As followers of Christ and believers in the Bible as the inerrant Word of God, the materials used in the original transmission of these holy texts bear a significance that echoes through history. One such material, papyrus, has played an irreplaceable role in preserving the New Testament. As early as the Exodus, papyrus was already used as a writing material.
PAPYRUS 20 P20 (P. Oxy. 1171) James 2:19–3:9 [Dating to 175-200 A.D.]
The handwriting has many similarities with P. Egerton 4 (2 Chronicles) of the third century, and even more so with P27, which may be the work of the same scribe.
PAPYRUS 46 (P46): a Papyrus Bible Manuscript From About 125-150 C.E.
Contents: P46 contains most of the Pauline epistles, though with some folios missing. It contains (in order) “the last eight chapters of Romans; all of Hebrews; virtually all of 1–2 Corinthians; all of Ephesians, Galatians, Philippians, Colossians; and two chapters of 1 Thessalonians. All of the leaves have lost some lines at the bottom through deterioration.”
PAPYRUS 3 (P3 P. Vindob. 2323) Generally Alexandrian Text Type (4th Cent. C.E.)
Papyrus 3 is designated by the sign P3 in the numbering Gregory-Aland. It is a small fragment of fifteen verses from the Gospel of Luke (Luke 7:36-45; 10:38-42) dating to the 4th century.
The Scribe and Correctors of P66 (Papyrus 66)
P66 Papyrus 66 [150 C.E.] is of the Alexandrian text-type (more trusted). P66 comes to us by way of a professional scribe (practiced calligraphic hand, pagination numbers), a major corrector and a minor corrector.
PAPYRUS 66 (P66): One of the Earliest Available Papyri
Papyrus 66 (also referred to as P66) is a near-complete codex of the Gospel of John, and part of the collection known as the Bodmer Papyri.