JESUS was a married man, according to an ancient script.

The previously unknown 1,700-year-old fragment of papyrus is said to quote him referring to a wife.

US expert Karen King said it is the only text to suggest a marriage — as in hit book The Da Vinci Code.

The excerpt, written in ancient Egyptian Coptic, reads: “Jesus said to them, ‘My wife — she will be able to be my disciple’.”

It appears to add: “I dwell with her.”