In East Africa, a special Christian church exists called the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Its holy book is very old and also bigger than most other Bibles. Consequently, this makes us ask: when was the Ethiopian Bible written?
There is not one easy answer because the story took a very long time to unfold. It includes apostles, kings, and monks. Furthermore, these people worked hard to save the holy texts.
This article will tell you this great story. First, we will look at clues about the Bible’s past. Then, we will see how Christianity came to Ethiopia and learn how people translated the holy books. We will also see the special books in this Bible, like the Book of Enoch. Ultimately, we want to give a clear answer about when was the Ethiopian Bible written.
What Are the Ancient Origins That Impacted When the Ethiopian Bible Was Written?
To know when people wrote the Bible, we first need to see how Christianity got to Ethiopia. The story starts very early, showing that Ethiopia has one of the oldest Christian groups in the world.
Who Was the First Convert and How Does This Relate to When Was the Ethiopian Bible Written?
The New Testament tells us about the first Ethiopian to believe. The story is in the Book of Acts, where an important man from Ethiopia was reading a holy book. Since he worked for the queen, he was very influential. On his journey, the apostle Philip met him. Philip then told him the good news about Jesus. As a result, the man believed, and Philip baptized him. This happened in the 1st century A.D. Afterward, he took his new faith back home.
How Did the Kingdom of Aksum Become a Christian Nation?
A few hundred years later, Christianity became the main religion. This happened in the Kingdom of Aksum after a man named Frumentius survived a shipwreck. People took him to the king’s court, where he taught the young prince, Ezana, about Jesus. When Ezana became king, he made Christianity the religion of the land around A.D. 330. As a result, the people needed the Bible in their own language.
When Was the Ethiopian Bible First Translated into Ge’ez?
The country was now Christian, so the people needed to read the Bible. Thus, a long process of translation began. The goal was to change the Greek texts into the local language, Ge’ez. Therefore, asking when was the Ethiopian Bible written is about this translation work.
What Was the First Step in Creating the Ge’ez Language Bible?
The first Bible books were in Hebrew and Greek. For this reason, the Ethiopian people needed the Bible in their own language. The work to translate the Bible began in the 4th century. Translators rendered the holy books into a language called Ge’ez. At first, the work was slow, as small groups worked on different books. This period, from the 4th to 5th century, was the start of the Ethiopian Bible.
How Did the Nine Saints Influence the Bible Translation?
The work got a big push in the late 5th century when a group called the Nine Saints came to Ethiopia. These men were monks from other lands, like Syria, who were running from trouble in their own countries. The church in Ethiopia welcomed them. Because these men were very smart and holy, they did a lot for the church. For instance, they started schools and churches. Most of all, they helped translate the Bible, making the work faster and better. Their efforts helped make the Ethiopian Bible strong.
What Makes the Canon Different and How Does It Relate to When Was the Ethiopian Bible Written?
The Ethiopian Bible is special for two reasons. It is very old, and it is very big. It has more books than other Bibles. The list of holy books is called a canon. This makes it a great source of old religious books.
Why Is the Ethiopian Bible Canon Larger Than Others?
The Ethiopian Church has a “broader canon,” which means it has more books. For comparison, the Protestant Bible has 66 books, and the Catholic Bible has 73 books. The Ethiopian Bible, however, has up to 81 books. The church did not create the list of holy books. This large collection shows us what books people liked in the old days. You can learn more at Encyclopedia.com.
What Unique Books Are Found Only in the Ethiopian Bible?
The best part of the Ethiopian Bible is its extra books. These consist of old Jewish texts that other Bibles do not have. The church in Ethiopia saved them. The age of these books is a key clue for people who ask when was the Ethiopian Bible written.
- The Book of Enoch: This is the best-known extra book. It tells about angels and the end of the world. A book in the New Testament even uses words from Enoch. People liked it long ago, but only the Ethiopian church saved the full book. You can learn more at Early Jewish Writings.
- The Book of Jubilees: This book retells the stories of Genesis. It puts them in groups of 49 years. People also knew this book in the past, but only Ethiopia saved the full text.
- The Books of Meqabyan: These three books are not the same as the Maccabees in the Catholic Bible. Instead, they tell stories about faith and dying for what you believe.
What Do Ancient Manuscripts Tell Us About the Ethiopian Bible?
The proof for the Bible’s age is not just in stories. We can see it in the old copies of the book. These copies have lasted for many years. Indeed, some are the oldest Christian books in the world.
