Oddly, I just found that it is very, very (really very) rare to have a so-called "nomen sacrum" for the alleged stauros:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nomina_sa ... mina_sacra (*)
Only Chester Beatty has it, out of some 200 manuscripts
(*) This list is not to be trusted as it was put together by an anonymous user, and the very first NS that I checked was a lacuna, barely legible, of which there most certainly was no superlinear visible. Yet it is marked as such nonetheless - but we're used to that by now, that biblical research includes an awful lot of wishful thinking and distortion
Let's do this for Chester Beatty then shall we? Cross and crucify will be the words to look for:
A)
BOOK OF Romans
Chapter 6 Dead to Sin, Alive to God
6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, so that the body of sin might be annulled, that we are no longer enslaved to sin.
BOOK OF 1 Corinthians
Chapter 1 Greetings from Paul
13 Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?
17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel; not in wisdom of discourse, so that the cross of the Christ should not be emptied of its power. The Message of the Cross
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those indeed perishing, but to us being saved it is the power of God.
23 we, however, preach Christ having been crucified, a stumbling block indeed to the Jewish and foolishness to Gentiles,
Chapter 2 Paul's Message by the Spirit's Power
2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him having been crucified.
8 which none of the rulers of this age has understood. For if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
BOOK OF 2 Corinthians
Chapter 13 Examine Yourselves
4 For indeed He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by God’s power. For we also are weak in Him, but we will live with Him by God’s power toward you.
BOOK OF Galatians
Chapter 2 The Council at Jerusalem
20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And that which I now live in the flesh, I live through faith from the Son of God, the One having loved me and having given up Himself for me.
Chapter 3 Faith and Belief
1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as having been crucified?
Chapter 5 Freedom in Christ
11 Now brothers, if I still proclaim circumcision, why still am I persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.
24 Now those of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Chapter 6 Carry One Another's Burdens
12 As many as desire to have a fair appearance in the flesh, these compel you to be circumcised, only that they might not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.
14 But for me, may it be never to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whicha the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.
BOOK OF Ephesians
Chapter 2 Alive with Christ
16 and He might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross, by it having slain the hostility.
BOOK OF Philippians
Chapter 2 One in Christ
8 And having been found in appearance as a man He humbled Himself, having become obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Chapter 3 Righteousness through Faith
18 For many are walking—of whom I have told you often and now I say even weeping—as enemies of the cross of Christ,
BOOK OF Colossians
Chapter 1 Greetings from Paul and Timothy
20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace by the blood of His cross through Him, whether the things on the earth or the things in the heavens.
Chapter 2 Absent in Body, Present in Spirit
14 having blotted out the handwriting in the decrees against us, which was adverse to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
BOOK OF Hebrews
Chapter 6 A Call to Maturity
6 and then having fallen away—to restore them again to repentance, crucifying in themselves the Son of God and subjecting Him to open shame.
Chapter 12 The Call to Endurance
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who in view of the joy lying before Him endured the cross, having despised its shame, and sat down at right hand of the throne of God.
B) Those are all we can get. Now which parts of MSS are extant?
According to
https://images.csntm.org/Manuscripts/GA ... %20II).pdf, it's the following:
Leaves2
: 56 (112 pages) = # total images
f. 8v = Rom 5.17–6.3; f. 8r = Rom 6.5–14
f. 11v = Rom 8.15–25; f. 11r = Rom 8.27–35
f. 12v = Rom 8.37–9.9; f. 12r = Rom 9.10–22
f. 13 & f. 92: f. 13v & f. 92v on front of plate: 92v is on left, 13v is on right.
