Papyrus 39 (𝔓39) β€” β€œI Know Where I Came From” | John 8:14–22

PAPYRUS 39 Β· 𝔓39 Β· P. OXY. 1780

β€œI Know Where I Came From”

Folio 1 β€” John 8:14–22, read letter by letter. One of the most beautifully written of all the early Gospel papyri.
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The short answerWhat is this leaf?

This is a single leaf from Papyrus 39 (𝔓39), a papyrus codex of John’s Gospel copied around AD 200–250 and discovered at Oxyrhynchus in Egypt (catalogued as P. Oxy. 1780). It preserves John 8:14–22 β€” the moment in the temple treasury when Jesus testifies about himself: β€œI know where I came from and where I am going,” β€œyou know neither me nor my Father,” and the warning, β€œwhere I go, you cannot come.”

𝔓39 is famous for the quality of its writing. The scribe used a large, upright, strikingly regular hand β€” a β€œdeluxe,” carefully produced copy β€” and its text agrees almost letter-for-letter with the modern critical edition of John. The centre of the column survives on this leaf; the torn outer edges are restored from the known text and shown in grey below.

How to read this page
Ξ›ΞŸΞ“ΞŸΞ£
On your replica β€” highlighted ink that physically survives on the papyrus.
Ξ Ξ—Ξ‘
Nomen sacrum β€” a sacred name (Father, Jesus) the scribe abbreviated and marked with an overline. The full word is given in the gloss.
[ΞšΞ‘Ξ™]
Supplied β€” grey, bracketed letters not on the leaf, restored from the surrounding text where the papyrus is torn.

Line by lineThe Greek exactly as it sits on the leaf

Both sides of the leaf, shown in the majuscule capitals the scribe used, with the original line breaks preserved β€” so the shape of the text matches the leaf, line for line. Sacred names keep the scribe’s overline, and grey letters are supplied where the torn edges are lost.

gold = ink on the leaf overline = nomen sacrum (sacred name) [ grey ] = supplied

Folio 1r β€” John 8:14–18

Papyrus 39 β€” John 8:14–18 (recto)
Recto β€” John 8:14–18
1ΞšΞ‘Ξ™ ΕΙΠΕΝ Ξ‘Ξ₯Ξ€ΞŸΞ™Ξ£8:14
2ΞšΞ‘Ξ ΕΓΩ ΞœΞ‘Ξ‘Ξ€Ξ₯ΑΩ
3ΠΕΑΙ Ξ•ΞœΞ‘Ξ₯΀ΟΞ₯ Ξ— ΞœΞ‘Ξ‘
4Ξ€Ξ₯ΑΙΑ ΜΟΞ₯ Ξ‘Ξ›Ξ—Ξ˜Ξ—Ξ£
5ΕΣ΀ΙΝ ΞŸΞ€Ξ™ ΞŸΞ™Ξ”Ξ‘ ΠΟ
6Ξ˜Ξ•Ξ Ξ—Ξ›Ξ˜ΞŸΞ ΞšΞ‘Ξ™ ΠΟΞ₯
7Ξ₯ΠΑΓΩ Ξ₯ΞœΞ•Ξ™Ξ£ ΔΕ
8ΟΞ₯Κ ΞŸΞ™Ξ”Ξ‘Ξ€Ξ• Ξ ΞŸΞ˜Ξ•Ξ
9Ξ•Ξ‘Ξ§ΞŸΞœΞ‘Ξ™ Ξ— ΠΟΞ₯ Ξ₯Ξ Ξ‘
10ΓΩ Ξ₯ΞœΞ•Ξ™Ξ£ ΞšΞ‘Ξ€Ξ‘ ΀ΗΝ8:15
11Ξ£Ξ‘Ξ‘ΞšΞ‘ ΞšΞ‘Ξ™ΞΞ•Ξ€Ξ• ΕΓΩ
12ΟΞ₯ ΞšΞ‘Ξ™ΞΞ© ΟΞ₯ΔΕΝΑ
13ΞšΞ‘Ξ™ ΕΑΝ ΞšΞ‘Ξ™ΞΞ© ΔΕ8:16
14ΕΓΩ Ξ— ΞšΞ‘Ξ™Ξ£Ξ™Ξ£ Ξ— Ξ•ΞœΞ—
15Ξ‘Ξ›Ξ—Ξ˜Ξ™ΞΞ— ΕΣ΀ΙΝ Ο
16΀Ι ΜΟΝΟΣ ΟΞ₯Κ ΕΙ
17ΞœΞ™ ΑΛΛ ΕΓΩ ΞšΞ‘Ξ™ Ο
18Ξ Ξ•ΞœΞ¨Ξ‘Ξ£ ΞœΞ• Ξ Ξ—Ξ‘
19ΞšΞ‘Ξ™ ΕΝ ΀Ω ΝΟΜΩ8:17
20ΔΕ ΀Ω Ξ₯ΞœΞ•Ξ€Ξ•Ξ‘Ξ©
21ΓΕΓΑΑΠ΀ΑΙ ΞŸΞ€Ξ™ Ξ”Ξ₯
22Ο ΑΝΩΝ Ξ— ΞœΞ‘Ξ‘Ξ€Ξ₯ΑΙ
23Ξ‘ Ξ‘Ξ›Ξ—Ξ˜Ξ—Ξ£ ΕΣ΀ΙΝ Ξ•8:18
24ΓΩ Ξ•Ξ™ΞœΞ™ Ο ΞœΞ‘Ξ‘Ξ€Ξ₯
25ΑΩΝ ΠΕΑΙ Ξ•ΞœΞ‘Ξ₯΀ΟΞ₯
The front of the leaf: Jesus answers, β€œEven if I testify about myself, my testimony is true…”, through β€œthe testimony of two people is true.”

