The short answerWhat is this leaf?

This is one leaf from Papyrus 45 (𝔓45), the oldest surviving manuscript that once held all four Gospels and the Book of Acts together in a single papyrus codex, copied in Egypt in the third century. Of its estimated ~220 pages, only 30 leaves survive today; six of them carry the Gospel of Mark, and this is the leaf on which three of Mark’s most famous scenes are preserved.

On the front (recto) you can read from “if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross” through the Transfiguration on the mountain. On the back (verso) the story of the boy with an unclean spirit — “I believe; help my unbelief” — runs to Jesus’ second prediction of his death. The leaf is torn on every side, so this page shows you exactly which letters are real ink on the papyrus and which are supplied by scholars from the known text of Mark.

The featureA scribe who wrote lean — and three unforgettable scenes

The Chester Beatty scribe. The copyist of Papyrus 45 is one of the most studied hands in New Testament scholarship. He writes a small, controlled, professional book-hand — but with a striking habit: he shortens. E. C. Colwell counted him trimming the text in dozens of places, smoothing and pruning as he went, “concerned to make a readable text.” You can see that lean, fluent Mark on this very leaf.

Three scenes on one page. Few surviving leaves hold so much: the call to take up the cross (8:34–38), the promise that some will see the Kingdom (9:1), the Transfiguration with Moses and Elijah and the voice from the cloud (9:2–9), and — on the back — the desperate father whose son the disciples could not heal, and the line that has comforted the church for two thousand years: “I believe; help my unbelief.”

Line by lineThe Greek exactly as it sits on the leaf

Transcribed from the transcription attached to this folio in the New Testament Virtual Manuscript Room (INTF/NTVMR), in the majuscule capitals the scribe used, with his original line breaks preserved. Sacred names keep their overline. High-resolution photographs of each side will sit beside the text once photography is finalized.

Recto — Mark 8:34–9:9 (take up your cross · the Transfiguration)

1[ΠΡΟΣΚΑΛΕΣΑΜΕΝΟΣ ΤΟΝ Ο]Χ[ΛΟΝ ΣΥΝ ΤΟΙΣ ΜΑΘΗΤΑΙΣ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΕΙΠΕΝ]Mark 8:34

2[ΑΥΤΟΙΣ ΕΙ ΤΙΣ ΘΕΛΕΙ ]ΟΠΙΣΩ Μ[Ο]Υ ΑΚΟΛΟΥΘΕΙΝ [ΑΠΑΡΝΗΣΑΣΘΩ ΕΑΥΤΟΝ]

3[ΚΑΙ ΑΡΑΤΩ ΤΟΝ ΣΤΑΥΡΟΝ ]ΑΥΤΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΑΚΟΛΟΥΘΕΙΤΩ [ΜΟΙ ΟΣ ΓΑΡ ΕΑΝ]Mark 8:35

4[ΘΕΛΗ ΤΗΝ ΨΥΧΗΝ ]ΑΥΤΟΥ ΣΩΣΑΙ ΑΠΟΛΕΣΕΙ ΑΥΤΗΝ· Ο[Σ Δ ΑΝ ΑΠΟΛΕ]

5[ΣΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΨΥΧΗΝ ]ΑΥΤΟΥ ΕΝΕΚΕΝ ΤΟΥ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΥ ΣΩΣ[ΕΙ ΑΥΤΗΝ ΤΙ ΓΑΡ]Mark 8:36

6[ΩΦΕΛΕΙ ΤΟ]Ν ΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΝ ΕΑΝ ΚΕΡΔΗΣΗ ΤΟΝ ΚΟΣΜ[ΟΝ ΟΛΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΖΗ]

7[ΜΙΩΘΗΝΑΙ Τ]ΗΝ ΨΥΧΗΝ ΑΥΤΟΥ· ΤΙ ΓΑΡ ΔΩΣΕΙ ΑΝΘΡΩ[ΠΟΣ ΑΝΤΑΛΛ]Mark 8:37

8[ΑΓΜΑ ΤΗΣ] ΨΥΧΗΣ ΑΥΤΟΥ· ΟΣ ΓΑΡ ΕΑΝ ΕΠΑΙΣΧΥΝΘΗ [ΜΕ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΥΣ ΕΜΟΥΣ]Mark 8:38

