Papyrus P52 or P. Rylands GK. 457
The original “Papyrus P52 or P. Rylands GK. 457” is a papyrus fragment preserved at the John Rylands Library in Manchester. P52 is considered the oldest existing fragment of the New Testament in our possession. According to paleography (the science that studies ancient writings), the fragment dates back to the first half of the 2nd century (around 100-125 AD).
The fragment, measuring (3.5 x 2.5 inches) (8.9 x 6 cm), contains extracts from the Gospel of John written in ancient Greek on its recto and verso. It was part of a group of papyri acquired on the Egyptian market in Oxyrhynchus (Behnesa), the ruined city of Upper Egypt, in 1920 by Bernard Grenfell. The original transcription and translation of the text fragment were only carried out in 1934 by Colin H. Roberts. On one side, there were words taken from John 18:31-33, and on the other, portions of verses 37 and 38.
The Texte of P 52
Front John 18: 31-33 … The Jews therefore said unto him, it is not lawful for us to put any man to death: 32 That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spoke, signifying what death he should die. Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
Back John 18: 37-38 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
The significance of P52
The apostle John likely wrote his gospel in Ephesus (Turkey) around 90-95 AD, and this papyrus was discovered, translated into Coptic Greek, in Egypt near the Nile about 35 years after the original, at a distance of 1,300 km (approximately 800 miles). This implies that P52, the oldest manuscript of the New Testament, was likely copied quite close to the time of the original. Moreover, it confirms the existence and dissemination of the Gospel of John as early as the first half of the 2nd century. It provides invaluable evidence of the propagation of gospel texts from the very start of the Christian era in regions far from their place of origin.
The papyrus has been dated between 100 and 125 AD. The death of Jesus is dated between 30 and 33 AD, which means that this translation of the Gospel of John was already circulating in Egypt 70 years after the crucifixion of Jesus.
Papyrus P52 is one of the 5,800 Greek biblical manuscripts—whether fragmented or complete—discovered to date (in addition to 10,000 Latin manuscripts and 9,300 manuscripts in other ancient languages). It is the first link in the chain that connects the Bibles we read today to the original manuscripts.
