Bodmer Papyri P72

Papyrus 72 (P72) preserves the earliest surviving substantial copies of the First and Second Epistles of Peter and the Epistle of Jude. It is part of the famous Bodmer Papyri collection. Additionally, the codex contains other early Christian writings, including the Nativity of Mary and the apocryphal text of the Odes of Solomon.

Scholars generally date the Bodmer Papyri P72 to the third or fourth century CE. This early dating makes it an incredibly significant artifact for biblical researchers. It provides a crucial window into the textual transmission of the New Testament during the early days of Christianity.

Papyrus 72 was originally part of a massive collection of early Christian texts discovered in Egypt. The manuscripts were eventually named the Bodmer Papyri after the Swiss collector, Martin Bodmer, who acquired them. The exact location of the original discovery remains a bit of a mystery, though it is heavily associated with the region of Nag Hammadi.

P72 is highly significant for biblical scholars because it contains some of the oldest known Greek texts of 1 Peter, 2 Peter, and Jude. By examining its script, researchers can trace how the New Testament was written, translated, and copied in ancient times. Variations within its text help experts piece together the most accurate original versions of these biblical epistles.