γένος is common in the papyri with reference to a species or class of things. Thus P Fay 21.10 (A.D. 134) εἴτ᾽ ἐν γένεσιν εἴτ᾽ ἐν ἀργυρίῳ , ";
whether in kind or in money,"; with reference to payments, ib. 90.11 (A.D. 234) χ [ρῆ ]σιν ἐγ γένι λαχανοσπέρμου ἀρτάβας τρ [ῖ ]ς , ";
a loan in kind of three artabas of vegetable seed,"; P Oxy VIII. 1134.13 (A.D. 421) περὶ ἄλλου τινὸς εἴδους ἢ γένους , ";of any other sort or kind.";
In P Grenf II. 44.11 (A.D. 101) the word occurs in connexion with the transport of ";goods,"; and in P Oxy IV. 727.20 (A.D. 154) an agent is authorized γένη διαπωλήσοντα ἃ ἐὰν δέον ᾖ τῇ αὐτοῦ πίστει , ";to sell off produce as may be needful on his own authority"; : cf. ib. I. 54.16 (A.D. 201) εἰς τειμὴν γενῶν , ";for the price of materials"; for the repair of public buildings, and ib. 101.16 (A. D. 142) where γένεσι = ";crops."; Similarly P Amh II. 91.15 (A.D. 159) οἷς ἐὰν αἱρῶμαι γένεσι πλὴν κνήκου , ";with any crops I choose except cnecus"; (Edd.). In P Oxy IX. 1202.20 (A.D. 217) κατ᾽ ἀκολουθείαν τῶν ἐτῶν καὶ τοῦ γένους , the word is used = ";parentage"; : cf. BGU I. 140.26 (B.C. 119) τοῖς πρὸς [γ ]ένους συνγενέσι , ";to the legitimate parents."; With γένος = ";offspring,"; as in Acts 17:28, cf. IG XIV. 641 (Thurii) καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼν ὑμῶν γένος ὄλβιον εὔχομαι εἶμεν . . . Ὄλβιε καὶ μακαριστέ , θεὸς δ᾽εσῃ ἀντὶ βροτοῖο , and 638 γῆς παῖς εἰμὶ καὶ οὐρανοῦ ἀστερόεντος , αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ γένος οὐράνιον (both cited by Norden Agnostos Theos, p. 194). Acts 4:6 has a close parallel in P Tebt II. 291.36 (A.D. 162) ἀ ]π ̣εδ ̣[ι ]ξας σεαυτὸν γένους [ὄ ]ντα ἱερατικοῦ . In OGIS 470.5 (time of Augustus) a certain Theophron describes himself as priest διὰ γένου τῆς Ἀναΐτιδος Ἀρτέμιδος , ";hereditary"; priest. In ib. 513.10 (iii/A.D.) γένους τῶν Ἐπι (λ )αϊδῶν , and 635.4 (Palmyra, A.D. 178–9) οἱ ἐγ γένους Ζαβδιβωλείων , it answers to gens, a tribe or clan. For the common τῷ γένει in descriptions, cf. Syll 852.2 (ii/B.C.) σῶμα ἀνδρεῖον ὧι ὄνομα Κύπριος τὸ γένος Κύπριον . In Vettius Valens, p. 86.26, εἰς γένος εἰσελθών is used of a manumitted slave : cf. p. 106.11.