The short answerWhat is this leaf?

This is a leaf from Papyrus 47 — the earliest substantial copy of the Book of Revelation, written in the third century. On these two pages you can read some of the most famous words in the Bible in the oldest form we have them: the mark “on the right hand or the forehead,” the calculation of ΧΞΣ — 666 — and, on the other side, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion with the 144,000, the three angels, and “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great.”

The leaf is torn along its edges, so part of every line is lost. This page shows you exactly which letters are real ink on the papyrus and which are supplied by scholars — so you can read your replica precisely, and see the famous numbers written the way the scribe actually wrote them.

The feature666 and 144,000, in the scribe’s own hand

Ancient scribes wrote numbers with letters, not digits, and drew a bar over them — the same bar they used for sacred names. On the front page, look for ΧΞΣ: chi (600) + xi (60) + stigma (6) = 666, the number of the beast, written exactly as here in the oldest copy of Revelation. On the back, ΡΜΔ — rho (100) + mu (40) + delta (4) = 144 — followed by the word for “thousand”: the 144,000.

Because P47 predates almost every other witness to Revelation, this leaf is close to the source of these images that have echoed through art, music and imagination for eighteen centuries.

Line by lineThe Greek exactly as it sits on the leaf

Transcribed from the INTF transcription (NTVMR, 𝔓47 folio 7) and shown in the majuscule capitals the scribe used, with the original line breaks. Sacred names and numbers keep their overline. The photograph sits beside each side so you can compare the letters directly.

Front — Revelation 13:16–14:4 (the mark, 666, and the 144,000)

1[ΤΟΥΣ ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΟΥΣ Κ]ΑΙ [ΔΟΥ]ΛΟ[ΥΣ] Ι[ΝΑ ΔΩ]Rev 13:16

2[ΣΙΝ ΑΥΤ]ΟΙΣ ΧΑΡΑΓΜΑΤΑ ΕΠΙ ΤΗΣ ΧΕΙΡΟΣ

3[ΑΥΤΩ]Ν ΤΗΣ ΔΕΞΙΑΣ Η ΕΠΙ ΤΩΝ ΜΕΤΩΠΩΝ

4[ΑΥΤ]ΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΙΝΑ ΜΗ ΤΙΣ ΔΥΝΗΤΑΙ ΑΓΟΡΑ13:17

5ΣΑΙ Η ΠΩΛΗΣΑΙ ΕΙ ΜΗ Ο ΕΧΩΝ ΤΟ ΧΑΡΑΓΜΑ

6Η ΤΟ ΟΝΟΜΑ ΤΟΥ ΘΗΡΙΟΥ Η ΤΟΝ ΑΡΙΘΜΟΝ

7ΤΟΥ ΟΝΟΜΑΤΟΣ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΩΔΕ Η ΣΟΦΙΑ ΕΣΤΙΝ13:18

8Ο ΕΧΩΝ ΟΥΝ ΨΗΦΙΣΑΤΩ ΤΟΝ ΑΡΙΘΜΟΝ ΤΟΥ

9ΘΗΡΙΟΥ ΑΡΙΘΜΟΣ ΓΑΡ ΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΥ ΕΣΤΙΝ

10ΕΣΤΙΝ ΔΕ ΧΞΣ ΚΑΙ ΕΙΔΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΙΔΟΥ ΑΡ14:1

11ΝΙΟΝ ΕΣΤΩΣ ΕΠΙ ΤΟ ΟΡΟΣ ΣΕΙΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΜΕ

12Τ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΡΜΔ ΧΕΙΛΙΑΔΕΣ ΕΧΟΥΣΑΙ ΤΟ ΟΝΟ

13ΜΑ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΤΟ ΟΝΟΜΑ ΤΟΥ ΠΡΣ ΑΥΤΟΥ

14ΓΕΓΡΑΜΜΕΝΟΝ ΕΠΙ ΤΩΝ ΜΕΤΩΠΩΝ

15ΑΥΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΗΚΟΥΣΑ ΦΩΝΗΝ ΩΣ ΕΚ ΤΟΥ14:2

16ΟΥΡΑΝΟΥ ΩΣ ΦΩΝΗΝ ΥΔΑΤΩΝ ΠΟΛΛΩΝ

17ΚΑΙ ΩΣ ΦΩΝΗΝ ΒΡΟΝΤΗΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΗΣ ΚΑΙ

