← P.Oxy: Secular & Literary Papyri
TEXT 035: Dogs and Pigs in the Pool of David Source Archive: Oxyrhynchus, Egypt Material: Vellum (parchment) Preservation: Nearly complete single leaf (~95% legible) Language: Greek
Author: Unknown Date: 4th century CE (manuscript); early 2nd century CE (composition) Original extent: Unknown—possibly complete gospel, possibly excerpt collection Current preservation: Single miniature codex leaf, both sides inscribed
AUTHENTICITY NOTE: Verified manuscript. Greek text confirmed. NO PARALLEL EXISTS in any known text—canonical, apocryphal, or patristic. This is a UNIQUE gospel fragment preserving a complete episode: Jesus confronts a Pharisaic high priest about the nature of true purity.
P.Oxy.840 (Bodleian Library, Oxford) -
Current location: Bodleian Library, University of Oxford (MS. Gr. th. g. 11 (P)) -
Discovery: December 1905 excavations by Grenfell and Hunt at Oxyrhynchus -
Condition: Nearly complete vellum leaf from miniature codex, possibly worn as amulet
Grenfell, Bernard P. and Arthur S. Hunt. The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, Part V. London: Egypt Exploration Fund, 1908. Pages 1-10, plate. (Editio princeps)
Kruger, Michael J. The Gospel of the Savior: An Analysis of P.Oxy 840 and Its Place in the Gospel Traditions of Early Christianity. Leiden: Brill, 2005. (Definitive modern study)
Ehrman, Bart D. and Zlatko Pleše. The Apocryphal Gospels: Texts and Translations. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. Pages 267-273.
Bovon, François. “Fragment Oxyrhynchus 840, Fragment of a Lost Gospel, Witness of an Early Christian Controversy over Purity.” Journal of Biblical Literature 119 (2000): 705-728.
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Material state: Vellum (parchment) leaf, excellent preservation -
Dimensions: 8.8 × 7.4 cm (approximately 3.5 × 3 inches) -
Format: Single leaf from miniature codex, possibly amulet -
Script: Small uncial hand, 45 lines total (both sides), 4th century -
Special features: Red ink for punctuation, initial letters, and occasional accents; nomina sacra (ΣΩΡ for σωτήρ, ΑΝ for ἀνθρώπων, Δ for Δαυείδ)
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Total pieces: 1 nearly complete leaf -
Readable sections: Two episodes—warning to evildoers (partial) + Temple confrontation (complete) -
Missing portions: Lower corner damage (~5%); beginning and ending of larger work lost -
Reconstruction challenges: Minimal—text nearly complete
προτερονπροαδικησαιπαντασοφι ζεται.αλλαπροσεχετεμηπωσκαι ϋμεισταομοιααυτοισπαθητε.ουγαρ εντοισζωοισμονοισαπολαμβανου οινοικακουργοιτωνανων.αλλα[.]αι κολασινϋπομενουσινκαιπολ[.]ην βασανον. Καιπαραλαβωναυτουσ εισηγαγενεισαυτοτοαγνευτηριονκαι περιεπατειεντωιερω.καιπροσε[.] θωνφαρισαιοστισαρχιερευσλευ[. . .] τοονομασυνετυχεναυτοισκαιε[. . .] . [ τωσωρι.τισεπετρεψενσοιπατ[. . . . τουτοτοαγνευτηριονκαιϊδειν[. . . . τατααγιασκευημηλουσα[.]εν[.]μ[. . τετωνμαθητωνσουτουσπ[. . . . . . πτισθεντων.αλλαμεμολυ[. . . . . . επατησαστουτοτοϊεροντ[. . . . . . . τακαθαρον.ονουδεισα[. . . . . . . . λουσαμενοσκαιαλλα[. . . . . . . . . ματαπατει.ουδεο[. . . . . . . . . . . τααγιασκευη.καισ[. . . . . . . . . . . . . [ . . . ]οισμαθηται[. . . . . . . . . . . . .