What Do the Garima Gospels Tell Us About When Was the Ethiopian Bible Written?
For years, people thought the oldest Ethiopian books were from the Middle Ages, but a new find changed that. In a church in Ethiopia, there are two old books that people call the Garima Gospels. While many thought they were from A.D. 1100, new tests show they are much older. Scribes made the books between A.D. 330 and 650. This may make them the oldest Christian gospel books with pictures in the world. These books prove that people were making the Ethiopian Bible very early. The Ethiopian Heritage Fund helps to keep these books safe.
How Did Monasteries Preserve the Ancient Ethiopian Bibles?
It is amazing these old books still exist. Ethiopia had many wars, but dedicated monks kept the Bibles safe. People built churches high in the mountains. These churches were like forts for faith and study. Monks spent their lives copying the holy books by hand because they felt it was a holy job. Because they cared so much, they did not lose the old Bible. Instead, they passed it down for all to see.
What Is the Final Timeline for When Was the Ethiopian Bible Written?
After looking at all the proof, we can now give a clear answer. The story of when was the Ethiopian Bible written is about a long process.
Why Was Writing the Ethiopian Bible a Long-Term Process?
No one made the Ethiopian Bible in one day. The process took many years.
- First Step (4th-5th Centuries): The work started when the country became Christian. At that point, people began to translate the Bible into Ge’ez.
- Next Step (5th-7th Centuries): Then, the Nine Saints helped a lot. They made the translation work move faster. Scribes were making good books at this time.
- Last Step (14th-17th Centuries): Finally, church leaders finalized the list of holy books. They agreed on which books to include, which took a long time.
What is the Conclusive Answer to When Was the Ethiopian Bible Written?
So, the best answer is this: The work began in the 4th century A.D. Translators did most of it by the 7th century. However, church leaders decided on the final list of books much later. This makes the Ethiopian Bible very old and very complete. It is a real treasure for the world, and it shows the strong faith of the Ethiopian people.
FAQ – When Was the Ethiopian Bible Written
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When were the earliest parts of the Ethiopian Bible written?
The earliest parts of the Ethiopian Bible, particularly the Gospels, date back to very ancient times. Tradition suggests that the first translations into Ge'ez, the ancient Ethiopian language, began as early as the 5th century AD, possibly even the 4th century. Recent scientific tests, like radiocarbon dating of the famous Garima Gospels, support these early dates. Samples from these manuscripts suggest they were created between approximately 390 and 660 AD. This makes the Ethiopian Bible one of the world's oldest and most complete Bible translations.
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What are the "Garima Gospels" and how do they help date the Ethiopian Bible?
The Garima Gospels are a collection of ancient Ethiopian manuscripts containing the four Gospel books. They are incredibly important because they are considered the world's earliest complete illustrated Christian manuscripts. Monastic tradition links them to Saint Abba Garima, who arrived in Ethiopia around 494 AD. Radiocarbon dating of these Gospels has confirmed their extremely old age, with dates falling within the 5th to 7th centuries. This scientific evidence strongly supports the early dating of Bible translations in Ethiopia.
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Was the Ethiopian Bible originally written in Ge'ez?
Yes, the earliest versions of the Ethiopian Bible were written in Ge'ez. This is an ancient South Semitic language specific to Ethiopia. It became the liturgical language of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and remains so today. The translation of biblical texts into Ge'ez was a monumental undertaking that began soon after Christianity became established in Ethiopia in the 4th century. This makes Ge'ez one of the few languages outside of Greek and Hebrew into which the entire Bible was translated very early.
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How does the age of the Ethiopian Bible compare to other major Bible versions?
The earliest manuscripts of the Ethiopian Bible, such as the Garima Gospels, predate many other well-known Bible versions, including the King James Version (KJV) by over a thousand years. While parts of the Hebrew and Greek biblical texts are older, the complete translated Bible in Ge'ez is among the earliest in existence. Its ancient origins highlight Ethiopia's unique and long-standing Christian tradition and its early role in preserving biblical texts.
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Has the Ethiopian Bible changed over time?
Like many ancient texts, the Ethiopian Bible has seen some revisions over its long history. While the core content has remained consistent, scholarly work in the 13th century involved correcting Gospel texts to better match Greek word order and terminology. More modern editions have also been produced. However, the foundational texts and the comprehensive canon unique to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church have been carefully preserved, maintaining their distinct identity and legacy throughout the centuries.
