Ancient World Manuscripts and Inscriptions

The Wycliffe Dictionary of Biblical Archaeology p.170 has a picture of a one mina weight from the time of
Nebuchadnezzar.
Lion with eagle wings: Creatures appearing like winged lions covered the magnificent-looking Ishtar Gate in
Babylon. Also, the facade of Nebuchadnezzars throne room in the Verderasiatisches Museum in Berlin shows
lions originally painted in yellow, white, blue, and red. A picture of this is in the book Babylon by Joan Oates
p.150.
The Sumerian Gilgamesh Epic has a few of the same details about a worldwide flood, and it was written before
2500 B.C. (A Babylonian copy of Table 11 of the 12 table epic was in Ashurbanipals palace in Nineveh. A
photograph of it is in the Wycliffe Bible Dictionary p.6126.)
Photographs of a couple of the Amarna letter tablets are in The New International Dictionary of the Bible p.80
and The Wycliffe Bible Dictionary p.1828.
Archaeologicsts have found Asiatics, with coats of many colors, were drawn on the walls of the tomb of an
Egyptian noble named Khnumhotep. See Pharaohs and Kings : A Biblical Quest p.332,360 for pictures and
more info.
A picture of a Samaritan scroll is in The Bible Almanac p.390.
The tomb of an Egyptian noble named Rekhmere / Rek-mi-Re at Thebes in the 15th Century B.C. has a painting
of slaves making bricks. A picture of this is in The New International Dictionary of the Bible p.174.
The New International Dictionary of the Bible p.674 has a picture of Jebel Musa.
There is an Assyrian inscription on a hexagonal cylinder called the Taylor Prism, dated rather precisely at 701
B.C., recording Sennacherib's raid into Judah. This clay prism appears completely preserved, by looking at a
photograph of it in The New International Dictionary of the Bible p.915, the Wycliffe Bible Dictionary p.1548,
and A Survey of Old Testament Introduction p.347. It is dated 701 B.C.,
Historians call him Marduk-aplaiddina II or Marduk Apal Iddina II, which means Marduck has given a son. A
photograph of a carving of him is in the New International Dictionary of the Bible p.642.
The Planets p.108 has a photograph of a 4,000 year old Babylonian tablet (about the time of Abraham)
recording the movements of Venus.
Egyptologists know Pharaoh Neco as Psamtik II, who reigned from 594-588 B.C. The New International
Dictionary of the Bible p.698 has a photograph of a statuette of him.
The Moabite Stone. (850 B.C.) A photograph is in A General Introduction to the Bible p.335. See The Bible As
History p.237 for the text, and the Wycliffe Bible Dictionary p.1145-1146 for more info.
Persia and the Bible p.90 mentions that the nineteenth century Bible critic Julius Wellhausen and many others
doubted there ever was a decree for the Jews to return home. However, according to Persia and the Bible p.87,
the Cyrus Cylinder was discovered by Rassam in 1879; the same page has a photograph of it. The Cyrus
Cylinder primarily was a propaganda tool by Cyrus to show the Babylonians he was their friend, and not just a
conqueror to be opposed. Cyrus called himself King of the World, Great King, Legitimate King, King of

