06_Biblica_1_D_Callan_Layout 1 05/11/12 12:20 Pagina 435 435 READING THE EARLIEST COPIES OF 2 PETER In 2,10 P72 speaks of epeiqumeiaj sarkoj (desire for flesh [pre- suming that the final j of epeiqumeiaj is a spelling error]) while the likely original text has epiqumia miasmou (desire for defile- ment). Since this verse also speaks of going after the flesh, the dif- ferent expressions in P72 and the probable original text have the same general meaning. However, the text of P72 puts more emphasis on desire specifically for the flesh. Desire for the flesh is also more satisfactory than desire for defilement as a description of the mental state of the unjust. Finally, P72 omits mestouj (full) from 2,14. Without this adjective the verse speaks of “having the eyes of an adulteress” rather than “having eyes full of an adulteress” as does the likely original text. The former presents the false teachers as using their eyes in the same way as an adulteress, i.e., to seek out adultery; the latter presents them as using their eyes only to gaze on an adulteress, intending to engage in adultery with her. These two expressions are very close in mean- ing, but the former emphasizes slightly more than the latter that desire is the thing from which one needs salvation. c) Testamentary Letter of Peter Two other peculiarities of 2 Peter in P72 improve its presentation as a testamentary letter from Peter. In 1,15 P72 has spoudazw (I am eager) rather than spoudasw (I will be eager) as in the likely orig- inal text 17. P72 describes Peter’s present state of mind as he writes the letter, where the likely original text speaks of Peter’s future state of mind. The text of P72 better suits 2 Peter’s presentation of Peter as composing 2 Peter as a testamentary letter. Somewhat similarly, in 3,16 the text of P72 has streblwsousin (they will twist) while the probable original text has streblousin (they twist). In this way P72 presents misinterpretation of the letters of Paul as something that will happen in the future, instead of speaking of it as something happening now as the likely original text does. This brings the passage into greater conformity with 2 Peter’s general pre- sentation of the false teachers as arriving in the future. 17 Sinaiticus has the same thing as P72 at this point. The reading has the same significance in both, but in Sinaiticus this does not seem to be part of a general theme of its version of 2 Peter even to the rather limited extent that it does in P72.