Papyrus 94 (P94): An Examination of P. Cairo 10730

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The Reading Culture of Early Christianity

Introduction to Papyrus 94

Papyrus 94, designated P94 in the Gregory-Aland numbering system, stands as a late but noteworthy witness to the New Testament text of the Epistle to the Romans. Though only a fragment, it preserves six verses—Romans 6:10–13 and 19–22—offering insight into a pivotal theological section of Paul’s writing. Scholars have dated P94 paleographically to 350–400 CE, making it later than prominent Alexandrian papyri like P46 or P75. Despite this later date, its textual features align closely with the Alexandrian text-type, suggesting that this tradition remained influential well into the fourth century. The manuscript’s fragments are currently held in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo under the catalog number P. Cairo 10730, with high-resolution images available through the Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts (CSNTM), facilitating detailed study by researchers worldwide.

Physical Description and Provenance

Material and Script

P94 is inscribed on papyrus, the standard medium for New Testament manuscripts before parchment gained prominence in the 4th and 5th centuries. Its script is uncial, characterized by a formal book hand typical of literary works from this era. The surviving portion is modest, with just a few lines of text for each preserved verse. However, the handwriting is neat and the orthography consistent, pointing to a scribe with considerable skill—potentially a professional or someone working within a monastic or ecclesiastical context. This careful execution suggests a deliberate effort to produce a reliable copy, even if the manuscript’s small size limits its overall scope.

Provenance

The original discovery site of P94 remains unknown, as is common with many ancient manuscripts. Egypt, however, is the most probable origin, given its dry climate that preserved organic materials like papyrus and its history as a major source of New Testament papyri finds. The manuscript’s current residence in Cairo reinforces this likelihood, though no definitive evidence pinpoints its exact journey from creation to preservation.

Textual Character and Classification

Text-Type

The Greek text of P94 exhibits clear hallmarks of the Alexandrian tradition, known for its brevity, lack of embellishment, and fidelity to what many scholars consider the earliest New Testament readings. While P94 has not yet been formally assigned to one of Kurt and Barbara Aland’s categories of New Testament manuscripts (I, II, III, etc.), its alignment with major Alexandrian witnesses like Codex Vaticanus (B/03) and Codex Sinaiticus (ℵ/01) suggests it would likely fall into Category I or II once fully evaluated. This classification reflects its high textual quality, even as a later copy.

Comparison with Other Manuscripts

In the preserved verses of Romans 6:10–22, P94 consistently matches the readings of Alexandrian manuscripts such as P46, Codex Vaticanus, Codex Sinaiticus, and Codex Alexandrinus (A). This sets it apart from the Byzantine text-type, which often smooths out difficult phrases or conflates readings, and from Western manuscripts, which show more idiosyncratic variations. No distinct Western readings appear in P94’s limited text, and its small size prevents any firm conclusions about the debated Caesarean text-type, if it exists as a cohesive category.

Textual Variants in Romans 6:10–13, 19–22

Given P94’s fragmentary nature, with some readings partially reconstructed due to gaps, the number of textual variants is limited. Nevertheless, the preserved verses are rich with doctrinal content, making them valuable for assessing textual consistency. Below are the key readings:

Romans 6:10

Greek (P94): ὃ γὰρ ἀπέθανεν, τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἀπέθανεν ἐφάπαξ· ὃ δὲ ζῇ, ζῇ τῷ θεῷ.

This text aligns precisely with Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus, confirming P94’s Alexandrian character. The word “ἐφάπαξ” (once for all) carries significant theological weight, emphasizing Christ’s singular, complete sacrifice—a reading widely attested in early witnesses.

Romans 6:11

οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς λογίζεσθε ἑαυτοὺς νεκροὺς μὲν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, ζῶντας δὲ τῷ θεῷ ἐν χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.

P94 includes the full phrase “ἐν χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ,” matching Vaticanus and other Alexandrian texts. Some Western manuscripts, such as Codex D, alter or omit this phrase, possibly reflecting theological adjustments or harmonization with other passages, but P94 supports the longer, more precise reading.