Babylon, King of Sumer and Akkad, King of the Four Quarters [of the Earth] (p.89). It also says, When I, welldisposed, entered Babylon, I set up the seat of dominion in the royal palace amidst jubilation and rejoicing.
Marduk the great god caused the big-hearted inhabitants of Babylon to me. I sought daily to worship him.
My numerous troops moved about undisturbed in the midst of Babylon. I did not allow any to terrorize the land
of [Sumer] and Akkad. I kept in view he needs of Babylon and all its sanctuaries to promote their wellbeing.
(p.87) It also claims that Cyrus entered the city without fighting or battle. This is true, as Cyrus entered the
city 17 days after the Persians made a surprise attack and captured the city.
The Cyrus Cylinder also says about the exiled peoples, I (also) gathered their former inhabitants and returned
(to them) their habitations. (p.91)
The New International Dictionary of the Bible p.246 says the Cyrus Cylinder was made c.536 B.C
There are numerous clay tablets of wealthy bankers in Nippur called Murashu and Sons who loaned money.
Their texts have the names of 2,500 individuals, and 70 names are Jewish. Also, Jews were found in 28 of 200
settlements around Nippur. Photographs of two of these tables are in The Bible Almanac p.396. Also see Persia
and the Bible p.243 for more info.
The Wycliffe Bible Dictionary p.1161-1163 has photographs of ancient Egyptian harps, flutes, a cave painting of
a harp, a double flute [pipe], and a lutelike instrument (c.1450 B.C.), and a sistrum from ancient Egypt. A
photograph of a harpist, lute players, and two flute players c.1350 B.C. is in The New International Dictionary
of the Bible p.678. On p.679 it has photographs of a wall painting of a harp, lute, double-pipe, and lyre. It also
shows the lyre found at Ur, c.2500 B.C. with a gold head of a bearded bull, and a wooden soundbox. On
p.681,683 it has photographs of cylindrical rattles (c.1200-1000 B.C.) and a zither player in Tell Asmar (20001000 B.C.)
Sumerian: Man and His God (why suffering) (18th century B.C. A photograph of a table of this is in The
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia vol.6 p.123. In this work, an innocent man has misfortune, prays for
help, is finally save and then praised his god.
A photograph of part of the Instruction of Amen-em-opet is in The Bible Almanac p.376.
The New International Dictionary of the Bible p.696 has a photograph of a Babylonian decree listing the
events from the last year of Nabopolassar to Nebuchadnezzar IIs 11th year. It mentions the Babylonian capture
of Jerusalem.
See The New International Dictionary of the Bible p.74-75 for a photograph of Aramaic written on pottery
addressed to Eliashib, the probable commander of the fortress of Arad.
A photograph of a coin showing Antiochus Epiphanes, with the title God manifest is in The Journey from
Texts to Translations p.52.

Ancient Old Testament Manuscripts

The Nash Papyrus, dated 150 B.C., contains the Ten Commandments combined from Exodus 20:2-17 and
Deuteronomy 5:6-6:4f. This was the oldest known Biblical text until the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. A
photograph of it is in the New International Dictionary of the Bible p.228.
Greek Manuscripts of the Bible p.62-63 shows a picture of a fragment, Genesis 14:12-15, from approximately
the second half of the second century A.D. You can see a photograph of a leaf of Genesis 42:7-19 of the Chester
Beatty Papyrus V, in Greek Manuscripts of the Bible p.72-73.
The Vienna manuscript was written in the fifth or sixth century A.D. and 24 pages of Genesis are preserved. You
can see one page, Genesis 39:9-18, in Greek Manuscripts of the Bible p.92-93.
Chester Beatty Papyrus 5 contains Genesis 42:7-19. It is dated 350-400 A.D. For more info and a photograph
see Manuscripts of the Greek Bible p.72-73.
Greek Manuscripts of the Bible p.60-61 shows a picture of a fragment, Exodus 28:4-6, going back to 100 B.C.
Manuscripts of the Greek Bible p.60-61 has a picture of &&&. In the Freer Gallery in Washington is a copy of
Deuteronomy and Joshua from the fifth century A.D. You can see a picture of one leaf, Deuteronomy 10:6-15 in
Greek Manuscripts of the Bible p.84-85.
4Q169 (=4QpNah) from the late first century B.C. (ibid p.485). You can see a picture of part of this scroll
(Nahum 3:1-6) in the New International Dictionary of the Bible p.689.
The Codex Colberto Sarravianus (4th to 5th century A.D.) Contains Genesis through Ruth. A photograph of a
leaf of that, containing Joshua 11:9-16 is in Manuscripts of the Greek Bible p.80-81.
1QIsa is a complete copy of the entire book of Isaiah. The Wycliffe Bible Dictionary p.252 has a photograph of
one of the pages. It has been dated by Mass Spectrometer radiocarbon dating to 202-107 B.C. (The Dead Sea
Scrolls Today p.18). The internal date is 125-100 B.C. You can see a photograph of two pages this scroll (Isaiah
49:4-51:13 and 51:13-52:12) in the New International Dictionary of the Bible p.472,261
A Babylonian cuneiform table tells of events in the reign of Nabopolassar and Nebuchadnezzar II, including the
capture of Jerusalem. A photograph of it is in the New International Dictionary of the Bible p.696.
Scheide Papyrii 1 contains Ezekiel, Daniel, and Esther. It is dated the early third century A.D. It originally had
118 leaves, of which 109 survive today. For more info and a photograph of Ezekiel 31:8-15 see Manuscripts of
the Greek Bible p.70-71.
Dead Sea scroll commentary on Habakkuk, from the first century B.C., is called 1QpHab (The Dead Sea
Scrolls in English 4th ed. p.xxxvii, The Dead Sea Scrolls Today p.46-50). It was found in the Ain Fashka cave.
It is a rather badly mutilated commentary containing all of Habakkuk 1:2 through the end of chapter 2. Chapter
3 is apparently lost. The author attempted to relate all the prophecies of Habakkuk to his day. You can see a
photograph of part of this in the New International Dictionary of the Bible p.261 and the Wycliffe Bible
Dictionary p.440.
Nahal Hever is a cave near Engedi, that has a fragment of the minor prophets in Greek (8 Hev XIIgr).
According to Manuscripts of the Greek Bible p.34, was written between 50 B.C. and 50 A.D.. It was hidden

