Love Is Patient
The earliest surviving copy of Paul's Love Chapter — the words read at a thousand weddings — reproduced at true scale on genuine Egyptian papyrus in a front-and-back acrylic frame.
13:1 & 13:2–11
(Chester Beatty Papyri)
Library, Dublin
The words read at a thousand
weddings — as they read at first.
You have heard these words. “Love is patient and is kind… Love never fails.” They are read at weddings, quoted at anniversaries, carved into rings. Here they are as they appeared around AD 200 — the earliest surviving copy of the chapter, in a scribe's steady hand on Egyptian papyrus, centuries before they became the most-quoted lines Paul ever wrote.
This leaf belongs to 𝒫46, the oldest copy of the letters of Paul we possess. Scholars lean on it for more than sentiment: in 1 Corinthians 13:3, 𝒫46 is the earliest witness for the reading “that I may boast” (καυχήσωμαι) — the reading followed by the standard critical editions, NA28 and UBS5. The words that move a wedding congregation are, on this same sheet, a decisive piece of textual evidence.
From Paul's pen to yours
The words read at a thousand weddings
The two sides of the leaf, side by side.
1 Corinthians 13:1
“If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don't have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.”
1 Corinthians 13:4–8
“Love is patient and is kind… bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”
Made by hand, made to order.
Part of 𝒫46, the oldest copy of Paul's letters, this leaf preserves the Love Chapter as it read around AD 200. In 1 Corinthians 13:3 it is the earliest witness for the reading “that I may boast” (καυχήσωμαι), followed by NA28 and UBS5 — sentiment and scholarship on the very same sheet.
Common questions
Is the display stand included?
The stand is optional. Choose “Add display stand” (+$20) to have it shown upright as in the photos, or “Replica only” for the framed piece on its own.
Is it really made on papyrus?
Yes — every replica is reproduced on genuine Egyptian papyrus, then framed by hand in a front-and-back acrylic display.
How long does it take to ship?
Each piece is made to order through a multi-week hand-replication process. Your exact timeline is shown at checkout, and we ship to the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.
Can I see the text translated?
Yes — every leaf has a companion reading page with a full interlinear transcription and translation, letter by letter.
The earliest Love Chapter —
on your shelf.
Museum-grade, made to order, and framed to be read from both sides.