Folio 1v β€” John 8:18–22

Papyrus 39 β€” John 8:18–22 (verso)
Verso β€” John 8:18–22
1ΞšΞ‘Ξ™ ΞœΞ‘Ξ‘Ξ€Ξ₯ΑΕΙ ΠΕΑΙ
2Ξ•ΞœΞŸΞ₯ Ο Ξ Ξ•ΞœΞ¨Ξ‘Ξ£ ΞœΞ•
3Ξ Ξ—Ξ‘ Ξ•Ξ›Ξ•Ξ“ΞŸΞ ΟΞ₯Ν8:19
4Ξ‘Ξ₯΀Ω ΠΟΞ₯ ΕΣ΀ΙΝ Ο
5Ξ Ξ—Ξ‘ ΣΟΞ₯ Ξ‘Ξ Ξ•ΞšΞ‘Ξ™Ξ˜Ξ—
6ΙΗΣ ΟΞ₯΀Ε Ξ•ΞœΞ• ΞŸΞ™Ξ”Ξ‘
7΀Ε ΟΞ₯΀Ε ΀ΟΝ ΠΑΑ ΜΟΞ₯
8ΕΙ Ξ•ΞœΞ• ΗΔΕΙ΀Ε ΞšΞ‘Ξ™
9΀ΟΝ ΠΑΑ ΜΟΞ₯ ΑΝ Ξ—
10ΔΕΙ΀Ε ΀ΑΞ₯΀Α ΀Α ΑΗ8:20
11ΞœΞ‘Ξ€Ξ‘ ΕΛΑΛΗΣΕΝ ΕΝ
12΀Ω Ξ“Ξ‘Ξ–ΞŸΞ¦Ξ₯Ξ›Ξ‘ΞšΞ™Ξ©
13Ξ”Ξ™Ξ”Ξ‘Ξ£ΞšΞ©Ξ ΕΝ ΀Ω
14ΙΕΑΩ ΞšΞ‘Ξ™ ΟΞ₯ΔΕΙΣ
15ΕΠΙΑΣΕΝ Ξ‘Ξ₯΀ΟΝ Ο
16΀Ι ΟΞ₯Ξ Ξ© ΕΛΗΛΞ₯Ξ˜Ξ•Ξ™
17Ξ— ΩΑΑ Ξ‘Ξ₯΀ΟΞ₯ ΕΙΠΕΝ8:21
18ΟΞ₯Ν ΠΑΛΙΝ Ξ‘Ξ₯Ξ€ΞŸΞ™Ξ£
19ΕΓΩ Ξ₯ΠΑΓΩ ΞšΞ‘Ξ™ Ξ–Ξ—
20΀ΗΣΕ΀Ε ΞœΞ• ΞšΞ‘Ξ™ ΕΝ
21΀Η Ξ‘ΞœΞ‘Ξ‘Ξ€Ξ™Ξ‘ Ξ₯ΜΩΝ
22Ξ‘Ξ ΞŸΞ˜Ξ‘ΞΞ•Ξ™Ξ£Ξ˜Ξ• Ο
23ΠΟΞ₯ ΕΓΩ Ξ₯ΠΑΓΩ
24Ξ₯ΞœΞ•Ξ™Ξ£ ΟΞ₯ Ξ”Ξ₯ΞΞ‘Ξ£Ξ˜Ξ•
25Ξ•Ξ›Ξ˜Ξ•Ξ™Ξ Ξ•Ξ›Ξ•Ξ“ΞŸΞ ΟΞ₯Ν8:22
The back of the leaf: β€œWhere is your Father?” … β€œwhere I go, you cannot come,” breaking off as the crowd begins to respond.