9[ΛΟΓΟΥΣ ΕΝ Τ]ΗΙ ΓΕΝΕΑ ΤΗΙ ΜΟΙΧΑΛΙΔΙ ΚΑΙ ΑΜΑΡΤΩ[ΛΩΙ ΚΑΙ Ο ΥΣ ΤΟΥ]

10[ΑΝΘΡΩΠΟ]Υ ΕΠΑΙΣΧΥΝΘΗΣΕΤΑΙ ΑΥΤΟΝ ΟΤΑΝ ΕΛΘΗ ΕΝ Τ[ΗΙ ΔΟΞΗΙ ΤΟΥ]

11[ΠΡΣ ΑΥΤΟ]Υ ΚΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΑΓΓΕΛΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΑΓΙΩΝ· ΚΑΙ ΕΛΕΓ[ΕΝ ΑΥΤΟΙΣ]Mark 9:1

12[ΑΜΗΝ ΛΕΓ]Ω ΥΜΙΝ ΟΤΙ ΕΙΣΙΝ ΤΙΝΕΣ ΤΩΝ ΕΣΤΗΚΟΤΩΝ Ω[ΔΕ ΟΙΤΙΝΕΣ]

13[ΟΥ ΜΗ ΓΕΥ]ΣΩΝΤΑΙ ΘΑΝΑΤΟΥ ΕΩΣ ΙΔΩΣΙΝ ΤΗΝ ΒΑ[ΣΙΛΕΙΑΝ ΤΟΥ]

14[ΘΥ ΕΛΗΛΥ]ΘΥΙΑΝ ΕΝ ΔΥΝΑΜΕΙ· ΚΑΙ ΜΕΘ ΗΜΕΡΑ[Σ ΕΞ ΠΑΡΑΛΑΜΒΑ]Mark 9:2

15[ΝΕΙ Ο ΙΗΣ] ΤΟΝ ΠΕΤΡΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΝ ΙΑΚΩΒΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΝ ΙΩ[ΑΝΝΗΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΝΑ]

16[ΦΕΡΕΙ Α]ΥΤΟΥΣ ΕΙΣ ΟΡΟΣ ΥΨΗΛΟΝ ΚΑΘ ΙΔΙΑΝ ΜΟΝ[ΟΥΣ ΚΑΙ ΕΝ]

17[ΤΩΙ ΠΡΟΣΕΥ]ΧΕΣΘΑΙ ΑΥΤΟΥΣ ΜΕΤΕΜΟΡΦΩΘΗ Ο ΙΗΣ[ ΕΜΠΡΟΣΘΕΝ ΑΥ]Mark 9:3

18[ΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΑ Ι]ΜΑΤΙΑ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΕΓΕΝΕΤΟ ΣΤΙΛΒΟΝΤΑ ΛΕΥΚ[Α ΛΙΑΝ ΟΙΑ]

19[ΓΝΑΦΕΥΣ ΟΥ] ΔΥΝΑΤΑΙ ΕΠΙ ΤΗΣ ΓΗΣ ΛΕΥΚΑΝΑΙ· ΚΑ[Ι ΩΦΘΗ ΑΥ]Mark 9:4

20[ΤΟΙΣ ΗΛΙΑ]Σ ΣΥΝ ΜΩΣΗΙ ΚΑΙ ΗΣΑΝ ΣΥΝΛΑΛΟΥΝ[ΤΕΣ ΤΩΙ ΙΥ ΚΑΙ]

21[ΑΠΟΚΡΙΘΕΙΣ ΕΙΠ]ΕΝ ΠΕΤΡΟΣ ΤΩΙ ΙΗ ΡΑΒΒΕΙ ΚΑΛΟ[Ν ΕΣΤΙΝ ΗΜΑΣ ΩΔΕ]Mark 9:5

22[ΕΙΝΑΙ ΚΑΙ ΠΟ]ΙΗΣΩΜΕΝ ΩΔΕ ΤΡΕΙΣ ΣΚΗΝΑΣ ΣΟΙ [ΜΙΑΝ ΚΑΙ ΜΩΣΕΙ]

