Papyrus Egerton 2
The following translation is based
on the Greek text printed in Kurt Ehrland's article "Papyrus
Egerton 2: "'Missing Link' zwischen synoptischer und johanneischer
tradition" found in New
Testament Studies 42.1; the text is reprinted from A.
de Santos Otero's Los
Evangelios Apocrifos. Two different line numbers
are printed because a new numbering system was developed after
the identification of Papyrus Köln 255. The first line numbers
use the most recent system; the original line numbers are printed
second, when applicable.
. . . Then
Jesus said to the lawyers, "Punish everyone that behaves
unjustly and is lawless, but do not punish me . . . how he does
what he does? Turning to the leaders of the people, he said this
word: "Search the scriptures in which you think you have
life. These are a testimony to me. Do not think that I came to
accuse you to my father. The one accusing you is Moses, in whom
you have hoped."
Then they
said, "We know that God spoke through Moses, but you, we
don't know where you've come from."
In reply,
Jesus said to them, "Now you are being accused for your unbelief
through the things that he bore witness to. For if you believed
Moses, you would believe in me. For he wrote to your fathers about
me. . ."
They plotted
in the crowd to take up stones together and try to stone him.
And the rulers laid their hands on him that they might seize him
and hand him over to the crowd, but they were unable to seize
him because the hour of his betrayal had not yet come. But the
Lord went out right through the middle of them and withdrew.
Now a leper
came to him and said, "Teacher Jesus, when I was traveling
with lepers and eating with them in the inn, I also became leprous
myself. But if you wish, I will be made clean."
So the Lord
said to him, "I do wish. Be made clean." And immediately
the leprosy departed from him.
Then Jesus
said to him, "When you go, show yourself to the priest and
offer the cleansing sacrifice commanded by Moses and sin no more.
. ."
After coming to him, they exactingly tested him, saying, "Teacher
Jesus, we know that you have come from God. For the things you
do bear greater witness than all the prophets. Tell us then, when
it is possible to pay the rulers the things that belong to them,
should we pay them or not?"
But Jesus
knew their plan and warned them sternly and said to them, "Why
do you call me teacher with your mouths, since you are not hearing
what I am saying? Well did Isaiah prophesy about you when he said,
"This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts
are far distant from me. In vain, they worship me . . . command[ments
. . .
. . . being
in a shut-in place . . .has been subordinated uncertainly . .
. its unweighted weight . . . But although they were at a loss
as to his bizarre question, Jesus, while he was wandering, stood
on the lip of the Jordan river, and stretching out his right hand
. . . and he sowed on the river, and at that time . . . water
and then . . . and . . . before them, he brought forth fruit .
. . much . . . to . . .
Fragment
1: Verso
(01/01) [. . .] i [. . .]
(02/02) [Then Jesus said] to the lawye[rs],
(03/03) "[Punish ev]eryone who does unju[stly]
(04/04) [and is law]less, butnot me [. . .]
(05/05) [. . .] how he doe[s] what he does? To
(06/06) [the] l[e]aders of the people [tu]r[ning],
(07/07) he [sa]id thi[s] word: "Se[arch]
(08/08) [t]he scriptures in which you th[ink]
(09/09) that you have life. These a[r]e
(10/10) [the ones which witn]ess concerning me. Do not
(11/11) t[hink t]hat I came to ac[c]use
(12/12) [you] to my father. [The one who] is
(13/13) [accu]sing you is Moses, in whom
(14/14) [you] have hoped." Then t[h]ey [said],
(15/15) "We know that through Moses
(16/16) God [spoke], but you, we do not know
(17/17) [where you are from.] When Jesus replied,
(18/18) he s[aid to th]em, "Now the accusation has come
(19/19) [against your u]nbelie[f] through the things which by
him
(20/20) [have been w]itnessed. For if
(21/__) [you] be[lieved Moses,] you would believe
(22/__) [in me]. For [co]n[c]erning me, h[e]
(23/__) [wrot]e to you[r] f[at]hers
(24/__) [. . .] e [. . .]
Fragment 1: Recto
(25/22)
[They plotted in the] crowd
[that,]
(26/23) [taking up] stones together, they might
(27/24) st[one h]im. And the [ruler]s laid
(28/25) their ha[nds] on him
(29/26) [th]at they might seize him and han[d him]
(30/27) [over] to the crowd, but they were u[nable]
(31/28) to seize him, because not yet had
(32/29) the hour of his betra[yal come].
(33/30) Then the Lord, going out [through the middle]
(34/31) [of th]em, withdrew from t[hem.]
(35/32) And, [b]ehold, a leper, comi[ng to him,]
(36/33) says, "Teacher Jesus, [tra]veling with l[epers]
(37/34) and eatin[g with them]
(38/35) in the inn, I also became l[eprous]
(39/36) myself. If [t]hen [you wish,]
(40/37) I will be made clean." Then the Lord [said to him,]
(41/38) "[I] wish, be made clean." [And immediately]
(42/39) the lepro[sy w]ent away from him.
(43/40) Then Jesus [said] to him, "W[hen you go,]
(44/41) show yourself to th[e priests]
(45/__) and offer the sacrifice [concerning the]
(46/__) [cle]ansing as Moses com[m]a[nded] and
(47/__) [si]n [n]o more. . ."
Fragment 2: Recto
(50/43) [After c]oming to
him,
(51/44) they ex[acti]ngly tested him, s[aying,]
(52/45) "Teacher Jesus, we know that [from God]
(53/46) you have come. For the things you do bear
(54/47) greater w[itness] than all t[h]e prophets. [Talk then]
(55/48) with us. When it is possible [to pay] to the rulers
(56/49) the things which be[l]ong to their rule, should
(57/50) [we pay th]em or no[t]? Then Jesus, knowing
(58/51) [the]ir [pl]an, wa[rned] them sternly and
(59/52) said to t[hem], "For what reason do you cal[l me]
(60/53) [te]acher with yo[ur mou]th, since you are
(61/54) no[t hear]ing what I am [s]aying? Well did Isaiah
(62/55) prophesy [concerning y]ou, when he said, "Th[is]
(63/56) [people honors] me with the[ir l]ips,
(64/57) [but] the[ir hear]ts are far
(65/58) [dis]tant from m[e. I]n vai[n, they worship me]
(66/59) command[ments . . .]
Fragment 2: Verso
(67/60) [. . .] being in
a [s]hut-in place
(68/61) [. . .]has been subordinate[d] uncertainly
(69/62) [. . .]its/his(?) unweighe[d] weight
(70/63) But although th[ey] were at a loss
(71/64) [as] to [his] bizarre question,
(72/65) Jesus, while he was [w]andering, [s]tood
(73/66) [on the] lip of the Jo[rd]an
(74/67) [rive]r, and stretchin[g] out
(75/68) [hi]s right ha[nd . . .]
(76/69) [. . . a]nd [he] sow[ed o]n the
(77/70) [river(?)], and at that time [. . .]
(78/71) [. . .wat]er(?)[. . .]and then
(79/72) [. . .] and [. . .]before
(80/73) them, he brought forth fruit
(81/74) [. . .] muc[h(?) . . .] to [. . .]
(82/75) [. . .]
Fragment 3: Recto
(83) [. . .]
(84) [. . .] if
(85) [. . .] of it /him(?)
(86) [. . .]
(87) [. . .] knowing
(88) [. . .]
Fragment 3: Verso
(89) one thing we a[re. . .]
(90) [. . .]
(91) [st]ones to [. . .]
(92) [th]ey may ki[ll . . .]
(93) he says, "the [. . .]
(94) [. . .] e [. . .]
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