Overview

This papyrus was originally discovered in Al-Fayyum, Egypt (Hence the common name of Fayyum Fragment) which originally studied and translated in 1885 by G. Bickell after it was found in the papyrus collection of Archduke Rainer in Vienna.

The surviving manuscript is badly damaged and has fewer than a hundred Greek letters preserved, and is believed to have been copied sometime in the third century. The text is a reproduction of a fragment of the Gospels according to Matthew and Mark, starting at chapter 26 in Matthew and contains verses 30 to 35. It also contains Mark chapter 14:26-31. The text is considered to be an uncorrupted fragment of the canonical gospels mentioned above that we have today.

Manuscripts Extant

"Fayyum Fragment" Greek, Late Third Century, 7 lines of text preserved.

Translation of the Fragment

[As he] lead them out, he s[ai]d, "[You will] a[ll] fall away [during this] night [according to] the scripture: 'I will strike the [shepherd and the] sheep [will be] scattered.'" [Then] Peter [said], "Even if everyone does, [I will] n[ot]." [Jesus said, "Befo]re the cock cr[ows] twice, [three times] [you will d]eny [me today.]"

Resources

Wilhelm Schneemelcher, ed., translation by R. McL. Wilson, New Testament Apocrypha : Gospels and Related Writings (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1992), p. 102.