The short answerWhat is this leaf?

This is a single page from Papyrus 46 — the earliest surviving collection of the letters of Paul, copied around AD 175–225. On this one leaf the letter to the Galatians ends — “I bear the marks of the Lord Jesus on my body… the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit” — and then, after the title, the letter to the Philippians begins: “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus…”

Unlike a small torn scrap, almost the whole page survives. Nearly every letter you see below is real ink on the papyrus, so this page lets you read your replica, front and back, essentially in full — only the torn foot of the front and the torn lower edge of the back are supplied.

The featureTwo letters, one book

Look at the transcription of the front page below. After Paul’s closing “ΑΜΗΝ” to the Galatians, the scribe writes the title ΠΡΟΣ ΦΙΛΙΠΠΗΣΙΟΥΣ (“To the Philippians”) and begins the next letter on the very same page. Two of Paul’s letters meet on one leaf.

That is the whole point of Papyrus 46: it is not one letter but a collected edition — Romans, Hebrews, 1–2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Galatians, Philippians, Colossians and 1 Thessalonians copied into a single papyrus codex. This page is physical evidence that, by around AD 200, Paul’s letters were already being gathered, ordered, titled and read as one book.

Line by lineThe Greek exactly as it sits on the leaf

Transcribed from the INTF transcription (NTVMR, folios 086r and 086v) and shown in the majuscule capitals the scribe used, with the original line breaks. Nomina sacra keep the scribe’s overline. The photograph sits beside each side so you can compare the letters directly.

Folio 86r — Galatians 6:10–18 · the title · Philippians 1:1

1ΕΧΟΜΕΝ ΕΡΓΑΖΩΜΕΘΑ ΤΟ ΑΓΑΘΟΝ ΠΡΟΣ ΠΑΝΤΑΣ ΜΑΛΙGal 6:10

2ΣΤΑ ΔΕ ΠΡΟΣ ΤΟΥΣ ΟΙΚΕΙΟΥΣ ΤΗΣ ΠΙΣΤΕΩΣ ΙΔΕΤΕ6:11

3ΗΛΙΚΟΙΣ ΥΜΕΙΝ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΣΙΝ ΕΓΡΑΨΑ ΤΗ ΕΜΗ

4ΧΕΙΡΙ ΟΣΟΙ ΘΕΛΟΥΣΙΝ ΕΥΠΡΟΣΩΠΗΣΑΙ ΕΝ ΣΑΡΚΙ ΟΥ6:12

5ΤΟΙ ΑΝΑΓΚΑΖΟΥΣΙΝ ΥΜΑΣ ΠΕΡΙΤΕΜΝΕΣΘΑΙ ΜΟΝΟΝ

6ΙΝΑ ΤΩ ΣΤΡΩ ΤΟΥ ΧΡΥ ΙΗΥ ΜΗ ΔΙΩΚΟΝΤΑΙ ΟΥΤΕ6:13

7ΓΑΡ ΟΙ ΠΕΡΙΤΕΤΜΗΜΕΝΟΙ ΑΥΤΟΙ ΝΟΜΟΝ ΦΥΛΑΣ

8ΣΟΥΣΙΝ ΑΛΛΑ ΘΕΛΟΥΣΙΝ ΥΜΑΣ ΠΕΡΙΤΕΜΝΕΣΘΑΙ

9ΙΝΑ ΕΝ ΤΗ ΥΜΕΤΕΡΑ ΣΑΡΚΙ ΚΑΥΧΗΣΩΝΤΑΙ

10ΕΜΟΙ ΔΕ ΜΗ ΓΕΝΟΙΤΟ ΜΕ ΚΑΥΧΑΣΘΑΙ ΕΙ ΜΗ ΕΝ6:14

11ΤΩ ΣΤΡΩ ΤΟΥ ΚΥ ΗΜΩΝ ΙΗΥ ΧΡΥ ΔΙ ΟΥ ΕΜΟΙ ΚΟΣ

12ΜΟΣ ΕΣΤΑΥΡΩΤΑΙ ΚΑΓΩ ΚΟΣΜΩ ΟΥΤΕ ΓΑΡ ΠΕΡΙΤΟΜΗ6:15

13ΤΙ ΕΣΤΙΝ ΟΥΤΕ ΑΚΡΟΒΥΣΤΙΑ ΑΛΛΑ ΚΑΙΝΗ ΚΤΙ

14ΣΙΣ ΚΑΙ ΟΣΟΙ ΤΩ ΚΑΝΟΝΙ ΤΟΥΤΩ ΣΤΟΙΧΗΣΩ6:16

15ΣΙΝ ΕΙΡΗΝΗ ΕΠ ΑΥΤΟΥΣ ΚΑΙ ΕΛΕΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΕΠΙ ΤΟΝ

