Introduction to Papyrus 133

Papyrus 133 (designated 𝔓133 in the Gregory-Aland numbering system) is an early Greek manuscript of the New Testament, specifically preserving text from the First Epistle to Timothy. This manuscript represents a significant witness to the early transmission of the Pastoral Epistles and contributes to our understanding of the Alexandrian textual tradition during the early third century C.E. It was discovered at Oxyrhynchus and is officially cataloged as P. Oxy. 81.5259. The papyrus contains portions of 1 Timothy 3:13–16 and 4:1–8, reflecting both orthographic and textual features consistent with early Alexandrian witnesses.

This article will assess 𝔓133 within the broader framework of New Testament textual criticism. It will explore its paleographical dating, physical characteristics, textual content, variant readings, and overall contribution to the textual tradition of the First Epistle to Timothy.

Date of Papyrus 133

The manuscript has been paleographically assigned to the early third century, specifically 200–250 C.E. This dating is based on comparative analysis with other documentary papyri and literary texts of the same period. Its letterforms—upright, rounded uncials with distinctive letter shapes—closely resemble those found in P. Oxy. 36.2781 and P. Oxy. 41.2949. These features place the handwriting in line with securely dated examples from the early third century C.E., firmly situating 𝔓133 within a period of increasing literary production and Christian manuscript circulation in Egypt.

Content of Papyrus 133: 1 Timothy 3:13–4:8

The preserved fragments of 𝔓133 contain portions of 1 Timothy 3:13–16 and 4:1–8. These passages include both ecclesiastical instructions for church leadership and theological affirmations about Jesus Christ. Notably, 1 Timothy 3:16 includes the Christological formula widely discussed in textual studies due to its variant readings (“who was manifested in the flesh” vs. “God was manifested in the flesh”). Unfortunately, this specific phrase is missing from the surviving text of 𝔓133 due to its fragmentary state. Nevertheless, the extant lines still provide valuable insight into the textual history of this epistle.

The sections preserved include the following pericopes:

• 3:13–16: Concluding exhortations to deacons and a creedal statement concerning Christ.

• 4:1–8: Prophetic warning concerning false teachers, ascetic practices, and instructions to Timothy regarding godliness and faithful teaching.

Physical Features of Papyrus 133

𝔓133 survives in the form of multiple small fragments belonging to a single papyrus leaf, written on both the recto and verso sides. The text is arranged in a single column per page, with 27 to 30 letters per line, though many lines are partially preserved. The writing is in a professional uncial hand, with letterforms consistent with the biblical majuscule script used in Christian literary texts of the early third century.

One distinctive feature is the use of nomina sacra, the scribal convention of abbreviating sacred names and terms with overlines. This includes common sacred terms like ΘΣ (God), ΙΣ (Jesus), and ΧΣ (Christ). In 1 Timothy 4:1, the manuscript includes an unusual nomen sacrum for πνεύματα (“spirits”), abbreviated as ΠΝΑ, likely with an overline. This rare abbreviation may reflect the scribe’s intention to distinguish between the plural “spirits” and the singular “Spirit” in the same verse, reflecting theological sensitivity or scribal reverence.

The papyrus is now housed at the Sackler Library in Oxford, under the designation P. Oxy. 81.5259.

Location of Papyrus 133

The manuscript is currently held at the Sackler Library, University of Oxford, as part of the Oxyrhynchus Papyri collection. It was published in The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, Volume 81 (2016), and is cataloged as P. Oxy. LXXXI 5259. The library maintains detailed images and documentation for scholarly access, contributing to the ongoing study and publication of early Christian manuscripts.

Textual Character of Papyrus 133

The textual character of 𝔓133 is distinctly Alexandrian. Although the fragmentary condition of the manuscript limits the scope of textual comparison, where sufficient text survives, it aligns with the Alexandrian tradition found in Codices Vaticanus (B) and Sinaiticus (ℵ). In terms of textual transmission, its agreement with Alexandrian readings affirms its early and reliable witness to the Pauline text in Egypt during the first half of the third century C.E.

