papyrus · Greek · NT

Papyrus P46 (Chester Beatty II)

Also known as: Chester Beatty Biblical Papyrus II

AD 175 – AD 225 (~AD 200) · dated by paleography

Evidence card

A quick read on the physical object before the interpretive summary.

2 sources

Artifact

papyrus · Greek

Date basis

AD 175 – AD 225 (~AD 200) · paleography

Survival

~80% physically present

Contents

Romans; 1-corinthians; 2-corinthians; galatians; ephesians; philippians; colossians; 1-thessalonians; hebrews

Artifact/map cue

Held at Chester Beatty Library (Dublin) and University of Michigan · Discovery: Egypt, c. 1930

Date

AD 175 – AD 225 (~AD 200)

Passage represented

Romans; 1-corinthians; 2-corinthians; galatians; ephesians; philippians; colossians; 1-thessalonians; hebrews

Fragmentary or partial witness

How much survives

~80% of the claimed text is physically present

Why it matters

An almost-complete codex of Paul's letters (plus Hebrews) from around AD 200 — by far the earliest substantial witness to Paul. Notably places Hebrews immediately after Romans, and lacks the Pastorals (1-2 Timothy, Titus). Quality of text is high.

What it contains

Romans (partial)
1-corinthians
2-corinthians
galatians
ephesians
philippians
colossians
1-thessalonians (partial)
hebrews

~80% of the claimed text is physically present.

Notable readings

Hebrews position

Hebrews after Romans, not after Philemon

Suggests early Pauline collections varied in order.

Pastoral Epistles

Not present

P46 is unfinished or never included them — bears on the disputed authorship of 1-2 Timothy and Titus.

Where & when

Held at: Chester Beatty Library (Dublin) and University of Michigan
Discovery: Egypt, c. 1930

Source trail

Named catalogues, editions, libraries, or scholarship used for this manuscript page.