Papyrus 66 (𝔓66) — In the Beginning Was the Word | John 1:1–21

PAPYRUS 66 · 𝔓66 · P. BODMER II

In the Beginning Was the Word

John 1:1–21, read letter by letter — from one of the earliest and most complete copies of John, written around AD 200 and corrected by its own scribe.

Printable PDF

A printable reference to keep beside your replica.

The short answerWhat is this leaf?

This is a leaf from Papyrus 66 (𝔓66), one of the earliest near-complete copies of the Gospel of John, written on papyrus around AD 200. This opening leaf carries the Prologue and its first scene — John 1:1–21 — from “In the beginning was the Word” through the Baptist’s testimony, “Who are you?”

𝔓66 is unusual among early papyri because you can watch the scribe at work: the manuscript is dotted with the scribe’s own corrections, where a slip of the pen was caught and fixed — one of the most heavily corrected New Testament papyri that survives. The text is set below as transcribed — corrections, abbreviations, and all.

How to read this page

ΛΟΓΟΣ

On your replica — highlighted ink that physically survives on the papyrus.

ΘΣ

Nomen sacrum — a sacred name (God, Lord, Jesus, Father) the scribe abbreviated and marked with an overline. The full word is given in the gloss.

[ΘΝ]

Supplied — 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. Sacred names keep the scribe’s overline; grey letters are supplied where the edges are lost.

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

Folio recto — John 1:1–14

Papyrus 66, recto (John 1:1–14), in its acrylic display — Papyrus 66 · recto · John 1:1–14 · tap to enlarge

1ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΝ ΚΑΤΑ [Ι]ΩΑΝΝΗΝJohn title

2ΕΝ ΑΡΧΗ ΗΝ Ο ΛΟΓΟΣ· ΚΑΙ Ο ΛΟΓΟΣ ΗΝ ΠΡΟΣ ΤΟ[Ν] [ΘΝ]John 1:1

3ΚΑΙ ΘΣ ΗΝ Ο ΛΟΓΟΣ· ΟΥΤΟΣ ΗΝ ΕΝ ΑΡΧΗ ΠΡΟΣ Τ[ΟΝ] [ΘΝ]2

4ΠΑΝΤΑ ΔΙ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΕΓΕΝΕΤΟ· ΚΑΙ ΧΩΡΙΣ Α[ΥΤΟΥ]3

5ΕΓΕΝΕΤΟ ΟΥΔΕΝ Ο ΓΕΓΟΝΕΝ ΑΥΤΩ ΖΩΗ Η[Ν]4

6ΚΑΙ Η ΖΩΗ ΗΝ ΤΟ ΦΩΣ ΤΩΝ ΑΝΘΡΩΠΩΝ

7ΚΑΙ ΤΟ ΦΩΣ ΕΝ ΤΗ ΣΚΟΤΙΑ ΦΑΙΝΕΙ· ΚΑΙ Η5

8ΣΚΟΤΙΑ ΑΥΤΟ ΟΥ ΚΑΤΕΛΑΒΕΝ·

9[Ε]ΓΕΝΕΤΟ ΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΣ ΑΠΕΣΤΑΛΜΕΝΟΣ ΠΑ6

10ΡΑ ΘΥ ΟΝΟΜΑ ΑΥΤΩ ΙΩΑΝΝΗΣ ΟΥΤΟΣ ΗΛ7

11ΘΕΝ ΕΙΣ ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑΝ ΙΝΑ ΜΑΡΤΥΡΗΣΗ

12ΠΕΡΙ ΤΟΥ ΦΩΤΟΣ· ΙΝΑ ΠΑΝΤΕΣ ΠΙΣΤΕΥ

13ΣΩΣΙΝ ΔΙ ΑΥΤΟΥ· ΟΥΚ ΗΝ ΕΚΕΙΝΟΣ ΤΟ8

14ΦΩΣ ΑΛΛΑ ΙΝΑ ΜΑΡΤΥΡΗΣΗ ΠΕΡΙ ΤΟΥ

15ΦΩΤΟΣ ΗΝ ΤΟ ΦΩΣ ΤΟ ΑΛΗΘΙΝΟΝ Ο ΦΩ9

16ΤΙΖΕΙ ΠΑΝΤΑΝ ΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΝ ΕΡΧΟΜΕΝΟΝ

17ΕΙΣ ΤΟΝ ΚΟΣΜΟΝ· ΕΝ ΤΩ ΚΟΣΜΩ ΗΝ ΚΑΙ10

18Ο ΚΟΣΜΟΣ ΔΙ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΕΓΕΝΕΤΟ ΚΑΙ Ο ΚΟΣ

