Nomina sacra

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Nomina sacra (singular: nomen sacrum) means "sacred names" in Latin, and can be used to refer to traditions of abbreviated writing of several frequently occurring divine names or titles in early Greek language Holy Scripture. The Bruce Metzger's book Manuscripts of the Greek Bible lists 15 such expressions from Greek papyri: the Greek counterparts of God, Lord, Jesus, Christ, Son, Spirit, David, cross, Mother, Father, Israel, Savior, Man, Jerusalem, and Heaven. The nomen sacrum for mother did not appear until the 4th century CE,<ref>Text of the Earliest New Testament Greek Manuscripts - Philip Comfort and David Barett (1999) pp.34-35</ref> but all other Nomina Sacra have been found in Greek manuscripts from the 1st - 3rd Centuries CE. The contractions were indicated with overlines.

There has been a dispute about the nature of Nomina sacra, whether they represent a mere shorthand or these overlined words indeed bear a sacred meaning.<ref>Template:PDF</ref>

IHS or JHS Christogram of western Christianity
IHS or JHS Christogram of western Christianity

Starting in the third century the nomina sacra were sometimes shortened by contraction in Christian inscriptions, resulting in sequences of Greek letters such as IH (iota-eta), IC (iota-sigma), or IHC (iota-eta-sigma) for Jesus (Greek Iēsous), and XC (chi-sigma), XP (chi-ro) and XPC (chi-rho-sigma) for Christ (Greek Christos). Here "C" represents the "lunate" form of Greek sigma; sigma could also be transcribed into the Latin alphabet by sound, giving IHS and XPS.

This tradition is also observed in Old Nubian and Cyrillic manuscripts. See titlo.

Contents

List of Greek Nomina Sacra

English meaning Greek Word Nominative (Subject) Genitive (Possessive)
God Θεος ΘΥ
ΘΣ
ΙΣ ΧΥ ΥΥ ΚΥ ΠΝΣ

<tr><td>God</td><td>Θεος</td><td>ΘΣ</td><td>ΘΥ</td></tr> <tr><td>Lord</td><td>Κυριος</td><td>ΚΣ</td><td>ΚΥ</td></tr> <tr><td>Jesus</td><td>Ιησους</td><td>ΙΣ</td><td>ΙΥ</td></tr> <tr><td>Christ/Messiah</td><td>Χριστος</td><td>ΧΣ</td><td>ΧΥ</td></tr> <tr><td>Son</td><td>Υιος</td><td>ΥΣ</td><td>ΥΥ</td></tr> <tr><td>Spirit/Ghost</td><td>Πνευμα</td><td>ΠΝΑ</td><td>ΠΝΣ</td></tr> <tr><td>David</td><td>Δαυειδ</td><td>ΔΑΔ</td><td></td></tr> <tr><td>Cross/Stake</td><td>Σταυρος</td><td>ΣΤΣ</td><td>ΣΤΥ</td></tr> <tr><td>Mother</td><td>Μητηρ</td><td>ΜΗΡ</td><td>ΜΗΣ</td></tr> <tr><td>Father</td><td>Πατηρ</td><td>ΠΗΡ</td><td>ΠΡΣ</td></tr> <tr><td>Israel</td><td>Ισραηλ</td><td>ΙΗΛ</td><td></td></tr> <tr><td>Savior/Saviour</td><td>Σωτηρ</td><td>ΣΗΡ</td><td>ΣΡΣ</td></tr> <tr><td>Man</td><td>Ανθρωπος</td><td>ΑΝΟΣ</td><td>ΑΝΟΥ</td></tr> <tr><td>Jerusalem</td><td>Ιερουσαλημ</td><td>ΙΛΗΜ</td><td></td></tr> <tr><td>Heaven/Heavens</td><td>Ουρανος</td><td>ΟΥΝΟΣ</td><td>ΟΥΝΟΥ</td></tr> </table>

List of New Testament Greek Manuscripts Containing Nomina Sacra From the First Three Centuries[3]

