The manuscript is a fragment of one leaf, one column per page, 27–29 lines per page, roughly 14.7cm (6in) by 15cm (6in).[2] The original codex was arranged in two leaves in quire.[3]
The surviving text of Matthew are verses 1:1–9,12 and 13,14–20. The words are written continuously without separation. Accents and breathings are absent, except two breathings which are a smooth breathing on fifth letter (ωβηδ ἐκ) in line 14 of the verso and a rough breathing on the fourth letter to last letter ( ἡ συν) in line 14 of the recto.
And the nomina sacra are written in abbreviated forms: "ΙϹ", "XC", "YC", "ΠΝΑ", "KΣ".[3]
According to scholars, 𝔓1 has close agreement with Codex Vaticanus.[5] It supports Vaticanus in 1:3 ζαρε (against ζαρα). Ten of the variants are in the spelling of names in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Herman C. Hoskier (see below), who finds 17–20 word variations, denied close agreement with Vaticanus.
Text according to Comfort
Recto
α
[1:1] βιβλος γενεσεως ΙΥΧΥΥΥ δαυιδ [ΥΥ]
αβρααμ [1:2] αβρααμ ε̣γ̣εννησεν τον̣ [ισαακ]
ισαακ δ̣[ε] ε̣γενν̣η̣σεν τ[ον] ιακω̣β̣ [ιακωβ]
δε εγ[ε]ν̣ν̣ησεν̣ τ̣ον̣ ιου̣δαν κ̣[α]ι̣ τ̣[ους]
α̣[δ]ελφο̣υ̣ς αυτου [1:3] ιουδα̣ς̣ δ̣ε εγεν̣ν̣η̣
σ̣ε̣ν̣ τον φαρες και τον ζαρε εκ της θα̣
μ̣αρ̣ φαρες δε εγεννησεν τον ε̣σρ̣ωμ
εσ[ρω]μ̣ δε εγ̣ε̣ννη̣σ̣ε̣ν τ̣[ο]ν̣ α̣ρ̣α̣μ̣ [1:4] α̣[ραμ]
δε̣ [ε]γ̣ε̣ννησεν το̣ν̣ α̣μ̣μ̣ι̣ν̣α̣δ̣α̣β̣ α̣μ̣
μ̣[ι]ν̣α̣δ̣[α]β δε εγεννησεν̣ τον ναασ̣σων
ν̣αα[σ]σων δε εγενν[ησ]ε̣ν τον σαλ̣[μω]ν
[1:5] σαλμων δε εγενν[η]σ̣εν τον βοες̣ [εκ]
της ραχαβ βοες δε ε̣γ̣ε̣ννησεν τον ι
ωβηδ’εκ της ρ[ο]υθ ιω̣[βηδ δ]ε εγεννη̣
σεν τον ιεσ̣σ̣α̣ι [1:6] ιεσ̣σ̣[αι] δ̣ε ε̣γ̣ε̣ν̣νησεν
τον δα̣υ̣ι̣δ̣ τ̣ον βα̣σιλ̣ε̣[α δαυ]ι̣δ̣ δ̣ε̣ εγ̣εν
νησ̣εν τον σο̣λο̣μωνα̣ ε̣κ̣ τ̣η̣ς ουρειου. [1:7] σο̣
Grenfell and Hunt collated its text against the Textus Receptus and against the text of Westcott-Hort. They found that the manuscript belongs to the same class as the Sinaiticus and Vaticanus codices, and has no Western or Byzantine proclivities. Usually it agrees with these two codices, where they are in agreement. Where they differ, the manuscript is near to Vaticanus, except in one important case (του δε Ιησου Χριστου), where it agrees with Sinaiticus.[9]
It was the earliest known manuscript of the New Testament until the discovery of Papyrus 45.[10]
K. Aland, M. Welte, B. Köster, K. Junack, Kurzgefasste Liste der griechischen Handschriften des Neues Testaments, (Berlin, New York: Walter de Gruyter, 1994), p. 3. ISBN3-11-011986-2
Philip W. Comfort and David P. Barrett, The Text of the Earliest New Testament Greek Manuscripts. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers Incorporated, 2001, p. 39
Ellwood M. Schofield, The Papyrus Fragments of the Greek New Testament, Diss. Louisville 1936, pp.86–91.
Comfort, Philip W.; David P. Barrett (2001). The Text of the Earliest New Testament Greek Manuscripts. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers. pp.40–41. ISBN978-0-8423-5265-9. (full text of the codex transcribed)
Peter M. Head, "Observations on Early Papyri of the Synoptic Gospels, especially on the 'Scribal Habits'", Biblica, 1990, Volume 71, pp.240–247.