19ΜΟΣ ΑΥΤΟΝ ΟΥΚ ΕΓΝΩ ΕΙΣ ΤΑ ΙΔΙΑ ΗΛΘ[ΕΝ]11

20ΚΑΙ ΟΙ ΙΔΙΟΙ ΑΥΤΟΝ ΟΥ ΠΑΡΕΛΑΒΟΝ· ΟΣΟ[Ι]12

21ΔΕ ΕΛΑΒΟΝ ΑΥΤΟΝ ΕΔΩΚΕΝ ΑΥΤΟΙΣ Ε

22ΞΟΥΣΙΑΝ ΤΕΚΝΑ ΘΥ ΓΕΝΕΣΘΑΙ ΤΟΙΣ

23ΠΙΣΤΕΥΟΥΣΙΝ ΕΙΣ ΤΟ ΟΝΟΜΑ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΟΙ ΟΥ13

24Κ ΕΞ ΑΙΜΑΤΩΝ ΟΥΔΕ ΕΚ ΘΕΛΗΜΑ[ΤΟΣ]

25ΣΑΡΚΟΣ ΟΥΔΕ ΕΚ ΘΕΛΗΜΑΤΟΣ ΑΝ[ΔΡΟΣ]

26ΑΛΛΑ ΕΚ ΘΥ ΕΓΕΝΝΗΘΗΣΑΝ· ΚΑΙ [Ο ΛΟΓΟΣ]14

The front of the leaf: the Prologue, from the title and “In the beginning was the Word” down to “and the Word (became flesh).”

Folio verso — John 1:14–21

Papyrus 66, verso (John 1:14–21), in its acrylic display — Papyrus 66 · verso · John 1:14–21 · tap to enlarge

1ΣΑΡΞ ΕΓΕΝΕΤΟ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΚΗΝΩΣΕΝ ΕΝ ΗΜ[ΙΝ]John 1:14

2ΚΑΙ ΕΘΕΑΣΑΜΕΘΑ ΤΗΝ ΔΟΞΑΝ ΑΥΤΟΥ Δ[Ο]

3ΞΑΝ ΩΣ ΜΟΝΟΓΕΝΟΥΣ ΠΑΡΑ ΠΡΣ ΠΛΗΡ[ΗΣ]

4ΧΑΡΙΤΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΛΗΘΙΑΣ· ΙΩΑΝΝΗΣ ΜΑ[Ρ]15

5ΤΥΡΙ ΠΕΡΙ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΚΡΕΚΡΑΓΕΝ ΛΕΓ[ΩΝ]

6ΟΥΤΟΣ ΗΝ ΟΝ ΕΙΠΟΝ· ΟΠΙΣΩ ΜΟΥ ΕΡΧ[Ο]

7ΜΕΝΟΣ ΕΜΠΡΟΣΘΕΝ ΜΟΥ ΓΕΓΟΝΕΝ [Ο]

8ΤΙ ΠΡΩΤΟΣ ΜΟΥ ΗΝ· ΟΤΙ ΕΚ ΤΟΥ ΠΛΗΡΩ16

9ΜΑΤΟΣ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΗΜΕΙΣ ΠΑΝΤΕΣ ΕΛΑΒ[Ο]

10ΜΕΝ ΚΑΙ ΧΑΡΙΝ ΑΝΤΙ ΧΑΡΙΤΟΣ· ΟΤΙ Ο [ΝΟ]17

11ΜΟΣ ΔΙΑ ΜΩΥΣΕΩΣ ΕΔΟΘΗ· Η ΧΑΡΙ[Σ]

12ΔΕ ΚΑΙ Η ΑΛΗΘΙΑ ΔΙΑ ΙΥ ΧΥ ΕΓΕΝΕΤ[Ο]

13ΘΝ ΟΥΔΕΙΣ ΕΩΡΑΚΕΝ ΠΩΠΟΤΑΙ ΜΟ18

14ΝΟΓΕΝΗΣ ΘΣ Ο ΩΝ ΕΙΣ ΤΟΝ ΚΟΛΠΟΝ Τ[ΟΥ]