English MeaningGreek WordNominative (Subject)Genitive (Possessive)</b>
Greek Manuscript Date of Manuscript Nomina Sacra Used
P1 (P. Oxy. 2) 250 CE ΙΥ ΙΣ ΧΥ ΥΥ ΚΥ ΠΝΣ
P4 (Suppl. Gr. 1120) 66 CE - 175 CE ΘΣ ΘΥ ΚΥ ΚΣ ΠΝΙ ΠΝΟΣ ΠΝΑ ΧΣ ΙΥ ΙΣ
P5 (P. Oxy. 208 + 1781) 200 CE ΙΗΝ ΙΗΣ ΠΡ ΠΡΑ ΠΡΣ ΘΥ
P9 (P. Oxy. 402) 200 CE - 300 CE ΘΣ ΧΡΣ
P12 (P. Amherst. 3b) 250 CE - 300 CE ΘΣ
P13 (P. Oxy. 657 + PSI 1292) 225 CE - 250 CE ΘΣ ΘΝ ΘΥ ΘΩ ΙΣ ΙΝ ΙΥ ΚΣ ΚΥ
P15 (P. Oxy. 1008) 250 CE - 300 CE ΚΩ ΚΥ ΧΥ ΑΝΩΝ ΑΝΩ ΠΝΑ ΘΝ ΚΜΟΥ
P16 (P. Oxy. 1009) 250 CE - 300 CE ΘΥ ΙΥ ΧΩ
P17 (P. Oxy. 1078) 250 CE Θ
P18 (P. Oxy. 1079) 250 CE - 300 CE ΙΗ ΧΡ ΘΩ
P20 (P. Oxy. 1171) 250 CE ΠΝΣ ΚΝ ΘΥ
P22 (P. Oxy. 1228) 250 CE ΠΣ ΠΝΑ ΠΡΣ ΠΡ ΙΗ ΑΝΟΣ
P24 (P. Oxy. 1230) 275 CE - 300 CE ΠΝΑ ΘΥ
P27 (P. Oxy. 1395) 250 CE ΘΥ ΚΩ
P28 (P. Oxy. 1596) 275 CE - 300 CE ΙΣ ΙΝ
P29 (P. Oxy. 1597) 200 CE - 225 CE ΘΣ ΘΝ
P30 (P. Oxy. 1598) 200 CE ΚΥ ΚΝ ΘΩ ΙΗ
P32 (P. Rylands 5) 150 CE - 200 CE ΘΥ
P35 (PSI 1) 200 CE - 300 CE ΚΣ ΚΥ
P37 (P. Mich. Inv. 1570) 250 CE ΚΕ ΙΗΣ ΠΝΑ ΙΗΣΥ
P38 (P. Mich. Inv. 1571) 175 CE - 225 CE ΧΡΝ ΠΝΑ ΚΥ ΙΗΝ ΙΗΥ ΠΝΤΑ
P39 (P. Oxy. 1780) 200 CE - 250 CE ΠΗΡ ΠΡΑ ΙΗΣ
P40 (P.Heldelberg G. 645) 200 CE - 300 CE ΘΣ ΘΥ ΘΝ ΙΥ ΧΩ ΧΥ
P45 (P. Chester Beatty I) 200 CE ΚΕ ΚΣ ΚΝ ΚΥ ΣΡΝΑΙ ΙΗ ΙΥ ΙΗΣ ΠΡ ΠΡΣ ΠΡΑ ΠΡΙ ΘΥ
ΘΝ ΘΩ ΘΣ ΠΝΙ ΠΝΣ ΠΝΑ ΥΝ ΥΕ ΥΣ ΥΩ ΣΡΝ ΧΡ
P46 (P. Chester Beatty II
+ P. Mich. Inv. 6238)
80 CE - 150 CE ΚΕ ΚΝ ΚΥ ΚΩ ΚΣ ΧΡΩ ΧΡΥ ΧΡΝ ΧΝ ΧΣ ΧΩ ΧΥ ΧΡΣ ΙΗΥ ΙΗΝ ΙΗΣ ΘΩ ΘΥ ΘΝ ΘΣ

ΠΝΑ ΠΝΙ ΠΝΣ ΥΙΥ ΥΙΝ ΥΙΣ ΥΝ ΣΤΡΕΣ ΣΤΡΝ ΣΤΡΩ ΣΤΡΟΣ ΣΤΡΟΥ ΕΣΤΡΟΝ ΕΣΤΡΑΙ

ΕΣΤΑΝ ΣΤΟΥ ΑΙΜΑ ΑΝΟΥ ΑΝΟΝ ΑΝΟΣ ΑΝΩΝ ΑΝΟΙΣ ΠΡΙ ΠΗΡ ΠΡΑ ΠΡΣ ΙΥ

P47 (P.Cheaster Beatty III) 250 CE - 300 CE ΘΥ ΘΣ ΘΝ ΘΩ ΑΘΝ ΚΣ ΚΕ ΚΥ ΕΣΤΡΩ ΠΝΑ ΧΥ ΠΡΣ
P48 (PSI 1165) 200 CE - 300 CE ΥΣ
P49 (P.Yale 415 + 531) 250 CE ΚΩ ΘΥ ΘΣ ΙΥ ΠΝ ΧΣ ΧΥ ΧΩ
P50 (P. Yal 1543) 275 CE - 300 CE ΙΛΗΜ ΠΝΑ ΑΝΟΣ ΘΣ ΘΥ
P53 (P. Mich. inv. 6652 260 CE ΠΡΣ ΙΗΣ ΠΕΡ ΚΝ
P64 (Gr. 17) 66 CE - 175 CE ΙΣ
P65 (PSI XIV 1373) 250 CE ΧΥ ΘΣ
P66 (P. Bodmer II +
Inv. Nr. 4274/4298
90 CE - 130 CE ΚΣ ΚΥ ΚΕ ΘΣ ΘΝ ΘΥ ΘΩ ΙΣ ΙΝ ΙΥ ΧΣ ΧΝ ΧΝ ΥΣ ΥΝ ΥΩ ΠΝΑ ΠΝΙ ΠΝΣ ΠΗΡ ΠΡΑ ΠΡΣ

