--- title: "Papyrus 46 (P46), the earliest extensive manuscript of Paul's letters" canonical: "https://paulineletters.com/explore/evidence/papyrus-46" published: "2026-10-23" updated: "2026-10-23" license: "https://paulineletters.com/explore/license" source: "Pauline Letters" --- # Papyrus 46 (P46), the earliest extensive manuscript of Paul's letters **What does this evidence establish about Acts and Paul’s letters?** P46 is the earliest extensive manuscript of Paul's letters: 86 leaves of a Greek papyrus codex from Egypt, dated around AD 200, now split between Dublin and Ann Arbor. It shows Romans, Hebrews, 1-2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Galatians, Philippians, Colossians and 1 Thessalonians being copied together as one book. Its date rests on handwriting and is debated, and its lost leaves leave open whether it held 2 Thessalonians, Philemon or the Pastoral Letters. - **Date:** About AD 200, dated by its handwriting alone. INTF gives the early third century (200-225), CSNTM the late second or early third century (c. 200), and a Chester Beatty Library exhibition label the third century CE. Published proposals run from the later first century to the third century. - **Where it is now:** Chester Beatty Library, Dublin (BP II, 56 leaves); University of Michigan Library, Ann Arbor (inv. 6238, 30 leaves) - **Confidence:** High - **How it is supported:** Attested - **Catalogue references:** Gregory-Aland P46; INTF Liste docID 10046; Chester Beatty Library BP II; University of Michigan Library inv. 6238 - **Bears on:** Romans 15:33; Romans 14:24-26; Romans 16:1-23; Ephesians 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-28 ## What it establishes Eighty-six leaves of one Greek papyrus codex of Paul's letters survive, divided between the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin (BP II, 56 leaves) and the University of Michigan Library, Ann Arbor (inv. 6238, 30 leaves). The catalogues date it to around AD 200 on palaeographic grounds. It comes from Egypt: a Chester Beatty Library exhibition label gives Egypt and the third century CE for one leaf (BP II f.61). The surviving leaves contain, in this order: Romans (from 5:17, with gaps), Hebrews, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Galatians, Philippians, Colossians and 1 Thessalonians (fragmentary, breaking off in 5:28). These letters were therefore being copied together as a single book, with Hebrews placed directly after Romans. Romans in P46 already contains chapter 16, with the commendation of Phoebe of Cenchreae and the greetings to Prisca, Aquila and others (16:1-23). But it puts the closing doxology after 15:33 and runs straight from 16:23 into the title of Hebrews. The doxology is 16:25-27 in critical editions and 14:24-26 in the WEB numbering. Its Ephesians is headed as a letter to the Ephesians, yet the greeting at Ephesians 1:1 names no destination city. P46 is therefore an early witness to that form of the verse. ## What it does not establish Whether the codex ever held 2 Thessalonians, Philemon or the Pastoral Letters. Its opening and final leaves are lost, and judgments about how much text the missing leaves could have held are estimates. Who wrote any letter it contains. Including Hebrews shows that the codex's users grouped it with Paul's letters. That is evidence of their opinion, not of who wrote it. Opinion differed: Clement of Alexandria called Hebrews Paul's work, while at Rome Caius counted only thirteen letters of Paul (Eusebius, Church History 6.14.2; 6.20.3). An exact date, or the events of Acts. The date comes from handwriting, not from any statement in the manuscript. The codex attests the letters' text and circulation, not the history they describe or Acts' account of it. ## Where interpreters differ Three questions are open. Date: most palaeographers place the hand about AD 200; INTF, and Orsini and Clarysse, put it in the early third century, and Griffin argued for roughly 175-225. Kim proposed the later first century (little followed) and Comfort and Barrett the mid-second, while Sanders, first editor of the Michigan leaves, assigned it to the third century. Contents: Kenyon judged the lost final leaves too few for the Pastoral Letters, while Duff argued the scribe was compressing the text and could have added leaves. Marcion's edition also lacked them (Tertullian, Against Marcion 5.21), but that is an analogy from a different region and group, not evidence about this codex. Romans: does the doxology after 15:33 mark a fifteen-chapter edition (Manson), or a secondary placement in an original sixteen-chapter letter (Gamble)? ## Other readings Earlier dating. Kim (1988) dated P46 to the later first century, and Comfort and Barrett (2001) to the mid-second. If either is right, the collection is older still. Most palaeographers prefer about AD 200, and any date from handwriting has a margin of several decades. Pastorals planned or added (Duff). Duff (1998) argued that the scribe was compressing the text in the later pages and may have planned extra leaves, so the codex may have been meant to include the Pastoral Letters. Kenyon's contrary judgment rests on estimating the space the lost leaves offered. The surviving leaves cannot settle the question either way. Fifteen-chapter Romans. Manson read the doxology after 15:33 as the end of a fifteen-chapter edition sent to Rome, with chapter 16 belonging to a copy for Ephesus. Gamble argued the sixteen-chapter letter is original. P46 itself still copies chapter 16 as part of Romans. ## Bibliography and sources - Kurzgefasste Liste der griechischen Handschriften des Neuen Testaments (INTF NTVMR, page-level record) — Gregory-Aland P46 (INTF docID 10046) - Chester Beatty online exhibition page: New Testament (label for the Pauline Epistles leaf) — CBL BP II f.61 - CSNTM manuscript record: P46 — GA P46 - INTF NTVMR transcription of P46 — P46 folio 20r - INTF NTVMR transcription of P46 — P46 folio 21v - INTF NTVMR transcription of P46 — P46 folio 75r - Eusebius, Church History (Arthur Cushman McGiffert, 1890) — HE 6.14.2 - Eusebius, Church History (Arthur Cushman McGiffert, 1890) — HE 6.20.3 - Tertullian, Against Marcion (Peter Holmes, 1885) — Adv. Marc. 5.21.1 - Wikidata item: Papyrus 46 — Q1513469 --- Canonical: https://paulineletters.com/explore/evidence/papyrus-46