f. 13v = Rom 9.22–32; f. 13r = Rom 10.1–11
f. 14 & f. 91: f. 14v = Rom 10.12–11.2;3 f. 14r = Rom 11.3–12
f. 15v = Rom 11.13–22; f. 15r = Rom 11.24–33
[16–17 at UM]
f. 18v = Rom 14.9–21; f. 18r = Rom 14.22–15.9
[19–28 at UM]
f. 29v = Heb 8.8–9.2; Heb 9.2–9
[30 at UM]
f. 31v = Heb 9.26–10.8; f. 31r = Heb 10.8–20
f. 32v = Heb 10.22–30;f. 32r = Heb 10.32–11.3
f. 33v = Heb 11.4–9; f. 33r = Heb 11.9–17
f. 34v = Heb 11.18–26; f. 34r = Heb 11.26–344
f. 35v = Heb 11.35–12.1; f. 35r = Heb 12.2–115
f. 36v = Heb 12.2–21; f. 36r = Heb 12.21–13.2
f. 37v = Heb 13.3–11;6 f. 37r = Heb 13.12–20
f. 38v= Heb 13.20–25; 1 Cor 1.1–4; f. 38r = 1 Cor 1.4–14
f. 39v = 1 Cor 1.14–23; f. 39r = 1 Cor 1.24–2.2
[40 at UM]
f. 41v = 1 Cor 3.6–15; f. 41r = 1 Cor 3.16–4.3
f. 42v = 1 Cor 4.4–10; f. 42r = 1 Cor 4.11–20
f. 43v = 1 Cor 4.20–5.7; f. 43r = 1 Cor 5.8–6.3
f. 44v = 1 Cor 6.4–12; f.44r: 1 Cor 6.13–7.2
f. 45v = 1 Cor 7.4–12; f. 45r = 1 Cor 7.12–19
f. 46v = 1 Cor 7.20–29; f. 46r = 1 Cor 7.30–37
f. 47v = 1 Cor 7.37–8.7; f. 47r = 1 Cor 8.7–9.2
f. 48v = 1 Cor 9.4–12; f. 48r = 1 Cor 9.12–20
f. 49v = 1 Cor 9.20–10.1; f. 49r = 1 Cor 10.1–10
f. 50v = 1 Cor 10.11–20; f. 50r = 1 Cor 10.21–30
f. 51v = 1 Cor 10.31–11.6; f. 51r = 1 Cor 11.7–17
f. 52v = 1 Cor 11.18–25; f. 52r = 1 Cor 11.26–12.2
f. 53r = 1 Cor 12.3–12; f. 53v = 1 Cor 12.13–247
f. 54r = 1 Cor 12.24–13.1; 1 Cor 13.2–11
f. 55r = 1 Cor 13.11–14.6; 1 Cor 14.6–14
f. 56r = 1 Cor 14.16–23; f. 56v = 1 Cor 14.24–34
f. 57r = 1 Cor 14.34–15.5; f. 57v = 1 Cor 15.6–15
f. 58r8 = 1 Cor 15.17–28; f. 28v = 1 Cor 15.28–39
f. 59r = 1 Cor 15.39–50; f. 59v = 1 Cor 15.51–16.2
f. 60r = 1 Cor 16.2–12; f. 60v = 1 Cor 16.12–22
f. 61r = 2 Cor 1.1–8; f. 61v = 2 Cor 1.8–15
f. 62r = 2 Cor 1.16–2.1; 2 Cor 2.3–12
f. 63r = 2 Cor 2.13–3.3;9 f. 63v = 2 Cor 3.5–13
f. 64r = 2 Cor 3.14–4.3; f. 64v = 2 Cor 4.4–12
f. 65r = 2 Cor 4.13–5.4; f. 65v = 2 Cor 5.5–13
f. 66r = 2 Cor 5.14–6.2;10 2 Cor 6.3–13
f. 67r = 2 Cor 6.14–7.4; f. 67v = 2 Cor 7.5–11
f. 68r = 2 Cor 7.12–8.3; f. 68v = 2 Cor 8.4–12
f. 69r = 2 Cor 8.13–24; f. 69v = 2 Cor 9.1–7
[70–85 at UM]
Ephesians and Galatians
f. 86r = Gal 6.10–Phil 1.1; f. 86v = Phil 1.5–15
f. 87r = Phil 1.17–28; f. 87v = Phil 1.30–2.12
f. 88r = Phil 2.14–27; Phil 2.29–3.8
f. 89r11 = Phil 3. 10–21; f. 89v = Phil 4.2–12
f. 90r = Phil 4.14–Col 1.2; f. 90v = Col 1.5–1312
f. 91r = Col 1.16–24; f. 91v = Col 1.27–2.7
f. 92v on front of plate with f. 13v ((bifolio): 92v is on left, 13v is on right.
