P117, P. Hamburg Ins. NS 1002): A Fourth-Century Fragment of 2 Corinthians 7:7–11

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Introduction to Papyrus 117 and Its Importance in Pauline Textual Transmission

Papyrus 117, designated 𝔓117 in the Gregory-Aland system and cataloged under P. Hamburg Ins. NS 1002, is a fourth-century Greek papyrus preserving a portion of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, specifically 2 Corinthians 7:7–11. Though fragmentary, this manuscript provides another piece of evidence for the preservation and transmission of the Pauline corpus in the early Byzantine period. The fragment represents a period where the codification and standardization of New Testament texts were increasingly prominent, and it illustrates the persistence of Alexandrian-style copying practices even as the text spread beyond Egypt.

The manuscript is paleographically dated to the early fourth century C.E. (300–350 C.E.), placing it within a transitional period between the early papyrus tradition and the emerging use of parchment codices that would come to dominate the fifth century onward.

This article analyzes the physical characteristics, paleographical features, textual content, and critical relevance of 𝔓117 within the textual tradition of 2 Corinthians. Despite its brevity, the fragment affirms the reliability and consistency of the New Testament text and contributes to the cumulative external evidence supporting the text of Paul’s epistles.

Provenance, Dating, and Housing

𝔓117 is currently preserved at the University of Hamburg Library in Germany, cataloged under the inventory number Inv. NS 1002. The papyrus was most likely discovered in Egypt, though the precise excavation site remains uncertain due to its private and academic collection history.

Paleographically, the manuscript is dated to the early fourth century C.E., approximately 300–350 C.E., by comparing its script to other dated literary and documentary texts from the same period. The handwriting reflects a formal book hand, indicative of scribes copying texts intended for ecclesiastical or communal reading rather than informal, private use.

Physical Description and Paleographic Features

The fragment of 𝔓117 is written in one column per page, with 11 lines per page, though not all lines are preserved. The script is a consistent and clear uncial hand, aligning with early fourth-century Christian manuscripts that retained elements of Alexandrian precision while transitioning into more standardized biblical uncial styles.

There are no decorations or ornamentation, and nomina sacra—if present in the lost portions—would likely have been written in standard abbreviated forms, as was typical of the time. Though limited in scope, the physical characteristics indicate the manuscript was part of a codex, not a scroll, reinforcing the early Christian preference for the codex format for New Testament writings. This preference helped facilitate navigation, cross-referencing, and more compact storage of multiple epistles or gospel texts.

Transcription and Layout of the Fragment

The preserved portion of 2 Corinthians in 𝔓117 includes verses 7:7–11, a passage that deals with Paul’s emotional response to the Corinthians’ repentance. The Greek text below is reconstructed from the extant fragments, and all bracketed material represents scholarly restoration based on comparison with the critical text (NA28).

2 Corinthians 7:7–11
[ἀλλὰ ἐν τῷ ἐπιχειρήσει αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ ὑμῖν]
[ἀνηγγέλλετο ἡμῖν ἡ ὑμῶν ἐπιπόθησις, ὁ ὀδυρμὸς]
[ὑμῶν, ὁ ζῆλος ὑμῶν ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ, ὥστε με μᾶλλον χαρῆναι.]
[ὅτι εἰ καὶ ἐλύπησα ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ, οὐ μεταμέλομαι·]
[εἰ καὶ μετεμελόμην—βλέπω γὰρ ὅτι ἡ ἐπιστολὴ ἐκείνη]
[εἰ καὶ πρὸς ὥραν ἐλύπησεν ὑμᾶς—νῦν χαίρω·]
[οὐχ ὅτι ἐλυπήθητε, ἀλλ’ ὅτι ἐλυπήθητε εἰς μετάνοιαν·]
[ἐλυπήθητε γὰρ κατὰ θεὸν, ἵνα ἐν μηδενὶ ζημιωθῆτε ἐξ ἡμῶν.]
[ἡ γὰρ κατὰ θεὸν λύπη μετάνοιαν εἰς σωτηρίαν ἀμεταμέλητον]
[ἐργάζεται· ἡ δὲ τοῦ κόσμου λύπη θάνατον κατεργάζεται.]
[ἰδοὺ γὰρ αὐτὸ τοῦτο τὸ κατὰ θεὸν λυπηθῆναι πόσην κατειργάσατο ὑμῖν σπουδήν]

