P.Berol. 13415

Trismegistos: 64692

Transcription from: Schmidt, Carl. “6. Zwei altchristliche Gebete.” Pages 66–78 in Neutestamentliche Studien Georg Heinrici. Edited by Adolf Deissmann and Hans Windisch. Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs’sche Buchhandlung, 1914. http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015026315807 and also Schermann, Theodor. Frühchristliche Vorbereitungsgebete zur Taufe (Papyr. Berol. 13415). Münchener Beiträge zur Papyrusforschung 3. München: C. H. Beck’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung Oskar Beck, 1917. Some portions from Maravela, Anastasia. “Christians Praying in a Graeco-Egyptian Context: Intimations of Christian Identity in Greek Papyrus Prayers.” Pages 291–323 in Early Christian Prayer and Identify Formation. Edited by Reidar Hvalvik and Karl Olav Sandnes. Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen Zum Neuen Testament 336. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2014. English translation of “Sabbath Prayer” available in: Hamman, Adalbert, ed. Early Christian Prayers. Translated by Walter Mitchell. Chicago: Henry Regnery Co., 1961, p. 65-66.

Fragment 1

recto

  1. [ἐ]ν ᾳφέσει τῶν παραπτωμάτων·*
  2. [τ]ο̣ὺς μικροὺς τῶν δούλων σου μετὰ*
  3. [τ]ῶν μεγάλων· δὸς ἄγειν τὰς νηστεί-
  4. [ας ε]ὖ ἐν καθαρᾷ καρδίᾳ· καὶ σωθῆναι*
  5. [ἀπὸ] πάσης μεθοδίας τοῦ διαβόλου·*
  6. [καὶ τ]ελειωθῆναι ἐν χριστιανισμῷ·*
  7. [δὸς ὑπο]μαίνειν σε ἄχρι ἐσχάτης ἀνα̣-*
  8. [πνοῆς] διὰ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως τῶν ψυχῶ[ν]*
  9. ἡμῶ[ν] Ἰ(ησο)ῦ Χ(ριστο)ῦ· διʼ οὗ σοὶ δόξα καὶ τιμὴ κ[αὶ]
  10. κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας ἀμήν·
  11. Σαββατικὴ Εὐχή
  12. ἐπικαλούμεθά σου δέσπο[τα· θ]ε̣ὲ̣ [πάν-]*
  13. σοφε̣ πανεπίσκοπε μ̣όν[αρχε ἅγιε]*
  14. ἀλη[θ]εινέ· ὁ κτίστης τῶν π̣[άντων]*
  15. καὶ προνοητικὸς πάσης φ[ύσεως· ὁ]
  16. με[τα]στρέφων τοὺς ἐν σ[κότει καὶ]
  17. σκ[ιᾷ] θανάτου καθημέν[ους εἰς ὁδὸν]
  18. ο[.. κ]αὶ βεβαίαν ἀληθειν[ήν]· ὁ θέλων]
  19. π[άντ]ας ἀν(θρώπ)ους σωθῆναι κ̣[αὶ εἰς ἐπί-]*
  20. γνω[σ]ιν ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν[· ...]
  21. τι̣ α[ἰ]νέσεις καὶ δοξολογείας [ἀνα-]*
  22. φ̣[έρ]ομέν σοι καὶ ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ [ὥρᾳ]
  23. [δοξ]άζοντές σε ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας καὶ
  24. ὅλου στόματος· ὅτι κατηξίωσας ἡ-
  25. μᾶς τῆς ἁγίας κλήσεώς σου καὶ διδα-*
  26. σκαλίας καὶ ἀνανήψεως μαθητευ-*
  27. θῆναι ἐν σοφίᾳ καὶ συνέσει· ἐν πί-
  28. στει καὶ ὑπομονῇ· ἐν ἀληθείᾳ καὶ
  29. ζωῇ αἰωνίῳ· ἐξαγοράσας ἡμᾶς τῷ*
  30. τιμίῳ καὶ ἀσπίλῳ αἵματι τοῦ μονο-
  31. γενοῦς σου· ἀπὸ ἀπάτης ἀπὸ πλάν[ης]
  32. ἀπὸ δουλίας πικρᾶς· καὶ λυτρωσάμ[ε-]*
  33. νος ἀπὸ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ διαβό[λου]
  34. εἰς δόξαν ἐλευθερίας· ἀπὸ θανάτ[ου]*
  35. εἰ[ς] ἀναγέννησιν πν(ευμάτο)ς καὶ ψυχῆς [καὶ]
  36. σώ[ματος·] ἀπὸ φθορᾶς εἰς ἀφθαρ̣[σίαν]
  37. καὶ [καλὴν ἀ]ναστροφὴν·   κ[αὶ πα-]*
  1. [b]y the forgiveness of sins·*
  2. [T]ḥe small of servants of you with*
  3. [t]he great· Give to observe the fa-
  4. [st of y]ou with a pure heart· And be saved*
  5. [from] all scheming of the devil·*
  6. [And to b]e completed in Christianity·*
  7. [and t]o endure you until the last bṛ-*
  8. [ea]th through the high priest of the sou[l]*
  9. of us J(esu)s Ch(ris)t· Through whom to you glory and honor a[nd]
  10. power into the age, amen·
  11. Sabbath Prayer
  12. We invoke you, Mast[er· O G]ọḍ [all-]*
  13. wisẹ, all-surveying, ọnly [ruler, holy one,]*
  14. true one· The creator of ạ[ll]*
  15. and provider(?) of all n[ature· who]
  16. t[u]rns those in dar[kness and]
  17. the sha[dow] of death who we[re sitting in the road]
  18. .[.. a]nd stedfast tru[th]· The one who wants]
  19. a[l]l pe(opl)e to be saved ạ[nd into know-]*
  20. le[d]ge of truth to come[· ...]
  21. Whạṭ(?) p[r]aise and prayers [do we]*
  22. ọ[ff]er up to you even in this the [hour]
  23. [glor]ifying you from the whole heart and
  24. single mouth· because you considered worthy u-
  25. s the holy calling of you and tea-*
  26. ching and repentance to be dis-*
  27. ciples in wisdom and insight· In fa-
  28. ith and patient endurance· In truth and
  29. life eternal· Redeeming us to the*
  30. honor and spotless blood of the only-
  31. born of you· From deceit, from err[or,]
  32. from servitude bitter· And having been redee[m-]*
  33. ed from the power of the dev[il]
  34. into glory of liberty· From dea[th]*
  35. int[o] regeneration/rebirth Sp(iri)t and soul [and]
  36. bo[dy·] From decay into immort[ality]
  37. and [a good wa]y of life·   A[nd we-]*

