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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0;"/><title>Topical Bible: Ethiopic Versions</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/topical/e/ethiopic_versions.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/newtopical.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="/topical/vmenus/genesis/1-1.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/bmcde/e/ethiopic.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="/">Bible</a> > <a href="/topical/">Topical</a> > Ethiopic Versions</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/topical/e/ethiopic_language.htm" title="Ethiopic Language">◄</a> Ethiopic Versions <a href="/topical/e/ethkazin.htm" title="Ethkazin">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse">Jump to: <a href="#isb" title="International Standard Bible Encyclopedia">ISBE</a> • <a href="#lib" title="Library">Library</a> • <a href="#sub" title="Subtopics">Subtopics</a> • <a href="#rel" title="Related Terms">Terms</a></div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><a name="te" id="te"></a><div class="vheading2">Topical Encyclopedia</div>The Ethiopic Versions of the Bible refer to the translations of the Scriptures into the Ge'ez language, an ancient South Semitic language that was once the liturgical language of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. These versions hold significant historical and theological importance, reflecting the early Christian influence in Ethiopia and the unique development of Christianity in the region.<br><br><b>Historical Background</b><br><br>Christianity is believed to have been introduced to Ethiopia in the early 4th century, traditionally attributed to the missionary efforts of Frumentius, who became the first bishop of Aksum. The Ethiopian Church, one of the oldest organized Christian bodies in the world, developed its own distinct traditions and scriptural interpretations. The translation of the Bible into Ge'ez likely began during the Aksumite Empire, a period marked by the flourishing of Christianity in Ethiopia.<br><br><b>The Old Testament</b><br><br>The Ethiopic Old Testament is notably extensive, including books that are not found in the Hebrew Bible or the Protestant canon. It comprises the traditional books of the Old Testament, as well as additional texts such as the Book of Enoch, Jubilees, and the Ascension of Isaiah. These texts are considered canonical by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and reflect the broader Alexandrian canon, which influenced the early Ethiopian Christian tradition.<br><br><b>The New Testament</b><br><br>The Ethiopic New Testament includes the standard 27 books found in most Christian canons. The translation is believed to have been based on Greek and possibly Syriac sources, reflecting the diverse influences on early Ethiopian Christianity. The Ethiopic New Testament is known for its unique textual variants and has been a subject of scholarly interest in textual criticism.<br><br><b>Language and Style</b><br><br>The Ge'ez language, in which the Ethiopic Versions are written, is a classical language of Ethiopia, akin to Latin in the Western Christian tradition. The translation style is characterized by a literal approach, aiming to preserve the original meaning of the texts. The Ethiopic Versions are noted for their rich and poetic language, which has been influential in Ethiopian liturgy and religious life.<br><br><b>Theological Significance</b><br><br>The Ethiopic Versions of the Bible are central to the faith and practice of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. They provide insight into the theological and liturgical traditions of Ethiopian Christianity, which has maintained a distinct identity within the broader Christian world. The inclusion of additional books in the canon reflects the church's unique theological perspectives and its historical connections to early Jewish and Christian traditions.<br><br><b>Influence and Legacy</b><br><br>The Ethiopic Versions have played a crucial role in the religious and cultural life of Ethiopia. They have been instrumental in the preservation of the Ge'ez language and have contributed to the rich literary heritage of the Ethiopian Church. The continued use of these versions in liturgical settings underscores their enduring significance in Ethiopian Christianity.<br><br><b>Scriptural References</b><br><br>While the Berean Standard Bible does not include the additional books found in the Ethiopic canon, it provides a basis for comparison with the standard biblical texts. For example, the BSB's translation of <a href="/genesis/1.htm">Genesis 1:1</a> states, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth," a verse that is also foundational in the Ethiopic Old Testament, reflecting the shared core of the biblical narrative across different traditions.