15ΠΡΣ ΕΚΙΝΟΣ ΕΞΗΓΗΣΑΤΟ· ΚΑΙ ΑΥΤΗ Ε[ΣΤΙΝ]19

16Η ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΙΩΑΝΝΟΥ ΟΤΕ ΑΠΕ

17[Σ]ΤΙΛΑΝ ΟΙ ΙΟΥΔΑΙΟΙ ΕΞ ΙΕΡΟΣΟΛΥΜΩ[Ν]

18ΙΕΡΕΙΣ ΚΑΙ ΛΕΥΕΙΤΑΣ ΙΝΑ ΕΡΩΤΗΣΩ[ΣΙΝ]

19ΑΥΤΟΝ ΣΥΣ ΕΙ ΚΑΙ ΩΜΟΛΟΓΗΣΕΝ ΚΑ[Ι]20

20[Ο]ΥΚ ΗΡΝΗΣΑΤΟ· ΚΑΙ ΩΜΟΛΟΓΗΣΕΝ

21[Ο]ΤΙ ΕΓΩ ΟΥΚ ΙΜΙ Ο ΧΣ· ΚΑΙ ΗΡΩΤ[Η]21

22[ΣΑ]Ν ΑΥΤΟΝ ΤΙΣ ΟΥΝ ΣΥ ΗΛΕΙΑΣ ΕΙ [ΚΑΙ]

23[ΛΕΓΕΙ] ΟΥΚ ΕΙΜΙ Ο ΠΡΟΦΗΤΗΣ ΕΙ ΣΥ Κ[ΑΙ]

The back of the leaf: “The Word became flesh…”, the Baptist’s testimony, and the question “Who are you?”

Word by wordRead it, one word at a time

In the beginning was the Word — John 1:1–2

ΕΝeninΑΡΧΗarchēbeginningΗΝēnwasΟhotheΛΟΓΟΣlogosWordΚΑΙkaiandΟhotheΛΟΓΟΣlogosWordΗΝēnwasΠΡΟΣproswithΤΟ[Ν]tonthe[ΘΝ]theonGodΚΑΙkaiandΘΣtheosGodΗΝēnwasΟhotheΛΟΓΟΣlogosWordΟΥΤΟΣhoutosthis oneΗΝēnwasΕΝeninΑΡΧΗarchēbeginningΠΡΟΣproswithΤ[ΟΝ]tonthe[ΘΝ]theonGod

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God.

All things through him; life and light — John 1:3–5

ΠΑΝΤΑpantaall thingsΔΙdithroughΑΥΤΟΥautouhimΕΓΕΝΕΤΟegenetocame to beΚΑΙkaiandΧΩΡΙΣchōrisapart fromΑ[ΥΤΟΥ]autouhimΕΓΕΝΕΤΟegenetocame to beΟΥΔΕΝoudennothingΟhothat whichΓΕΓΟΝΕΝgegonenhas come to beΑΥΤΩautōin himΖΩΗzōēlifeΗ[Ν]ēnwasΚΑΙkaiandΗhētheΖΩΗzōēlifeΗΝēnwasΤΟtotheΦΩΣphōslightΤΩΝtōnof theΑΝΘΡΩΠΩΝanthrōpōnmenΚΑΙkaiandΤΟtotheΦΩΣphōslightΕΝeninΤΗtētheΣΚΟΤΙΑskotiadarknessΦΑΙΝΕΙphaineishinesΚΑΙkaiandΗhētheΣΚΟΤΙΑskotiadarknessΑΥΤΟautoitΟΥounotΚΑΤΕΛΑΒΕΝkatelabenovercame

