The 81-Book (or 88-Book) Canon
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church possesses the largest and most expansive biblical canon in Christendom. While a standard Protestant Bible has 66 books and a Catholic Bible has 73, the Ethiopian canon contains 81 books (and sometimes up to 88 depending on how they are counted and divided).
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
This includes highly unique books found nowhere else, such as:
The Book of Enoch (Metsihafe Henok)
The Book of Jubilees (Kufale)
1, 2, and 3 Meqabyan (Ethiopian Maccabees—completely distinct from the Catholic/Orthodox Books of Maccabees)
The Broader Canon texts like the Sinodos, Didascalia, and the Clement literature (mostly used in the New Testament).
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
The Commercial “Complete” English Editions
If you search online retailers (like Amazon or ), you will see several recently published volumes titled “The Complete Ethiopian Bible in English” or “The 88 Books Canon.”
While these print editions are highly popular and convenient, there are a few important caveats to keep in mind:
Compilation, Not a Brand New Translation: Most of these commercial prints are compilations. They take standard public-domain English translations for the standard Old and New Testaments (like the King James Version), combine them with established scholarly English translations of Enoch and Jubilees (such as R.H. Charles’ 19th-century translations), and then add English translations of the rarer books like Meqabyan.
Independent Publishers: These single-volume books are almost exclusively compiled by independent publishers rather than being commissioned or officially authorized by the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
Scholarly and Individual Translations
If you are looking for accuracy, scholars have painstakingly translated the unique Ethiopic (Ge’ez) source texts into English over the last century. You can find excellent, highly reliable translations of the individual parts:
The Unique Pseudepigrapha: The translations of 1 Enoch and Jubilees by R.H. Charles or George W.E. Nickelsburg are widely respected and available.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church Efforts: The Ethiopian Orthodox Church itself has published English translations of their Liturgy, the Didascalia, and various individual books, often intended for diaspora communities in the West.
Summary
If you want to read the entire Ethiopian Bible in English, you can buy a compiled single-volume edition today, or you can read a standard Bible alongside individual scholarly translations of Enoch, Jubilees, and Meqabyan. Just be aware that a single, unified translation officially stamped by the Ethiopian Patriarchate as the definitive English version doesn’t exist in the way something like the ESV or NIV does for Western Bibles.
The Old Testament (46 Books)
The Ethiopian Old Testament contains all 39 books of the Protestant Bible, plus the books found in Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Bibles (the Apocrypha/Deuterocanon), and several completely unique texts.
The Standard Protocanon (39 Books)
These books are identical in content to Western Bibles, though the Ethiopian Church sometimes counts or groups them slightly differently (e.g., combining Ezra and Nehemiah, or splitting Proverbs into separate sections).
Genesis to Deuteronomy (The 5 Books of Moses): Creation, the patriarchs, the Exodus from Egypt, and the giving of the Law.
Joshua to Esther (The Historical Books): The conquest of Canaan, the era of the Judges, the rise and fall of the Israelite kingdoms, exile, and return.
Job, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs: Wisdom literature and poetry. (Note: The Ethiopian Book of Psalms includes the extra Psalm 151, a short psalm celebrating David’s victory over Goliath).
Isaiah to Malachi (The Prophets): The major and minor prophets warning Israel, predicting the exile, and foretelling the Messiah.
The Deuterocanon & Eastern Orthodox Additions (10 Books)
These are accepted by Catholics and/or Eastern Orthodox Christians, but are excluded from Protestant Bibles.
Tobit: A narrative about a pious blind Israelite and his son, Tobias, who is guided by the angel Raphael to cure his father and defeat a demon.
Judith: The story of a courageous Jewish widow who saves her city from an invading Assyrian army by assassinating their general, Holofernes.
Wisdom of Solomon & Sirach (Ecclesiasticus): Deep philosophical and theological wisdom poetry focusing on righteousness, creation, and moral living.
Baruch & The Letter of Jeremiah: Prophetic warnings and letters sent to the Jewish exiles in Babylon, emphasizing the vanity of idols.
1 Esdras & 2 Esdras (also known as 3 & 4 Ezra): Apocalyptic and historical accounts of the Babylonian exile, focusing heavily on Ezra’s mourning and his visions of God’s eventual justice.
Unique Ethiopian Old Testament Additions (6 Books)
These books are entirely unique to the Ethiopian canon and cannot be found in Western Bibles.
The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch): An expansive apocalyptic text detailing the “Watchers” (angels who fell to earth, married humans, and bred giants), Enoch’s journeys through heaven and hell, and powerful prophecies of a cosmic Messiah called the “Son of Man.”
The Book of Jubilees: Often called “Little Genesis,” it retells the history of the world from Creation to the Exodus. It reframes the stories in strict 49-year cycles (“Jubilees”) and introduces a detailed solar calendar.
1 Meqabyan (1 Ethiopian Maccabees): Not the same as the Greek Maccabees. It tells the story of a man named Meqabyan and his sons who choose brutal torture and martyrdom over worshipping the idols of a pagan king.
2 & 3 Meqabyan (2 & 3 Ethiopian Maccabees): Further theological expansions on the themes of 1 Meqabyan, focusing heavily on the rewards of the righteous dead, the necessity of fasting and prayer, and how God operates his justice over long timelines.
4 Baruch (The Paralipomena of Jeremiah): A narrative focusing on Ebed-Melek, the Ethiopian eunuch who saved Jeremiah from a cistern. He falls into a miraculous 66-year sleep and awakens to find the Babylonian exile ending.
The New Testament (35 Books)
The Ethiopian New Testament contains the 27 standard books shared by all Christians, plus 8 additional books dealing with early church order, law, and apostolic letters.
The Standard New Testament (27 Books)
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John: The four Gospels recording the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Acts of the Apostles: The history of the early Church and the spread of Christianity.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
The Epistles (Romans to Jude): 21 letters written by Paul, Peter, John, James, and Jude addressing theology and church life.
Revelation: John’s apocalyptic vision of the spiritual war and the final renewal of creation.
Unique Ethiopian New Testament Additions (8 Books)
These books are heavily rooted in what scholars call the “Apostolic Constitutions”—ancient Christian texts detailing how the church should be structured and governed.
The Sinodos (4 Books): A massive compilation of church law, traditionally split into four sections (Ser`atä Seyon, Te’ezaz, Gessew, and Abtelis). It outlines the rules for priests, the ordering of communion, fasting days, and includes ancient legal rulings from the early church councils.
1 & 2 Covenant (Metsihafe Kidan): Highly sacred texts framed as discourses delivered by Jesus to his disciples after his Resurrection, instructing them on church administration, church design, and the management of the sacraments.
Ethiopic Clement (Qelementos): A unique text attributed to Clement of Rome, claiming to record hidden apocalyptic revelations given to the Apostle Peter regarding the end of the world.
The Didascalia (Didesqelya): A book of church order detailing the duties of bishops, widows, and orphans, fasting regulations, and proper Christian conduct within the community.
The Broader Canon Supplement
Josippon (Yosëf Wäldä Koryon): Though sometimes counted separately, this massive 8-part historical text chronicles the history of the Jewish people from the fall of Babylon up to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 AD. It is heavily based on the writings of the Jewish historian Josephus.