f. 92r = Col 2.8–19; f. 92v = Col 2.23–3.11
f. 93r = Col 3.13–24; f. 93v = Col 4.3–12
f. 94r = Col 4.16–1 Thess 1.1;13 f. 94v = 1 Thess 1.9–2.3
f. 97r = 1 Thess 5.5–9; f. 97v = 1 Thess 5.23–28
C)
So, going by CB: check
https://manuscripts.csntm.org/manuscript/View/GA_P46
CSNTM Image Id: 134430
Location: Dublin, Chester Beatty Library
Text: Rom 6.5,
Rom 6.6, Rom 6.7, Rom 6.8, Rom 6.9, Rom 6.10, Rom 6.11, Rom 6.12, Rom 6.13, Rom 6.14
CSNTM Image Name: P46_008-097b_w1b.jpg
1) Funny enough, only the last part of Rom 6:6 is legible: ρώθη (was crucified with Him), ἵνα (so that) καταργηθῇ (might be annulled) etc.
Alas, most certainly not staurogram at all whatsoever here!
CSNTM Image Id: 134551
Location: Dublin, Chester Beatty Library
Text: 1 Cor 1.4, 1 Cor 1.5, 1 Cor 1.6, 1 Cor 1.7, 1 Cor 1.8, 1 Cor 1.9, 1 Cor 1.10, 1 Cor 1.11, 1 Cor 1.12, 1 Cor 1.13
CSNTM Image Name: P46_038b_k.jpg
https://images.csntm.org/IIIFServer.ash ... native.jpg
13 Μεμέρισται (Has been divided) ὁ (-) Χριστός (Christ)? μὴ (Not) Παῦλος (Paul) ἐσταυρώθη (was crucified) ὑπὲρ (for) ὑμῶν (you)? ἢ (Or) εἰς (into) τὸ (the) ὄνομα (name) Παύλου (of Paul) ἐβαπτίσθητε (were you baptized)?
2) Ah, pity again! The last two lines show this verse and there is indeed 1.5 letter and a superlinear at the start of the last one, but whether it's a tau-ro or a ti-ro (bear with me) is impossible to tell. So we certainly have an alleged NS, but nothing more than that
CSNTM Image Id: 134558
Location: Dublin, Chester Beatty Library
Text: 1 Cor 1.14, 1 Cor 1.15, 1 Cor 1.16, 1 Cor 1.17, 1 Cor 1.18, 1 Cor 1.19, 1 Cor 1.20, 1 Cor 1.21, 1 Cor 1.22, 1 Cor 1.23
CSNTM Image Name: P46_039a_w1.jpg
https://images.csntm.org/IIIFServer.ash ... native.jpg
23 ἡμεῖς (we) δὲ (however) κηρύσσομεν (preach) Χριστὸν (Christ) ἐσταυρωμένον (having been crucified), Ἰουδαίοις (to the Jewish) μὲν (indeed) σκάνδαλον (a stumbling block), ἔθνεσιν (to Gentiles) δὲ (now) μωρίαν (foolishness);
3), Ah, guess what? The leaf ends with ἐστ depending on your eyesight - most certainly not a NS, and guaranteed to be incconclusive about either a ti-ro or a tau-ro. There appears to be a superlinear above ESTA... even, this is really odd
CSNTM Image Id: 134560
Location: Dublin, Chester Beatty Library
Text: 1 Cor 1.24, 1 Cor 1.25, 1 Cor 1.26, 1 Cor 1.27, 1 Cor 1.28, 1 Cor 1.29, 1 Cor 1.30, 1 Cor 1.31, 1 Cor 2.1, 1 Cor 2.2
CSNTM Image Name: P46_039b_k1.jpg
https://images.csntm.org/IIIFServer.ash ... native.jpg
2 οὐ (Nothing) γὰρ (for) ἔκρινά (I decided) τι (anything) εἰδέναι (to know) ἐν (among) ὑμῖν (you), εἰ (if) μὴ (not) Ἰησοῦν (Jesus) Χριστὸν (Christ), καὶ (and) τοῦτον (Him) ἐσταυρωμένον (having been crucified).