<a name="isb" id="isb"></a><div class="vheading2">International Standard Bible Encyclopedia</div><span class="encheading">Ethiopic Versions</span><p><span class="encheading">ETHIOPIC VERSIONS</span><p>e-thi-op'-ik vur'-shuns:<br><br>Christianity was introduced into Abyssinia by Tyrian missionaries, who probably spoke Greek, about the time of Constantine the Great. The Bible was translated into Ethiopic, or, to use the native name, Ge`ez, the Old Testament being from the Septuagint, between the 4th and 5th centuries, by various hands, though the work was popularly ascribed to Frumentius, the first bishop. The fact of the Scriptures having been translated into Ethiopic was known to Chrysostom (Hom. II, in Joannem). The versions thus made were revised some time about the 14th century, and corrected by means of the Massoretic Text. The Ethiopic Scriptures contain the books found in the Alexandrine recension with the exception of the Books of Maccabees; but their importance lies in their pseudepigraphic writings, the Ascension of Isaiah, the Book of Enoch and the Book of Jubilees. The 1st edition of the New Testament appeared at Rome in 1545-49 (reprinted in Walton), but a critical edition has yet to be made; one issued by the British and Foreign Bible Society in 1830 contains many errors. The Old Testament canonical books and Apocrypha have been edited by Dillmann (the Octoteuch and 1-4 Kings and Apocrypha), Bachmann (died 1894) (Isaiah, Lamentations, Obadiah and Malachi), and Ludolph (Pss). The Psalter has been often printed from 1513 on. The Book of Enoch was first translated by Richard Laurence and published at Oxford in 1821, but the standard editions are those of Dillmann (Leipzig, 1853) and R. H. Charles (Oxford, 1893). The importance of this work lies in the fact that "the influence of Enoch on the New Testament has been greater than that of all the other apocryphal and pseudepigraphal books taken together" (Charles, 41). Not only the phraseology and ideas, but the doctrines of the New Testament are greatly influenced by it. Of the canonical books and Apocrypha the manuscripts are too poor and too late to be of any value for the criticism of the Greek text.<br><br>Thomas Hunter Weir<p><a name="lib" id="lib"></a><div class="vheading2">Library</div><p><a href="/library/barrows/companion_to_the_bible/chapter_xxviii_ancient_versions_of.htm"><span class="l">Ancient <b>Versions</b> of the New Testament.</span></a> <br><b>...</b> authorities. III. EGYPTIAN AND <b>ETHIOPIC VERSIONS</b>. 9. Formerly but one version<br> was known to exist in the language of the ancient Egyptians. <b>...</b> <br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxviii ancient versions of.htm</font><p><a href="/library/burgon/the_causes_of_the_corruption_of_the_traditional_text/chapter_xi_continued_causes_of_2.htm"><span class="l">(Continued). Causes of Corruption Chiefly Intentional.</span></a> <br><b>...</b> the servant whole.' It does not improve the matter to find that Eusebius [349] ,<br> besides the Harkleian and the <b>Ethiopic versions</b>, recognize the same appendix. <b>...</b> <br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/.../chapter xi continued causes of 2.htm</font><p><a href="/library/burgon/the_causes_of_the_corruption_of_the_traditional_text/chapter_ix_causes_of_corruption.htm"><span class="l">Causes of Corruption Chiefly Intentional.</span></a> <br><b>...</b> In the fifth century, Cyril [238] ,"Isidorus [239] ,"Theodoret [240] , "the<br> Armenian"and the <b>Ethiopic versions</b>. In the seventh century, Victor, Bp. <b>...</b> <br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/.../chapter ix causes of corruption.htm</font><p><a href="/library/burgon/the_causes_of_the_corruption_of_the_traditional_text/chapter_xii_causes_of_corruption.htm"><span class="l">Causes of Corruption Chiefly Intentional.</span></a> <br><b>...</b> and Nonnus, besides the Latin and Bohairic, Jerusalem, Armenian, and <b>Ethiopic versions</b>,<br> besides four errant cursives so exhibit the place, this instead of <b>...</b> <br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/.../chapter xii causes of corruption.htm</font><p><a href="/library/swete/an_introduction_to_the_old_testament_in_greek_additional_notes/chapter_iv_ancient_versions_based.htm"><span class="l">Ancient <b>Versions</b> Based Upon the Septuagint.</span></a> <br><b>...</b> that any early translations from the Old Testament into <b>Ethiopic</b> were based upon<br> the Septuagint, whether immediately or through the Coptic <b>versions</b>. <b>...</b> <br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/.../chapter iv ancient versions based.htm</font><p><a href="/library/burgon/the_last_twelve_verses_of_the_gospel_according_to_s_mark/chapter_iv_the_early_versions.htm"><span class="l">The Early <b>Versions</b> Examined, and Found to Yield Unfaltering <b>...</b></span></a> <br><b>...</b> may be as old as the v^th century; but like the <b>Ethiopic</b> [iv"vii <b>...</b> The two last-named<br> <b>versions</b>, whatever their disadvantages may be, at least bear constant <b>...</b> <br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/.../chapter iv the early versions.htm</font><p><a href="/library/burgon/the_last_twelve_verses_of_the_gospel_according_to_s_mark_/chapter_iv_the_early_versions.htm"><span class="l">The Early <b>Versions</b> Examined, and Found to Yield Unfaltering <b>...