Early fragments of Matthew.
Papyrus P64 and P67 — Magdalen and Barcelona Fragments
Magdalen Papyrus; Barcelona Papyrus
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Manuscript designation
P64 + P67
Estimated date
Late second to third century AD
Manuscript category
Papyrus
Writing material
Papyrus
Language
Greek
Present repository
Magdalen College, Oxford, England; Barcelona, Spain
Shelfmark
Magdalen College Gr. 18; P. Barc. 1
Gospel Contents
Matthew 3:9, 15; 5:20–22, 25–28; and 26:7–8, 10, 14–15, 22–23, 31–33. These passages concern John the Baptist, the Sermon on the Mount, and events preceding the arrest of Jesus.
Gospels represented: Matthew
View the Ancient Manuscript
Where available, consult manuscript images or the holding institution's digital edition.
Physical Description
Five small fragments from an ancient papyrus codex, written in two columns with approximately thirty-five to forty lines per column. Three fragments are preserved at Oxford and two associated fragments in Barcelona. Their handwriting and physical characteristics indicate that they belonged to the same original manuscript.
Dating the Manuscript
The fragments are commonly dated around AD 200, although their precise date remains uncertain. Claims for a first-century date have not gained general scholarly acceptance.
Discovery and Preservation
The Oxford fragments were acquired in Egypt by Charles B. Huleatt in 1901 and subsequently presented to Magdalen College. The Barcelona fragments were identified and published separately. Comparison of their handwriting established their common manuscript origin.
Historical Context
These fragments preserve portions of three widely separated chapters of Matthew. Their survival illustrates the early copying of the Gospel in codex form and the modern reconstruction of manuscripts from fragments preserved in different collections.
Textual Characteristics
The surviving text generally corresponds closely with the later Greek manuscript tradition. Certain readings are useful in textual comparison, although the fragments are too small to establish the character of the entire original manuscript. A proposed connection with Papyrus P4 remains debated.
Significance for Gospel Preservation
P64 and P67 provide early physical witnesses to Matthew. They preserve recognizable passages from the beginning, middle, and final portion of the Gospel. Comparison with later manuscripts supports continuity in the transmission of these passages and demonstrates that Matthew was being copied in the early centuries of Christianity.
Related Investigations
Sources and Further Reading
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Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts Digital Collection
Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts. Digital Manuscript Collection.CSNTM manuscript catalogue and digital research resources.
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New Testament Virtual Manuscript Room
Institute for New Testament Textual Research. New Testament Virtual Manuscript Room.INTF manuscript identification and catalogue evidence.
Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts, P64 and P67; Magdalen College manuscript collection; published studies of the Barcelona fragments.
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