3 All things were made through him. Without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn't overcome it.

A man sent from God — John 1:6–8

[Ε]ΓΕΝΕΤΟegenetothere cameΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΣanthrōposa manΑΠΕΣΤΑΛΜΕΝΟΣapestalmenossentΠΑΡΑparafromΘΥtheouGodΟΝΟΜΑonomanameΑΥΤΩautōto himΙΩΑΝΝΗΣiōannēsJohnΟΥΤΟΣhoutosthis oneΗΛΘΕΝēlthencameΕΙΣeisforΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑΝmartyriana witnessΙΝΑhinathatΜΑΡΤΥΡΗΣΗmartyrēsēhe might testifyΠΕΡΙperiaboutΤΟΥtoutheΦΩΤΟΣphōtoslightΙΝΑhinathatΠΑΝΤΕΣpantesallΠΙΣΤΕΥΣΩΣΙΝpisteusōsinmight believeΔΙdithroughΑΥΤΟΥautouhimΟΥΚouknotΗΝēnwasΕΚΕΙΝΟΣekeinosthat oneΤΟtotheΦΩΣphōslightΑΛΛΑallabutΙΝΑhinathatΜΑΡΤΥΡΗΣΗmartyrēsēhe might testifyΠΕΡΙperiaboutΤΟΥtoutheΦΩΤΟΣphōtoslight

6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but was sent to testify about the light.

The true light; his own received him not — John 1:9–11

ΗΝēnwasΤΟtotheΦΩΣphōslightΤΟtotheΑΛΗΘΙΝΟΝalēthinontrueΟhowhichΦΩΤΙΖΕΙphōtizeienlightensΠΑΝΤΑΝpantaneveryΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΝanthrōponmanΕΡΧΟΜΕΝΟΝerchomenoncomingΕΙΣeisintoΤΟΝtontheΚΟΣΜΟΝkosmonworldΕΝeninΤΩtōtheΚΟΣΜΩkosmōworldΗΝēnwasΚΑΙkaiandΟhotheΚΟΣΜΟΣkosmosworldΔΙdithroughΑΥΤΟΥautouhimΕΓΕΝΕΤΟegenetocame to beΚΑΙkaiandΟhotheΚΟΣΜΟΣkosmosworldΑΥΤΟΝautonhimΟΥΚouknotΕΓΝΩegnōknewΕΙΣeistoΤΑtatheΙΔΙΑidiahis ownΗΛΘ[ΕΝ]ēlthenhe cameΚΑΙkaiandΟΙhoitheΙΔΙΟΙidioihis ownΑΥΤΟΝautonhimΟΥounotΠΑΡΕΛΑΒΟΝparelabonreceived

9 The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn't recognize him. 11 He came to his own, and those who were his own didn't receive him.

The right to become children of God — John 1:12–13

ΟΣΟ[Ι]hosoias many asΔΕdebutΕΛΑΒΟΝelabonreceivedΑΥΤΟΝautonhimΕΔΩΚΕΝedōkenhe gaveΑΥΤΟΙΣautoisthemΕΞΟΥΣΙΑΝexousianauthorityΤΕΚΝΑteknachildrenΘΥtheouof GodΓΕΝΕΣΘΑΙgenesthaito becomeΤΟΙΣtoisto thoseΠΙΣΤΕΥΟΥΣΙΝpisteuousinbelievingΕΙΣeisinΤΟtotheΟΝΟΜΑonomanameΑΥΤΟΥautouhisΟΙhoiwhoΟΥΚouknotΕΞexofΑΙΜΑΤΩΝhaimatōnbloodsΟΥΔΕoudenorΕΚekofΘΕΛΗΜΑ[ΤΟΣ]thelēmatoswillΣΑΡΚΟΣsarkosof fleshΟΥΔΕoudenorΕΚekofΘΕΛΗΜΑΤΟΣthelēmatoswillΑΝ[ΔΡΟΣ]androsof manΑΛΛΑallabutΕΚekofΘΥtheouGodΕΓΕΝΝΗΘΗΣΑΝegennēthēsanwere born

12 But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God's children, to those who believe in his name — 13 who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Word became flesh — John 1:14

ΚΑΙkaiand[Ο]hothe[ΛΟΓΟΣ]logosWordΣΑΡΞsarxfleshΕΓΕΝΕΤΟegenetobecameΚΑΙkaiandΕΣΚΗΝΩΣΕΝeskēnōsendweltΕΝenamongΗΜ[ΙΝ]hēminusΚΑΙkaiandΕΘΕΑΣΑΜΕΘΑetheasamethawe beheldΤΗΝtēntheΔΟΞΑΝdoxangloryΑΥΤΟΥautouhisΔ[Ο]ΞΑΝdoxangloryΩΣhōsasΜΟΝΟΓΕΝΟΥΣmonogenousof an only-begottenΠΑΡΑparafromΠΡΣpatrosa fatherΠΛΗΡ[ΗΣ]plērēsfullΧΑΡΙΤΟΣcharitosof graceΚΑΙkaiandΑΛΗΘΙΑΣalēthiastruth

