earliest and in the latest papyri. But some texts have simply ⁂, which is certainly a mistake, and others omit the conjunction before the verb. The sense is not much affected by this omission. ⁂⁂⁂ signifies _if not_, _unless_, _until_, _but_, _but surely_. _Cf._ the Semitic אִם־לֹא, ܐܷܠܴ, إلَّا