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Pauline Letters · Evidence-led guide

Manuscripts of Paul’s letters

Ancient manuscript images are evidence of textual survival, but each image must state exactly which letter or codex it witnesses.

Created and edited by Thomas Diong · Updated

Reader question

What do the surviving manuscript pages prove, and what would it overstate to claim from a representative image?

Witnesses shown in the project

The open Papyrus 46 bifolio — the oldest surviving copy of Paul’s letters, around AD 200. Its left page carries Romans 11 in Greek uncial; the same physical leaf also preserves the end of Philippians and the start of Colossians. Faded brown ink on darkened papyrus.
Romans · Papyrus 46 (P46)c. AD 200 · Chester Beatty Library, DublinOne P46 leaf — also carries Philippians & ColossiansImage source and rightsChester Beatty Library, Dublin — via Wikimedia Commons (public domain); Public domain.
Papyrus 46, folio 79v — 1 Corinthians 2:11–3:5, copied around AD 200; a single column of Greek uncial letters on worn papyrus.
1 Corinthians · Papyrus 46 (P46)c. AD 200 · University of Michigan LibraryText shownImage source and rightsUniversity of Michigan Library (P.Mich.inv. 6238) — via Wikimedia Commons (public domain); Public domain.
Papyrus 46, folio 142r — 2 Corinthians 11:33–12:9, copied around AD 200; Greek uncial script on ancient papyrus.
2 Corinthians · Papyrus 46 (P46)c. AD 200 · University of Michigan LibraryText shownImage source and rightsUniversity of Michigan Library (P.Mich.inv. 6238) — via Wikimedia Commons (public domain); Public domain.
A leaf of Papyrus 46 showing Paul’s letter to the Galatians, copied around AD 200; brown Greek ink on papyrus.
Galatians · Papyrus 46 (P46)c. AD 200 · Chester Beatty / University of MichiganText shownImage source and rightsPapyrus 46 (Chester Beatty / University of Michigan) — via Wikimedia Commons (public domain); Public domain.
Papyrus 46, folio 157v — Ephesians 6:8–18, copied around AD 200; a column of Greek uncial letters on darkened papyrus.
Ephesians · Papyrus 46 (P46)c. AD 200 · University of Michigan LibraryText shownImage source and rightsUniversity of Michigan Library (P.Mich.inv. 6238) — via Wikimedia Commons (public domain); Public domain.
Papyrus 46 — the closing verses of Philippians 4 (Paul thanking the church at Philippi for their gift), in Greek uncial on papyrus, copied around AD 200.
Philippians · Papyrus 46 (P46)c. AD 200 · Chester Beatty Library, DublinText shownImage source and rightsChester Beatty Library, Dublin — via Wikimedia Commons (public domain); Public domain.
Papyrus 46 — the title “To the Colossians” (ΠΡΟϹ ΚΟΛΑϹϹΑΕΙϹ) and the opening line of Colossians, in Greek uncial on papyrus, copied around AD 200.
Colossians · Papyrus 46 (P46)c. AD 200 · Chester Beatty Library, DublinText shownImage source and rightsChester Beatty Library, Dublin — via Wikimedia Commons (public domain); Public domain.
A leaf of Papyrus 46 — the earliest surviving collection of Paul’s letters, which includes 1 Thessalonians; copied around AD 200, Greek ink on papyrus.
1 Thessalonians · Papyrus 46 (P46)c. AD 200 · Chester Beatty / University of MichiganA leaf of Papyrus 46 — the collection that includes 1 ThessaloniansImage source and rightsPapyrus 46 (Chester Beatty / University of Michigan) — via Wikimedia Commons (public domain); Public domain.
A page of Codex Sinaiticus, the oldest complete Christian Bible, copied around AD 350; four columns of Greek uncial letters on parchment. This one codex preserves 2 Thessalonians, Titus, and Philemon — the same page stands for all three.
2 Thessalonians · Codex Sinaiticus (Codex Sinaiticus)c. AD 350 · British Library, LondonShared witness · Codex SinaiticusImage source and rightsCodex Sinaiticus, British Library — via Wikimedia Commons (public domain); Public domain.
Codex Sinaiticus — the page carrying 1 Timothy 1 and 2, copied around AD 350; columns of Greek uncial script on parchment.
1 Timothy · Codex Sinaiticus (Codex Sinaiticus)c. AD 350 · British Library, LondonText shownImage source and rightsCodex Sinaiticus, British Library — via Wikimedia Commons (CC0); CC0.
Codex Sinaiticus — the page where 1 Timothy ends and 2 Timothy begins, copied around AD 350; Greek uncial script on parchment.
2 Timothy · Codex Sinaiticus (Codex Sinaiticus)c. AD 350 · British Library, LondonText shownImage source and rightsCodex Sinaiticus, British Library — via Wikimedia Commons (CC0); CC0.
A page of Codex Sinaiticus, the oldest complete Christian Bible, copied around AD 350; Greek uncial letters on parchment. This one codex preserves 2 Thessalonians, Titus, and Philemon — the same page stands for all three.
Titus · Codex Sinaiticus (Codex Sinaiticus)c. AD 350 · British Library, LondonShared witness · Codex Sinaiticus · shared manuscript witnessImage source and rightsCodex Sinaiticus, British Library — via Wikimedia Commons (public domain); Public domain.
A page of Codex Sinaiticus, the oldest complete Christian Bible, copied around AD 350; Greek uncial letters on parchment. This one codex preserves 2 Thessalonians, Titus, and Philemon — the same page stands for all three.
Philemon · Codex Sinaiticus (Codex Sinaiticus)c. AD 350 · British Library, LondonShared witness · Codex Sinaiticus · shared manuscript witnessImage source and rightsCodex Sinaiticus, British Library — via Wikimedia Commons (public domain); Public domain.

Bibliography and sources

  1. Acts 7–28, World English Bible (public domain). View source
  2. Romans through Philemon, World English Bible (public domain). View source
  3. The project’s 67-row chronology, cross-referencing Acts and the letters and labeling debated dates.