… by the forgiveness of sins·

The lesser of your servants with the greater·

Give to observe your fast with a pure heart·

And be saved from all the scheming of the devil·

And be completed in Christianity·

And you endure until the last breath through the high priest of our soul, Jesus Christ·

Through whom to you glory and honor and power forever, amen.

Sabbath Prayer

We call to you, Master·

O all-wise God, all-surveying, only ruler, holy one, true one·

The creator of all and overseer of all nature·

Those who lie in darkness and the shadow of death,

Who were sitting in the road … and stedfast truth·

The one who wants all people to be saved and to come into knowledge of truth· …

What(?) praise and prayers do we offer up to you even in this hour, glorifying you from the whole heart and a single mouth·

Because you considered us worthy of your holy calling and teaching and repentance to be disciples in wisdom and insight·

In faith and patient endurance·

In truth and life eternal·

Redeeming us with the pure and spotless blood of your only-born Son·

[Freeing us] from deceit, from error, from bitter servitude·

And having been redeemed from the power of the devil into the glory of liberty·

[Made free] from death [and brought] into regeneration/rebirth of our soul and body in the Spirit·

[Free] from decay [and brought] into immortality and a good way of life·

And we

verso

  1. [ρα]καλοῦμεν σε τὸν π(ατέ)ρα τῶν οἰ-*
  2. [κτ]ειρμῶν· καὶ θ(εὸ)ν πάσης παρακλή-
  3. [σε]ως· ὅπως βεβαιώσῃς ἡμᾶς ἐ̣[ν]
  4. [ταύ]τη τῇ κλήσει· ἐν ταύτῃ τ[ῇ]
  5. [θρ]η̣σκείᾳ καὶ ἀνανήψει· μελε[τῶν-]
  6. [τας] τοὺς ἁγίους λόγους τοῦ θείο[υ]
  7. [νό]μου· καὶ ἐπιθυμοῦν[τας νῦν] ...*
  8. [σοι] ἐγγίζειν· καὶ φωτισθῆναι ἐν σοὶ
  9. [πάση]ς γνώσεως καὶ εὐσεβείας[·]
  10. [πα]ρακα̣[λο]ῦμεν δὸς ἡμῖν ταῦτα με-
  11. [τὰ σπουδῆς ἐ]π̣ιτελεῖν· καὶ μὴ μνησθῇς
  12. [τῶν ἁμαρτι]ῶν τῶν [ἔμπροσθ]εν καὶ*
  13. [τῶν νυνί· κα]ὶ παντὸς ὀλισθήματ̣ος τῆς
  14. [νυκτός τε κ]αὶ τῆς ἡμέρας ἐπιλ[α]νθά-
  15. [νου· καὶ ὅσα] ἀκουσίως [κ]αὶ ἑκουσ[ίω]ς̣.
  16. [ἡμαρτήκαμεν μ]ὴ λογίζου ἡμ[ῖν·] γί-
  17. [νωσκε δέ]σποτα ὅτι εὐόλισθο[ι εἰ]σ̣[ι]ν
  18. [... καὶ ε]ὐαπάτητος καὶ ἀδρ[α]ν̣ὴς τὸ
  19. [γένος] ἡμῶ̣ν· καὶ τὸ σχῆμα κα[ὶ] ὁ ὅρ-
  20. [ος ἡμῶ]ν· καὶ τὰ ὕπουλα πάση ἐπ̣[...]*
  21. ὁ ε[ὐμενὴς] θ(εὸ)ς δυνάμωσον ἡμᾶς ἐ̣[ν τῇ σῇ]*
  22. αντιλήμψει· καὶ φώτισον ἐν τῇ [σῇ πα-]
  23. ρακλήσει· ὅπως καταξιωθῶμεν τῶν
  24. εὐαγγελιζομένων δογμάτων τῶν ἁγί-
  25. ων σου ἀποστόλων· καὶ τῆς μεγαλοφυ-
  26. οῦς διδσκαλίας τῶν εὐαγγελίων τοῦ
  27. σ(ωτῆρο)ς ἡμῶν Ἰ(ησο)ῦ Χ(ριστο)ῦ· μὴ μόνον λόγῳ καὶ ἀ-*
  28. [κο]ῇ· ἀλλἀ ἔργῳ καὶ ἐνεργείᾳ· τὰ ἀντάξια
  29. [ἀσ]κοῦντες εὐεργετήματα· τὰ ἄνω βλέ-
  30. [π]ειν· τὰ ἄνω ζητεῖν· τὰ ἄνω σκοπεῖν·*
  31. [οὐ] τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· ἵνα καὶ ἐν τούτ[ῳ τῷ]
  32. [καιρ]ῷ καὶ ἐν ποιήματι σου· δοξάσηται τὸ πά(ν)*
  33. [τιμ]ον καὶ πανάγιον· καὶ παντοδύνα-
  34. [μ]όν σου κράτος ἐν Χ(ριστ)ῷ Ἰ(ησο)ῦ τῷ ἠγαπημέ-*
  35. [νῳ] σου· σὺν ἁγίῳ πν(εύματ)ι καὶ ν[ῦν καὶ ἐ]ις τοὺς
  36. [αἰ]ῶνας ἀμήν.
  1. [app]eal to you the F(athe)r of me-*
  2. [c]ies and G(o)d of all com-
