Manuscripts
Papyrus P66 (Bodmer II)
- Era
- c. AD 200
- Location
- Bodmer Library, Geneva
- Discovered
- 1952
An almost-complete papyrus codex of the Gospel of John — one of the earliest substantial New Testament manuscripts we possess.
The find
Discovered in Egypt and acquired by Martin Bodmer in 1952, P66 preserves John 1:1–6:11 and 6:35–14:26 nearly intact, plus fragments from chapters 14–21. Paleographers date its main hand to around AD 200, with some arguing slightly earlier. Its substantial size and careful corrections show that John was being copied as a fixed-text Christian Scripture very early. P66, P75, and P52 together form a tight chain of evidence for the text and circulation of John's Gospel.
Why it matters
It confirms that the Gospel of John was circulating in a stable codex form by around AD 200, within roughly a century of its original composition.
Cross-linked Scripture
Doctrine check
Sources
See also
Image: Bodmer Library / Wikimedia Commons
Discuss with AI