Word by wordRead it, one word at a time

β€œEven if I testify about myself” β€” John 8:14

[ΞšΞ‘Ξ™]kaiand[ΕΙΠΕΝ]eipenhe saidΞ‘Ξ₯Ξ€ΞŸΞ™Ξ£autoisto them[ΞšΞ‘Ξ]kaneven if[ΕΓΩ]egōI[Μ]ΑΑ΀Ξ₯ΑΩmartyrōbear witness[ΠΕΑΙ]periabout[Ξ•ΞœΞ‘Ξ₯]΀ΟΞ₯emautoumyselfΞ—hΔ“theΞœΞ‘Ξ‘[Ξ€Ξ₯ΑΙΑ]martyriatestimony[ΜΟΞ₯]moumyΞ‘Ξ›Ξ—Ξ˜Ξ—Ξ£alΔ“thΔ“strue[ΕΣ΀ΙΝ]estinis[ΞŸΞ€Ξ™]hotibecause[Ο]ΙΔΑoidaI knowΠΟ[Ξ˜Ξ•Ξ]pothenwhere from[Ξ—Ξ›Ξ˜ΞŸ]ΝēlthonI cameΞšΞ‘Ξ™kaiandΠΟΞ₯pouwhere[Ξ₯ΠΑΓΩ]hypagōI am going[Ξ₯]ΞœΞ•Ξ™Ξ£hymeisyouΔΕdebut[ΟΞ₯Κ]ouknot[ΞŸΞ™Ξ”Ξ‘Ξ€]Ξ•oidateyou knowΞ ΞŸΞ˜Ξ•Ξpothenwhere from[Ξ•Ξ‘Ξ§ΞŸΞœΞ‘Ξ™]erchomaiI comeΞ—Δ“orΠΟΞ₯pouwhereΞ₯Ξ Ξ‘[ΓΩ]hypagōI am going

14 Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you don't know where I came from, or where I am going.

β€œI judge no one”; β€œI am not alone” β€” John 8:15–16

[Ξ₯ΞœΞ•Ξ™Ξ£]hymeisyouΞšΞ‘Ξ€Ξ‘kataaccording to΀ΗΝtΔ“nthe[Ξ£Ξ‘Ξ‘ΞšΞ‘]sarkaflesh[ΚΑ]ΙΝΕ΀ΕkrinetejudgeΕΓΩegōI[ΟΞ₯]ounot[ΞšΞ‘Ξ™Ξ]Ξ©krinōjudgeΟΞ₯ΔΕΝΑoudenano one[ΞšΞ‘Ξ™]kaiand[ΕΑΝ]eanif[Κ]ΑΙΝΩkrinōI judgeΔΕdeyet[ΕΓΩ]egōI[Ξ—]hΔ“the[ΚΑ]ΙΣΙΣkrisisjudgmentΞ—hΔ“theΞ•ΞœΞ—emΔ“my[Ξ‘Ξ›Ξ—Ξ˜Ξ™ΞΞ—]alΔ“thinΔ“true[Ξ•]Σ΀ΙΝestinisΟ[΀Ι]hotibecause[ΜΟΝΟΣ]monosaloneΟΞ₯ΚouknotΕΙ[ΞœΞ™]eimiI am[ΑΛΛ]allbut[ΕΓ]Ξ©egōIΞšΞ‘Ξ™kaiandΟhothe[Ξ Ξ•ΞœΞ¨Ξ‘Ξ£]pempsaswho sentΞœΞ•memeΞ Ξ—Ξ‘patΔ“rFather

15 You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one. 16 Even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me.

