Do You Know That Ethiopia Bible is Different From The Ordinary Bible We Use, And It's Believed That Ethiopia Bible is The Original Bible.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has one of the most extensive biblical canons in Christianity, known as the Ethiopian Orthodox Canon. It consists of 81 books, divided into the Narrow Canon (used for liturgical purposes) and the Broader Canon (including additional texts for study).
1. Old Testament (46 Books in the Narrow Canon)
This includes the standard books found in most Christian Old Testaments, plus additional texts.
Pentateuch (Torah) – 5 Books
1. Genesis – Creation of the world, the fall of man, Abraham’s covenant.
Key Verse: Genesis 1:1 – "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."
2. Exodus – Story of Moses, the plagues, the Ten Commandments.
Key Verse: Exodus 20:2 – "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery."
3. Leviticus – Laws of holiness, priesthood, and sacrifices.
4. Numbers – Census of Israel, wandering in the wilderness.
5. Deuteronomy – Moses’ final speech, reaffirming the covenant.
Historical Books – 9 Books
6. Joshua – Conquest of Canaan.
7. Judges – The period of Israel’s judges.
8. Ruth – The story of Ruth and Boaz.
9. 1 Samuel & 2 Samuel – The reign of King Saul and King David.
10. 1 Kings & 2 Kings – Solomon’s rule, the division of the kingdom.
11. 1 Chronicles & 2 Chronicles – Genealogies and history of Judah.
Wisdom and Poetry – 5 Books
12. Job – The story of suffering and faith.
13. Psalms – Hymns of praise and prayer.
14. Proverbs – Wisdom sayings from Solomon.
15. Ecclesiastes – The meaning of life and vanity.
16. Song of Songs – A poetic love song, often interpreted spiritually.
Major Prophets – 5 Books
17. Isaiah – Prophecies of the Messiah and judgment.
18. Jeremiah – Warnings to Israel.
19. Lamentations – Mourning over Jerusalem’s destruction.
20. Ezekiel – Visions and symbolic acts.
21. Daniel – Apocalyptic visions and the story of Daniel.
Minor Prophets – 12 Books
22. Hosea
23. Joel
24. Amos
25. Obadiah
26. Jonah
27. Micah
28. Nahum
29. Habakkuk
30. Zephaniah
31. Haggai
32. Zechariah
33. Malachi
Additional Books in the Ethiopian Canon (Deuterocanonical) – 10 Books
34. Tobit
35. Judith
36. 1 Esdras (Ezra the Scribe)
37. 2 Esdras
38. Wisdom of Solomon
39. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach)
40. Baruch
41. Letter of Jeremiah
42. 1 Maccabees
43. 2 Maccabees
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2. Broader Canon (Ethiopian-Specific Books)
These books are unique to the Ethiopian Bible and not found in most Christian Bibles.
Additional Historical and Prophetic Books – 3 Books
44. 3 Maccabees
45. 4 Baruch (Paralipomena of Jeremiah)
46. The Book of Josephas the Son of Bengorion
Books of Enoch & Jubilees – 2 Books
47. 1 Enoch – Includes prophecies, heavenly visions.
Key Verse: Enoch 1:9 – "Behold, He comes with ten thousand saints to execute judgment."
48. Jubilees – Retelling of Genesis and Exodus with added details.
Books of the Ethiopian Church’s Narrow Canon – 3 Books
49. 1 Meqabyan (Ethiopian Maccabees)
50. 2 Meqabyan
51. 3 Meqabyan
(Different from the Greek Maccabees, they focus on different heroes and themes.)
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3. New Testament (35 Books)
The Ethiopian New Testament contains the standard books plus additional texts.
Gospels – 4 Books
52. Matthew
53. Mark
54. Luke
55. John
History – 1 Book
56. Acts of the Apostles
Pauline Epistles – 14 Books
57. Romans
58. 1 Corinthians
59. 2 Corinthians
60. Galatians
61. Ephesians
62. Philippians
63. Colossians
64. 1 Thessalonians
65. 2 Thessalonians
66. 1 Timothy
67. 2 Timothy
68. Titus
69. Philemon
70. Hebrews
General Epistles – 7 Books
71. James
72. 1 Peter
73. 2 Peter
74. 1 John
75. 2 John
76. 3 John
77. Jude
Apocalyptic & Additional Books – 3 Books
78. Revelation
79. Sinodos (Church teachings & canons)
80. Clement (Writings attributed to Clement of Rome)
81. Didascalia (Teachings of the Apostles)
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Summary
Total Books: 81
Unique Books in
the Ethiopian Canon: 1 Enoch, Jubilees, Meqabyan (1, 2, 3), 4 Baruch, Josephas, Sinodos, Clement, and Didascalia.
Commonly Quoted Ethiopian-Specific Books:
Enoch 1:9 (Messianic prophecy).
Jubilees 6:36 (Calendar and Sabbath laws).
Meqabyan 1:3 (Faith and martyrdom).
Great! Now we move to the final and most distinct section of the Ethiopian Bible:
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Batch 5: The New Testament Books of the Ethiopian Bible
Overview
The Ethiopian New Testament includes 35 books—27 universal New Testament books, plus 8 additional writings preserved only in the Ge’ez Orthodox canon.
