Nomina sacra

Two nomina sacra are highlighted, ΙΥ and ΘΥ, representing Jesus and God respectively, in this passage from John 1 in Codex Vaticanus (B), 4th cent.

Nomina sacra (singular: nomen sacrum) means "sacred names" in Latin, and can be used to refer to traditions of abbreviated writing of several frequently occurring divine names or titles in early Holy Scripture, used in Greek, Latin, and Coptic manuscripts. Bruce Metzger's book Manuscripts of the Greek Bible lists 15 such expressions from Greek papyri: the Greek counterparts of God, Lord, Jesus, Christ, Son, Spirit, David, cross, Mother, Father, Israel, Savior, Man, Jerusalem, and Heaven. The nomen sacrum for mother did not appear until the 4th century CE, but all other Nomina Sacra have been found in Greek manuscripts from the 1st - 3rd Centuries CE. The contractions were indicated with overlines.

There has been a dispute about the nature of Nomina sacra, whether they represent a mere shorthand or these overlined words indeed bear a sacred meaning.

IHS or JHS Christogram of western Christianity

Starting sometime in the 1st Century CE (exact date unknown), the nomina sacra were sometimes shortened by contraction in Christian inscriptions, resulting in sequences of Greek letters such as IH (iota-eta), IC (iota-sigma), or IHC (iota-eta-sigma) for Jesus (Greek Iēsous), and XC (chi-sigma), XP (chi-ro) and XPC (chi-rho-sigma) for Christ (Greek χριστος/Christos). Here "C" represents the "lunate" form of Greek sigma; sigma could also be transcribed into the Latin alphabet by sound, giving IHS and XPS.

This tradition is also observed in Old Nubian and Cyrillic manuscripts. See titlo.

List of Greek Nomina Sacra

English Meaning	Greek Word	Nominative (Subject)	Genitive (Possessive)
God	Θεός	ΘΣ	ΘΥ
Lord	Κύριος	ΚΣ	ΚΥ
Jesus	Ἰησοῦς	ΙΣ	ΙΥ
Christ/Messiah	Χριστός	ΧΣ	ΧΥ
Son	Υἱός	ΥΣ	ΥΥ
Spirit/Ghost	Πνεῦμα	ΠΝΑ	ΠΝΣ
David	Δαυὶδ	ΔΑΔ
Cross	Σταυρός	ΣΤΣ	ΣΤΥ
Mother	Μήτηρ	ΜΗΡ	ΜΗΣ
Mother of God	Θεοτόκος	ΘΚΣ	ΘΚΥ
Father	Πατήρ	ΠΗΡ	ΠΡΣ
Israel	Ἰσραήλ	ΙΗΛ
Savior	Σωτήρ	ΣΗΡ	ΣΡΣ
Human being	Ἄνθρωπος	ΑΝΟΣ	ΑΝΟΥ
Jerusalem	Ἱερουσαλήμ	ΙΛΗΜ
Heaven/Heavens	Οὐρανός	ΟΥΝΟΣ	ΟΥΝΟΥ

New Testament Greek manuscripts containing Nomina Sacra (100 AD - 300 AD)

