The Mystery of the Nomina Sacra in Second Peter in Papyrus 72

            If Papyrus 72 (Papyrus Bodmer VII and VIII) is correctly dated to 250-300, it is our earliest copy of Second Peter.    Here we have a document that is early enough, possibly, to give some insight on how scribes used nomina sacra instead of the full words God, Lord, Jesus, and Christ, and how soon the nomina sacra were expanded to include words such as spirit, mother, father, son, man, savior, heaven, David, and Jerusalem.  Since the Biblical portions of P72 are online at the Vatican Library’s website, it is easy to investigate. Let’s see what we can find out when we focus on P72’s text of Second Peter.

            The first occurrence of nomina sacra in Second Peter is not unusual – in both occurrences in verse 1, “Jesus Christ” is presented in three-character suspension,  ΙΗΥ ΧΡΥ.

            Verse 2 in P72 is unique and rather remarkable:  instead of the usual reading ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ θυ καὶ Ἰυ τοῦ, P72 reads επειγνωση του θυ ιηυ του κυριου – a rare example of κυρίου being written out in full.    

            In 1:8, the content is not unusual but the format is. In καθειστησιν εις τη του an overline appears over τη του.  It is tempting to think that the scribe initially wrote τη  and added the του while proofreading, having initially written the overline to represent a final ν.

            In 1:11, κυ appears as usual and the verse concludes with σωτηρος ιηυ χρυ.

            In 1:14, κς and ιης χρς appear.

            In 1:16, κυ and ιηυ χρυ appear.

            In 1:17, θυ πρς appears – and thus we have here evidence that πρς is as early as the other four nomina sacra, at least where in appears alongside θυ.

            In 1:21 πνς appears, and thus we see evidence that the contraction of πνεύματος was as ancient as the other four nomina sacra.  We also see θυ.

            In 2:4 θς appears where expected.

            In 2:9 κυριος appears written in full.

            In 2:11 κυ appears both overlined and underlined.

            In 2:20 κυριου is written in full and overlined and after σωτηρος, ιηυ χρυ appear.

Second Peter 2:18-21 in P72

            In 3:2 κυ appears as expected.

            In 3:5 θυ appears.

            In 3:9 κω and κς appear.

            In 3:10 κυ appears.

            In 3:12 θυ appears.

            In 3:15 κυ appears.

            In 3:18 κυ appears and so does ιηυ χρυ.

            The mystery - which as far as I know remains unsolved - is, why is κυριος written out in full in these specific places, and not elsewhere?  One thing is clear though:  it would be commendable for future printed Greek New Testaments to offer an archetype of all witnesses with the nomina sacra presented in their earliest extant form, not artificially uncontracted (as is currently this case).