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Fact check: What are the names of the additional books in the Ethiopian Bible?
Executive Summary
The primary fact from the analyses is that the Ethiopian (Ethiopic/Geʽez) biblical canon includes a set of books not found in most other Christian canons, with common examples named as the Book of Enoch, the Book of Jubilees, and three books called Meqabyan, among others [1] [2]. Analysts disagree on the precise total number of books (commonly given as 81 or 88) and on which later New Testament appendices are canonical, reflecting differing modern counts and editorial traditions within the Orthodox Tewahedo churches [3] [4] [5].
1. What commentators actually claimed — extracting the key assertions that matter
Analysts repeatedly assert three core claims: first, the Ethiopian canon contains additional Old Testament books such as Enoch and Jubilees [1] [2] [6]. Second, the canon includes unique works surviving in Geʽez like the three Meqabyan books and certain Esdras/Baruch texts [2] [1]. Third, modern sources disagree on the canon’s total size—figures of 81 and 88 are both presented—which stems from varying counts of New Testament appendices and regional practice [3] [4] [5]. Each claim appears repeatedly across the provided analyses [1] [2] [5].
2. What the lists actually include — naming the extra books you asked about
Across the accounts, the most consistently named additional books are the Book of Enoch, the Book of Jubilees, and the three Books of Meqabyan; other commonly listed additions include Tobit, Judith, Baruch, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), 1 and 4 Ezra (Esdras), 4 Baruch, the Ascension of Isaiah, and Paralipomena of Jeremiah [1] [2] [6]. Several summaries also refer broadly to “Maccabees” and Esdras variants; the exact titles and numbering differ between modern descriptions, which reflects editorial choices in Ethiopic manuscript traditions [2] [1].
3. Why counts differ — unpacking the 81 versus 88 book totals
Analysts give 81 and 88 as the leading totals. The 81-count is associated with a commonly cited Orthodox Tewahedo enumeration that places 46 Old Testament and 35 New Testament books together [5] [6]. The 88-count appears in other descriptions that emphasize additional New Testament appendices and variant local inclusions [3] [1]. The divergence results from which late texts and appendices a compiler treats as canonical versus liturgical/edifying, and from modern editorial decisions in publishing Geʽez corpora [3] [5].
4. Language, survival, and textual uniqueness — where these books come from
The additional books survive in Geʽez and in some cases only in Ethiopic translation, making them uniquely preserved by the Ethiopian church; analysts stress that some texts are native to Ethiopia’s manuscript tradition rather than direct survivals of Greek or Hebrew originals [2] [1]. This linguistic and manuscript reality explains why certain works like the Meqabyan series are otherwise unknown outside Ethiopia and why editions and counts depend on modern scholarly access to Geʽez manuscripts [2] [1].
5. Recent reporting and publication milestones — what dates tell us
Analyses cite modern publications and reporting as context: a claim that the canon “has been completely published” appears in a 2022 notice about an Ethiopic corpus edition that presents 81 books [5], while a 2025 article referenced the 88-book figure and framed it in a contemporary controversy [3]. These dates indicate ongoing scholarship and editorial work through at least 2025, and they reflect how new editions or popular articles can shift the publicly reported canonical totals [5] [3].
6. Institutional and interpretive drivers — why the Ethiopian church differs
The Orthodox Tewahedo churches’ canon reflects historical, liturgical, and theological priorities: inclusion decisions derive from ancient local usage, monastic canons, and the role of texts in worship and instruction, rather than a single imperial synodal decree noted in these analyses [1] [6]. The presence of late “historical/organizational” New Testament appendices that address Ethiopian church life explains why some editors treat those works as canonical locally, producing different published counts and appearing in recent articles that highlight internal church history [1] [3].
7. What remains unclear and why skeptics see agenda
Remaining uncertainties include the definitive list accepted across all Ethiopian communities, precise criteria used historically to include books, and whether modern publications represent a scholarly consensus or selective editorial projects. Some articles frame the canon with polemical language (e.g., “banned” in headlines), indicating potential agendas in contemporary reporting that can overstate disagreements; readers should note how publication aims and dates (2022–2025) shape the narrative [3] [5].
8. Bottom line for your question — concise factual takeaway
The Ethiopian Bible includes well-known extra books such as Enoch, Jubilees, and the three Meqabyan books, plus various Esdras/Baruch, Maccabean, and late apocalyptic/ascension texts; modern sources report either 81 or 88 books depending on which late appendices and local variants are counted [2] [5] [3]. The discrepancy is documentary and editorial rather than purely doctrinal, arising from manuscript traditions, Geʽez transmission, and recent publication efforts through at least 2025 [5] [3].