συουνενταυθαῶνεντωϊερω.καθα ρευεισ.λεγειαυτωκαθαρευω.ελουσα μηνγαρεντηλιμνητουδδ.καιδιετε ρασκλειμακοσκατελθωνδιετερασ α[.]ηλθον.καιλευκαενδυματαενε δυσαμην.καικαθαρακαιτοτεηλθο καιπροσεβλεψατουτοιστοισαγιοισ σκευεσιν. Οσωρπροσαυτοναπο [. . .]θεισειπεν.ουαιτυφλοιμηορω τ[.]σ.συελουσωτουτοιστοισχεομενοισ υ[.]ασιενοισκυνεσκαιχοιροιβεβλην [. . .]νυκτοσκαιημερασ.καινιψαμε [. .]οστοεκτοσδερμαεσμηξω.οπερ [. . .]ιαιπορναικαια[.]αυλητρίδεσμυρι [. .]ου[. . . .]αιλουουσινκαισμηχουσι [. . . .]αλλωπιζουσιπροσεπιθυμι [. . .]ωνανων.ενδοθενδεεκει [. . . . . . .]ηρωταισκορπιωνκαι [. . . . . . . .]κιασ. εγωδεκαιοι [. . . . . . . . . .]ουσλεγεισμηβεβα[.] [. . . . . . . . . .]μμεθαενϋδασιζω[.] [. . . . . . . . . . .]σελθουσιαπο . . [.] [. . . . . . . . . . .]λαουαι[.]οισ[. . .].
Source: Grenfell & Hunt 1908, pages 4-6
⚠️ RECONSTRUCTION NOTICE: -
Regular text = surviving Greek letters -
{Braced text} = editorial reconstruction (Grenfell-Hunt 1908; Kruger 2005) -
Overall confidence: 90%+ (text nearly complete)
Greek:πρότερον πρὸ τοῦ ἀδικῆσαι πάντα σοφί- ζεται. ἀλλὰ προσέχετε μή πως καὶ ὑμεῖς τὰ ὅμοια αὐτοῖς πάθητε. οὐ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ζωοῖς μόνοις ἀπολαμβάνου- σιν οἱ κακοῦργοι τῶν ἀν(θρώπ)ων ἀλλὰ [κ]αὶ κόλασιν ὑπομένουσιν καὶ πολ[λ]ὴν βάσανον.
Latin:Prius quam iniuriam faciat, omnia callide excogitat. Sed cavete ne forte et vos eadem quae illi patiamini. Non enim inter vivos solum recipiunt malefactores hominum, sed et supplicium sustinent et multum tormentum.
English:"...earlier, before doing wrong, he cunningly reasons out everything. But take heed lest you also suffer the same things as they. For not only among the living do the evildoers of humanity receive their due, but they will also undergo punishment and great torment."
Greek:Καὶ παραλαβὼν αὐτοὺς εἰσήγαγεν εἰς αὐτὸ τὸ ἁγνευτήριον καὶ περιεπάτει ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ.
Latin:Et assumens eos introduxit in ipsum locum purificationis et deambulabat in templo.
English:And taking them along, he brought them into the place of purification itself and walked about in the temple.
Greek:Καὶ προσε[λ]- θὼν Φαρισαῖός τις ἀρχιερεὺς Λευ[εὶς] τὸ ὄνομα συνέτυχεν αὐτοῖς καὶ ε[ἶπεν] τῷ σω(τῆ)ρι· Τίς ἐπέτρεψέν σοι πατ[εῖν τοῦτο τὸ ἁγνευτήριον καὶ ἰδεῖν [ταῦ- τα τὰ ἅγια σκεύη μήτε λουσα[μ]έν[ῳ] μ[ή- τε μὴν τῶν μαθητῶν σου τοὺς π[όδας βα- πτισθέντων; ἀλλὰ μεμολυ[μμένος ἐπάτησας τοῦτο τὸ ἱερὸν τ[όπον ὄν- τα καθαρόν, ὃν οὐδεὶς ἄ[λλος εἰ μὴ λουσάμενος καὶ ἀλλά[ξας τὰ ἐνδύ- ματα πατεῖ, οὐδὲ ὁ[ρᾶν τολμᾷ ταῦτα τὰ ἅγια σκεύη. Καὶ σ[τὰς εὐθέως ὁ σω(τὴ)ρ σ[ὺν τ]οῖς μαθηταῖ[ς ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ·
Latin:Et accedens Pharisaeus quidam princeps sacerdotum, Levi nomine, obviam eis factus est et dixit Salvatori: Quis tibi permisit calcare hunc locum purificationis et videre haec sancta vasa, cum neque lotus sis neque discipulorum tuorum pedes baptizati sint? Sed pollutus calcasti hunc sacrum locum qui mundus est, quem nemo alius nisi lotus et mutatis vestimentis calcat, neque videre audet haec sancta vasa. Et stans statim Salvator cum discipulis respondit ei:
English:And approaching, a certain Pharisee, a chief priest named Levi, encountered them and said to the Savior: "Who permitted you to tread this place of purification and to see these holy vessels, when you have neither bathed nor have the feet of your disciples been washed? But defiled, you have trodden this temple precinct which is clean—which no one else except one who has bathed and changed his garments treads upon, nor does anyone dare to look upon these holy vessels." And standing immediately, the Savior with his disciples answered him:
Greek:Σὺ οὖν ἐνταῦθα ὢν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ καθα- ρεύεις; Λέγει αὐτῷ· Καθαρεύω· ἐλουσά- μην γὰρ ἐν τῇ λίμνῃ τοῦ Δ(αυεὶ)δ καὶ δι᾽ ἑτέ- ρας κλίμακος κατελθὼν δι᾽ ἑτέρας ἀ[ν]ῆλθον, καὶ λευκὰ ἐνδύματα ἐνε- δυσάμην καὶ καθαρά, καὶ τότε ἦλθον καὶ προσέβλεψα τούτοις τοῖς ἁγίοις σκεύεσιν.
