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                         The Ethiopian Bible

      What It Is, Why It’s Different, and What Books It Contains

 

 

 

Introduction

The Ethiopian Bible stands apart from every other Bible in the world. It is not merely a translation of the Scriptures—it is a separate biblical tradition, preserved independently for nearly two thousand years. While most modern Christian Bibles contain 66 books (Protestant) or 73 books (Catholic), the Ethiopian Bible contains 81 books, making it the largest biblical canon still in use today.

What makes the Ethiopian Bible so significant is not just its size, but its antiquity. Many of its texts were preserved in Ethiopia while being lost, suppressed, or excluded elsewhere. As a result, it provides a rare window into early Jewish and Christian thought, untouched by later Western canon decisions.

 

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tradition

The Ethiopian Bible belongs to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, one of the oldest continuous Christian churches in the world. Christianity became the state religion of Ethiopia in the 4th century AD—before many European nations formally adopted it.

The Church developed largely isolated from Rome and Byzantium, which meant its biblical canon evolved independently. Rather than trimming Scripture over time, Ethiopian tradition preserved texts that other branches of Christianity eventually set aside.

The Ethiopian Bible is written primarily in Geʽez, an ancient Semitic language no longer spoken conversationally but still used liturgically—much like Latin once was in the West.

 

Why the Ethiopian Bible Is So Different

There are several key reasons the Ethiopian Bible differs from other Bibles:

  1. Independent Canon Formation
    While Western Christianity debated and finalized its canon through councils and imperial influence, Ethiopia retained older collections of sacred writings.

  2. Jewish Roots
    Ethiopian Christianity preserved a strong connection to early Jewish tradition. Many texts emphasize law, angels, judgment, and cosmic order, themes prominent in Second Temple Judaism.

  3. No Removal of Certain Books
    Books that were debated, questioned, or later excluded elsewhere—especially apocalyptic and prophetic writings—were never removed in Ethiopia.

  4. Continuous Preservation
    Texts like Enoch survived in Ethiopia in full form while disappearing from Europe entirely for over a thousand years.

 

Structure of the Ethiopian Bible

The Ethiopian Bible is traditionally divided into Old Testament, New Testament, and Broader Canon (sometimes called the “narrow” and “wider” canon).

 

The Old Testament (46 Books)

The Ethiopian Old Testament closely resembles the Septuagint (the Greek Jewish Scriptures) rather than the later Hebrew Masoretic Text. It includes:

  • Genesis

  • Exodus

  • Leviticus

  • Numbers

  • Deuteronomy

  • Joshua

  • Judges

  • Ruth

  • 1–4 Kingdoms (Samuel & Kings)

  • 1–2 Chronicles

  • Ezra

  • Nehemiah

  • Tobit

  • Judith

  • Esther (expanded)

  • Job

  • Psalms

  • Proverbs

  • Ecclesiastes

  • Song of Songs

  • Wisdom of Solomon

  • Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)

  • Isaiah

  • Jeremiah

  • Lamentations

  • Baruch

  • Ezekiel

  • Daniel (expanded)

  • The Twelve Minor Prophets

 

The New Testament (35 Books)

In addition to the standard 27 New Testament books, the Ethiopian Bible includes additional early Christian writings:

 

Standard New Testament Books

  • The Four Gospels

  • Acts

  • Pauline Epistles

  • General Epistles

  • Revelation

 

Additional New Testament Texts

  • Sinodos – Church order and apostolic teachings

  • Books of the Covenant

  • Ethiopic Clement

  • Didascalia

These texts emphasize church structure, discipline, and moral instruction, reflecting early Christian community life rather than later institutional theology.

The Extra Books That Make the Ethiopian Bible Unique

1. Book of Enoch (1 Enoch)

Perhaps the most famous extra-biblical text, Enoch is quoted directly in the New Testament (Jude 1:14–15). It describes:

  • The Watchers (fallen angels)

  • The Nephilim

  • Forbidden knowledge

  • Judgment of angels

  • A cosmic Messiah figure

The Book of Enoch was considered authoritative by early Jews and Christians but was later excluded elsewhere—yet fully preserved in Ethiopia.

 

2. Book of Jubilees

Jubilees retells Genesis and Exodus with additional detail, focusing on:

  • Angelic calendars

  • Sabbath laws

  • Covenant history

  • Divine order of time

It emphasizes a heavenly origin of the Law, reinforcing obedience and cosmic structure.

 

3. 1–3 Meqabyan (Not the Maccabees)

Often confused with the Western Books of Maccabees, Meqabyan is entirely different. These books focus on:

  • Spiritual warfare

  • Idolatry

  • Faithfulness under persecution

They are theological rather than historical and emphasize moral resistance to corruption.

 

4. The Book of Joseph ben Gorion (Josippon)

A retelling of Jewish history incorporating moral lessons, warfare, and divine justice.

 

5. Expanded Psalms

The Ethiopian Psalter includes Psalm 151 and other additions reflecting praise, repentance, and kingship theology.

 

Why These Books Were Removed Elsewhere

Books like Enoch and Jubilees raised concerns in later centuries because they:

  • Focus heavily on angels and cosmic judgment

  • Challenge simplified theology

  • Do not align neatly with Roman doctrinal authority

  • Contain ideas difficult to control institutionally

Rather than being proven false, many were labeled “non-canonical” for theological and political reasons, not historical ones.

 

Why the Ethiopian Bible Matters Today

The Ethiopian Bible reveals that Christian Scripture was once broader, deeper, and more mysterious than modern believers are often taught. It reminds readers that:

  • The biblical canon was debated, not dropped from heaven fully formed

  • Early faith included supernatural, cosmic, and apocalyptic dimensions

  • Ethiopia preserved what others lost

For anyone studying early Christianity, biblical history, or “lost books of the Bible,” the Ethiopian Bible is not fringe—it is foundational.

 

Closing Thought

The Ethiopian Bible does not contradict the Bible—it completes the picture of how ancient believers understood God, angels, judgment, and redemption. It stands as a living archive of Scripture history, preserved aga

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