More About the BibleThe Bible and Archaeology |
Why is the fragment important? |
The fragment is important because it dates from somewhere between 100 C.E. and 150 C.E., making it the oldest known transcript of a canonical New Testament text. Of added interest is the fact that the fragment has writing on both sides. On one side, the fragment bears a portion of John 18:31–33. The other side bears a portion of John 18:37–38. The text is written in Greek.