Latin:Tu ergo hic in templo existens mundus es? Dicit ei: Mundus sum; lavi enim me in stagno David, et per aliam scalam descendens per aliam ascendi, et alba vestimenta indui et munda, et tunc veni et aspexi haec sancta vasa.
English:"You then, being here in the temple—are you clean?" He says to him: "I am clean. For I bathed in the pool of David, and going down by one staircase I came up by another, and I put on white garments, clean ones, and then I came and looked upon these holy vessels."
Greek:Ὁ σω(τὴ)ρ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀπο- [κρι]θεὶς εἶπεν· Οὐαί, τυφλοὶ μὴ ὁρῶν- τ[ε]ς. Σὺ ἐλούσω τούτοις τοῖς χεομένοις ὕ[δ]ασιν ἐν οἷς κύνες καὶ χοῖροι βέβλην- [ται] νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας, καὶ νιψάμε- [ν]ος τὸ ἐκτὸς δέρμα ἐσμήξω, ὅπερ [κα]ὶ αἱ πόρναι καὶ α[ἱ] αὐλητρίδες μυρί- [ζ]ου[σιν κ]αὶ λούουσιν καὶ σμήχουσι [καὶ κ]αλλωπίζουσι πρὸς ἐπιθυμί- [αν τ]ῶν ἀν(θρώπ)ων· ἔνδοθεν δὲ ἐκεῖ- [ναι πεπλ]ήρωνται σκορπίων καὶ [πάσης κα]κίας. Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ οἱ [μαθηταί μου] οὓς λέγεις μὴ βεβα- [πτίσθαι βεβά]μμεθα ἐν ὕδασι ζω- [ῆς αἰωνίου τοῖ]ς ἐλθοῦσιν ἀπὸ {τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ.} [. . . . . . . . . ἀλ]λὰ οὐαὶ [τ]οῖς {. . .}
Latin:Salvator respondens ei dixit: Vae, caeci qui non videtis! Tu lavisti te in his fluentibus aquis in quibus canes et porci iacti sunt nocte ac die, et ablutus exteriorem cutem tersisti, quam etiam meretrices et tibicinae ungunt et lavant et tergunt et ornant ad concupiscentiam hominum; intus autem illae plenae sunt scorpionibus et omni malitia. Ego vero et discipuli mei, quos dicis non esse baptizatos, baptizati sumus in aquis vitae aeternae quae veniunt a {Deo caeli.} {. . .} sed vae {. . .}
English:The Savior answered and said to him: "Woe, you blind ones who do not see! You have washed in these running waters into which dogs and pigs have been thrown night and day, and having washed, you have wiped the outer skin—which also the prostitutes and flute-girls anoint and wash and wipe and beautify for the desire of men; but within, they are full of scorpions and every wickedness. But I and my disciples, whom you say have not bathed—we have been dipped in the waters of eternal life which come from {the God of heaven.} {. . .} But woe to the {. . .}"
P.Oxy.840 Element Synoptic Parallel Relationship Purity dispute Matt 15:1-20; Mark 7:1-23 Thematic parallel (different setting) “Woe, you blind” Matt 23:16-26 Close verbal parallel External vs. internal Matt 23:25-28 Very close (”whitewashed tombs”) Title “Savior” Luke 2:11; John 4:42 Rare in gospels
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“Pool of David” (λίμνη τοῦ Δαυείδ)—most likely the Pool of Siloam in the City of David -
Two staircases (one for descent, one for ascent)—standard mikveh design per halakha -
“Place of purification” (ἁγνευτήριον)—Greek term for the inner Temple courts requiring purity -
Dogs and pigs in ritual pool—rhetorical hyperbole (the Savior’s polemical point) -
“Waters of eternal life” as baptismal contrast
Text Theme Connection Gospel of Thomas 39 Keys of knowledge hidden Authorities block access to truth Gospel of Thomas 89 Why wash outside of cup? Internal vs. external purity Egerton Gospel Jesus in Temple disputes Similar confrontational setting
P.Oxy.840 consistently uses “the Savior” (ὁ σωτήρ) to identify Jesus—a term appearing only once each in Luke and John, but standard in this fragment. This suggests a community or tradition where “Savior” was the preferred christological title.