Romans 6:12–13

μὴ οὖν βασιλευέτω ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐν τῷ θνητῷ ὑμῶν σώματι, εἰς τὸ ὑπακούειν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις αὐτοῦ· μηδὲ παριστάνετε τὰ μέλη ὑμῶν ὅπλα ἀδικίας τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, ἀλλὰ παραστήσατε ἑαυτοὺς τῷ θεῷ ὡς ἐκ νεκρῶν ζῶντας, καὶ τὰ μέλη ὑμῶν ὅπλα δικαιοσύνης τῷ θεῷ.

The Greek-English New Testament Interlinear (GENTI)

12 ΜὴNot οὖνtherefore βασιλευέτωlet be reigning ἡthe ἁμαρτίαsin ἐνin τῷthe θνητῷmortal ὑμῶνof you σώματιbody εἰςinto τὸthe ὑπακούεινto be obeying ταῖςto the ἐπιθυμίαιςdesires αὐτοῦ,of it, 13 μηδὲneither παριστάνετεbe you presenting τὰthe μέληmembers ὑμῶνof you ὅπλαweapons ἀδικίαςof unrighteousness τῇto the ἁμαρτίᾳ,sin, ἀλλὰbut παραστήσατεmake you stand alongside ἑαυτοὺςselves τῷto the θεῷGod ὡσεὶas if ἐκout of νεκρῶνdead (ones) ζῶνταςliving καὶand τὰthe μέληmembers ὑμῶνof you ὅπλαweapons δικαιοσύνηςof righteousness τῷto the θεῷ·God;

“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, so as to obey its desires; nor present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”

This passage aligns with Alexandrian witnesses, retaining “ὅπλα δικαιοσύνης” (instruments of righteousness). Byzantine texts sometimes replace “ὅπλα” with “ὄργανα,” a less striking term, but P94 upholds the original, aligning with the principle that the more difficult reading is often more authentic.

Romans 6:19–22

These verses, preserved in part, explore slavery to righteousness versus sin. In 6:22, the text reads: νυνὶ δὲ ἐλευθερωθέντες ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, δουλωθέντες δὲ τῷ θεῷ, ἔχετε τὸν καρπὸν ὑμῶν εἰς ἁγιασμόν, τὸ δὲ τέλος ζωὴν αἰώνιον. This matches Vaticanus and P46, maintaining Alexandrian precision with terms like “νυνὶ δέ” and “δουλωθέντες,” while some Western texts use less structured phrasing.

Theological and Textual Value

Though just a fragment, P94 contributes to the evidence supporting the textual reliability of Romans 6, a chapter central to Paul’s teachings on salvation and sanctification. Its close alignment with earlier Alexandrian manuscripts, notably P46 (dated ca. 175–225 CE), suggests that this text-type remained consistent over centuries, possibly due to careful scribal practices in ecclesiastical settings. This consistency challenges theories of widespread textual fluidity in early Christianity, though P94’s limited scope means it can only hint at, rather than prove, such stability. Its value lies in reinforcing the cumulative weight of manuscript evidence for this passage.

Role in Textual Criticism

P94 is too small to revolutionize the textual criticism of Romans, but it serves as a reliable confirmatory witness. It underscores the Alexandrian tradition’s consistency, shows no signs of theological tampering by the late 4th century, and reflects scribal fidelity to earlier exemplars. These traits bolster confidence in the transmission history of Paul’s epistles and support a documentary approach—relying on physical manuscripts—over more speculative methods. While not a game-changer, P94 fits neatly into the broader puzzle of New Testament textual history.

Storage and Accessibility

P94 resides in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo (P. Cairo 10730), and its digitized images, hosted by the CSNTM, allow scholars to examine its script and readings closely. This accessibility aids in analyzing letterforms, verifying alignments with other manuscripts, and refining its classification, which remains pending in the Aland system. As digital resources expand, fragments like P94 gain prominence, offering fresh opportunities to explore the New Testament’s textual development.

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About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).