The Egerton Gospel

The Egerton Gospel

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Prologue

Est. Date. 70 - 120 AD

Orig. Language. Greek

Translated. Willkers Translation

The Egerton Gospel [aka Papyrus Egerton 2] is an ancient manuscript that remains to date in only

fragmentary form. It has been assigned a date to the 1st century a.d. This makes it one of the earliest

persevered papyrus witnesses to the gospel tradition.

Scholars debate whether or not it contains information independent to the other gospels or if it

contained similar content. The fragments however reveal no dependence on the gospels of the New

Testament and would seem to conclude additional historic evidence of the accuracy of the Bible.

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Fragment 1 Verso

[...] And Jesus said to the lawyers: "Punish every wrongdoer and transgressor, and not me. [...]*

he does,

how does he do it?"

And turning to the rulers of the people he said this word: "Search the scriptures, in which you think you

have life. These are they, which testify about me. Do not suppose that I have come to accuse you to my

father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, in whom you have hoped."

And they said: "We know that God spoke to Moses,but as for you, we do not know, where you are

from."

Jesus answered and said to them: "Now is accused your disbelief in those who have been commended

by him. For had you believed Moses, you would have believed me. For about me he wrote to your

fathers [...]"

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*

Possible reconstructions:

"Judge the deeds, how he does, what he does."

"Because an outlaw does not know, how he does, what he does."

"Because it's unexplained, how he does, what he does."

"And see, how he does, what he does."

"Who is condemning, how he does, what he does."

Fragment 1 Recto

[...] and taking up stones together to stone him. And the rulers laid their hands upon him to seize him

and hand him over to the crowd. And they could not take him because the hour of his arrest had not yet

come. But the Lord himself, escaping from their hands, withdrew from them.

And behold, a leper coming to him, says: "Teacher Jesus, while traveling with lepers and eating together

with them in the inn, I myself also became a leper.*

If therefore you will, I am clean."

And the Lord said to him: "I will, be clean."

And immediately the leprosy left him. And Jesus said to him: "Go show yourself to the priests and offer

concerning the cleansing as Moses commanded and sin no more [...]"

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Fragment 2 Recto

Coming to him, they tested him in an exacting way, saying: "Teacher Jesus, we know that you have come

from God, for what you do testifies beyond all the prophets. Therefore tell us, is it lawful to pay to kings

the things which benefit their rule? Shall we pay them or not?"

But Jesus, perceiving their purpose and becoming indignant said to them: "Why do you call me teacher

with your mouth, not doing what I say? Well did Isaiah*

prophesy concerning you, saying: 'This people

honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. And in vain they worship me, teaching as their

doctrines the precepts of men...'"

Fragment 2 Verso

(unfortunately this fragment is in such a bad state, that it cannot be sufficiently reconstructed. What

follows is first the text which can be reconstructed pretty sure and then some more speculative

restaurations.)

"(...) shut up (...) has been subjected uncertainly (...) its weight unweighted?"

And when they where perplexed at the strange question, Jesus, as he walked, stood on the lip of the

Jordan river, stretching out his right hand, filled it with (...) and sowed upon the (...). And the (...) water

(...) the (...). And (...) before them, he brought forth fruit (...) much (...) for joy (...)

(Dodd:) "When a husbandman has enclosed a small seed in a secret place, so that it is invisibly buried,

how does its abundance become immeasurable?"

And when they where perplexed at the strange question, Jesus, as he walked, stood still upon the verge

of the River Jordan, and stretching out his right hand, he filled it with water and sprinkled it upon the

shore. And thereupon the sprinkled water made the ground moist, and it was watered before them and

brought forth fruit...

(Schmidt:) "Why is the seed enclosed in the ground, the abundance buried? Hidden for a short time, it

will be immeasurable."

And when they where perplexed at the strange question, Jesus, as he walked, stood on the banks of the

River Jordan, and stretching out his right hand, he filled it with seed and sowed it upon the ground. And

thereupon he poured sufficient water over it. And looking at the ground before them, the fruit

appeared...

(Cerfaux:) "(...) enclosed like me, buried, uncertain, and making possible immeasurable abundance?"

And when they where perplexed at the strange question, Jesus, as he walked, stood on the banks of the

River Jordan, and stretching out his right hand, he took a fig-tree and planted it in the river. And on the

water, the roots spread out and fruit appeared...

(Lietzmann:) And when they where perplexed at the strange question, Jesus, as he walked, stood on the

banks of the River Jordan, and stretching out his right hand, he filled it with water and sowed on the

ground. And the sprinkled waterpurified(?) the ground. (...) and coming out before them, the fruit

appeared.

(Lagrange:) And when they where perplexed at the strange question, Jesus walked at the banks of the

River Jordan, and stretching out his right hand, he filled it with sand and sowed seed on the sand. And

then he poured running water over it. And it run to seed and coming out before them, the fruit

appeared.

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The Egerton Gospel