Greek manuscript	Manuscript date	Nomina Sacra used
${\mathfrak {P}}$1 (P. Oxy. 2)	~250	ΙΥ ΙΣ ΧΥ ΥΥ ΚΥ ΠΝΣ
${\mathfrak {P}}$4 (Suppl. Gr. 1120)	150–225	ΘΣ ΘΥ ΚΥ ΚΣ ΠΝΙ ΠΝΟΣ ΠΝΑ ΧΣ ΙΥ ΙΣ
${\mathfrak {P}}$5 (P. Oxy. 208 + 1781)	~250	ΙΗΝ ΙΗΣ ΠΡ ΠΡΑ ΠΡΣ ΘΥ
${\mathfrak {P}}$9 (P. Oxy. 402)	~250	ΘΣ ΧΡΣ
${\mathfrak {P}}$12 (P. Amherst. 3b)	~285	ΘΣ
${\mathfrak {P}}$13 (P. Oxy. 657 + PSI 1292)	225–250	ΘΣ ΘΝ ΘΥ ΘΩ ΙΣ ΙΝ ΙΥ ΚΣ ΚΥ
${\mathfrak {P}}$15 (P. Oxy. 1008)	200–300	ΚΩ ΚΥ ΧΥ ΑΝΩΝ ΑΝΩ ΠΝΑ ΘΝ ΚΜΟΥ
${\mathfrak {P}}$16 (P. Oxy. 1009)	250–300	ΘΥ ΙΥ ΧΩ
${\mathfrak {P}}$17 (P. Oxy. 1078)	~300	ΘΩ ΠΝΣ
${\mathfrak {P}}$18 (P. Oxy. 1079)	250–300	ΙΗ ΧΡ ΘΩ
${\mathfrak {P}}$20 (P. Oxy. 1171)	200–250	ΠΝΣ ΚΝ ΘΥ
${\mathfrak {P}}$22 (P. Oxy. 1228)	200–250	ΠΣ ΠΝΑ ΠΡΣ ΠΡΑ ΙΗΣ ΑΝΟΣ
${\mathfrak {P}}$24 (P. Oxy. 1230)	~300	ΠΝΑ ΘΥ
${\mathfrak {P}}$27 (P. Oxy. 1395)	200–250	ΘΥ ΚΩ
${\mathfrak {P}}$28 (P. Oxy. 1596)	255–300	ΙΣ ΙΝ
${\mathfrak {P}}$29 (P. Oxy. 1597)	200–250	ΘΣ ΘΝ
${\mathfrak {P}}$30 (P. Oxy. 1598)	200–250	ΚΥ ΚΝ ΘΩ ΙΗΥ
${\mathfrak {P}}$32 (P. Rylands 5)	150–200	ΘΥ
${\mathfrak {P}}$35 (PSI 1)	~300	ΚΣ ΚΥ
${\mathfrak {P}}$37 (P. Mich. Inv. 1570)	~260	ΚΕ ΙΗΣ ΠΝΑ ΙΗΣΥ
${\mathfrak {P}}$38 (P. Mich. Inv. 1571)	~225	ΧΡΝ ΠΝΑ ΚΥ ΙΗΝ ΙΗΥ ΠΝΤΑ
${\mathfrak {P}}$39 (P. Oxy. 1780)	200–300	ΠΗΡ ΠΡΑ ΙΗΣ
${\mathfrak {P}}$40 (P. Heidelberg G. 645)	200–300	ΘΣ ΘΥ ΘΝ ΙΥ ΧΩ ΧΥ
${\mathfrak {P}}$45 (P. Chester Beatty I)	~250	ΚΕ ΚΣ ΚΝ ΚΥ ΣΡΝΑΙ ΙΗ ΙΥ ΙΗΣ ΠΡ ΠΡΣ ΠΡΑ ΠΡΙ ΘΥ ΘΝ ΘΩ ΘΣ ΠΝΙ ΠΝΣ ΠΝΑ ΥΝ ΥΕ ΥΣ ΥΩ ΣΡΝ ΧΡ