during the Bar Kokhba revolt against Rome. It is a revision of the Septuagint, made in Judea, and almost
identical to the Massoretic text. A photograph of Zechariah 1:1-4a is in The Journey from Texts to
Translations p.191.
The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls p.433 mentions a fragment called 4Q522 frags 9, and contains 1
Chronicles 7:24 and 2 Chronicles 28:18. A picture of parts of 2 Chronicles 28:27-29:3 (containing
approximately 55 letters) is shown on p.119.
A photograph of the Dead Sea scroll 4QLam is in the New International Bible Dictionary p.580.

Ancient Apocryphal Manuscripts

A photograph of Tobit 6:12-7:10 in 4QTobitb (=4Q197) is in The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls p.184.

Ancient Roman Artifacts and Manuscripts

The Bible As History p.373 has picture of the front and back of a coin issued by the Roman Procurator, Pontius
Pilate.
An inscription that mentions Pontius Pilate was found at the Roman theater in the port of Caesarea in 1961. A
photograph of it is in the Wycliffe Bible Dictionary p.1343, the Wycliffe Dictionary of Biblical Archaeology
p.456, and The Archaeology of the New Testament (Finnegan) p.138-139. The surviving parts read:
To the people of Caesarea
Tiberieum
Pontius Pilate
Prefect of Judea
The theater Paul entered could seat 25,000 to 50,000 people. Pictures of it are in the Wycliffe Bible Dictionary
p.535 and The New International Dictionary of the Bible p.316.

Ancient New Testament Manuscripts

Vaticanus [B] (325-350 A.D.) and Sinaiticus [Si] (340-350 A.D.) contain all of Matthew. A photograph of a
page of the Gospel of Matthew from the Codex Sinaiticus is in the New International Dictionary of the Bible
p.2004.
p1 (=Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 2) Mt 1:1-9,12,14-20; (not 2:14) (c.200 A.D.) Alexandrian text
Here are published dates for this manuscript
3rd century - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament
3rd century - 1975 - Aland 3rd edition
3rd century - 1990 - Comfort, Early Manuscripts & Modern Translations of the New Testament
3rd century - 1998 - Aland 4th edition
Middle 3rd century, similar to p69 - 1999 - Comfort, The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament
Manuscripts
There is a cover with writing. While OCallaghan thinks it might be Matthew 2:14, Philip Comfort in The
Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts p.29 says it is not because it is in a different hand
and there is a greater margin about the three broken lines than the rest of Matthew. This text might have been
a subhead descriptor or title.
The Text of the New Testament (1968) p.245 says this also includes 1:23, but other sources do not include this
verse. A photograph of part of p1 is in The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts p.29.
p4 Luke 1:58-59; 1:62-2:1; 2:6-7; 3:8-4:2; 4:29-32, 34-35; 5:3-8; 5:30-6:16 (mid 2nd century according to The
Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts p.33.) A photograph of p4 is in The Complete Text of
the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts p.32. p4, p64, and p67 all come from the same manuscript.
The dating of the manuscript is as follows:
3rc century - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament.
3rd century - 1975 - Aland 3rd edition
Similar to early 2nd century - 1990 - Philip Comfort in Early Manuscripts and Modern Translations of the New
Testament p.32 notes that until recently it was dated as 3rd century (c.250 A.D.) but since p4 is either a part of
the same manuscript as p64 and p67, or else by the same scribe, and p64/67 is known to be early second
century, p4 must have a similar date. (However, others say they are not the same.)
3rd century - 1998 - Aland 4th edition
Middle 2nd century - 1999 - Philip Comfort in The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts
p.33
p5 (=Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 208 1781) John 1:23-31,33-40; 16:14-30; 20:11-17, 19-20, 22-25 (47 verses) early
3rd century. The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts has a photograph of it on p.62. It
says that the manuscript is of normal quality, except that the copyist tended to leave out unnecessary pronouns
and conjunctions. It is a western text.
3rd century - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament also includes John 1:41.
Early 3rd century - 1999 - The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts. It shows that John
1:41 is there but none of the letters are very clear.
p9 (=Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 402) 1 John 4:11-12,14-17 third century. The Complete Text of the Earliest New
Testament Manuscripts p.70 has a picture of this manuscript, and it says the handwriting was not by a trained
scribe, it was written carelessly, and some of the spellings are unintelligible.
3rd century - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament
3rd century - 1998 - Aland et al. Fourth Revised Edition

