Papyrus Merton 51
This dates from the third century and may be no more than a fragment of a homily or an exegesis of Luke 6: 7 . On the other hand it may be a fragment of an uncanonical gospel. It has been included here on the advice of T. C. Skeat, who compares this fragment with his P. Egerton 2.
The translation is based on the text as printed in the editio princeps.
Edition
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B. R. Rees, H. I. Bell, and J. W. B. Barns, A Descriptive Catalogue of the Greek Papyri in the Collection of Wilfred Merton F.S.A., ii (Dublin, 1959), 1–4.
Recto:
. . . and all the] people and the taxgathererswhen they heard him] acknowledged the goodness of God 1 Luke 7: 29 . confessed] their sinsbut the Pharisees] were not baptizedby John] and rejected God's purpose 2 John 7: 30 . and the command] of Godlikewise God] rejected them . . .
Verso:. . . produce bad fruit [] produce as from evil [tree and when you send [from the goodtreasure of the [heartdestroy . . . 3 Luke 6: 45 or Matt. 12: 35 .