${\mathfrak {P}}$46 (P. Chester Beatty II + P. Mich. Inv. 6238)	175–225	ΚΕ ΚΝ ΚΥ ΚΩ ΚΣ ΧΡΩ ΧΡΥ ΧΡΝ ΧΝ ΧΣ ΧΩ ΧΥ ΧΡΣ ΙΗΥ ΙΗΝ ΙΗΣ ΘΩ ΘΥ ΘΝ ΘΣ ΠΝΑ ΠΝΙ ΠΝΣ ΥΙΥ ΥΙΝ ΥΙΣ ΥΝ ΣΤΡΕΣ ΣΤΡΝ ΣΤΡΩ ΣΤΡΟΣ ΣΤΡΟΥ ΕΣΤΡΟΝ ΕΣΤΡΑΙ ΕΣΤΑΝ ΣΤΟΥ ΑΙΜΑ ΑΝΟΥ ΑΝΟΝ ΑΝΟΣ ΑΝΩΝ ΑΝΟΙΣ ΠΡΙ ΠΗΡ ΠΡΑ ΠΡΣ ΙΥ
${\mathfrak {P}}$47 (P. Chester Beatty III)	200–300	ΘΥ ΘΣ ΘΝ ΘΩ ΑΘΝ ΚΣ ΚΕ ΚΥ ΕΣΤΡΩ ΠΝΑ ΧΥ ΠΡΣ
${\mathfrak {P}}$48 (PSI 1165)	200–300	ΥΣ
${\mathfrak {P}}$49 (P. Yale 415 + 531)	200–300	ΚΩ ΘΥ ΘΣ ΙΥ ΠΝ ΧΣ ΧΥ ΧΩ
${\mathfrak {P}}$50 (P. Yal 1543)	~300	ΙΛΗΜ ΠΝΑ ΑΝΟΣ ΘΣ ΘΥ
${\mathfrak {P}}$53 (P. Mich. inv. 6652)	~250	ΠΡΣ ΙΗΣ ΠΕΡ ΚΝ
${\mathfrak {P}}$64 (Gr. 17)	~150	ΙΣ
${\mathfrak {P}}$65 (PSI XIV 1373)	~250	ΧΥ ΘΣ
${\mathfrak {P}}$66 (P. Bodmer II + Inv. Nr. 4274/4298	150–200	ΚΣ ΚΥ ΚΕ ΘΣ ΘΝ ΘΥ ΘΩ ΙΣ ΙΝ ΙΥ ΧΣ ΧΝ ΧΝ ΥΣ ΥΝ ΥΩ ΠΝΑ ΠΝΙ ΠΝΣ ΠΗΡ ΠΡΑ ΠΡΣ ΠΡΙ ΠΕΡ ΠΡΕΣ ΑΝΟΣ ΑΝΟΝ ΑΝΟΥ ΑΝΩΝ ΑΝΩ ΑΝΟΙΣ ΑΝΟΥΣ ΣΡΩ ΣΡΟΝ ΣΡΟΥ ΣΡΘΗ ΣΡΑΤΕ ΣΡΩΣΩ ΕΣΡΑΝ ΕΣΡΘΗ
${\mathfrak {P}}$69 (P. Oxy. 2383)	~200	ΙΗΝ
${\mathfrak {P}}$70 (P. Oxy. 2384 + PSI Inv. CNR 419, 420)	250–300	ΥΝ ΙΣ ΠΗΡ
${\mathfrak {P}}$72 (P. Bodmer VII and VIII)	200–300	ΙΥ ΙΗΥ ΙΗΝ ΧΡΥ ΧΡΝ ΧΡΣ ΧΡΩ ΘΥ ΘΣ ΘΝ ΘΩ ΠΡΣ ΠΑΡ ΠΤΡΑ ΠΡΙ ΠΝΣ ΠΝΑ ΠΝΑΙ ΠΝΙ ΠΝΤΙ ΚΥ ΚΣ ΚΝ ΚΩ ΑΝΟΙ
${\mathfrak {P}}$75 (P. Bodmer XIV and XV)	175–225	ΙΣ ΙΗΣ ΙΥ ΙΗΥ ΙΝ ΙΗΝ ΘΣ ΘΝ ΘΥ ΘΩ ΚΣ ΚΝ ΚΥ ΚΩ ΚΕ ΧΣ ΧΝ ΧΥ ΠΝΑ ΠΝΣ ΠΝΙ ΠΝΟΣ ΠΝΤΑ ΠΝΑΣΙ ΠΝΑΤΩΝ ΠΡΣ ΠΗΡ ΠΡΑ ΠΡΙ ΠΡΟΣ ΠΡ ΥΣ ΥΝ ΥΥ ΙΗΛ ΙΛΗΜ ΣΡΟΝ ΣΤΡΟΝ ΣΡΩΘΗΝΑΙ ΑΝΟΣ ΑΝΟΝ ΑΝΟΥ ΑΝΟΙ ΑΝΩΝ ΑΝΩ ΑΝΟΥΣ ΑΝΟΙΣ ΑΝΕ
${\mathfrak {P}}$78 (P. Oxy 2684)	250–300	ΚΝ ΙΗΝ ΙΗΝ ΧΡΝ
${\mathfrak {P}}$90 (P. Oxy 3523)	150–200	ΙΗΣ
${\mathfrak {P}}$91 (P. Mil. Vogl. Inv. 1224 + P. Macquarie Inv. 360)	~250	ΘΥ ΘΣ ΠΡΣ ΧΡΝ ΙΗΝ