23[ΜΙΑΝ ΚΑΙ ΗΛΙΑ] ΜΙΑΝ· ΟΥ ΓΑΡ ΗΔΕΙ ΤΙ ΛΑΛΕΙ ΗΣΑΝ [ΓΑΡ ΕΚΦΟΒΟΙ]Mark 9:6

24[ΚΑΙ ΕΓΕΝΕΤΟ ΝΕΦΕΛΗ ΕΠΙΣΚΙΑ]Ζ[ΟΥ]Σ[Α Α]ΥΤ[Ο]Υ[Σ ΚΑΙ ΕΓΕΝΕΤΟ ΦΩΝΗ ΕΚ]Mark 9:7

25[ΤΗΣ ΝΕΦΕΛΗΣ ΟΥ]ΤΟΣ Μ[ΟΥ ΕΣΤΙΝ Ο ΥΣ Ο ]ΑΓΑΠ[ΗΤΟΣ ΑΚΟΥΕΤΕ ΑΥΤΟΥ]

26[ΚΑΙ ΕΞΑΠΙΝΑ ΠΕΡΙΒ]ΛΕΨΑΜΕ[ΝΟΙ ΟΥΔΕ]ΝΑ ΕΙΔ[ΟΝ ΑΛΛΑ ΤΟΝ ΙΝ ΜΟΝΟΝ]Mark 9:8

27[ΜΕΘ ΕΑΥΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΚΑΤ]ΑΒ[ΑΙ]ΝΟ[ΝΤΩΝ ΑΥΤΩΝ ΕΚ ΤΟΥ ΟΡΟΥΣ ΔΙΕΣΤΕΙΛΑΤΟ]Mark 9:9

Verso — Mark 9:18–31 (the boy with the unclean spirit)

1[ΞΗ]

2[ΡΑΙΝΕΤΑΙ ΚΑΙ ΕΙΠΑ ΤΟ]ΙΣ ΜΑΘΗΤΑΙΣ ΣΟΥ ΙΝΑ ΑΥΤΟ [ΕΚΒΑΛΩΣΙΝ ΚΑΙ]Mark 9:18

3[ΟΥΚ ΙΣΧΥΣΑΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΠΟ]ΚΡΙΘΕΙΣ ΑΥΤΟΙΣ Ο ΙΗ ΕΙΠΕΝ Ω [ΓΕΝΕΑ ΑΠΙΣΤΟΣ]Mark 9:19

4[ΚΑΙ ΔΙΕΣΤΡΑΜΜ]ΕΝΗ ΕΩΣ ΠΟΤΕ ΠΡΟΣ ΥΜΑΣ ΕΣΟΜΑ[Ι ΕΩΣ ΠΟΤΕ ΑΝ]

5[ΕΞΟΜΑΙ ΥΜΩΝ] ΦΕΡΕΤΕ ΑΥΤΟΝ ΠΡΟΣ ΕΜΕ ΚΑΙ ΗΝΕΓΚ[ΑΝ ΑΥΤΟΝ ΠΡΟΣ ΑΥ]Mark 9:20

6[ΤΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΙΔΩ]Ν ΑΥΤΟΝ ΕΥΘΕΩΣ ΤΟ ΠΝΑ ΕΣΠΑΡΑΞΕΝ ΑΥ[ΤΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΠΕΣΩΝ]

7[ΕΠΙ ΤΗΣ ΓΗΣ] ΕΚΥΛΙΕΤΟ ΑΦΡΙΖΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΠΗΡΩΤΗΣΕΝ ΤΟΝ [ΠΡΑ ΑΥΤΟΥ]Mark 9:21

8[ΠΟΣΟΣ Χ]ΡΟΝΟΣ ΕΣΤΙΝ ΕΩΣ ΤΟΥΤΟ ΓΕΓΟΝΕΝ ΑΥΤΩΙ· Ο ΔΕ [ΕΙΠΕΝ ΕΚ ΠΑΙ]

9[ΔΙΟΘΕΝ ΚΑΙ] ΠΟΛΛΑΚΙΣ ΑΥΤΟΝ ΕΙΣ ΠΥΡ ΕΒΑΛΕΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΙΣ Υ[ΔΑΤΑ ΙΝΑ ΑΠΟ]Mark 9:22

10[ΛΕΣΗ ΑΥΤΟΝ] ΑΛΛΑ ΕΙ ΤΙ ΔΥΝΗ ΒΟΗΘΗΣΟΝ ΗΜΙΝ ΣΠΛΑ[ΓΧΝΙΣΘΕΙΣ ΕΦ]

