Introduction to P136

Papyrus 136, designated 𝔓136 in the Gregory-Aland numbering system, is a fragmentary papyrus manuscript containing portions of the Acts of the Apostles. The surviving text includes sections from Acts 4:27–31 on the recto and Acts 7:26–30 on the verso, demonstrating its significance in both narrative and doctrinal content from Luke’s second volume. What distinguishes 𝔓136 is that it was written on a rotulus (scroll) rather than a codex, and the text on the verso is written upside-down relative to the recto, indicating reuse or a scribal error in orientation.

Dated paleographically to the 6th century C.E., 𝔓136 provides a late but notable witness to the transmission of Acts in the Greek New Testament. Despite its small size and fragmentary nature, it contributes meaningfully to the comparative textual history of the book of Acts. It is currently housed in the David M. Rubenstein Library at Duke University, catalogued as P. Duke Inv. 1377.

Date of P136

Paleographic analysis places P136 in the 6th century C.E., aligning it with late antique Greek script forms common in literary texts of that era. The handwriting is a rounded uncial, consistent with sixth-century biblical manuscripts, though slightly less formal than the early fourth-century codices like Vaticanus (03) or Sinaiticus (01). The scribe’s use of abbreviations, ligatures, and the use of nomina sacra follows the established scribal conventions by this time.

Unlike earlier papyri which typically show signs of personal or informal use, P136 reflects standardized ecclesiastical transmission practices of the Byzantine period, though its use of a rotulus—rather than a codex—remains a rare phenomenon for a Christian biblical manuscript in this late period.

Content of P136

𝔓136 preserves two key narrative segments from Acts:

Recto: Acts 4:27–31
This portion contains the concluding part of the believers’ prayer in response to persecution. The passage emphasizes God’s sovereignty, referring to Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, and culminates with a request for boldness to speak God’s word, accompanied by divine signs.

Verso: Acts 7:26–30
This fragment captures a segment of Stephen’s defense speech, specifically the retelling of Moses’ interaction with fellow Israelites and the appearance of the angel in the burning bush. These verses highlight Moses’ role as a deliverer and reinforce the continuity of God’s redemptive acts in Israel’s history, pointing to Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment.

Though incomplete, these sections are theologically rich, offering opportunities to assess textual variations that influence Christological emphasis, the role of the Spirit, and continuity between Old and New Covenants.

Physical Features of P136

The extant portion of 𝔓136 is a single papyrus fragment from a rotulus, with text on both recto and verso. This scroll format is highly unusual for Christian biblical texts by the 6th century, when the codex format had long become standard. The inverted text on the verso suggests that the scroll may have been reused or repurposed—possibly written at two different times or by scribes unaware of the prior orientation.

The script is a semi-formal Greek uncial, typical of liturgical or ecclesiastical copying. The nomina sacra (e.g., ΘΣ for Θεός, ΧΣ for Χριστός) are used with overlines, confirming the manuscript’s participation in the mainstream scribal tradition. The scribe also uses abbreviations for numbers, such as overlined μ for “forty” in Acts 7:30, indicating standard numeral practices of the time.

There are no margin notes, punctuation, or diacritical marks, which is consistent with contemporary manuscripts. While the fragment is not large enough to determine the full column or page layout, the number of letters per line and the orientation confirm its classification as a rotulus fragment.

Textual Character of P136

Though it is a late manuscript, 𝔓136 reveals several important textual variants that align it with Alexandrian readings in multiple places, while also displaying some mixed or Western elements. The detailed reconstruction provided by the Smiths allows close examination of specific readings, even in damaged or partially legible areas.

Acts 4:27 — “ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ” (in this city):
P136 follows the majority reading, shared by 𝔓45vid, 01 (Sinaiticus), 03 (Vaticanus), 05 (Bezae), 08, 044, 33, 1241, and 1739. This supports the notion of early unity in this phrase’s transmission. It contrasts with “ἐν τῇ πόλει σου ταύτῃ” (in this your city), which is found in 02 (Ephraemi Rescriptus), and omits the phrase altogether in a wide range of manuscripts, including representatives of the Byzantine tradition.

Acts 4:28 — “ἡ χείρ σου καὶ ἡ βουλή”:
According to the VMR transcription, P136 omits the second σου (“your”), reading simply “your hand and counsel.” This is a supported reading in several key Alexandrian witnesses (02*, 03, 08, 323, 945, 1175, 1739). The majority reading includes the second σου (your hand and your counsel), seen in 01, 05, and the Byzantine manuscripts. The Smiths propose a unique variant: ἡ χείρ σου καὶ ἡ δούλη (“your hand and your maidservant”), which would be a significant deviation, though it remains textually uncertain.

Acts 4:30 — Variant Word Order in “τὴν χεῖρά σε ἐκτείνειν”:
P136 reflects a reading aligned with P74, 02, and 1175, which diverges from the Byzantine consensus and exhibits a more difficult Greek structure. This type of construction supports the Alexandrian preference for more challenging and potentially original readings. The variant word orders across manuscripts suggest scribal efforts to clarify syntax in transmission.

Acts 7:26 — “ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί ἐστε ἵνα τί”:
This matches the Alexandrian and early Western witnesses (𝔓74, 01, 02, 03, 04, 08, 044, 323, 945, 1739). The Byzantine and majority texts read: “τί ποιεῖτε ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί” (“What are you doing, men, brothers?”), showing a different rhetorical emphasis. The P136 reading maintains the narrative force and theological tone of Stephen’s retelling of Moses’ rejection.

Acts 7:28 — Variant for “Yesterday”:
The Smiths report a corrector added ἐχθές to produce the standard reading ἐχθὲς τὸν Αἰγύπτιον. This reading is aligned with 𝔓74, 01, 03, and 04*, against variants like χθὲς or αἰχθὲς in other manuscripts. These differences reflect orthographic and phonetic fluidity in the transmission of common Greek terms.

Acts 7:30 — Abbreviation for ‘Forty’ and the Phrase “in a fire of flame”:
P136 uses μ̅ (overlined mu) for “forty,” a rare but attested numeral form, shared only with 05. Most other manuscripts spell it out. In 7:30b, P136 reads ν πυρ, not the standard ἐν φλογὶ πυρός (in a flame of fire), indicating a non-Byzantine form. The Smiths reconstruct the phrase as ἐν πυρὶ φλόγος (“in a fire of flame”), a reading supported by 02 and 04, further confirming Alexandrian influence.

Textual Character Summary

𝔓136 consistently reflects Alexandrian readings or aligns with early Western witnesses, distinguishing itself from the smoother and more harmonized Byzantine tradition. Though dating to the 6th century, its textual character remains pre-Byzantine, confirming the enduring influence of Alexandrian readings even in later manuscript contexts.

The papyrus is of particular value because:

• It provides confirmation of early readings in Acts not carried through in the Byzantine tradition.

• It exhibits distinct variants in key doctrinal texts.

• It reflects the scribal habits and numerical abbreviation conventions of its time.

Conclusion

Despite its brevity and damaged condition, 𝔓136 is an important manuscript in the study of Acts. It contributes to our understanding of the Alexandrian transmission of the New Testament text into the 6th century, and its rotulus format adds a layer of curiosity to its physical history. Its variants help affirm the documentary reliability of earlier readings, especially when compared with 𝔓45, 𝔓74, and Codices Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, and Ephraemi Rescriptus.

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