One particular textual observation relates to 1 Timothy 4:1, where 𝔓133 contains a unique nomen sacrum for πνεύματα (spirits). The standard Greek reads:

Τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα ῥητῶς λέγει ὅτι ἐν ὑστέροις καιροῖς ἀποστήσονται τινὲς τῆς πίστεως, προσέχοντες πνεύμασιν πλάνοις καὶ διδασκαλίαις δαιμονίων.

The first reference is to the singular Spirit (i.e., the Holy Spirit), while the second is to deceiving spirits (πνεύμασιν πλάνοις). In 𝔓133, the plural form πνεύμασιν is apparently abbreviated as a nomen sacrum—a rare scribal feature not typically applied to the plural form. The abbreviation, most likely written ΠΝΑΣΙΝ with a supralinear stroke, may suggest that the scribe viewed these “spirits” with a kind of reverent or theological distinction, even though they refer to demonic beings. This aligns with a small group of other manuscripts that occasionally abbreviate plural sacred terms.

Notable Textual Variants in 𝔓133

1 Timothy 3:13

Variant Reading: 𝔓133 reads ΤΗΝ, the accusative relative pronoun, instead of ΤΗ, the dative.

This reflects a grammatical variation where the accusative might have been introduced through assimilation with earlier content. The majority reading ΤΗ is well attested in Alexandrian manuscripts, but 𝔓133 joins a limited group of manuscripts reading ΤΗΝ, perhaps a scribal grammatical clarification.

1 Timothy 3:14

Omission: 𝔓133 omits ΠΡΟΣ ΣΕ (“to you”), a reading also found in manuscripts F, G, 6, 1739, and 1881.

This omission might reflect either an early form of the text or a scribal tendency to streamline the address. The phrase “to you” is contextually unnecessary for comprehension, and its omission aligns 𝔓133 with certain Alexandrian and Western traditions.

1 Timothy 4:6

According to the reconstruction by John Shao, 𝔓133 contains the Christological sequence Χ̅Υ̅ Ι̅Υ̅  (abbreviation for Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ, “Christ Jesus”) with supralinear strokes, confirming its alignment with Alexandrian scribal habits. The order Christ Jesus (rather than Jesus Christ) is a common Alexandrian feature and occurs frequently in the Pastoral Epistles.

This reading reinforces the scribe’s faithfulness to an early Alexandrian exemplar, possibly derived from a second-century archetype, consistent with the stable form found in P46 and Codex Vaticanus.

Paleographical Significance and Transmission History

𝔓133 demonstrates several paleographical features indicative of a carefully produced literary manuscript. These include uniform letter height, measured spacing, and deliberate ligatures. The scribe’s attention to scribal conventions—such as the use of nomina sacra and marginal spacing—suggests a professional copyist, perhaps working within a Christian scriptorium in Oxyrhynchus or a private Christian community preserving Paul’s letters.

As part of the Oxyrhynchus papyri, 𝔓133 contributes to our understanding of the early textual transmission of the New Testament in Egypt. The Alexandrian tradition, known for its careful preservation, is evident in this papyrus, reaffirming the reliability of this textual line from an evangelical perspective. Contrary to theories proposing rampant textual corruption in the early centuries, 𝔓133 exhibits a high degree of textual stability and doctrinal integrity, aligning with other early manuscripts such as P46 and P75.

Conclusion

Papyrus 133 (𝔓133) offers a remarkable witness to the early third-century text of 1 Timothy, affirming the fidelity of the Alexandrian tradition in preserving the Pauline epistles. Though fragmentary, its paleographical and textual data reinforce the accuracy and continuity of the New Testament transmission. The presence of rare features like the nomen sacrum for “spirits” in 1 Timothy 4:1 invites further study into scribal theology and orthographic conventions in early Christian manuscripts. Most importantly, 𝔓133 undergirds the confidence of conservative textual scholars in the stability of the Greek New Testament text, demonstrating that even by 200–250 C.E., the Alexandrian form of the text was already well established and being meticulously copied.

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