18ΦΩΝΗΝ ΗΚΟΥΣΑ ΩΣ ΦΩΝΗΝ ΚΙΘΑΡ[Ω]

19ΔΩΝ ΚΙΘΑΡΙΖΟΝΤΩΝ ΕΝ ΤΑΙΣ ΚΙΘΑ[ΡΑΙΣ]

20ΑΥΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΔΩΣΙΝ ΩΔΗΝ ΚΑΙΝ[ΗΝ]14:3

21ΕΝΩΠΙΟΝ ΤΟΥ ΘΡΟΝΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΕΝΩΠ[ΙΟΝ]

22[Τ]ΩΝ Δ ΖΩΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΠΡΕΣ[ΒΥΤΕ]

23ΡΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΟΥΔΕΙΣ ΕΔΥΝΑΤΟ ΜΑΘΕ[ΙΝ]

24ΤΗΝ ΩΔΗΝ ΕΙ ΜΗ ΑΙ ΡΜΔ ΧΕΙΛ[ΙΑΔΕΣ]

25ΟΙ ΗΓΟΡΑΣΜΕΝΟΙ ΑΠΟ ΤΗΣ ΓΗ[Σ] [ΟΥΤΟΙ]14:4

26[ΕΙ]ΣΙΝ ΟΙ ΜΗ ΜΕΤΑ ΓΥΝΑΙΚΩ[Ν] [ΟΥΚ ΕΜΟ]

27ΛΥΝΘΗΣΑΝ ΠΑΡΘΕΝΟΙ ΓΑΡ [ΕΙΣΙΝ]

Back — Revelation 14:4–10 (the firstfruits and the three angels)

1[ΗΓΟΡΑ]Rev 14:4

2ΣΘΗΣΑΝ ΑΠΟ ΤΩΝ [Α]ΝΘΡΩ[ΠΩΝ]

3[Α]ΠΑΡΧΗ ΤΩ ΘΩ ΚΑΙ ΤΩ ΑΡΝΙ[Ω] [ΚΑΙ ΕΝ]14:5

4ΤΩ ΣΤΟΜΑΤΙ ΑΥΤΩΝ ΟΥΧ ΕΥΡΕΘΗ [ΨΕΥ]

5ΔΟΣ ΑΜΩΜΟΙ ΓΑΡ ΕΙΣΙΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΙΔΟΝ [ΑΓ]14:6

6ΓΕΛΟΝ ΠΕΤΟΜΕΝΟΝ ΕΝ ΜΕΣΟΥΡΑΝΗ

7ΜΑΤΙ ΕΧΟΝΤΑ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΝ ΑΙΩΝΙΟΝ

8ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΣΑΣΘΑΙ ΕΠΙ ΤΟΥΣ ΚΑΘΗΜΕ

9ΝΟΥΣ ΕΠΙ ΤΗΣ ΓΗΣ ΚΑΙ ΕΠΙ ΠΑΝ ΕΘΝΟΣ

10ΚΑΙ ΦΥΛΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΓΛΩΣΣΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΛΑΟΝ

11ΛΕΓΟΝΤΑ ΕΝ ΦΩΝΗ ΜΕΓΑΛΗ ΦΟΒΗΘΗ14:7

12ΤΕ ΤΟΝ ΘΝ ΚΑΙ ΔΟΞΑΣΑΤΕ ΑΥΤΟΝ ΔΟΞΑΝ

13ΟΤΙ ΗΛΘΕΝ Η ΩΡΑ ΤΗΣ ΚΡΙΣΕΩΣ ΑΥΤΟΥ

14ΚΑΙ ΠΡΟΣΚΥΝΗΣΑΤΕ ΤΩ ΠΟΙΗΣΑΝΤΙ ΤΟΝ

15ΟΥΡΑΝΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΝ ΓΗΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΝ ΘΑΛΑΣ

16ΣΑΝ ΚΑΙ ΠΗΓΑΣ ΥΔΑΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΛΛΟΣ Β14:8