  3. [fo]rt· in order that confirmation of us ị[n]
  4. [thi]s the calling· In this th[e]
  5. [wo]ṛship and repentance· Medi[tat-]
  6. [ing upon] the holy words of the divin[e]
  7. [l]aw· And desir[ing]. .......*
  8. [...] came near· And to be enlightened in you
  9. ..... knowledge and godliness[·]
  10. [We] uṛ[ge] you to give to us this wi-
  11. [th haste to] c̣omplete· And not may you remember
  12. [the sin]s, the ones [in the pa]st and*
  13. [the ones in the present· An]d all things slipp̣ing the
  14. [night both a]nd the day fo[r]g-
  15. [et· And whatever] unintentional [o]r intent[ion]ạḷ.
  16. [we have sinned no]t count against u[s·] Kn-
  17. [ow Ma]ster that slipper[y th]ẹỵ [a]re
  18. [... and easi]ly deceived and pow[e]ṛless the
  19. [people] of ụs· And the form an[d] the bound-
  20. [ary of u]s· And the unsound all aṛ[e].*
  21. We[ll-disposed?] G(o)d strengthen us ị[n the your]*
  22. management· And illuminate in the [your en-]
  23. couragement· in order that we may deem worthy tho[se]
  24. who bring good news, decrees of ho-
  25. ly of you apostles· and the of noble
  26. nature teaching of the gospel of the
  27. S(a)v(io)r of us J(esu)s Ch(ris)t· Not only word and mess-*
  28. [ag]e· but work and energy· the worthy
  29. [pr]actice kindness· the things above to
  30. [s]ee· the things above to seek· the things above to observe·*
  31. .. the upon the earth· so that even in thi[s ..]
  32. ... and in deeds of you· will be glorified the al(l)*
  33. [hon]or and all holy· and all power-
  34. [f]ul of you power in Ch(ris)t J(esu)s the belov-*
  35. [ed] of you· with Holy Sp(iri)t and n[ow and in]to the
  36. [ag]es amen.

appeal to you, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort·

in order that our confirmation in this calling·

In this worship and repentance·

Meditating upon the holy words of the divine law·

And desiring … came near·

And to be enlightened in you … knowledge and godliness·

We urge you to quickly give this to us to complete·

And may you not remember the sins, those in the past and those in the present·

And forget all of our backsliding, both in the night and in the day·

And whatever else, unintentional or intentional.

We have sinned, do not count it against us·

Know, Master, that people are backsliders … and easily deceived and powerless, our people·

And our form an[d] our limitations·

And the well-disposed are all unsound.

God strengthen us with your management·

And illuminate us with your encouragement·

in order that we may deem those worthy who bring good news, decrees of your holy apostles·

and the teaching of noble nature of the gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ·

Not only by word and message·

but by work and effort·

practicing the equivalent kindness·

to see the things above·

to seek the things above·

to observe the things above·

[and not] those upon the earth·

so that even in this … and in your deeds·

[you] will be glorified with all honor and all holiness·

and your all powerful might in Christ Jesus your beloved·

with the Holy Spirit both now and forever, amen.

Notes