Papyrus 115

Papyrus 115 (P. Oxy. 4499), designated by  (in the Gregory-Aland numbering of New Testament manuscripts) is a fragmented manuscript of the New Testament written in Greek on papyrus. It consists of 26 fragments of a codex containing parts of the Book of Revelation. Using the study of comparative writing styles (palaeography), the manuscript is dated to the third century, c. 225-275 AD. Scholars Bernard Pyne Grenfell and Arthur Hunt discovered the papyrus in Oxyrhynchus, Egypt.

was not deciphered and published until 2011. It is currently housed at the Ashmolean Museum.

Description
The manuscript is a codex (precursor to the modern book) although in a very fragmentary condition. In its original form it had 33-36 lines per page of 15.5 cm by 23.5 cm. The surviving text includes Revelation 2:1-3, 13-15, 27-29; 3:10-12; 5:8-9; 6:5-6; 8:3-8, 11-13; 9:1-5, 7-16, 18-21; 10:1-4, 8-11; 11:1-5, 8-15, 18-19; 12:1-5, 8-10, 12-17; 13:1-3, 6-16, 18; 14:1-3, 5-7, 10-11, 14-15, 18-20; 15:1, 4-7.

The manuscript has evidence of the following nomina sacra (names/titles considered sacred in Christianity): $\overline{ΙΗΛ}$ (Israel), $\overline{ΑΥΤΟΥ}$ (his), $\overline{ΠΡΣ}$ (Father), $\overline{ΘΩ}$/$\overline{ΘΝ}$/$\overline{ΘΥ}$ (God), $\overline{ΑΝΩΝ}$/$\overline{ΑΝΟΥ}$ (man), $\overline{ΠΝΑ}$ (Spirit), $\overline{ΟΥΝΟΥ}$/$\overline{ΟΥΝΟΝ}$/$\overline{ΟΥΝΩ}$ (heaven), $\overline{ΚΥ}$ (Master/Lord).

The manuscript uses the Greek numeral system, with no number extant as being written out in full.

The manuscript is considered to be a witness to the Alexandrian text-type, following the text of Codex Alexandrinus (A) and Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (C).

An interesting element of is that it gives the number of the beast in Revelation 13:18 as 616 (chi, iota, stigma ($\overline{ΧΙϚ}$)), rather than the majority reading of 666 (chi, xi, stigma (ΧΞϚ)), as does Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus.

According to the transcription of the INTF, a conjectured reading of the manuscript, due to the space left, is [$\overline{χξϛ}$] η $\overline{χιϛ}$ (666 or 616), therefore not giving a definite number to the beast.

==Some notable readings ==


 * και το τριτον της σεληνης (and a third of the moon):
 * omit. : 
 * incl. : A


 * ο απολλυων (the Destroyer) :  1740
 * απολλυων (Apollyon) :  pc gig 2344


 * $\overline{δ}$/τεσσάρων (fourth)
 * incl. :  Majority of manuscripts vgcl sy$p$$, h$
 * omit. :  A 0207 1611 2053 2344 pc lat sy$h$ co


 * λεγουσαι (they said) :   C 051 1006 1611 1841 1854 2329 2344 $$\mathfrak{M}$$$A$
 * λεγοντες (saying) : A 2053 2351 $$\mathfrak{M}$$$K$.


 * το ονομα (name) :  $$\mathfrak{M}$$ co Bea.
 * τα ονοματα αυτων (their names) :  P 051 1006 1841 2329 al lat
 * το ονομα αυτου (his name) : C 1854 2053 pc Ir$lat$ Prim.


 * εκ του ουρανου (out of heaven)
 * omit. :  175.
 * incl. :  A Majority of manuscripts


 * κατοικουντας (who inhabit) :  A 2049 69.
 * καθημενους (dwelling) :  C P 1611 1854 2053 2329 pc sy$p$$, h$ Or


 * $\overline{βχ}$ (2600) : .
 * $\overline{αχ}$ / χιλιων εξακοσιων (1600) : $c2$ A 42 69 82 93 177 325 456 498 627 699 1849 2138 2329 Majority of manuscripts