4) Again, the last visible part is the start of the verse: οὐ (Nothing) γὰρ (for) ἔκρινά
Galatians 6 is our next stop.
CSNTM Image Id: 134795
Location: Dublin, Chester Beatty Library
Text: Gal 6.10, Gal 6.11, Gal 6.12, Gal 6.13, Gal 6.14, Gal 6.15, Gal 6.16, Gal 6.17, Gal 6.18, Phil 1.1
CSNTM Image Name: P46_086a_k.jpg
https://images.csntm.org/IIIFServer.ash ... native.jpg
12 Ὅσοι (As many as) θέλουσιν (wish) εὐπροσωπῆσαι (to have a fair appearance) ἐν (in) σαρκί (the flesh), οὗτοι (these) ἀναγκάζουσιν (compel) ὑμᾶς (you) περιτέμνεσθαι (to be circumcised), μόνον (only) ἵνα (that) τῷ (for the) σταυρῷ (cross) τοῦ (-) Χριστοῦ (of Christ) μὴ (not) διώκωνται (they might be persecuted).
5) Well, finally we got lucky! A full verse, smack in the middle of a leaf.
Line 6 is our verse, and it appears to say ⲉ̅ⲧ̅ⲣ̅ⲱ̅! I'm using the Coptic keyboad of CDO, the letters are the same anyway, and it allows me to implement superlinears
ⲉ̅ⲧ̅ⲣ̅ⲱ̅, people - well, that's nothing like what I expected. Fortunately, on the same leaf there is verse 14!!!
14 Ἐμοὶ (For me) δὲ (however), μὴ (never) γένοιτο (may it be) καυχᾶσθαι (to boast), εἰ (if) μὴ (never) ἐν (in) τῷ (the) σταυρῷ (cross) τοῦ (of the) Κυρίου (Lord) ἡμῶν (of us) Ἰησοῦ (Jesus) Χριστοῦ (Christ), δι’ (through) οὗ (which) a ἐμοὶ (to me) κόσμος (the world) ἐσταύρωται (has been crucified), κἀγὼ (and I) κόσμῳ (to the world).
Twice!!! Oh boy oh boy oh boy, aren't we lucky today. Best not buy a lottery ticket for the next 3 months, seems as if we used up all our luck for a long time
The first "cross" says ⲥ̅ⲧ̅ⲣ̅ⲱ̅
The second "crucified" says ⲉ̅ⲥ̅ⲧ̅ⲣ̅ⲁ̅ⲓ̅
I'm going to walk the dog, and leave it at this - because a few things have become blatantly obvious:
- In all likelihood, nowhere in an early Christian MSS is there a staurogram to be found: 𝔓75 (P. Bodmer XIV and XV) appears to be the only witness before 300 CE
- Having said that, it is safe to conclude that it is more than most peculiar that Justin Martyr attests to a staurogram in his ramblings on trying to turn the stake of the canonicals into a cross (viewtopic.php?p=117871#p117871)
- There is wild experimenting going on here with the "stauros nomen sacrum". It is evident that people considered it to be an abbreviation, and just as evident that they didn't have a common way of making it one