The Medieval Bible — Eastern Christian Bible
The Armenian Bible
Early fifth century
Mesrop Mashtots and his associates translated Scripture into Armenian after developing an Armenian alphabet.
Full Account
The first translation was connected with Syriac sources, and later revision drew upon Greek manuscripts. Armenian tradition celebrated the resulting age of translation and Christian literature.
The Bible helped unify worship and education in Armenia while preserving readings valuable for textual comparison. Exact responsibility for individual books cannot always be reconstructed.
Historical Significance
The Armenian Bible became foundational to Armenian Christianity, language, literature, and national identity.
People, Places and Sources
- Key people: Mesrop Mashtots; Sahak Partev; Armenian translators
- Key places: Armenia; Edessa; Constantinople
- Languages: Armenian, Syriac, Greek