The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, Part 60

15 15 [what I say to] you; do not
[fear those] who [kill]
[you,] and [after]
[killing] no longer [are able to do]
[anything.]

(These supplements give an approximately even left-hand margin, on the assumption that, as often, that margin sloped leftwards as it descended the column. It is possible that new sentences, or sections, were indicated by ecthesis indentation/protrusion, cf. V 10.)

3-4 If the supplements suggested for 5 ff. are correct, therismos harvest must end its clause, for there is no space to continue (we therefore take the final trace in 4, a dot on projecting fibers, as a middle stop). That clause may begin at 3 κα, where a clear blank (punctuation) precedes. If this is heavy punctuation, the clause was very short. At the end of 3, we see a long descender suggesting ι or φ or possibly ρ (not normally so long). Against ι, the further ink visible to the top right (unless we could imagine, say, ει in ligature, as usual, with the cap of ε projecting to the right); against φ, the position at the line-end. In any case, the text cannot be identical with Matt. 9.37-8/Luke 10.2.

5-7 -αιος in 5 shows that this injunction was in the singular (addressed to the narrator), and we have restored it accordingly (δε rather than ουν to suit the spacing). In ake]raios guileless/innocent, the trace suits ρ well enough; but we cannot explain the heavy dot, most suggesting a middle stop, which precedes αι.

7-8 The number reverts to the plural: Peter speaks for the disciples.

9-15 The reconstruction is based on the version preserved in 2 Clem. 5.2-4 "For the Lord says: you shall be as lambs in the midst of wolves. But Peter answering says to him: If then the wolves tear apart the lambs? Jesus said to Peter: Let not the lambs fear the wolves after they have died; and you, do not fear those who kill you and are able to do nothing to you," etc. This dialogue between Jesus and Peter is a part of the extra-canonical tradition, which the author of the letter has taken over. It is true that the logia sayings in 5.2 and 5.4 have parallels in the rest of the tradition; but 4009 now represents the prime parallel for the text as a whole.

9 f. As in 2Clem. 5.3, ean oun if then introduces an objection to Jesus' words. The clause ends with ]μεν (10), i.e., a form of the first person plural: we could supply sparach]omen we are torn apart, after 2Clem. 5.3 (dia- looks too long). The first part of 9 should mark the change of speaker: e.g., eipon pros au]ton I said to him.

11-14 ] legei moi he says to me introduces a new speech; supply e.g., ho de apokritheis but he answering. Thus the first-person narrator is addressed, as already in 5-7; it follows that it is the same narrator who raises the objection in 9; therefore the narrator is Peter, as in 2Clem. 5.3. The other speaker must be Jesus, although his name does not survive in what remains of the text. This version is not identical with that in 2Clem. 5.4, but the general run can be restored with reasonable certainty: here as there Jesus dwells on the relations of lambs and wolves, but in a direct statement instead of in an imperative clause.

12 spara]xantes having torn continues the reconstruction proposed for 10. There is a palaeographic doubt: one might expect to see the tail of α] showing on the preserved papyrus to bottom left of ξ.

13-14 autw to him suits the trace and the space; but auto? too has something in its favor (if ω is right, we might expect to see a trace of its first loop on the narrow strip of fibers to the left). poiesai to do suits the traces well; after it, a short gap before δι; there is no room for another word, we therefore take it as a punctuation-blank.

14-19 Few letters survive, but a plausible reconstruction is possible on the basis of 2Clem. 5.4b+c and its variants in early Christian literature (cf. Matt. 10.28/Luke 12.4-5; Ps-Clem., hom. 17.4; Justin, apol. I 19; Hermas, mand. XII 6.3; Irenaeus, haer. III 18.5; Clem. Alex., excerpta ex Theod. 14.3 and 51.3).
15 hymein to you, the next trace can be taken as a middle stop; me fills the gap.

'Verso'
We have found no parallel from which to reconstruct this side. That its content has something in common with the Recto is suggested by the similarity of its 'synoptic' vocabulary.