Xmas is a common abbreviation of the word Christmas. It is sometimes pronounced, but Xmas, and variants such as Xtemass, originated as handwriting abbreviations for the typical pronunciation. The 'X' comes from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word Christós, which became Christ in English. The suffix -mas is from the Latin-derived Old English word for Mass.
Papyrus 46, designated by siglum 𝔓46, is an early Greek New Testament manuscript written on papyrus, and is one of the manuscripts comprising the Chester Beatty Papyri. Manuscripts among the Chester Beatty Papyri have had several provenances associated with them, the most likely being the Faiyum. It has been paleographically dated between 175 and 225, or early 3rd century CE. It contains verses from the Pauline Epistles of Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, and Hebrews. Some leaves are part of the Chester Beatty Biblical Papyri, and others are in the University of Michigan Papyrus Collection.
Scribal abbreviations or sigla are abbreviations used by ancient and medieval scribes writing in various languages, including Latin, Greek, Old English and Old Norse.
A Christogram is a monogram or combination of letters that forms an abbreviation for the name of Jesus Christ, traditionally used as a religious symbol within the Christian Church.
In contrast to the variety of absolute or personal names of God in the Old Testament, the New Testament uses only two, according to the International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia. From the 20th century onwards, "a number of scholars find various evidence for the name [YHWH or related form] in the New Testament.
Codex Washingtonianus, Codex Washingtonensis or Codex Freerianus, designated by W or 032, ε014, also called the Washington Manuscript of the Gospels, The Freer Gospel and The Freer Codex, is a Greek uncial manuscript of the four Gospels, written on parchment. Using the study of comparative writing styles (palaeography), it has been dated to the 4th or 5th century. The manuscript has some gaps.
Codex Cyprius, designated by Ke or 017, ε71, or Codex Colbertinus 5149, is a Greek uncial manuscript of the four Gospels, written on parchment. It is one of the few uncial manuscripts with the complete text of the four Gospels, and it is one of the more important late uncial manuscripts. It was brought from Cyprus to Paris.
Minuscule 69, δ 505, known as the Codex Leicester, or Codex Leicestrensis, is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament on paper and parchment leaves. Using the study of comparative writing styles (palaeography), it has been dated to the 15th century. Some leaves of the codex are lost. It has been examined and collated by many palaeographers and textual critics. Although it is of a late date, its text is remarkable from the point of view of textual criticism.
Minuscule 700, ε 133, is a Greek New Testament minuscule manuscript of the Gospels, written on parchment. It was formerly labelled as 604 in all New Testament manuscript lists, however textual critic Caspar René Gregory gave it the number 700. Using the study of comparative writing styles (palaeography), it has been dated to the 11th century. It is currently housed at the British Library in London.
Papyrus 122, designated by 𝔓122, is an early copy of the New Testament in Greek. It is a papyrus manuscript of the Gospel of John.
Minuscule 433, ε 181, is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 11th century. The manuscript has survived in a fragmentary condition. The text is a mixture of several different textual traditions. The manuscript was prepared for church reading. It has full marginalia.
The staurogram (⳨), also monogrammatic cross or tau-rho, is a ligature composed of a superposition of the Greek letters tau (Τ) and rho (Ρ).
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 654 is a papyrus fragment of the logia of Jesus written in Greek. It is one of the Oxyrhynchus Papyri discovered by Grenfell and Hunt between 1897 and 1904 in the Egyptian town of Oxyrhynchus. The fragment is dated to the middle or late of the 3rd century. It is one of only three Greek manuscripts of the Gospel of Thomas.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1007 is a fragment of a Greek Septuagint manuscript written on parchment. The manuscript was discovered in Oxyrhynchus, modern El-Bahnasa, Egypt. Using the study of comparative writing styles (palaeography), the manuscript has been dated to the 3rd century CE.
The Greek Minor Prophets Scroll from Nahal Hever is a Greek manuscript of a revision of the Septuagint dated to the 1st century BC and the 1st century CE. The manuscript is kept in the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem. It was first published by Dominique Barthélemy in 1963. The Rahlfs-Siglum is 943.
The Washington Manuscript of the Psalms, designated as Rahlfs 1219, van Haelst 83, is a Greek Septuagint manuscript containing the text of Psalm 1:4-146:9a, 149:2b-151:6, plus the first 6 verses of the book of Odes, written on parchment which has survived in a fragmentary condition. Using the study of comparative writing styles (palaeography), it has been assigned to the 5th Century CE.
P. Lond.Lit.207 is a Greek fragment of a Septuagint manuscript written on papyrus in codex form. This manuscript discovered at Fayum, contains parts of the Book of Psalms. Palaeographycally it is dated to late third century or early fourth century.
The Papyrus Deissmann is a septuagint manuscript written in papyrus that contains parts of the Book of Exodus. Using the study of comparative writing styles (palaeography), it has been dated to 3rd-century. Currently is kept at Armidale, Private collection, Australia.
The Papyrus Leipzig Inv. 170 is a fragment of a septuagint manuscript written on papyrus in codex form that contains part of the Psalms. Palaeographically it has been dated to the 3rd century CE.
The Papyrus Chester Beatty VIII is a fragment of a septuagint manuscript that contains parts of the biblical Book of Jeremiah. Palaeographically it has been dated to the late second, early third century CE.
![Nomina sacra I[?] Kh[?], from the Greek IESOUS KhRISTOS (Jesus Christ -- the letter C on the icon being koine Greek S). Detail from an icon at the Troyan Monastery in Bulgaria. See complete icon Nomina sacra IC XC 2.jpg](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/Nomina_sacra_IC_XC_2.jpg/300px-Nomina_sacra_IC_XC_2.jpg)