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Part 1: The Traditional 27 New Testament Books
These are the same books found in most Christian Bibles, grouped as follows:
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The Four Gospels
1. Matthew
2. Mark
3. Luke
4. John
Life, death, and resurrection of Jesus
Matthew and Luke include birth narratives
John emphasizes Jesus’ divine identity
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History
5. Acts of the Apostles
Early church growth, ministry of Peter and Paul
Holy Spirit’s role emphasized
Includes Ethiopian eunuch’s conversion (Acts 8:26–40)
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Pauline Epistles
6. Romans
7. 1 Corinthians
8. 2 Corinthians
9. Galatians
10. Ephesians
11. Philippians
12. Colossians
13. 1 Thessalonians
14. 2 Thessalonians
15. 1 Timothy
16. 2 Timothy
17. Titus
18. Philemon
19. Hebrews (Pauline in Ethiopian tradition)
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General Epistles
20. James
21. 1 Peter
22. 2 Peter
23. 1 John
24. 2 John
25. 3 John
26. Jude
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Apocalypse
27. Revelation
Vision of Christ's return
Judgment, resurrection, new heaven and earth
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Part 2: The 8 Additional Books of the Ethiopian New Testament
These books are not found in other Christian traditions, but are central to Ethiopian Orthodoxy.
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1. Sinodos (The Synods)
Chapters: 4 books
Contains church canons, instructions from the Apostles
Liturgy, fasting rules, baptismal rituals
Ethiopian equivalent to “Apostolic Constitutions”
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2. Book of the Covenant
Two parts
Civil and spiritual laws for Christian conduct
Contains commandments, church laws, legal guidelines
Instructions on marriage, festivals, clergy roles
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3. Clement (Qalementos)
Attributed to Clement of Rome, disciple of Peter
2 books in Ge’ez canon
Early church teachings, moral instruction
Focus on church leadership, purity, and heresy warnings
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4. Didascalia
Early Christian instruction, pastoral guidance
Discusses:
Church hierarchy (bishop, priest, deacon)
Role of women in church
Fasting, charity, prayer
Very influential in Ethiopian church structure
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5. The Epistle of Eusebius
Short book; attributed to Eusebius of Caesarea
Encourages spiritual perseverance
Strong end-times focus
6. Ethiopic Revelation of Peter
Visions of heaven and hell
Detailed description of the fate of the righteous and wicked
Influenced by 2 Peter and Revelation of John
7. The Epistle of Ignatius
Written by Ignatius of Antioch, early church father
Warns against divisions, false teachers
Emphasizes the unity of the church under bishops
8. The Book of the Rolls (Mäshafä Derret)
Legendary account of Jesus’ words to the Apostles after resurrection
Includes moral instruction, spiritual warfare, and blessings for the faithful
Very mystical in tone
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Theological Themes in the Expanded Ethiopian New Testament
Church authority and structure
Holiness in daily life
Clear roles for bishops, priests, deacons
Heavy focus on fasting, prayer, and purity
Vivid descriptions of judgment, resurrection, and eternal life
Encouragement to maintain apostolic tradition
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Summary of the Ethiopian Bible Canon
This makes the Ethiopian Bible the largest and most ancient canon preserved in any Christian tradition—deeply liturgical, mystical, and rooted in both Hebrew traditions and early Christian thought.
NEXT EPISODE WE WILL DEEPDIVE TO EVERY BOOK.
1. GENESIS
Book of Genesis Overview
Title Meaning
The word Genesis means "origin" or "beginning." It comes from the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible (Bereshit), meaning "In the beginning."
Chapters: 50
Main Themes
Creation
Human origins
The fall of man
The promise of redemption
God's covenant with humanity
The founding of Israel through the patriarchs
Major Sections and Summaries
1. Creation and Early History (Chapters 1–11)
Creation (Chapters 1–2)
God creates the world in six days and rests on the seventh.
Key events: Light and darkness, sky, earth, plants, animals, and humans (Adam and Eve).
Humans are made in the image of God.
The Fall (Chapter 3)
Adam and Eve disobey God by eating from the Tree of Knowledge.
Sin and death enter the world.
They are expelled from Eden.
Cain and Abel (Chapter 4)
The first murder: Cain kills his brother Abel.
God's judgment and mercy on Cain.
The Flood and Noah’s Ark (Chapters 6–9)
Humanity becomes wicked.
God sends a flood but saves Noah and his family.
After the flood, God makes a covenant with Noah, promising never to flood the earth again (symbolized by the rainbow).
Tower of Babel (Chapter 11)
Humans attempt to build a tower to heaven.
God confuses their languages, scattering them over the earth.
2. Patriarchal History (Chapters 12–50)
Abraham (Chapters 12–25)
God calls Abram (later Abraham) to leave his homeland.
Covenant promises: land (Canaan), descendants, and blessing to all nations.
Abraham’s faith tested with the near-sacrifice of Isaac.
Isaac and Rebekah (Chapters 24–27)
Isaac marries Rebekah.
Their sons Jacob and Esau represent two nations.
Jacob receives Isaac’s blessing instead of Esau.
Jacob (Chapters 28–36)
Jacob's dream of a ladder to heaven.
He works 14 years to marry Rachel.
He wrestles with God and is renamed Israel.
His 12 sons become the heads of the 12 tribes of Israel.
Joseph (Chapters 37–50)
Joseph is sold into slavery by his brothers.
Rises to power in Egypt by interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams.
Saves Egypt from famine and forgives his brothers.
The Israelites settle in Egypt
Key Verses
Genesis 1:1 – "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."
Genesis 12:2-3 – God's promise to Abraham: "I will make you into a great nation..."
Genesis 50:20 – Joseph: "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good..
Theological Message
Genesis introduces:
God as Creator – sovereign and purposeful.
Human dignity and sin – made in God’s image but prone to rebellion.
Covenant – God's redemptive relationship with people, especially through Abraham.
Faith and Providence – trusting God's plan, even in suffering (e.g., Joseph).
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