The Ethiopian Orthodox Bible is the largest and oldest biblical canon in the world. However, readers are often confused: Is it 81 books or 88? The answer lies in the distinction between the Narrower Canon and the Broader Canon.
Ethiopian Bible 88 books in English PDF
1. The Mystery Solved: Why Two Numbers?
The EOTC officially recognizes 81 books as its standard canon. However, these 81 books can be counted in two different ways:
- The Narrower Canon (81 Books): This is the version most commonly printed today. It achieves the number 81 by grouping several shorter writings together into single volumes.
- The Broader Canon (88 Books): This version includes the exact same material but counts the “Books of Church Order” (laws and regulations) as individual, separate books.
2. The Narrower Canon (81 Books)
In this version, the Bible is divided into 46 Old Testament books and 35 New Testament books.
Old Testament (46 Books)
It includes the standard 39 Protestant books, plus several “Deuterocanonical” books.
Note: The EOTC counts Ezra and Nehemiah as one book, and some prophetic books are grouped together.
| Unique Books Included | Description |
| 1 Enoch (Henok) | The oldest complete version of Enoch’s travels to heaven. |
| Jubilees (Kufale) | A detailed account of Genesis from a different perspective. |
| 1, 2, & 3 Meqabyan | Ethiopian “Maccabees” (distinct from the Roman Catholic versions). |
| Ezra Sutuel | Often known as 4 Ezra or the Apocalypse of Ezra. |
| Josippon | A history of the Jewish people (sometimes grouped or excluded). |
New Testament (35 Books)
The Ethiopian New Testament includes the standard 27 books found in the KJV, plus 8 additional books of Church Order:
- Sirate Tsion (The Order of Zion)
- Tizaz (The Commandments)
- Gitshew
- Abtilis
- 1st Covenant (Meqidan I)
- 2nd Covenant (Meqidan II)
- Epistle of Clement (Qälëmentos)
- Ethiopic Didascalia (Didesqelya)
3. The Broader Canon (88 Books)
The “Broader Canon” is essentially the same library but expanded. For example, while the Narrower Canon might group the “Books of the Covenant” as one entry to stay at the holy number of 81, the Broader Canon lists them all individually.
The “Extra” 7 Books in the 88-count usually include:
- Splitting the Books of Clement into separate parts.
- Counting the Synodus (Church laws) as four distinct books rather than one collection.
- The inclusion of Pseudo-Josephus (Zena Ayhud) as a standalone volume.
4. Key Differences vs. The King James Version (KJV)
To put this in perspective for KJV readers:
- The KJV has 66 books.
- The Ethiopian Bible has 15 additional Old Testament books.
- The Ethiopian Bible has 8 additional New Testament books.
The KJV removes the “Apocrypha,” whereas the Ethiopian Church views these books as divinely inspired and equal to the Gospels.
5. FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an English translation of all 81 books?
Currently, there is no single “Official” English volume published by the EOTC, but you can find scholarly translations of the individual “missing” books like Enoch and Jubilees.
Why is the number 81 so important?
In Ethiopian tradition, the number 81 is considered a “holy number” for the canon. Regardless of how the books are split or grouped (into 81 or 88), the Church maintains the 81-count for its formal theological declarations.