11[ΗΜΑΣ Ο] ΔΕ ΙΗ ΕΙΠΕΝ ΑΥΤΩΙ· ΕΙ ΔΥΝΗ ΠΑΝΤΑ ΔΥΝ[ΑΤΑ ΤΩΙ ΠΙΣ]Mark 9:23

12[ΤΕΥΟΝΤΙ ΕΥΘ]ΕΩΣ ΚΡΑΞΑΣ Ο ΠΡ Τ[ΟΥ] ΠΑΙΔΙΟΥ ΕΙΠΕΝ ΠΙ[ΣΤΕΥΩ ΒΟΗ]Mark 9:24

13[ΘΕΙ ΜΟΥ ΤΗΙ] ΑΠΙΣΤΙΑ· ΙΔΩΝ ΔΕ Ο ΙΗ ΟΤΙ ΕΠΙΣΥΝΤΡΕΧ[ΕΙ ΟΧΛΟΣ ΕΠ]Mark 9:25

14[ΕΤΙΜΗΣΕΝ Τ]ΩΙ ΠΝΙ ΛΕΓΩΝ ΤΟ ΑΛΑΛΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΚΩΦΟΝ ΠΝΑ Ε[ΓΩ ΕΠΙΤΑΣΣΩ]

15[ΣΟΙ ΕΞΕΛΘΕ Ε]Ξ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΜΗΚΕΤΙ ΕΙΣΕΛΘΗΣ ΕΙΣ ΑΥΤ[ΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΚΡΑΞΑΣ ΠΟΛΛΑ]Mark 9:26

16[ΣΠΑΡΑΞΑΣ ΑΥΤΟ]Ν ΕΞΗΛΘΕΝ· ΚΑΙ ΕΓΕΝΕΤΟ ΩΣΕΙ ΝΕΚΡΟ[Σ ΩΣΤΕ ΤΟΥΣ ΠΟΛΛΟΥΣ]

17[ΛΕΓΕΙΝ ΟΤΙ Α]ΠΕΘΑΝΕΝ· Ο ΔΕ ΙΗ ΚΡΑΤΗΣΑΣ ΤΗΣ ΧΕΙ[ΡΟΣ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΗΓΕΙΡΕΝ]Mark 9:27

18[ΑΥΤΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ] ΕΙΣΕΛΘΟΝΤΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ ΠΡΟΣΗΛΘΟΝ ΟΙ Μ[ΑΘΗΤΑΙ ΑΥΤΟΥ]Mark 9:28

19[ΠΡΟΣΗΛΘΟΝ ΑΥΤ]ΩΙ ΚΑΙ ΗΡΩΤΗΣΑΝ ΑΥΤΟΝ ΛΕΓΟΝΤΕ[Σ ΟΤΙ ΗΜΕΙΣ]

20[ΟΥΚ ΗΔΥΝΗΘΗΜΕΝ] ΕΚΒΑΛΕΙΝ ΑΥΤΟ ΚΑΙ ΕΙΠΕΝ ΑΥΤΟΙ[Σ ΤΟΥΤΟ ΤΟ ΓΕ]Mark 9:29

21[ΝΟΣ ΕΝ ΟΥΔΕΝΙ ΔΥ]ΝΑΤΑΙ ΕΞΕΛΘΕΙΝ ΕΙ ΜΗ ΕΝ ΠΡΟΣΕ[ΥΧΗ ΚΑΙ ΝΗΣΤΕΙΑ]

22[ΚΑΚΕΙΘΕΝ ΕΞ]ΕΛΘΟΝΤΕΣ ΠΑ[ΡΕ]ΠΟΡΕΥΟΝΤΟ ΔΙΑ Τ[ΗΣ ΓΑΛΙΛΑΙΑΣ]Mark 9:30

23[ΚΑΙ ΟΥΚ ΗΘΕΛΕΝ ΙΝΑ ΤΙΣ] ΓΝ[Ο]Ι ΕΔΙΔ[ΑΣ]ΚΕΝ ΓΑΡ ΤΟ[ΥΣ ΜΑΘΗΤΑΣ]Mark 9:31

24[ΑΥΤΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΕΛΕΓΕΝ ΑΥΤΟΙΣ ΟΤΙ Ο ΥΣ ΤΟΥ] ΑΝΘΡΩΠ[Ο]Υ [Π]ΑΡΑ[ΔΙ]ΔΟΤΑΙ Ε[ΙΣ ΧΕΙΡΑΣ]

25[ΑΝΘΡΩΠΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΠΟΚΤΕΝΟΥ]ΣΙΝ ΑΥ[ΤΟΝ ΚΑΙ] ΑΠ[ΟΚ]ΤΑΝ[ΘΕΙΣ]

Word by word · rectoRead it, sound it out, and see the meaning

The leaf word by word: the Greek on the papyrus, a transliteration to sound it out, and a word-for-word English gloss, with the smooth World English Bible translation after each verse. Sacred names carry the scribe’s overline; grey words are supplied where the papyrus is torn.

Mark 8:34

Mark 8:35

Mark 8:36

Mark 8:37

Mark 8:38

Mark 9:1

Mark 9:2

Mark 9:3

Mark 9:4

Mark 9:5

Mark 9:6

Mark 9:7

Mark 9:8

Mark 9:9

Word by word · verso“I believe; help my unbelief”

Mark 9:18

Mark 9:19

Mark 9:20

Mark 9:21

Mark 9:22

Mark 9:23

Mark 9:24

Mark 9:25

Mark 9:26

Mark 9:27

Mark 9:28

Mark 9:29

Mark 9:30

Mark 9:31

Reading the detailsTextual notes

A shorter, smoother Mark. Papyrus 45’s scribe is famous for a concise text, and this leaf shows it — e.g. in 9:6 the fuller “he did not know what to answer” appears here simply as “he did not know what to say.” Where 𝔓45’s wording differs from later manuscripts, we transcribe exactly what stands on the leaf.

“Prayer and fasting” (9:29). On the back, Jesus’ answer about the unclean spirit reads “this kind can come out by nothing but by prayer and fasting” — 𝔓45 preserves the longer reading that includes fasting, a variant much discussed by textual scholars.

The Transfiguration, “as they were praying.” In 9:2 this leaf includes the phrase “and while they were praying” before “he was transfigured” — a fuller wording that harmonizes Mark toward Luke’s account. [Flagged for scholarly review — see notes.]

Sacred names. The nomina sacra are contracted and overlined throughout: ΙΗΣ/ΙΗ/ΙΥ/ΙΝ (Jesus), ΥΣ (Son), ΘΥ (God), ΠΝΑ/ΠΝΙ (Spirit), and ΠΡΣ/ΠΡΑ/ΠΡ (Father).

Text type. In Mark, 𝔓45 stands closest to Codex Washingtonianus (W). Kenyon once labelled its Mark “Caesarean,” but later quantitative study (Hurtado) rejected that classification; 𝔓45 and W form a small distinct group of their own.

The manuscriptAt a glance

Why it mattersThe earliest four-Gospel book

Before Papyrus 45, we have Gospels copied one at a time. 𝔓45 is the earliest surviving evidence that Christians gathered all four Gospels and Acts into a single book — a physical witness to the fourfold Gospel taking shape as one collection in the third century.

Its Mark is especially prized. Mark was the least-copied Gospel in antiquity, and 𝔓45 gives us an early, independent line of its text. To hold this leaf is to hold the cross-saying, the Transfiguration, and “I believe; help my unbelief” in the form a real reader met them roughly seventeen centuries ago.

ReferencesSources

• Transcription (surviving text): INTF transcription of 𝔓45 attached to this folio, New Testament Virtual Manuscript Room (ntvmr.uni-muenster.de).
• Manuscript images: Chester Beatty Library, Dublin; CSNTM (csntm.org). High-resolution photographs to be added.
• Editio princeps: F. G. Kenyon, The Chester Beatty Biblical Papyri, Fasciculus II: The Gospels and Acts (London, 1933–37).
• Text & significance: L. W. Hurtado, “𝔓45 and the Textual History of the Gospel of Mark”; K. & B. Aland, The Text of the New Testament; E. C. Colwell on the scribe’s habits.
• Word-for-word glosses follow standard tagged Greek New Testament data (STEP Bible, Tyndale House; Berean Interlinear).
• Smooth translation: World English Bible (public domain), ebible.org.