14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us. We saw his glory, glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John cries out his witness — John 1:15

ΙΩΑΝΝΗΣiōannēsJohnΜΑ[Ρ]ΤΥΡΙmartyritestifiesΠΕΡΙperiaboutΑΥΤΟΥautouhimΚΑΙkaiandΚΡΕΚΡΑΓΕΝkekragencried outΛΕΓ[ΩΝ]legōnsayingΟΥΤΟΣhoutosthisΗΝēnwasΟΝhonwhomΕΙΠΟΝeiponI saidΟΠΙΣΩopisōafterΜΟΥmoumeΕΡΧ[Ο]ΜΕΝΟΣerchomenoscomingΕΜΠΡΟΣΘΕΝemprosthenbeforeΜΟΥmoumeΓΕΓΟΝΕΝgegonenhas become[Ο]ΤΙhotibecauseΠΡΩΤΟΣprōtosfirstΜΟΥmouthan meΗΝēnhe was

15 John testified about him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.’”

Grace upon grace; the Son makes him known — John 1:16–18

ΟΤΙhotibecauseΕΚekofΤΟΥtoutheΠΛΗΡΩΜΑΤΟΣplērōmatosfullnessΑΥΤΟΥautouhisΗΜΕΙΣhēmeisweΠΑΝΤΕΣpantesallΕΛΑΒ[Ο]ΜΕΝelabomenreceivedΚΑΙkaiandΧΑΡΙΝcharingraceΑΝΤΙantiuponΧΑΡΙΤΟΣcharitosgraceΟΤΙhotibecauseΟhothe[ΝΟ]ΜΟΣnomoslawΔΙΑdiathroughΜΩΥΣΕΩΣmōyseōsMosesΕΔΟΘΗedothēwas givenΗhētheΧΑΡΙ[Σ]charisgraceΔΕdeandΚΑΙkaiandΗhētheΑΛΗΘΙΑalēthiatruthΔΙΑdiathroughΙΥiēsouJesusΧΥchristouChristΕΓΕΝΕΤ[Ο]egenetocameΘΝtheonGodΟΥΔΕΙΣoudeisno oneΕΩΡΑΚΕΝheōrakenhas seenΠΩΠΟΤΑΙpōpoteeverΜΟΝΟΓΕΝΗΣmonogenēsonly-begottenΘΣtheosGodΟhothe oneΩΝōnbeingΕΙΣeisinΤΟΝtontheΚΟΛΠΟΝkolponbosomΤ[ΟΥ]touof theΠΡΣpatrosFatherΕΚΙΝΟΣekinosthat oneΕΞΗΓΗΣΑΤΟexēgēsatohas made known

16 For from his fullness we all received grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only-begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, has made him known.

“Who are you?” — John 1:19–21

ΚΑΙkaiandΑΥΤΗhautēthisΕ[ΣΤΙΝ]estinisΗhētheΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΑmartyriatestimonyΤΟΥtouofΙΩΑΝΝΟΥiōannouJohnΟΤΕhotewhenΑΠΕ[Σ]ΤΙΛΑΝapesteilansentΟΙhoitheΙΟΥΔΑΙΟΙioudaioiJewsΕΞexfromΙΕΡΟΣΟΛΥΜΩ[Ν]hierosolymōnJerusalemΙΕΡΕΙΣhiereispriestsΚΑΙkaiandΛΕΥΕΙΤΑΣleueitasLevitesΙΝΑhinatoΕΡΩΤΗΣΩ[ΣΙΝ]erōtēsōsinaskΑΥΤΟΝautonhimΣΥΣsy-tisyou—whoΕΙeiareΚΑΙkaiandΩΜΟΛΟΓΗΣΕΝhōmologēsenhe confessedΚΑ[Ι]kaiand[Ο]ΥΚouknotΗΡΝΗΣΑΤΟērnēsatodeniedΚΑΙkaiandΩΜΟΛΟΓΗΣΕΝhōmologēsenconfessed[Ο]ΤΙhotithatΕΓΩegōIΟΥΚouknotΙΜΙeimiamΟhotheΧΣchristosChristΚΑΙkaiandΗΡΩΤ[ΗΣΑ]Νērōtēsanthey askedΑΥΤΟΝautonhimΤΙΣtiswhatΟΥΝounthenΣΥsyyouΗΛΕΙΑΣēleiasElijahΕΙeiare[ΚΑΙ]kaiand[ΛΕΓΕΙ]legeihe saysΟΥΚouknotΕΙΜΙeimiI amΟhotheΠΡΟΦΗΤΗΣprophētēsprophetΕΙeiareΣΥsyyouΚ[ΑΙ]kaiand

19 And this is John's testimony, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He says, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?”

