Jesus cites wife in ancient script fragment: US scholar

BOSTON (AP) - A Harvard University professor on Tuesday unveiled a fourth-century fragment of papyrus she said is the only existing ancient text quoting Jesus explicitly referring to having a wife.

Prof Karen King, an expert in the history of Christianity, said the text contains a dialogue in which Jesus refers to "my wife", whom he identifies as Mary. Ms King says the fragment of Coptic script is a copy of a gospel, probably written in Greek in the second century.

Prof King helped translate and unveiled the tiny fragment at a conference of Coptic experts in Rome.

She said it doesn't prove Jesus was married but speaks to issues of family and marriage that faced Christians.