16ΙΣΡΑΗΛ ΤΟΥ ΘΥ ΤΟΥ ΛΟΙΠΟΥ ΚΟΠΟΥΣ ΜΟΙ ΜΗΔΕΙΣ6:17

17ΠΑΡΕΧΕΤΩ ΕΓΩ ΓΑΡ ΤΑ ΣΤΙΓΜΑΤΑ ΤΟΥ ΙΗΥ ΕΝ

18ΤΩ ΣΩΜΑΤΙ ΜΟΥ ΒΑΣΤΑΖΩ Η ΧΑΡΙΣ ΤΟΥ ΚΥ ΗΜΩ[Ν]6:18

19ΙΗΥ ΧΡΥ ΜΕΤΑ ΤΟΥ ΠΝΣ ΥΜΩΝ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΙ ΑΜΗΝ

20ΠΡΟΣ ΦΙΛΙΠΠΗΣΙΟΥΣPhil. title

21ΠΑΥΛΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΕΙΜΟΘΕΟΣ ΔΟΥΛ[ΟΙ] [ΧΡΥ] [ΙΗΥ]Phil 1:1

22ΤΟΙ[Σ ΟΥΣΙΝ] ΕΝ ΦΙ[ΛΙΠΠΟΙΣ ΣΥΝ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΙΣ]

Folio 86v — Philippians 1:5–15

1ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΑ ΥΜΩΝ ΕΙΣ ΤΟ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΝ· ΑΠΟ ΤΗΣPhil 1:5

2ΠΡΩΤΗΣ ΗΜΕΡΑΣ ΑΧΡΙ ΤΟΥ ΝΥΝ ΠΕΠΟΙΘΩΣ ΑΥΤΟ1:6

3ΤΟΥΤΟ ΟΤΙ Ο ΕΝΑΡΞΑΜΕΝΟΣ ΕΝ ΥΜΕΙΝ ΕΡΓΟΝ

4ΑΓΑΘΟΝ ΕΠΙΤΕΛΕΣΕΙ ΑΧΡΙ ΗΜΕΡΑΣ ΧΥ ΙΗΥ

5ΚΑΘΩΣ ΕΣΤΙΝ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΝ ΕΜΟΙ ΤΟΥ ΦΡΟΝΕΙΝ1:7

6ΥΠΕΡ ΠΑΝΤΩΝ ΥΜΩΝ ΔΙΑ ΤΟ ΕΧΙΝ ΜΕ ΕΝ ΤΗ

7ΚΑΡΔΙΑ ΥΜΑΣ ΕΝ ΤΕ ΤΟΙΣ ΔΕΣΜΟΙΣ ΜΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΕΝ

8ΤΗ ΑΠΟΛΟΓΙΑ ΚΑΙ ΒΕΒΑΙΩΣΕΙ ΤΟΥ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΥ

9ΚΑΙ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΟΥΣ ΜΟΥ ΤΗΣ ΧΑΡΙΤΟΣ ΠΑΝΤΑΣ ΥΜΑΣ

10ΟΝΤΑΣ ΜΑΡΤΥΣ ΓΑΡ Ο ΘΣ ΩΣ ΕΠΙΠΟΘΩ ΠΑΝΤΑΣ1:8

11ΥΜΑΣ ΕΝ ΣΠΛΑΓΧΝΟΙΣ ΧΡΥ ΙΗΥ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΥΤΟ ΠΡΟΣ1:9

12ΕΥΧΟΜΑΙ ΙΝΑ Η ΑΓΑΠΗ ΥΜΩΝ ΕΤΙ ΜΑΛΛΟΝ

13ΚΑΙ ΜΑΛΛΟΝ ΠΕΡΙΣΣΕΥΗ ΕΝ ΕΠΙΓΝΩΣΕΙ ΚΑΙ

14ΠΑΣΗ ΑΙΣΘΗΣΕΙ ΕΙΣ ΤΟ ΔΟΚΙΜΑΖΕΙΝ ΥΜΑΣ1:10

15ΤΑ ΔΙΑΦΕΡΟΝΤΑ ΙΝΑ ΗΤΕ ΕΙΛΙΚΡΙΝΕΙΣ ΚΑΙ

16ΑΠΡΟΣΚΟΠΟΙ ΕΙΣ ΤΗΝ ΗΜΕΡΑΝ ΧΡΥ ΠΕΠΛΗ1:11

17ΡΩΜΕΝΟΙ ΚΑΡΠΟΝ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΣΥΝΗΣ ΤΟΝ ΔΙΑ

18[Χ]ΡΥ ΙΗΥ ΕΙΣ ΔΟΞΑΝ ΘΥ ΚΑΙ ΕΠΑΙΝΟΝ ΕΜΟΙ·

19[Γ]ΕΙΝΩΣΚΕΙΝ ΔΕ ΥΜΑΣ ΒΟΥΛΟΜΑΙ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΙ ΟΤΙ1:12