p13 (Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 657 + PSI 1292) is dated from 225-250 A.D., from Oxyrhynchus, Egypt. It contains
Hebrews 2:14-5:5; 10:8-22; 10:29-11:13; 11:28-12:17. It has page numbers using Greek letters. It was found
with a second century manuscript Papyri Oxyrhynchus 656, a copy of Genesis. P13 has page numbers, which
show there were prior pages, probably containing earlier parts of the New Testament. There are many
similarities between p13 and p.46. A picture of Hebrews 12:1-17 is in The Complete Text of the Earliest New
Testament Manuscripts p.74.
p15 (=Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1009) 1 Cor 7:18-8:4 (late 3rd century). The Complete Text of the Earliest New
Testament Manuscripts has a picture of p15 on p.84. Here is the dating:
3rd century - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament.
3rd century - 1975 - Aland Third Edition
3rd century - 1998 - Aland Fourth Revised Edition
Late 3rd century (Philip Comfort and David P. Barrett in The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament
Manuscripts, 1999.)
p16 Php 3:10-17; 4:2-8 (late 3rd century) The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts has a
picture of p16 on p.86.
3rd/4th century - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament.
p18 (=Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1079) (250-300 A.D.) Rev 1:4-7. The Complete Text of the Earliest New
Testament Manuscripts p.94 has a picture of this manuscript, and it says the handwriting was not by a trained
scribe.
p20 + p27 (3rd century) p20 has James 2:19-3:2; 3:4-9 and other books. The Complete Text of the Earliest New
Testament Manuscripts p.96 has a picture of this manuscript, and it says the handwriting is very similar with
p27, which might mean the same scribe wrote both.
p23 (Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1229) is dated approximately 200 A.D, from Oxyrhynchus, Egypt. It contains
James 1:10-12, 15-18. It has page numbers using Greek letters. The scribe apparently preferred to copy exactly
(including grammatical errors), rather than correct the grammatical errors. A photograph of James 1:15-18 is in
The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts p.102.
p24 (=Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1230) c.300 A.D. Rev. 5:5-8; 6:5-8 The Complete Text of the Earliest New
Testament Manuscripts p.106 has a picture of this manuscript, and it says the handwriting shows it was written
by a common person. Nevertheless, it is very close to Sinaiticus, and only differs from Alexandrinus three
times.
7th century - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament
4th century - 1975 - Aland et al. Third Edition
4th century - 1998 - Aland et al. Fourth Revised Edition
p27 Romans 8:12-22,24-27; 8:33-9:3; 9:5-9 (3rd century) The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament
Manuscripts has a picture of part of p27 on p.109.
3rd century - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament.
p29 Acts 26:7-8,20. 200-225 A.D. A photograph of this manuscript is in The Complete Text of the Earliest New
Testament Manuscripts p.114. The scribe who wrote this manuscript made the following letters unusually: theta,
pi, and epsilon. The manuscript p45 (Chester Beatty I) has the same unusual kind of handwriting. The date is
given as 200-225 A.D. because the handwriting is similar to Papyrus Marmarica, which is almost certainly
between 200-225 A.D. Alexandrian text.
3th century - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament.

