEPON ÎE AÎ E-
ÎŁTEIÎEN
ape-
steilen tous doulous autou pros
tous geĆrgous labein tous kar-
pous autou kai labontes oi geĆr-
goi tous doulous autou on men
edeiran on de apekteinan on
de elithobolÄsan palin ape-
steilen allous doulous pleio-
nas tĆn prĆtĆn kai epoiÄsan
autois ĆsautĆs usteron de ape-
steilen
...he sent his servants to
the vine-growers to collect the harvest
that was his. And the vine-growers took
his servants; indeed,
they beat one and they killed another,
and another they stoned. Again, he sent
other servants, more than
the first: and they did
unto them likewise. But last of all he sent...
A total of 110 legible letters are visible on the recto side of the fragment, representing 18 out of the 24 letters of the Greek Alphabet; zeta, theta, xi, phi, chi, and psi being missing. "The scribe uses rough breathings, but no other lectional feature or punctuation is found".[5] The hand is 'early', i.e., before c. 250. It is very carefully written, with extensive use of serifs.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Jongkind, Dirk (January 13, 2015), "What is the Oldest Manuscript of the New Testament?", Evangelical Textual Criticism, retrieved March 21, 2017
- ^ "Liste Handschriften". MĂŒnster: Institute for New Testament Textual Research. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
- ^ P.Oxy.LXIV 4404
- ^ Gregory-Aland numbers register
- ^ P. M. Head, "Some recently published NT Papyri from Oxyrhynchus: An Overview and Preliminary Assessment Archived 2011-07-06 at the Wayback Machine," Tyndale Bulletin 51 (2000), pp. 1-16.
Further reading
edit- Thomas, J. David. The Oxyrhynchus Papyri LXIV (London: 1997), pp. 7â9.
- Comfort, Philip W.; David P. Barrett (2001). The Text of the Earliest New Testament Greek Manuscripts. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers. pp. 643â644. ISBN 978-0-8423-5265-9.