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 century

The use of nomina sacra has continued in iconography. In this mosaic in Hagia Sophia, ΙΣ ΧΣ indicates Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, Jesus Christ.

Nomina sacra (singular: nomen sacrum) means "sacred names" in Latin and refers to the Christian scribal practice of abbreviating several frequently occurring divine names or titles, especially in Greek manuscripts of Holy Scripture. A nomen sacrum consists of two or more letters from the original word spanned by an overline.

Metzger 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. These nomina sacra are all found in Greek manuscripts of the 3rd century and earlier, except Mother, which appears in the 4th.

Nomina sacra also occur in some form in Latin, Coptic, Armenian (indicated by the pativ), Gothic, Old Nubian, and Cyrillic (indicated by the titlo).

Origin and development

Nomina sacra are consistently observed in even the earliest extant Christian writings, along with the codex form rather than the roll, implying that when these were written, in approximately the second century, the practice had already been established for some time. However, it is not known precisely when and how the nomina sacra first arose.

The initial system of nomina sacra apparently consisted of just four or five words, called nomina divina: the Greek words for Jesus, Christ, Lord, God, and possibly Spirit. The practice quickly expanded to a number of other words regarded as sacred.

In the system of nomina sacra that came to prevail, abbreviation is by contraction, meaning that the first and last letter (at least) of each word are used. In a few early cases, an alternate practice is seen of abbreviation by suspension, meaning that the initial two letters (at least) of the word are used; e.g., the opening verses of Revelation in $\mathfrak{P}$¹⁸ write Ἰησοῦς Χριστός (Jesus Christ) as ΙΗ ΧΡ. Contraction, however, offered the practical advantage of indicating the case of the abbreviated noun.

It is evident that the use of nomina sacra was an act of reverence rather than a purely practical space-saving device, as they were employed even where well-established abbreviations of far more frequent words such as and were avoided, and the nomen sacrum itself was written with generous spacing. Furthermore, early scribes often distinguished between mundane and sacred occurrences of the same word, e.g. a spirit vs. the Spirit, and applied nomina sacra only to the latter (at times necessarily revealing an exegetical choice), although later scribes would mechanically abbreviate all occurrences.

Scholars have advanced a number of theories on the origin of the nomina sacra. An obvious parallel that likely offered some inspiration is the Jewish practice of writing the divine name as the Hebrew tetragrammaton even in Greek Scriptures. Greek culture also employed a number of ways of abbreviating even proper names, though none in quite the same form as the nomina sacra. Inspiration for the contracted forms (using the first and last letter) has also been seen in Revelation, where Jesus speaks of himself as "the beginning and the end" and "the first and the last" as well "the Alpha and the Omega". Greek numerals have been suggested as the origin of the overline spanning the whole nomen sacrum, with the suspended form ΙΗ being simply the ordinary way of writing eighteen, for example.

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/Stake	Σταυρός	ΣΤΣ	ΣΤΥ
Mother	Μήτηρ	ΜΗΡ	ΜΗΣ
God Bearer i.e. Mother of God	Θεοτόκος	ΘΚΣ	ΘΚΥ
Father	Πατήρ	ΠΗΡ	ΠΡΣ
Israel	Ἰσραήλ	ΙΗΛ
Savior	Σωτήρ	ΣΗΡ	ΣΡΣ
Human being/Man	Ἄνθρωπος	ΑΝΟΣ	ΑΝΟΥ
Jerusalem	Ἱερουσαλήμ	ΙΛΗΜ
Heaven/Heavens	Οὐρανός	ΟΥΝΟΣ	ΟΥΝΟΥ

New Testament Greek manuscripts containing nomina sacra (before 300 CE)

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 ΧY 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

• 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.
• Philip Comfort and David Barrett. Text of the Earliest New Testament Greek Manuscripts (1999).
• 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.
• Bruce M. Metzger. Manuscripts of the Greek Bible (1981).
• A.H.R.E. Paap, Nomina Sacra in the Greek Papyri of the First Five Centuries, Papyrologica Lugduno-Batava VIII (Leiden 1959).
• Ludwig Traube. Nomina Sacra. Versuch einer Geschichte der christlichen Kürzung, Munich 1907.