</b></span></a> <br><b>...</b> version may be as old as the vth century; but like the <b>Ethiopic</b> [iv-vii <b>...</b> The two<br> last-named <b>versions</b>, whatever their disadvantages may be, at least bear constant <b>...</b> <br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/.../chapter iv the early versions.htm</font><p><a href="/library/burgon/the_causes_of_the_corruption_of_the_traditional_text/chapter_x_causes_of_corruption.htm"><span class="l">Causes of Corruption Chiefly Intentional.</span></a> <br><b>...</b> is found in the Old Latin, and in the Vulgate,"in the Peshitto, Curetonian, and<br> Harkleian Syriac,"besides in the Coptic, Armenian, and <b>Ethiopic versions</b>. <b>...</b> <br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/.../chapter x causes of corruption.htm</font><p><a href="/library/burgon/the_causes_of_the_corruption_of_the_traditional_text/chapter_iii_accidental_causes_of.htm"><span class="l">Accidental Causes of Corruption.</span></a> <br><b>...</b> one; for it has crept into the Syriac, Bohairic, and Gothic <b>versions</b>, besides many <b>...</b><br> twelve other uncials, beside the body of the cursives, the <b>Ethiopic</b> and two <b>...</b> <br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/.../chapter iii accidental causes of.htm</font><p><a href="/library/burgon/the_last_twelve_verses_of_the_gospel_according_to_s_mark/appendix_a.htm"><span class="l">Appendix (A).</span></a> <br><b>...</b> iii^rd century; in nine of the iv^th; in three of the v^th;"added to the testimony<br> of the two Syriac, the Egyptian, the <b>Ethiopic</b>, and the Armenian <b>versions</b>. <b>...</b> <br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/.../burgon/the last twelve verses of the gospel according to s mark/appendix a.htm</font><a name="res" id="res"></a><div class="vheading2">Resources</div><a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/Semites.html">Who are Semites? | GotQuestions.org</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/book-of-Enoch.html">What is the book of Enoch and should it be in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/Psalm-22-16-lion-pierced.html">What is the correct translation of Psalm 22:16? | GotQuestions.org</a><br /><br /><a href="https://clyx.com/term/ethiopic.htm">Ethiopic: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com</a><br /><br /><a href="/concordance/">Bible Concordance</a> • <a href="/dictionary/">Bible Dictionary</a> • <a href="/encyclopedia/">Bible Encyclopedia</a> • <a href="/topical/">Topical Bible</a> • <a href="/thesaurus/">Bible Thesuarus</a></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="sub" id="sub"></a><div class="vheading2">Subtopics</div><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/e/ethiopic.htm">Ethiopic</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/e/ethiopic_language.htm">Ethiopic Language</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/e/ethiopic_versions.htm">Ethiopic Versions</a></p><a name="rel" id="rel"></a><div class="vheading2">Related Terms</div><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/e/ethiopic.htm">Ethiopic</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/k/kazin.htm">Kazin (1 Occurrence)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/n/neah.htm">Neah (1 Occurrence)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/n/ne'ah.htm">Ne'ah (1 Occurrence)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/e/eth-kazin.htm">Eth-kazin (1 Occurrence)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/b/bends.htm">Bends (6 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/stretches.htm">Stretches (14 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/sunrise.htm">Sunrise (25 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/g/gath.htm">Gath (44 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/r/rimmon.htm">Rimmon (22 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/p/passes.htm">Passes (74 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/e/eastward.htm">Eastward (72 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/p/proceeded.htm">Proceeded (72 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/c/continued.htm">Continued (148 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/h/hepher.htm">Hepher (11 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/e/east.htm">East (228 Occurrences)</a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/topical/e/ethiopic_language.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Ethiopic Language"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Ethiopic Language" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/topical/e/ethkazin.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Ethkazin"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Ethkazin" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div> <div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"><script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></div></td></tr></table></div></div></div> <br /><br /> <div align="center"> <div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>