Biblical studies you can't put down.
16 major English translations, placed on a spectrum—not ranked. Read closely, or choose hands-free learning for a walk, commute, or chores.
The difference is the canon—the collection received as Scripture—not a different story about Jesus. Communities preserved and arranged some ancient Jewish writings differently.
39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament books. Other ancient Jewish writings may be printed separately as Apocrypha.
Includes seven deuterocanonical books plus additions to Esther and Daniel.
Counts vary by communion. They generally include 3 Maccabees, Psalm 151, and the Prayer of Manasseh; some traditions include further books. Read the full guide →
The broadest canon in Christianity adds 1 Enoch, Jubilees, 1–3 Meqabyan (not the Greek Maccabees), 3 Ezra, 4 Ezra, Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, the Letter of Jeremiah, 4 Baruch, the Prayer of Manasseh, and Greek additions to Daniel and Esther — preserved in Ge'ez. Read the full guide →
Counting note: “88 books” is a broader disputed count some sellers use; the church’s narrower canon is 81.
Text vs. inference: the lists are historical facts; claims about which canon is divinely authoritative are theological judgments each tradition argues from Scripture and tradition.
There is no single pan-Orthodox book list. Greek, Russian, and other Orthodox traditions receive overlapping—but not always identical—collections.
Eastern Orthodox Old Testaments are based on the Septuagint, the ancient Greek Scriptures used widely by early Christians. They generally include everything in the Catholic 73-book canon, plus 3 Maccabees, Psalm 151, and the Prayer of Manasseh. Some traditions also count 4 Maccabees, 1 Esdras, or 2 Esdras.
Orthodox writers often call these books anagignoskomena—“worthy to be read.” The term recognizes books read in church while distinguishing them from the core canon. Exact lists and counting conventions vary by local tradition.
The shared center is the Old and New Testament received across historic Christianity. Beyond the Catholic 73, Orthodox lists generally include 3 Maccabees, Psalm 151, and the Prayer of Manasseh; 4 Maccabees, 1 Esdras, and 2 Esdras appear in some traditions.
Anagignoskomena names books read in the church, though Orthodox usage may distinguish them from the core canon. The word helps explain why a simple universal book count can flatten real differences between Greek, Russian, and other Orthodox traditions.
The Orthodox Study Bible (Thomas Nelson, 2008) pairs a New Testament based on the NKJV with an Old Testament newly translated from the Septuagint by St. Athanasius Academy. Its notes and articles present an Orthodox perspective.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has an even broader 81-book canon. Its collection includes 1 Enoch, Jubilees, and 1–3 Meqabyan, and it is distinct from the Eastern Orthodox canons described here.
Explore the 81-book narrower canon of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, preserved in Ge'ez.
The Bible of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church — and of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church — is the broadest biblical canon in Christianity: the church's narrower canon counts 81 books (46 Old Testament + 35 New Testament by its own counting conventions). Christianity reached Ethiopia around 330 CE under King Ezana of Axum, and the Garima Gospels (radiocarbon-dated roughly 390–570 CE) rank among the world's oldest illustrated Christian manuscripts.
The text is preserved in Ge'ez, an ancient Semitic language that survives today mainly as a liturgical language — few people read it fluently. Nearly every visitor will approach this canon through modern English editions, so this guide pairs the book list with honest buying advice.
No single scholarly standard English edition exists. Modern English editions are independent renderings from Ge'ez manuscripts (most self-published), not one standardized translation like the NIV or ESV. Cover claims of "81 books" vs. "88 books" reflect counting conventions, not competing canons: the church's narrower canon is 81; "88 books" is a broader, disputed count some sellers use. The New Testament is counted as 35 (the familiar 27, plus church-order texts that appear in broader lists).
Modern, plain English in most editions (quality varies by edition). Best for readers curious about the fullest Christian canon, students of early Christianity, and anyone who has wondered what 1 Enoch or Jubilees actually say. Not a first Bible for a new believer — start with a 66-book edition, then come back for the extras.
An honest note first: there is no officially church-published print edition of the full 81-book Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo canon from the Church itself or any mainstream Bible publisher. The edition below is an independent-press English compilation — the most verifiable one currently purchasable — not an official church publication.
These are the writings in the Ethiopian canon that aren't in the 66-book Protestant Bible. Names differ from Western lists — the Ge'ez name is given where it exists.
Numbering quirks: Proverbs is split into Messale (chs 1–24) and Tagsas (chs 25–31); Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles are each counted as pairs. The broader canon (beyond the 81) also names Josippon, the Sinodos, the Books of Covenant, Ethiopic Clement (Qalementos), and the Didascalia — but exact enumeration varies by list and century, and scholars are still working out how the canon formed. Treat any seller's exact "88" as a marketing count, not a church decree.
No major-publisher edition exists. These are the real listings on Amazon — each verified. Read the honesty box before you buy.
"The Complete Ethiopian Bible In English 81 Books" — Mikael Desta et al. (ISBN 9798287686420)
Caution: the listing shows only ~237 pages — a complete 81-book translation cannot fit in ~200 pages, so expect abridgment.
"The Complete Orthodox Ethiopian Bible in English" — Covenant Sacred Press
Caution: no scholarly flagship English edition exists; verify the contents, translation method, and completeness before buying.
"The Ethiopian Bible in English – Complete Large Print Edition" — Isaac Tekle
Caution: the listing's own description calls it "a summary version of the 88 Ethiopian canonical books, simplified" — an introduction, not a full translation.
"Ethiopian Bible in English Complete 88 Books | Large Print Restored Edition" — Michael A. Tesfaye
Caution: the listing advertises "nearly 300 pages" for all 88 books — necessarily condensed.
"Ethiopian Bible in English: All 88 Books Including Meqabyan, Enoch, Jubilees and Apocrypha" — Samuel Abraha (hardcover).
Confirmed to exist on Amazon (Mar 2026 listing), but no stable verbatim product URL could be confirmed — search the title on Amazon. Third-party listings describe 530+ pages with Doré illustrations.
There is no complete free English read-online of the full 81-book Ge'ez canon. These cover the two most famous extra books — both in R. H. Charles's 1917 public-domain translations. Meqabyan and Josippon have no public-domain English translation.
Well-established: this is the broadest biblical canon in Christianity; it is preserved in Ge'ez; 1 Enoch and Jubilees are genuinely ancient (Dead Sea Scrolls fragments of Enoch; Jude quotes Enoch).
Thin: the exact historical process by which the canon formed, and precise book counts across centuries — enumeration varies by list and century, so beware anyone selling certainty.
Each guide asks a plain question, presents the major positions, names common ground, and marks the point where interpretation moves beyond the bare wording.
Move from background to language to biblical-theology threads, then practice the method yourself.
Application comes last, not first. A verse belongs to a paragraph, a book, an audience, and the Bible’s larger story before it becomes a slogan.
Familiar sayings can sound biblical without being in Scripture—or quote a real verse while leaving its subject behind.
Bring your questions, discoveries, and convictions. This is a place for careful reading, honest disagreement, and fellowship around Scripture.
Threaded topic conversations for passages, translations, theology, and study questions.
A quicker room for conversation in the moment.
Last updated: October 2026
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Every book, every chapter, every verse — full text in 35 public-domain translations across 11 languages, plus the Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and Syriac originals, a dedicated Torah view, the Ethiopian Orthodox canon, and ancient Christian writings. Free, no account, works offline after your first visit.