Egerton Gospel facts for kids
The Egerton Gospel is a very old collection of writings found on papyrus (an ancient type of paper). These writings are now kept safe in the British Museum in London. Experts believe these papyri were written around the 2nd century AD, which means they are nearly 2,000 years old! The stories themselves might have been written even earlier, between 50 and 100 AD.
This gospel is super important because it's one of the oldest pieces of any gospel or ancient book (called a codex) ever found. It was discovered and bought by the British Museum in 1934 and then published in 1935. It's also known as the Unknown Gospel because no one in ancient times ever mentioned it, and it was completely unknown until it was published.
What stories does it tell?
The parts of the Egerton Gospel that we still have include four main stories:
- A discussion where Jesus talks about people needing to believe in him, similar to parts of the Gospel of John.
- A story about Jesus healing a person with leprosy, which is also found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
- A debate about whether people should pay taxes to the Roman Emperor (Caesar), similar to a story in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
- An unfinished story about a miracle Jesus performed by the Jordan River. This miracle might have been meant to show how seeds grow in an amazing way.
The last story is special because it's not found in the other well-known gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). It describes Jesus doing something unique: Jesus walked and stood on the bank of the Jordan river; he reached out his right hand, and filled it.... And he sowed it on the... And then...water...and...before their eyes; and it brought forth fruit...many...for joy...
Images for kids
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Egerton Papyrus 2, British Library.
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Papyrus Köln 255, University of Cologne.
See also
In Spanish: Evangelio Egerton para niños