${\mathfrak {P}}$92 (P. Narmuthis 69.39a + 69.229a)	~300	ΧΡΩ ΚΥ ΘΥ
${\mathfrak {P}}$100 (P. Oxy 4449)	~300	ΚΥ ΚΣ
${\mathfrak {P}}$101 (P. Oxy 4401)	200–300	ΥΣ ΠΝΑ ΠΝΙ
${\mathfrak {P}}$106 (P. Oxy 4445)	200–250	ΠΝΑ ΠΝΙ ΧΡΣ ΙΗΝ ΙΗΣ
${\mathfrak {P}}$108 (P. Oxy 4447)	175–225	ΙΗΣ ΙΗΝ
${\mathfrak {P}}$110 (P. Oxy. 4494)	~300	ΚΣ
${\mathfrak {P}}$111 (P. Oxy 4495)	200–250	ΙΗΥ
${\mathfrak {P}}$113 (P. Oxy. 4497)	200–250	ΠΝΙ
${\mathfrak {P}}$114 (P. Oxy. 4498)	200–250	ΘΣ
${\mathfrak {P}}$115 (P. Oxy. 4499)	225–275	ΙΗΛ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΠΡΣ ΘΩ ΘΥ ΑΝΩΝ ΠΝΑ ΟΥΝΟΥ ΟΥΝΟΝ ΚΥ ΘΝ ΑΝΟΥ ΟΥΝΩ
${\mathfrak {P}}$121 (P. Oxy. 4805)	~250	ΙΣ ΜΗΙ
0162 (P. Oxy 847)	~300	ΙΗΣ ΙΣ ΠΡΣ
0171 (PSI 2.124)	~300	ΚΣ ΙΗΣ
0189 (P. Berlin 11765)	~200	ΑΝΟΣ ΠΝΑ ΚΥ ΚΩ ΙΛΗΜ ΘΩ ΙΣΗΛ
0220 (MS 113)	~300	ΚΝ ΙΥ ΙΝ ΧΥ ΘΥ

Further reading

• Bruce M. Metzger. Manuscripts of the Greek Bible (1981).
• Philip Comfort and David Barett. Text of the Earliest New Testament Greek Manuscripts (1999).
• A.H.R.E. Paap, Nomina Sacra in the Greek Papyri of the First Five Centuries, Papyrologica Lugduno-Batava VIII (Leiden 1959).
• Philip Comfort, Encountering the Manuscripts: An Introduction to New Testament Paleography and Textual Criticism, Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2005, pp. 199–253.
• Larry W. Hurtado, The Earliest Christian Artifacts: Manuscripts and Christian Origins, Cambridge 2006, pp. 95–134.
• Don C. Barker, "P.Lond.Lit. 207 and the origin of the nomina sacra: a tentative proposal", Studia Humaniora Tartuensia 8.A.2, 2007, 1–14.