Papyrus 120
New Testament manuscript
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Papyrus 120, also known as P.Oxy. LXXI 4804, is an early copy of the New Testament in Greek. It is a papyrus manuscript of the Gospel of John in a fragmentary condition, only containing verses 1:25-28 and 1:38-44.[1][2] It is designated by the siglum 𝔓120 in the Gregory-Aland numbering of New Testament manuscripts. Using the study of comparative writing styles (palaeography), it has been assigned by the INTF to the 4th century CE.[3]
_recto_John_1,_25-28;_33-34.jpg)
| New Testament manuscript | |
Recto, John 1:25-28, 1:33-34 | |
| Name | P. Oxy. 4804 |
|---|---|
| Sign | 𝔓120 |
| Text | Gospel of John 1:25-28,38-44 |
| Date | 4th century |
| Script | Greek |
| Found | Oxyrhynchus, Egypt |
| Now at | Sackler Library |
| Cite | R. Hatzilambrou, P. J. Parsons, J. Chapa The Oxyrhynchus Papyri LXXI (London: 2007), pp. 6-9. |
| Size | [20.5] x [11] cm |
| Type | Alexandrian (?) |
| Category | none |
Description
_verso_John_1,_34-38;_42-44.jpg)
The original manuscript was likely a codex (precursor to the modern book) made of papyrus, of which only three pieces from one leaf have survived.[1]: 6 [2]: 174 The text is written in one column per page, 27 lines per page, with 27-28 letters per line.[3][1]: 6-7 [2]: 174 The fragments do evidence the size of the margins of 2-3cm, which based on the 27 lines per pages would give the original codex a size of 11cm x20.5cm, with likely 95 pages in total to contain the Gospel of John.[1]: 7 [2]: 174 The copyist was likely a professional scribe, who wrote in a style known as Biblical Majuscule.[1]: 6 [2]: 174 The manuscript is currently housed at the Papyrology Rooms of the Sackler Library (shelf number P. Oxy. 4804) at Oxford.[3]
