Papyrus 47 (𝔓47) — The Earliest Witness to the Book of Revelation

 

A fragment of fire and judgment.
A third-century voice preserving the final book of the New Testament.

Papyrus 47 (𝔓47) is among the earliest surviving manuscripts of the Book of Revelation, dating to the 3rd century. Written in Greek and preserved today at the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin, it remains one of the most important textual witnesses to the Apocalypse of John.

What Makes P47 Significant

• Date: c. AD 250–300
• Content: Revelation 9:10–17:2
• Repository: Chester Beatty Library (Dublin)
• Language: Greek
• Leaf Size: Approx. 24 × 14 cm (9.5 × 5.5 in)
• Format: Early single-column papyrus codex

P47 preserves dramatic passages including:

• The sounding of the trumpets
• The rise of the Beast
• The mark of 666 (Rev 13)
• Heavenly proclamation scenes

This manuscript stands alongside Papyrus 46 and Papyrus 66 as one of the foundational early papyrus witnesses to the New Testament.

A Window into Early Christian Scripture

Unlike later medieval parchment codices, P47 is raw, early, and direct.

The page is tall and narrow.
The margins are modest.
The ink hand is firm and deliberate.

This is Christianity before empire.
Before cathedrals.
Before gold leaf and illuminated initials.

Just papyrus. Ink. And conviction.

Add Papyrus 47 (𝔓47) to your collection today