The fragment appears to preserve most of this passage with considerable fidelity to the standard Alexandrian-based critical text. While the precise textual character is not officially classified, the reconstructed readings suggest no significant divergences from the Alexandrian text as represented in Codices 𝔓46, ℵ, A, and B.

The Reading Culture of Early Christianity

Textual Character and Critical Evaluation

Due to its brevity, 𝔓117 is not formally categorized under the Aland system, which requires more extensive text for classification into Categories I–V. Nevertheless, the preserved text of 2 Corinthians 7:7–11 provides no evidence of Byzantine expansions, paraphrastic renderings, or Western additions. The alignment with the Nestle-Aland 28th Edition reading confirms that 𝔓117 follows the wording preserved in the Alexandrian textual tradition.

This is consistent with other early fourth-century manuscripts that display textual conservatism, especially in doctrinally and emotionally charged passages. In this section of 2 Corinthians, Paul’s explanation of divine sorrow leading to repentance is preserved verbatim, confirming that even in the early fourth century, scribes were accurately transmitting core Pauline theology.

The absence of known textual variants in this passage also means 𝔓117’s value lies not in revealing new readings but in confirming the stability and uniformity of the established text at an early date.

Theological and Literary Features of 2 Corinthians 7:7–11

The passage preserved in 𝔓117 is critical for Pauline theology, particularly regarding repentance, sorrow, and divine discipline. Paul explains that sorrow according to God’s will leads to true repentance and ultimately to salvation—whereas worldly sorrow leads to death. The strong contrast between κατὰ θεὸν λύπη (“godly sorrow”) and τοῦ κόσμου λύπη (“worldly sorrow”) is a deeply theological point, and its preservation in this papyrus reflects the central importance of this teaching in the early Christian community.

This portion of text would have likely been read aloud in worship, instructing congregations in the correct posture of humility and obedience before God. The emotional vocabulary—ἐπιπόθησις, ὀδυρμὸς, ζῆλος, χαρά, λύπη, μετάνοια—reflects the depth of early Christian relational and spiritual life, preserved faithfully through centuries of copying.

Contribution to Textual Criticism and Transmission History

Although 𝔓117 is a brief and partial witness, it holds value in confirming the presence of the critical text of 2 Corinthians in circulation during the early fourth century C.E. Its handwriting and content reflect the ongoing standardization of Pauline texts, following the earlier papyri of the second and third centuries like 𝔓46.

By this time, the Pauline corpus was commonly copied as a complete set or near-complete collection, suggesting 𝔓117 may have originally belonged to a codex that included multiple Pauline epistles. The manuscript confirms that the wording of 2 Corinthians 7:7–11 remained stable, consistent with the early Alexandrian textual stream that underlies the modern critical text.

Conclusion: The Enduring Reliability of 𝔓117 as a Witness to the Pauline Epistles

While 𝔓117 contains only a short segment of 2 Corinthians, it affirms the early accuracy and integrity of the text, aligning well with the Alexandrian manuscript tradition. Dated to the early fourth century C.E., its content corresponds closely with what is found in the Nestle-Aland 28th Edition, and by extension with codices ℵ, A, and B, showing the doctrinal and textual stability of the New Testament epistles by this period.

The papyrus serves as another documentary confirmation of the faithful transmission of the Word of God and stands as a small but important piece of the larger puzzle in New Testament textual criticism. It confirms that scribes in the early centuries took great care to preserve Paul’s words, ensuring that modern readers can trust in the text they receive today.

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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).