p32 Titus 1:11-15; 2:3-8 (latter half of 2nd century) The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament
Manuscripts has a photograph of part of p32 on p.124.
c.200 A.D. - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament.
p37 (=Ann Arbor 1570) Mt 26:19-52 (middle 3rd century) The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament
Manuscripts has a photograph of part of p37 on p.130. It is in two pieces and was purchased in Cairo Egypt
in 1924. The handwriting is similar to letters of Heroninos (256 and 260 A.D.)
p38 (Papyrus Michigan Inventory 1571) is dated from the late second or early third century, and only one page
is preserved, containing Acts 18:27-19:6, 12-16. It has a page number (59) using Greek letters (nu theta")
Thus Philip Comfort concludes it originally contained only the book of Acts. A picture of p38 is in The
Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts p.134.
p39 (=Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1780) John 8:14-22 first half of 3rd century The Complete Text of the Earliest New
Testament Manuscripts has a photograph of it on p.138. It also says p39 is verbatim the same as Vaticanus,
which makes it Alexandrian. It has page number on the even numbered page (74), which Philip Comfort says
indicates it originally only contained the Gospel of John.
3rd century - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament.
First half of the 3rd century - Philip Comfort, C.H. Roberts, and T.C. Skeat.
3rd Century - Aland (3rd edition) and Aland (4th edition).
p45 Chester Beatty I (all 4 gospels and Acts) (100-150 A.D.) (formerly thought to be late 2nd or early 3rd
century A.D.) (Mk 4:36-5:2; 5:16-26; 5:38-6:3; 2 letters of 6:15; 6:16-25, 36-50; 7:3-15; 7:25-8:1; 8:10-26;
8:34-9:8; 4 letters of 9:9; 9:18-31; 11:27-12:1; 12:5-8,13-19,24-28 [147 verses]) The Complete Text of the
Earliest New Testament Manuscripts has a photograph showing part of p45 on p.146. On p.150-151 it says that
the copy was a loose paraphrase, where he tries to bring out the thought of each phrase. A General Introduction
to the Bible p.389 says the original scroll is thought to be about 220 leaves, of which we have 30 leaves. 6 of
those leaves are from Mark.
3rd century - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament
3rd century - 1975 - Aland et al. Third Edition
3rd century - 1998 - Aland et al. Fourth Revised Edition
Late 2nd or early 3rd century - 1999 - The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts.
p46 Chester Beatty II 100-150 A.D. has 150 verses from Ephesians. Specifically it has Eph 1:1-2:7; 2:10-5:6;
5:8-6:6; 6:8-18,20-24 and other parts of Pauls letters and Hebrews. A photograph of the first page of Ephesians
is in A General Introduction to the Bible p.389, the Wycliffe Bible Dictionary p.532, and the Eerdmans Bible
Dictonary p.340. The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts has a photograph of part of p46
on p.192. It also says on p.197-198 that the quality and the stichiometric marks show that a professional scribe
wrote this.
First half of 3rd century - 1936 - Frederic G. Kenyon according to The Complete Text of the Earliest New
Testament Manuscripts.
2nd century, 200 A.D. - 1935 - Ulrich Wilken according to The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament
Manuscripts.
200 A.D. - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament.
81-96 A.D. - 1988 - Young Kyu Kim according to The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament
Manuscripts.
About 200 A.D. - 1975 - Aland et al. Third edition.
About 200 A.D. - 1998 - Aland et al. Fourth revised edition.
Early to middle 2nd century - 1999 - The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts. This is
based in part on the handwriting being very similar to Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 8 (late first or early second
century) and Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 2337 (late first century).