17ΗΚΟΛΟΥΘΕΙ ΛΕΓΩΝ ΕΠΕΣΕΝ ΕΠΕΣΕΝ

18ΒΑΒΥΛΩΝ Η ΜΕΓΑΛΗ ΕΚ ΤΟΥ ΟΙΝΟΥ ΤΟΥ

19[Θ]ΥΜΟΥ ΤΗΣ ΠΟΡΝΕΙΑΣ ΑΥΤΗΣ ΠΕΠΤΩ

20ΚΑΝ ΠΑΝΤΑ ΤΑ ΕΘΝΗ ΚΑΙ ΑΛΛΟΣ ΑΓΓΕΛΟΣ14:9

21[Τ]ΡΙΤΟΣ ΗΚΟΛΟΥΘΗΣΕΝ ΑΥΤΟΙΣ ΛΕΓΩΝ

22[ΕΝ] ΦΩΝΗ ΜΕΓΑΛΗ ΕΙ ΤΙΣ ΠΡΟΚΥΝΕΙ ΤΟ

23[Θ]ΗΡΙΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΝ ΕΙΚΟΝΑ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΚΑΙ

24[ΛΑ]ΜΒΑΝΕΙ ΧΑΡΑΓΜΑ ΕΠΙ ΤΟΥ ΜΕ

25[ΤΩ]ΠΟΥ ΑΥΤΟΥ Η ΕΠΙ ΤΗΣ ΧΕΙΡΟ[Σ]

26[ΑΥΤΟΥ] ΚΑΙ ΑΥΤΟΣ ΠΙΕΤΑΙ ΕΚ ΤΟΥ14:10

27[ΟΙΝΟΥ ΤΟ]Υ ΘΥΜΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΘΥ ΜΟΥ ΚΕ

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 and numbers carry the scribe’s overline; their meaning is in the gloss. Words in a gold box appear (at least partly) on the fragment; grey words in [brackets] are supplied.

A mark on every hand and forehead — Revelation 13:16–17

The number of the beast — 666 — Revelation 13:18

The Lamb and the 144,000 on Mount Zion — Revelation 14:1

A voice from heaven; a new song — Revelation 14:2–3

No one could learn it but the redeemed — Revelation 14:3–4

Firstfruits to God and the Lamb — Revelation 14:4–5

The eternal Good News — the first angel — Revelation 14:6–7

Fallen is Babylon — the second angel — Revelation 14:8

The third angel’s warning — Revelation 14:9–10

Reading the detailsTextual notes

666 — and the famous variant. P47 reads the number of the beast as ΧΞΣ = 666, the reading in almost all manuscripts. (A handful of others famously read 616; this leaf is a witness to the 666 tradition.) Just before it the scribe writes “…is the number of a man; it is, and it is ΧΞΣ” — repeating the word “is,” a small slip of the pen.

“Let him who has…” The standard text reads “let him who has understanding (ΝΟΥΝ) calculate.” Here the scribe has written ΟΥΝ (“therefore”) — dropping the Ν of ΝΟΥΝ, an easy eye-skip that slightly changes the sense.

Everyday spellings. The scribe writes as he spoke: ΣΕΙΩΝ for ΣΙΩΝ (“Zion”), ΧΕΙΛΙΑΔΕΣ for ΧΙΛΙΑΔΕΣ (“thousand”), and ΠΡΟΚΥΝΕΙ for ΠΡΟΣΚΥΝΕΙ (“worships”) — ordinary phonetic spellings of the period, where ΕΙ and Ι had come to sound alike.

Two distinctive readings. In 14:7 P47 reads “ΔΟΞΑΣΑΤΕ ΑΥΤΟΝ ΔΟΞΑΝ” (“glorify him… glory”) where most texts read “give him glory”; and in 14:10 it reads “the wrath of ΘΥ ΜΟΥ” — “of my God” — adding a word most manuscripts lack.

The manuscriptAt a glance

Why it mattersThe oldest Book of Revelation

Revelation was received into the New Testament more slowly than the Gospels, and its earliest copies are correspondingly rare. Papyrus 47 is the earliest substantial witness to the book — the closest we can get, in a continuous run of text, to how Revelation actually read in the third century.

That makes this leaf unusually important for its content: the mark of the beast, the number 666, and the 144,000 are among the most quoted, debated and reimagined verses ever written. To hold them in the form of the oldest manuscript — numbers and all, written in letters under a bar — is to stand very close to their source.

ReferencesSources

• Transcription (surviving text): INTF transcription of 𝔓47, New Testament Virtual Manuscript Room, doc. ID 10047, folio 7 (Revelation 13–14).
• Manuscript images: Chester Beatty Library, Dublin (P. Chester Beatty III); photographs from the Manuscript Shop listing.
• Editio princeps: F. G. Kenyon, The Chester Beatty Biblical Papyri, Fasciculus III: Revelation (London, 1934).
• Dating & significance: F. G. Kenyon; K. Aland & B. Aland, The Text of the New Testament.
• 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.