20[ΤΑ] ΚΑΤ ΕΜΕ ΜΑΛΛΟΝ ΕΙΣ ΠΡΟΚΟΠΗΝ ΤΟΥ ΕΥΑΓ

21[ΓΕ]ΛΙΟΥ ΕΛΗΛΥΘΕΝ ΩΣΤΕ ΤΟΥΣ ΔΕΣΜΟΥΣ ΜΟΥ1:13

22[ΦΑ]ΝΕΡΟΥΣΘΑΙ ΕΝ ΧΡΩ ΓΕΝΕΣΘΑΙ ΕΝ ΟΛΩ ΤΩ

23[ΠΡ]ΑΙΤΩΡΙΩ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΙΣ ΛΟΙΠΟΙΣ ΠΑΣΙ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΥΣ ΠΛΕΙ1:14

24[ΟΝΑΣ ΤΩ]Ν ΑΔΕΛΦΩΝ ΕΝ ΚΩ ΠΕΠΟΙΘΟΤΑΣ

25[ΤΟΙΣ ΔΕΣΜ]ΟΙΣ ΜΟΥ ΠΕΡΙΣΣΟΤΕΡΩΣ ΤΟΛΜΑΝ

26[ΑΦΟΒΩΣ ΤΟΝ ΛΟΓΟ]Ν ΛΑΛΕΙΝ ΤΙΝΕΣ [ΜΕ]Ν1:15

27[ΔΙΑ ΦΘΟΝΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΡΙΝ ΤΙΝΕ]Σ ΔΕ ΚΑ[Ι ΔΙ] ΕΥΔΟΚ

28[ΙΑΝ]

Word by wordRead it, sound it out, and see the meaning

The whole leaf, word by word: the Greek on the leaf, a transliteration to sound it out, and a word-for-word English gloss, with the smooth translation after each passage. Sacred names carry the scribe’s overline; their meaning is in the gloss. A gold underline under a box marks a word broken across the torn edge — the part in [brackets] is supplied.

Do good to all — Galatians 6:10–11

Those who compel circumcision — Galatians 6:12–13

Boast only in the cross — Galatians 6:14–16

The marks of Jesus — Galatians 6:17–18

Galatians ends, Philippians begins — the seam · Philippians 1:1

Partnership in the gospel — Philippians 1:5–6

You are in my heart — Philippians 1:7–8

That your love may abound — Philippians 1:9–11

My chains advance the gospel — Philippians 1:12–14

Some preach Christ — Philippians 1:15

Reading the detailsTextual notes

The cross as a sacred word. Watch line 6 and line 11 of the front: the scribe contracts ΣΤΑΥΡΩ (“cross”) to ΣΤΡΩ with an overline, treating “the cross of Christ” as a sacred name in its own right — a habit especially characteristic of P46.

A distinctive reading in Philippians 1:11. Where most manuscripts and English Bibles read “to the glory and praise of God,” P46 here reads ΕΙΣ ΔΟΞΑΝ ΘΥ ΚΑΙ ΕΠΑΙΝΟΝ ΕΜΟΙ — “to the glory of God and praise to me” (verso, line 18). It is one of the small individual readings that make P46 such an interesting early witness.

Everyday spellings. The scribe writes ΥΜΕΙΝ for ΥΜΙΝ (“to you”), ΤΕΙΜΟΘΕΟΣ for ΤΙΜΟΘΕΟΣ (“Timothy”), ΕΧΙΝ for ΕΧΕΙΝ (“to have”) and ΓΕΙΝΩΣΚΕΙΝ for ΓΙΝΩΣΚΕΙΝ (“to know”) — ordinary phonetic spellings (itacism) of the period, where ΕΙ and Ι had come to sound alike.

The manuscriptAt a glance

Why it mattersThe oldest edition of Paul

Papyrus 46 is the earliest substantial copy of the Pauline letters — a century or more older than the great parchment codices. It matters not only for its age but for what it is: a bound collection. Its very existence shows that Paul’s letters were circulating as a gathered corpus remarkably early, and its running order — with Hebrews placed among Paul’s letters, right after Romans — is a window onto how the early church read and arranged them.

The codex was written as a single huge quire — a stack of sheets folded once down the middle — and the scribe, running short of room toward the end, packed more and more lines onto each page. A later hand even counted the “stichoi” (lines) at the foot of several letters. It is, in short, a real working book from the early church.

ReferencesSources

• Transcription (surviving text): INTF transcription of 𝔓46, New Testament Virtual Manuscript Room, doc. ID 10046, folios 086r and 086v.
• Manuscript images: Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, and University of Michigan Library (P. Mich. inv. 6238); photographs from the Manuscript Shop listing.
• Editio princeps: F. G. Kenyon, The Chester Beatty Biblical Papyri, Fasciculus III: Pauline Epistles (London, 1936–37).
• Dating & significance: F. G. Kenyon; K. Aland & B. Aland, The Text of the New Testament; B. Nongbri and others on the palaeographic date.
• 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.