| Manuscript: | M171 |
| Sigla: | PCM 1 11 |
Text no. 
Position of the text within the manuscript. | 3 |
| Coptic Scriptorium: | |
| Date: | 551 – 800 |
| Text position: | p. 21 l. 6 – p. 24 l. 26 |
| Type of text: | Healing/protection (magical, formulary) |
| Original title: | |
| Original title (translated): | |
| Conventional title: | Letter of Abgar to Jesus |
| Language: | Egyptian (Coptic) |
| Dialect: | Sahidic |
| Script: | Coptic |
| Image: | https://hdl.handle.net/21.12126/21319 |
| Text: | Translation: |
| p. 20 _____.________._______ p. 21 1. ⲡⲁϩⲣⲉ ϩⲓ̅ ⲃⲏⲧⲁⲛⲓⲁ : ⲁⲩⲱ p. 22 Folio no. (top left): ⲓⲃ 1. ⲕⲁⲓ̈ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲛ̅ϩ̅ⲉⲑⲛⲟⲥ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ p. 23 1. ⲛ̅ϩ̅ ⲛⲟⲩⲟⲛ ⲛⲓ̇ⲙ · ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲓ̅ⲙ |
[p. 20, l. 6] Abgar, the king of Edessa, [7] the city, writes to the [8] great king, the son of the [9] living God, Jesus Christ, Greetings! [10-12] Some people, honoured and worthy of belief, have reported about you [13] saying the world has been most worthy [14] in our time [15] of your good coming [16] through [17] your appearance, this [18] in which you have come to us, [19] in our humble generation [20] through your love of humanity [21] which has existed since eternity, all enduring. [23] So, when I heard these things, I [24] believed firmly, [25] without hesitation. And also [26] they said that you perform [27] great healings without [p. 21, l. 1] medicines or herbs and [2] that those who have for a long time been [3] blind, and [4] the lame and the mute [5] and the deaf and the lepers, [6] you purify them greatly by [7] the word of your mouth, [8] and the demons [9] leave in fear and [10] trembling, confessing [11] your glorious name [12] publicly. And you command [13] the dead [14] with authority, and they [15] depart the tombs after [16] having been buried. [17] These deeds reveal you, [18] so that all flesh might know [19] you, [19] that you are the [20] only-begotten son of [21] God, there is no other except [22] you. Because of this, I have asked [23] of you, O Lord, in [24] writing, that you remember [25] for its part Edessa in [26] the care of your divinity [27] and your humanity, [p. 22, l. 1] for indeed, all the nations [2] are your concern [3] and no one is able to [4] to escape from you. We [5] entreat you, therefore, I and [6] the people, we worship [7] you, that you trouble [8] yourself and come to us for the sake of [9] our salvation and the [10] healing ⟨of⟩ our numerous illnesses, [11] and so that [12] your name will be pronounced over us, O [13] Lord, and my city [14] will serve [15] your throne for all the days [16] of its life. I [17] heard that your nation [18] rejected your lordship, [19] being [20] wicked and envious [21] and they persecute you, [22] and they do not want to let [23] you reign over them, [24] being ignorant of this, [25] that you are the king ⟨of⟩ those [26] in the heavens and those [27] upon the earth, who gives [p. 23, l.1] life to everyone. And what [2] indeed is the people of Israel? The dead dog, because [4] they have rejected the living God. [5] For indeed, they are not [6] worthy of your holy gift. [7] But I tell [8] you, my Lord, that if [9] indeed we are ever deemed worthy [10] for you to trouble ⟨yourself⟩ and come to [11] me, to the small city which I [12] rule, it is enough for us [13] together, and in love [14] without envy and jealousy, [15] that you be king [16] over us. I, and the people, [17] we shall remain beneath you, [18] worshipping the footstool [19] of your feet, and [20] serving your holy throne. [21] Glory to you! [22] Glory to your invisible father [23] who sent [24] you to us! Glory to your [25] Holy Spirit, which [26] is mighty [26] forever! Amen. |
| Tableau: | |
| Tracing by: |
| Apparatus: | p. 20 6. ⲁⲩⲕⲁⲣⲟⲥ enlarged capital alpha p. 21 1. ⲃⲏⲧⲁⲛⲓⲁ i.e. Greek βοτάνια p. 22 1. ⲕⲁⲓ̈ i.e. Greek καί | ⲅⲁⲣ i.e. Greek γάρ | ϩⲉⲑⲛⲟⲥ i.e. Greek ἔθνος p. 23 2. ⲗⲁⲟⲥ i.e. Greek λαός | ⲓ̈ⲏ̅ⲗ l. ⲓ(ⲥⲣⲁ)ⲏⲗ i.e. Greek Ισραήλ |
| Notes: |
| Bibliography: | Kropp, Angelicus. Ausgewählte koptische Zaubertexte. Übersetzungen und Anmerkungen. Vol. 2. Bruxelles: Édition de la Fondation Égyptologique Reine Élisabeth, 1931, pp. 73-75, no. 22. |
| Editor: | EL’s edition from the transcript by Pleyte and Boeser (2/1/2020) (21/4/2020); minor edits KD (30/6/2020), checked with photograph of the original by the Team (23/6/2021); Team (25/6/2021) (30/6/2021); MPS (24/4/2023) minor edit |