The witness of two β€” John 8:17–18

[ΞšΞ‘Ξ™]kaiand[ΕΝ]enin[΀Ω]tōtheΝΟΜΩnomōlaw[ΔΕ]dealso[΀Ω]tōthe[Ξ₯Μ]Ε΀ΕΑΩhymeterōyour own[ΓΕΓΑΑΠ΀]ΑΙgegraptaiit is writtenΞŸΞ€Ξ™hotithatΞ”Ξ₯[Ο]dyoof two[ΑΝΩΝ]anthrōpōnmen[Ξ—]hΔ“theΞœΞ‘Ξ‘Ξ€Ξ₯ΑΙ[Ξ‘]martyriatestimony[Ξ‘Ξ›Ξ—Ξ˜Ξ—Ξ£]alΔ“thΔ“strueΕΣ΀ΙΝestinisΞ•[ΓΩ]egōI[Ξ•Ξ™ΞœΞ™]eimiam[Ο]hothe oneΞœΞ‘Ξ‘Ξ€Ξ₯[ΑΩΝ]martyrōntestifying[ΠΕΑΙ]periaboutΞ•ΞœΞ‘Ξ₯΀ΟΞ₯emautoumyselfΞšΞ‘Ξ™kaiandΜ[ΑΑ΀Ξ₯ΑΕΙ]martyreitestifies[ΠΕΑΙ]periaboutΞ•ΞœΞŸΞ₯emoume[Ο]hothe[Ξ Ξ•ΞœΞ¨Ξ‘Ξ£]pempsaswho sent[ΞœΞ•]memeΞ Ξ—Ξ‘patΔ“rFather

17 It's also written in your law that the testimony of two people is valid. 18 I am one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.

β€œWhere is your Father?” β€” John 8:19

Ξ•[Ξ›Ξ•Ξ“ΞŸΞ]elegonthey said[ΟΞ₯Ν]ounthereforeΞ‘Ξ₯΀Ωautōto him[ΠΟΞ₯]pouwhere[ΕΣ΀ΙΝ]estinis[Ο]hotheΞ Ξ—Ξ‘patΔ“rFatherΣΟ[Ξ₯]souyour[Ξ‘Ξ Ξ•ΞšΞ‘Ξ™Ξ˜Ξ—]apekrithΔ“answeredΙΗΣiΔ“sousJesusΟΞ₯[΀Ε]outeneither[Ξ•ΞœΞ•]ememe[ΞŸΞ™Ξ”Ξ‘]΀Εoidateyou knowΟΞ₯Ξ€[Ξ•]outenor[΀ΟΝ]tonthe[ΠΑΑ]pateraFather[ΜΟΞ₯]moumyΕΙeiifΞ•ΞœΞ•ememe[ΗΔΕΙ΀Ε]Δ“deiteyou had known[ΞšΞ‘Ξ™]kaialso΀ΟΝtontheΞ Ξ‘[Ξ‘]pateraFather[ΜΟΞ₯]moumy[ΑΝ]anwould[Ξ—]ΔΕΙ΀Εēdeiteyou had known

19 They said therefore to him, β€œWhere is your Father?” Jesus answered, β€œYou know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”