p47 Chester Beatty III. 250-300 A.D. contains 125 verses of Revelation. Specifically, it has Revelation 9:1011:3; 11:5-16:15; 16:17-17:2. The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts p.326 has a picture
of this manuscript, and on p.25 it says the scribal hand shows the scribe was practiced as writing documents.
This manuscript is closest to Sinaiticus.
Second half of the 3rd century - 1934 - Kenyon according to The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament
Manuscripts p.325
End of the 3rd century - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament also has 11:4; 16:16, but The Complete Text of
the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts shows 100% of those verses in brackets.
Late 3rd century - 1975 - Aland et al. Third Edition
Late 3rd century - 1998 - Aland et al. Fourth Revised Edition
Second half of the 3rd century - 1999 - The Complete Manuscripts of the Earliest New Testament.
p48 Acts 23:11-17,25-29 (c.220 or latter part of the 3rd century A.D.) A photograph of part of this manuscript is
in The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts p.342. A photograph of Galatians 6:10-18 and
the start of Philippians is in Paul : Apostle of the Heart Set Free p.384. According to A General Introduction to
the Bible p.389 the original scroll was about 220 leaves, of which we have 30 leaves preserves. 13 of these
leaves are from Acts.
End of 3rd century - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament also has 23:23-24
p49 + p64 (middle 3rd century) Eph 4:16-29; 4:31-5:13 The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament
Manuscripts has a photograph of part of p49 on p.346. It also says that p49 and p65 were written by the same
scribe.
End of 3rd century - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament.
p53 (= Papyrus Michigan Inv. 6652) Mt 26:29-40 and Acts 9:33-38; 3 letters of the 124 letters in 9:39; 9:4010:1. (c.260 A.D.) The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts has a photograph showing
part of p653 on p.360. The date is based on similarities to letters of Heroninos date c.260 A.D. It is a mixed
text.
Third century - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament
p64 (Magdalen Papyrus), p67 ca.200 A.D. The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts has
a photograph showing part of p64 on p.32, and part of p67 on p.34. p4 (containing much of Luke 1-6), p64,
and p67 are all part of the same manuscript. P64 has preserved Matthew 26:7, fewer than half the letters of
verse 8; 26:10,14-15,22-23,31-33 (on three fragments). P64 was purchased in Egypt in 1901, but not made
available to scholars until 1953. P67 has preserved Matthew 3:9,15; 5:20-22,25-28.
c.200 A.D. - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament Does not say it has verse 8
125-150 A.D. - 1999 - The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts. Says it has verse 8.
p66 Bodmer II Papyrii (John 1:1-6:11, 6:35b-14:26,29-30; 15:2-26; 16:2-4; 16:6-7; 16:10-20:20; 20:22-23;
20:25-21:9; 21:12,17 (fragments of John 19:16) (Jn 7:53-8:11 were never present.) (dates of c.175 or c.125-150
A.D.) We have 104 leaves and fragments of 40 other leaves. A photograph of John 6:58-64 from the Bodmer II
Papyrus is in the New International Dictionary of the Bible p.1003. The Complete Text of the Earliest New
Testament Manuscripts has photographs of p66 on p.368-370. It remarks that the manuscript was written by a
professional scribe, with two correctors putting in corrections. The Archaeology of the New Testament
(Finnegan) p.381 shows the page 137 is very fragmentary and contains part of John 19:16. By the way, the title
given in Bodmer p66 is The Gospel According to John. You can see a photograph of it in The Text of the
Earliest New Testament Greek Manuscripts p.378.
100-150 A.D. - 1960 - Hunger according to The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts.
c.200 A.D. - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament
200-250 A.D. - 1987 - Hunter according to The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts.

