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,^[1] 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.^[2]

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.

List of Greek Nomina Sacra

<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]

{!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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