PAPYRUS 75 (P75): The Manuscript that Changed the Thinking of Textual Scholars

The discovery of P75, a manuscript containing most of Luke and John, has had a profound impact on New Testament textual criticism. Its close agreement with Codex Vaticanus has challenged the misconception that early copyists were unskilled. P75 has demonstrated that highly skilled professional scribes were active in Alexandria, Egypt. These findings have influenced the dating of P75, with estimates ranging from the late second century to the early third century C.E.

Textual Character and the Scribe of P75 (Papyrus 75)

P75 contains most of Luke and John, known as Bodmer 14, 15 (P75), dating from 175 C.E. to 225 C.E. It is textually very close to Codex Vaticanus. A handful from the 19th and early 20th centuries argued that Codex Vaticanus and Sinaiticus manuscripts removed the Byzantine text readings. However, if this were true and the corrupt Byzantine readings were early as some claim, we would have those readings in P75 to prove it, as well as the other 60+ papyrus manuscripts dating from 100-300 A.D.

Powered by WordPress.com.

Up ↑