ΠΡΙ ΠΕΡ ΠΡΕΣ ΑΝΟΣ ΑΝΟΝ ΑΝΟΥ ΑΝΩΝ ΑΝΩ ΑΝΟΙΣ ΑΝΟΥΣ ΣΡΩ ΣΡΟΝ ΣΡΟΥ ΣΡΘΗ ΣΡΑΤΕ ΣΡΩΣΩ ΕΣΡΑΝ ΕΣΡΘΗ

P69 (P. Oxy. 2383) 250 CE ΙΗΝ
P70 (P. Oxy. 2384 +
PSI Inv. CNR 419, 420)
250 - 300 CE ΥΝ ΙΣ ΠΗΡ
P72 (P. Bodmer VII and VIII) 250 - 300CE ΙΥ ΙΗΥ ΙΗΝ ΧΡΥ ΧΡΝ ΧΡΣ ΧΡΩ ΘΥ ΘΣ ΘΝ ΘΩ ΠΡΣ ΠΑΡ ΠΤΡΑ ΠΡΙ ΠΝΣ

ΠΝΑ ΠΝΑΙ ΠΝΙ ΠΝΤΙ ΚΥ ΚΣ ΚΝ ΚΩ ΑΝΟΙ

P75 (P. Bodmer XIV and XV) 125 CE - 190 CE
P78 (P. Oxy 2684) 250 CE - 300 CE ΚΝ ΙΗΝ ΙΗΝ ΧΡΝ
P90 (P. Oxy 3523) 150 CE - 175 CE ΙΗΣ
P91 (P. Mil. Vogl. Inv. 1224 + P. Macquarie Inv. 360) 250 CE ΘΥ ΘΣ ΠΡΣ ΧΡΝ ΙΗΝ
P92 (P. Narmuthis 69.39a + 69.229a) 250 CE - 275 CE ΧΡΩ ΚΥ ΘΥ
P100 (P. Oxy 4449) 275 CE - 300 CE ΚΥ ΚΣ
P101 (P. Oxy 4401) 200 CE - 250 CE ΥΣ ΠΝΑ ΠΝΙ
P106 (P. Oxy 4445) 200 CE - 250 CE ΠΝΑ ΠΝΙ ΧΡΣ ΙΗΝ ΙΗΣ
P108 (P. Oxy 4447) 175 CE - 200 CE ΙΗΣ ΙΗΝ
P110 (P. Oxy. 4494) 250 CE - 300 CE ΚΣ
P111 (P. Oxy 4495) 200 CE - 250 CE ΙΗΥ
P113 (P. Oxy. 4497) 200 CE - 300 CE ΠΝΙ
P114 (P. Oxy. 4498) 250 CE - 300 CE ΘΣ
P115 (P. Oxy. 4499) 225 CE - 275 CE ΙΗΛ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΠΡΣ ΘΩ ΘΥ ΑΝΩΝ ΠΝΑ ΟΥΝΟΥ ΟΥΝΟΝ ΚΥ ΘΝ ΑΝΟΥ ΟΥΝΩ
P121 (P. Oxy. 4805) 250 CE ΙΣ ΜΗΙ
0162 (P. Oxy 847) 275 CE - 300 CE ΙΗΣ ΙΣ ΠΡΣ
0171 (PSI 2.124) 275 CE - 300 CE ΚΣ ΙΗΣ
0189 (P. Berlin 11765) 175 CE - 200 CE ΑΝΟΣ ΠΝΑ ΚΥ ΚΩ ΙΛΗΜ ΘΩ ΙΣΗΛ
0220 (MS 113) 275 CE - 300 CE ΚΝ ΙΥ ΙΝ ΧΥ ΘΥ

References

  • 1. Text of the Earliest New Testament Greek Manuscripts - Philip Comfort and David Barett (1999) pp.34-35
  • 2. Institute for Religious Research: The Tetragrammaton and the Christian Greek Scriptures, Appendix K: Nomina SacraPDF (28.1 KiB)
  • 3. All Nomina Sacra and dates of manuscripts taken from Text of the Earliest New Testament Greek Manuscripts - Philip Comfort and David Barett (1999)

Further reading

  • Bruce Metzger. Manuscripts of the Greek Bible (1981).
  • Philip Comfort and David Barett. Text of the Earliest New Testament Greek Manuscripts (1999).
  • A.H.R.E. Paap, Nomina Sacra in the Greek Papyri of the First Five Centuries, Papyrologica Lugduno-Batava VIII (Leiden 1959).
  • Ph. Comfort, Encountering the Manuscripts: An Introduction to New Testament Paleography and Textual Criticism, Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2005, pp. 199-253.
  • L.W. Hurtado, The Earliest Christian Artifacts: Manuscripts and Christian Origins, Cambridge 2006, pp. 95-134.
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