Middle 2nd century - 1999 - The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts mentions that this is
the earliest text that omits John 7:53-8:11 (the periscope of the adulteress). It based this date in part on the fact
that the handwriting of Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1074 of Exodus in the 2nd century is an extremely close match.
p69 (=Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 2383) Lk 22:40,45-48,58-61 (middle 3rd century). It never contained Luke 22:4344. The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts has a photograph showing part of p69 on
p.460, as does The Text of the Earliest New Testament Greek Manuscripts p.470.
3rd century - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament.
p70 (=Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 24) Mt 2:13-16; 2:22-3:1; 11:26-27; 12:4-5; 24:3-6,12-15. (3rd century) The
Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts has a photograph showing part of p70 on p.464. It
only mentions verses 11:26-27; 12:4-5. It says it had a distinctly different epsilon, and the handwriting looks
similar to P. Med. 13 (of Ecclesiastes) from the 3rd century.
3rd century - 1968 The Text of the New Testament.
p75 Bodmer 14/15 Papyrii (most of Luke and John) Contains Luke 3:18-22; 3:33-4:2; 4:34-5:10; 5:37-6:4;
6:10-7:32; 7:35-39,41-43; 7:46-9:2 without John 7:53-8:11; 9:4-17:15; 17:19-18:18; 22:4-24:53 John 1:1-11:45;
11:48-57; 12:3-13:1; 13:8-9; 14:8-15; part of 14:16; 14:17-29; 15:7-8. Originally 144 leaves, we have preserved
102 leaves) It is typically dated 175-200 A.D., or 175-225 A.D. However, its handwriting is very similar to
another document, Papyrus Fuad XIX, which is known to have been written 145-146 A.D. The text is very
similar to Vaticanus (A General Introduction to the Bible p.390) The Complete Text of the Earliest New
Testament Manuscripts has a photograph of part of it on p.495 and says a professional Christian scribe wrote
this manuscript and on p.496 says it is 97% identical with Vaticanus (92% the same in John). A photograph of
part of the scroll of the Bodmer 14/15 Papyrii is in the New International Dictionary of the Bible p.706. The
Archaeology of the New Testament (Finnegan) has a photograph of Luke 9:23-33 on p.383. The International
Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1982) vol.6 p.414 has a photograph of Luke 16:9-21, assigning it a date of 175225 A.D.
beginning of the 3rd century - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament has Luke 3:18-22; 3:33-4:2; 4:34-5:10;
5:37-6:4; 6:10-7:32,35-43; 7:46-8:18; 22:4-24:53
There is a picture of Luke 16:16-21 from a Bodmer papyrus (c.180 A.D.) in the New International Dictionary
of the Bible p.604.
p87 contains Phm 13-15, 24 (partial) ,25b with gaps (c.125 A.D.) Handwriting is nearly identical to p46. The
Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts has a photograph of p87 on p.607.
The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts has a photograph of p87 on p.608 says the
original editors dated p87 to early third century because the handwriting is nearly identical to p46, and p46
used to be thought third century. Since 046 is now known to be earlier this is redated to dated middle to late 2nd
century. A second line of evidence is that the letters of both p46 and p87 are nearly identical to Papyrus
Oxyrhynchus 841 ( second hand 120-130 A.D.). A third line of evidence is that p87 has startling similarities
to p52, dated early second century.
p90 Jn 18:36-19:7 (c.175 A.D.) The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts has a photograph
showing part of p90 on p.610.
Middle to late 2nd century - 1999 - The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts.
p92 Eph 1:11-13,19-21; 2 Thess 1:4-5,11-12 (c. 300 A.D.) The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament
Manuscripts has a photograph of part of p92 on p.614.
p95 John 5:26-29, 36-38. 3rd century. The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts has a
photograph of it on p.620.

3rd century - 1999 - The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts.
p98 2nd century Rev 1:13-2:1 The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts p.618 has a
picture of this manuscript, and it says the text is badly damaged.
0162 (=Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 847) John 2:11-22. Late 3rd or 4th century. The Complete Text of the Earliest
New Testament Manuscripts has a photograph of it on p.632.
Late 3rd or early 4th century (ca.300 A.D.) - 1999 - The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament
Manuscripts.
0169 (= Papyrii Oxyrhynchus 1080) (4th century) contains Revelation 3:19-4:1. For more info and a
photograph see Manuscripts of the Greek Bible p.72-73.
Uncial 0189 Acts 5:3-21. is one of the oldest uncials: late 2nd or early 3rd century. A photograph of this
manuscript (showing some decay holes in the text) is in The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament
Manuscripts p.642.
Mesrop Mashtotz (c.361-439 A.D.) was a former soldier and Christian missionary who created an Armenian
alphabet in 406 A.D. and translated the Bible into Armenian. There are over 1,244 New Testament Armenian
manuscripts. See The Journey from Texts to Translations p.248-250 for more info. A picture of an Armenian
manuscript of Matthew 1 is on p.248.

Ancient Gnostic Manuscripts

Pictures and discussion of the Gospel of Thomas are in the Wycliffe Dictionary of Biblical Archaeology p.406,
The New International Dictionary of the Bible p.1011-1012, and The International Standard Bible
Encyclopedia vol.6 p384.