The Oxyrhynchus 1224 gospel.

[Ben C. Smith]

Oxyrhynchus 1224 Gospel

Information

Sources: Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1224 (century IV or V).
The Oxyrhynchus 1224 Gospel is long enough that its status as a gospel text of some kind seems assured. Its use of the first-person singular in fragment 2 recto, column 2, has led some to wonder whether it might be a scrap of the gospel of Peter, which also sports the first-person singular.
Index to other gospel texts.

Text and Translation

Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1224	Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1224
Fragment 1 Recto 1 [.................]ρλθ[...] 2 [........]ν̣τι ἐν παντὶ 3 [........]μ̣ων. ἀμὴν ὑ- 4 [μῖν λέγω...] εἰσ[....]	Fragment 1 Recto 1 [.................]???[...] 2 [........]??? in everything 3 [........]???. Amen, [to] 4 y[ou I say...] ???[....]
Fragment 1 Verso 1 [....] 2 σεται. ὑμεῖς [....] 3 [...] ντ[....]	Fragment 1 Verso 1 [....] 2 will. You [....] 3 [...] ??[....]
Fragment 2 Recto, Column 2 1 [..........................]ρ[...] 2 με ἐβάρησεν, καὶ [παρεσταμέ-] 3 νου Ἰη(σοῦ) [ἐ]ν ὁράμα[τι λέγει·] 4 τὶ ἀθ̣[υμ]εῖς; οὐ γὰρ [...............] 5 [σ]ὺ ἀλλὰ ὁ [............................] 6 δοὺς ἐπ[....]	Fragment 2 Recto, Column 2 1 [..........................]?[...] 2 it weighed on me, and having [stood] 3 [by i]n a visio[n] Je(sus) [says,] 4 "Why are you disc[our]aged? For not [...] 5 [y]ou but rather the [..................] 6 given ??[....]
Fragment 2 Verso, Column 1 1 [..............................]ροδ 2 [.......εἶ]πες μὴ ἀποκρινύ- 3 [μενος. τὶ οὖν ἀ]πεῖπας; π[ο]ίαν σέ 4 [φασιν διδα]χὴν καιν[ὴν] δι- 5 [δάσκειν, ἤ τὶ β]ά[πτισμ]α καινὸν 6 [κηρύσσειν; ἀποκρί]θητι καὶ....	Fragment 2 Verso, Column 1 1 [..............................]??? 2 [".......] you [sai]d, not answer- 3 [ing. What then did you re]nounce? Wh[a]t kind 4 of ne[w teac]hing [do they say] you 5 te[ach, or what] new [ḅ]a[ptism] 6 [you preach? answ]er and...."
Fragment 2 Verso, Column 2 1 [...........................]ροε 2 οἱ δὲ γραμματεῖς κα[ὶ Φαρισαῖ-] 3 οι καὶ ἱερεῖς θεασάμ[ενοι αὐ-] 4 τὸν ἠγανάκτουν [ὅτι σὺν ἁμαρ-] 5 τωλοῖς ἀνὰ μέ[σον κεῖται. ὁ] 6 [δὲ] Ἰη(σοῦς) ἀκούσας [εἶπεν· οὐ χρείαν] 7 [ἔχ]ουσιν οἱ ὑ[γιαίνοντες] 8 [ἰατροῦ] ἀ[λλὰ ....] 9 [....]	Fragment 2 Verso, Column 2 1 [...........................]??? 2 But the scribes an[d Phari-] 3 sees and priests, h[aving] seen 4 [h]im, became indignant [that with sin-] 5 ners, in their mid[st, he reclined.] 6 [But] Je(sus) heard and [said, "No need] 7 [ha]ve the h[ealthy] 8 [of a physician,] b[ut rather ....] 9 [....]
Fragment 2 Recto, Column 1 1 [.................................]ος 2 [........... κ]α̣ὶ̣ π[ρ]οσεύχεσθε ὑπὲρ 3 [τῶν ἐχθ]ρ̣ῶν ὑμῶν· ὁ γὰρ μὴ ὢν 4 [κατὰ ὑμ]ῶ̣ν ὑπερ ὑμῶν ἐστιν. 5 [ὁ σήμερον ὢ]ν μακράν αὔριον 6 [ἐγγὺς ὑμῶν γ]ενήσεται, καὶ ἐν 7 [......................] τοῦ ἀντιδί[κου] 8 [........................]ι̣νενων̣[....]	Fragment 2 Recto, Column 1 1 [.................................]?? 2 [........... a]nd p[r]ay for 3 your [ene]mies; For the one who is not 4 [against y]ou is for you. 5 [The one who today i]s far away tomorrow 6 [w]ill be [near you,] and in 7 [......................] the advers[ary] 8 [........................]??????[....]

Notes and Quotes

Context and Textual Parallels

Fragment 2 Recto, Column 2, translation by Andrew Bernhard: It weighed me down. Then Jesus approached in a vision and said, "Why are you discouraged? For not . . . you, but the . . . ."

Fragment 2 Verso, Column 1, translation by Andrew Bernhard: ". . . you said, although you are not answering. What then did you renounce? What is the new doctrine that they say you teach, or what is the new baptism that you proclaim? Answer and . . . ."
Mark 1.27 (a new doctrine/teaching).

Fragment 2 Verso, Column 2, translation by Andrew Bernhard: When the scribes and Pharisees and priests saw him, they were angry that he was reclining in the midst of sinners. But when Jesus heard, he said, "Those who are healthy have no need of a physician . . . ."
Matthew 9.10-13 = Mark 2.15-17 = Luke 5.29-32; Luke 15.1-2 (eating with sinners).

Fragment 2 Recto, Column 1, translation by Andrew Bernhard: ". . . and pray for your enemies. For the one who is not against you is for you. The one who is far away today, tomorrow will be near you and in . . . the adversary . . . ."
Matthew 5.43-44 = Luke 6.27-28; 6.35 (love your enemies).
Matthew 12.30 = Luke 11.23; Mark 9.40 = Luke 9.50 (for or against us).

Works Consulted and Links

Bart Ehrman and Zlatko Plese, The Apocryphal Gospels: Texts and Translations.
John Dominic Crossan, The Historical Jesus.
Early Christian Writings: The Oxyrhynchus 1224 Gospel.
TextExcavation: Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1224.
Biblical Criticism & History Forum: Other Gospel Texts.