The scribe at workA manuscript full of corrections

Early scribes were not machines, and 𝔓66 shows it more than almost any other early copy. Across its surviving leaves the manuscript carries roughly 465 corrections — more than three per page — which makes it one of the most heavily corrected New Testament papyri we have. Studies of the hand conclude that the copyist did most of that correcting himself, catching slips of the pen as he worked and, in more than a hundred places, checking his copy against a second exemplar.

The fixes were made in the ordinary ways of the ancient book: washing or scraping the ink away, marking unwanted letters with dots placed above them, and squeezing the correction in above the line or out in the margin. A few ordinary period spellings also appear on this leaf — for example ΙΜΙ for ΕΙΜΙ, or ΕΚΙΝΟΣ for ΕΚΕΙΝΟΣ — reflecting how Greek was pronounced at the time rather than scribal error.

The figures above describe 𝔓66 as a whole.

The manuscriptAt a glance

This leaf	John 1:1–21 — front (1:1–14) and back (1:14–21)
Manuscript	Papyrus 66 (𝔓66) · P. Bodmer II
Date	c. AD 200
Hand	Careful majuscule, with the scribe’s own corrections
Found	Egypt (Bodmer Papyri)
Format	Papyrus codex · Gospel of John, nearly complete
Content	The Prologue and the Baptist’s testimony

Why it mattersJohn’s Gospel, almost whole, around AD 200

Most of the earliest New Testament papyri are small scraps. 𝔓66 is different: a substantial codex preserving most of John, copied only a century or so after the Gospel was written. Because the scribe corrected his own work as he went, it is one of the best windows we have into how the Gospels were actually copied and safeguarded in the second century — and this leaf opens the book, with the words “In the beginning was the Word.”

Own this leaf

Manuscript Shop produces a museum-grade facsimile of this leaf on real papyrus, hand-finished and presented in a float-mounted acrylic display.

View the Papyrus 66 replica →

ReferencesSources

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

Item added to your cart

Papyrus 66 (𝔓66) — In the Beginning Was the Word | John 1:1–21

In the Beginning Was the Word

The short answerWhat is this leaf?

Line by lineThe Greek exactly as it sits on the leaf

Folio recto — John 1:1–14

Folio verso — John 1:14–21

Word by wordRead it, one word at a time

In the beginning was the Word — John 1:1–2

All things through him; life and light — John 1:3–5

A man sent from God — John 1:6–8

The true light; his own received him not — John 1:9–11

The right to become children of God — John 1:12–13

The Word became flesh — John 1:14

John cries out his witness — John 1:15

Grace upon grace; the Son makes him known — John 1:16–18

“Who are you?” — John 1:19–21

The scribe at workA manuscript full of corrections

The manuscriptAt a glance

Why it mattersJohn’s Gospel, almost whole, around AD 200

Own this leaf

ReferencesSources

Explore

Visit

Isaiah 55:11

Country/region

Country/region

Papyrus 66 (𝔓66) — In the Beginning Was the Word | John 1:1–21

In the Beginning Was the Word

The short answerWhat is this leaf?

Line by lineThe Greek exactly as it sits on the leaf

Folio recto — John 1:1–14

Folio verso — John 1:14–21

Word by wordRead it, one word at a time

In the beginning was the Word — John 1:1–2

All things through him; life and light — John 1:3–5

A man sent from God — John 1:6–8

The true light; his own received him not — John 1:9–11

The right to become children of God — John 1:12–13

The Word became flesh — John 1:14

John cries out his witness — John 1:15

Grace upon grace; the Son makes him known — John 1:16–18

“Who are you?” — John 1:19–21

The scribe at workA manuscript full of corrections

The manuscriptAt a glance

Why it mattersJohn’s Gospel, almost whole, around AD 200

Own this leaf

ReferencesSources

BE THE FIRST TO THE NEXT DROP

Explore

Visit

Isaiah 55:11