# Papyrus 122

Papyrus 122, also known as P.Oxy. LXXI 4806, is an early copy of the New Testament in Greek. It is a papyrus manuscript of the Gospel of John in a fragmentary condition, only containing verses 21:11-14 and 21:22-24. It is designated by the siglum 𝔓$^{122}$ in the Gregory-Aland numbering of New Testament manuscripts. Using the study of comparative writing styles (palaeography), it has been assigned by the INTF to the 4th/5th century CE. Though discovered in one of the digs in Oxyrhynchus in the 19th and early 20th century, it wasn't published until 2007.

## Description

The original manuscript was likely a codex (precursor to the modern book) made of papyrus, of which only two pieces from one leaf have survived. The original codex is estimated to have had a writing area of around 10cm x 24cm, with 25-27 letters per line, and 44 lines on each page.$^{:12}$$^{:192}$ The surviving texts of John are verses 21:11-14,22-24.$^{:11}$$^{:192}$ Based on this data, the original codex is estimated to have been made of 32 leaves, giving 64 pages to contain the entire Gospel of John.$^{:12}$$^{:192}$ It was written by irregular hand, which scholar Juan Chapa describes as a "poor attempt at 'Biblical Uncial', made by an inexperienced scribe."$^{:11}$$^{:192}$
The manuscript employs the nomina sacra (sacred names, these being names/titles considered sacred in Christianity), with the name Ιησους (Jesus) abbreviated to ΙΗΣ.$^{:12}$ The number "one hundred and fifty-three" is also written by this sort of contraction in Greek numerals — ΡΝΓ.$^{:12}$

## Text

Though the text sampling is small, it does appear to have a few interesting features: in John 21:14, the name Ιησους (Jesus) is possibly omitted, as also seen in Codex Washingtonianus (ἐφανερώθη τοῖς μαθηταῖς / He appeared to the disciples).$^{:13}$$^{:193}$ Alternatively due to the non-extant porition, the manuscript could have agreed with Codex Regius (L) in reading the name following the words τοῖς μαθηταῖς (ἐφανερώθη τοῖς μαθηταῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς / Appeared to the disciples Jesus).$^{:13}$$^{:193}$ The majority of manuscripts contain the name, usually with an article (ἐφανερώθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοῖς μαθηταῖς / Jesus appeared to the disciples).$^{:13}$$^{:193}$ The manuscript is currently housed at the Papyrology Rooms of the Sackler Library (shelf number P. Oxy. 4806) at Oxford.$^{:11}$$^{:192}$

### Transcription of the Front side of 𝔓$^{122}$

Extant letters in black; those in red are not extant, but likely the reading of the manuscript.
| 𝔓$^{122}$ | Translation |
| Ανεβη ουν Σιμων Πετρος και ειλ | So Simon Peter went aboard and |
| κυσεν το δικτυον εις την γην μεσ | hauled the net ashore, full |
| τον ιχθυων μεγαλων ΡΝΓ και το | of large fish, a 153 of them; and |
| σουτων οντων ουκ εσχισθη το δικ | although there were so many, the net was not |
| τυον λεγει αυτοις ο ΙΗΣ δευτε αριστη | torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have |
| σατε ουδεις δε ετολμα των μαθητων ε | breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared |
| ξετασαι αυτων Συ τις ει ειδοτες οτι | ask him, “Who are you?” They knew |
| ο ΚΣ εστιν ερχεται ΙΗΣ και λαμ | it was the Lord. Jesus came and took |
| βανει τον αρτον και διδωσιν αυτοις | the bread and gave it to them, |
| και το οψαριον ομοιως τουτο ηδη | and so with the fish. This was now |
| τριτον εφανερωθη τοις μαθηταις | the third time that He appeared to the disciples |