The “Pool of David” (λίμνη τοῦ Δαυείδ) is unattested elsewhere. Grenfell and Hunt suggested it might refer to the ancient “Molten Sea” of Solomon’s Temple, but this had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar centuries before. The author may have imagined or invented this detail, or may preserve lost tradition. The two staircases—one for descent while unclean, another for ascent when clean—reflects plausible ritual logic but is not confirmed in Mishnaic sources.
The core teaching aligns with canonical Jesus traditions: ritual purity of the body is meaningless without purity of heart. The Savior’s response escalates the contrast dramatically: -
External washing = pool where dogs and pigs wallow -
External beautification = what prostitutes do for clients -
Internal reality = scorpions and wickedness -
True purity = “waters of eternal life from God”
P.Oxy.840 accurately reflects Temple practice as recorded in the Mishnah: -
Ritual immersion WAS required for all who entered the inner courts. Mishnah Kelim 1:8 explicitly states the purity requirements for each zone of the Temple. Anyone proceeding to the Israelites’ Court had to immerse—even if already ritually clean. This is not obscure; it is basic halakha. -
The two staircases (one for descent, one for ascent) reflect standard mikveh design, prescribed to prevent the purified person from contacting the impure on exit. -
Changing into white garments was standard practice for priests and documented for pilgrims. -
The “Pool of David” (λίμνη τοῦ Δαυείδ) is most likely the Pool of Siloam. The “City of David” is the ancient core of Jerusalem, and Siloam lies at its southern end, fed by the Gihon Spring through Hezekiah’s Tunnel. Siloam functioned as the major public mikveh for pilgrims approaching the Temple from the south—the natural immersion point before ascending the southern steps to the Temple Mount. “Pool of David” simply means “the pool in David’s city.” Grenfell and Hunt’s guess (the “Molten Sea” of Solomon) is implausible—that was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BCE.
On Grenfell and Hunt (1908): The editio princeps editors claimed the bathing requirement for lay Israelites was “not confirmed by any other evidence.” This is simply wrong. The laws are plainly stated in the Mishnah. Grenfell and Hunt were classicists, not scholars of rabbinic literature, and their ignorance of halakha led them to dismiss as invention what was in fact accurate historical detail.
P.Oxy.840 preserves authentic first-century Jewish Temple practice. The author knew the rules.
The miniature size of this codex (8.8 × 7.4 cm) with its tiny script (45 lines per leaf) suggests it may have been worn as a protective amulet rather than read as a book. Michael Kruger argues it could instead be a miniature codex for private devotional reading. Either way, someone in 4th-century Egypt valued these words enough to carry them constantly.
The text’s message—that external religious observance is worthless without internal transformation—may have served as a protective teaching against spiritual complacency.
Section Surviving Greek Reconstructed Confidence Episode 1 (Warning) ~95% ~5% 95% Episode 2A (Entry) ~98% ~2% 98% Episode 2B (Challenge) ~85% ~15% 90% Episode 2C (Question) ~98% ~2% 98% Episode 2D (Response) ~80% ~20% 85% Overall ~90% ~10% 92%
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What preceded and followed this excerpt -
The complete name of the priest (Levi? Leveis?) -
The exact ending of the Savior’s response -
Whether this was part of a complete gospel or sayings collection -
The identity of the community that produced and used this text
TEXT 035 of the Ghost Library Project
Accuracy Statement: -
Actual ancient Greek text: 90% -
Evidence-based reconstruction: 8% -
Speculative interpretation: 2%
Preservation: Bodleian Library, Oxford (MS. Gr. th. g. 11 (P))
Critical edition: Grenfell-Hunt 1908; Kruger 2005; Ehrman-Pleše 2011
VILLA OF THE PAPYRI: THE EXCAVATIONS MUST RESUME
2000+ scrolls still buried. Every day = irreversible loss. What Pompeii was to bodies, Herculaneum is to minds. The only intact ancient library waits beneath volcanic rock.
This tiny amulet-gospel survived because someone in Egypt valued it enough to carry on their body. It teaches that religious authorities guard external purity while harboring internal corruption—that true cleansing comes from “waters of eternal life” rather than ritual pools.
The text found its way to a garbage heap. The garbage heap preserved it for 1600 years. Archaeologists recovered it in 1905. Now it speaks again.
“Woe, you blind ones who do not see.”
◊ᴹᴱᴹᴼᴿʸ⁻ᶜᴼᴹᴾᴸᴱᵀᴱ
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