Spoken in the temple treasury β€” John 8:20

Ξ€[Ξ‘Ξ₯΀Α]tautathese[΀Α]tathe[ΑΗ]ΞœΞ‘Ξ€Ξ‘rhΔ“matawordsΕΛΑ[ΛΗΣΕΝ]elalΔ“senhe spoke[ΕΝ]enin΀ΩtōtheΞ“Ξ‘Ξ–ΞŸ[Ξ¦Ξ₯Ξ›Ξ‘ΞšΞ™Ξ©]gazophylakiōtreasuryΞ”Ξ™Ξ”Ξ‘Ξ£ΞšΞ©[Ν]didaskōnteaching[ΕΝ]enin[΀Ω]tōtheΙΕΑΩhierōtempleΞšΞ‘Ξ™kaiand[ΟΞ₯ΔΕΙΣ]oudeisno oneΕΠΙΑΣΕ[Ν]epiasenseized[Ξ‘Ξ₯΀ΟΝ]autonhim[Ο]΀ΙhotibecauseΟΞ₯Ξ [Ξ©]oupōnot yet[ΕΛΗΛΞ₯Ξ˜Ξ•Ξ™]elΔ“lytheihad comeΞ—hΔ“theΩΑΑhōrahourΞ‘[Ξ₯΀ΟΞ₯]autouhis

20 Jesus spoke these words in the treasury, as he taught in the temple. Yet no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

β€œWhere I go, you cannot come” β€” John 8:21–22

[ΕΙΠΕΝ]eipenhe saidΟΞ₯ΝounthereforeΞ Ξ‘[ΛΙΝ]palinagain[Ξ‘Ξ₯Ξ€ΞŸΞ™Ξ£]autoisto themΕΓΩegōIΞ₯Ξ [ΑΓΩ]hypagōam going away[ΞšΞ‘Ξ™]kaiand[Ξ–Ξ—]΀ΗΣΕ΀ΕzΔ“tΔ“seteyou will seekΜ[Ξ•]meme[ΞšΞ‘Ξ™]kaiand[ΕΝ]enin΀ΗtΔ“theΞ‘ΞœΞ‘Ξ‘Ξ€[ΙΑ]hamartiasin[Ξ₯ΜΩΝ]hymōnyourΞ‘Ξ ΞŸΞ˜Ξ‘Ξ[Ξ•Ξ™Ξ£Ξ˜Ξ•]apothaneistheyou will die[Ο]ΠΟΞ₯hopouwhereΕΓΩegōI[Ξ₯ΠΑΓΩ]hypagōam goingΞ₯ΞœΞ•Ξ™Ξ£hymeisyouΟΞ₯ounot[Ξ”Ξ₯ΞΞ‘Ξ£Ξ˜Ξ•]dynastheare ableΞ•Ξ›Ξ˜Ξ•Ξ™Ξeltheinto comeΞ•[Ξ›Ξ•Ξ“ΞŸΞ]elegonsaid[ΟΞ₯Ν]ountherefore

21 Jesus said therefore again to them, β€œI am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sins. Where I go, you can't come.” 22 The Jews therefore said, β€œWill he kill himself…” (the leaf breaks off here)

The manuscriptAt a glance

This leaf John 8:14–22 β€” front (8:14–18) and back (8:18–22)
Manuscript Papyrus 39 (𝔓39) Β· P. Oxy. 1780
Date c. AD 200–250 (early 3rd century)
Hand Large, upright, exceptionally regular majuscule β€” a β€œdeluxe” copy
Found Oxyrhynchus, Egypt
Held at Museum of the Bible, Washington, D.C. (accession PAP.000116; acquired via the Green Collection)
Format Papyrus codex Β· single column Β· Gospel of John
Text Alexandrian; agrees almost exactly with the critical text

Why it mattersA perfect hand, a pure text

Most early papyri are working copies β€” quick, cursive, cramped. 𝔓39 is the opposite: a calligrapher’s book, written large and even, with generous margins. Scholars point to it as evidence that John’s Gospel was being copied with great care in Egypt by around AD 200, and its wording sits so close to the modern critical text that it is regularly cited as a witness to the earliest recoverable text of John.

𝔓39 (P. Oxy. 1780) has changed hands more than once. Recovered at Oxyrhynchus in 1922, it passed through the Crozer Theological Seminary and the Ambrose Swasey Library (Colgate Rochester Crozer) before being sold at Sotheby’s New York in 2003; it then entered the Green Collection and was given to the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. (accession PAP.000116), where it is held today.

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ReferencesSources

Text and versification follow standard critical editions of the Greek New Testament; the reading translation is the World English Bible (public domain).