ት Tergwame Greek · Coptic · Ethiopic · Syriac · Armenian · Georgian · Latin

Ethiopic · Apocrypha ·

Sword of the Trinity

Anonymous · betmas

BothSourceEnglish
JSON Dossier
machine-draft · no human review 8 passages · 1,091 words

Work dossier · summary and historical context

Summary

Sword of the Trinity is an anonymous Ethiopic apocryphon preserved in a single 18th–19th century manuscript (EMML 1839) from the Gondar region. The work presents a liturgical structure of daily prayers organized around the seven weekdays, invoking the Trinity for protection and apotropaic purposes. Its internal references to later Trinitarian controversies suggest a terminus post quem of the 5th century, but the Geʿez version cannot be dated before the 14th century on linguistic grounds. The text is not cited in Ethiopian liturgical or canonical collections, indicating limited circulation within the Orthodox Tewahedo tradition.

Sword of the Trinity is significant as a rare example of an Ethiopic apocryphon focused on Trinitarian prayer and apotropaic protection. Its liturgical structure of daily prayers for the seven weekdays reflects a unique devotional practice within Ethiopian Christianity. The work’s limited circulation and survival in a single manuscript highlight the diversity of local religious literature beyond the canonical tradition. It relates to other Ethiopic apocryphal prayers and protective texts, offering insights into popular piety and the use of divine names for spiritual defense.

Historical context

The sole known witness of Sword of the Trinity is EMML 1839, copied in the Gondar region of Ethiopia during the 18th–19th century. No earlier exemplar has been identified, and the Geʿez version cannot be dated before the 14th century based on linguistic evidence. The work’s internal references to later Trinitarian controversies provide a terminus post quem of the 5th century, but the text’s composition in Geʿez likely occurred within Ethiopian monastic or scribal circles. Its absence from known Ethiopian liturgical and canonical collections suggests it was not widely adopted by the Orthodox Tewahedo tradition. The manuscript’s marginalia and variant readings have not been collated, and a critical apparatus is absent, limiting verification of textual emendations. The work’s genre as an apocryphon aligns with other Ethiopic prayer manuals that combine protective and healing functions.

Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded

Annotation and terms

47 commentary units 10 term9 structure7 background6 caution5 reception4 scripture3 transmission2 parallel1 sense 0 derived notes 14 open questions 8 narrative
What the kinds mean

Pipeline notes

  • coverageNo English translation was located by an automated check of the source corpus and one library catalogue. That is not evidence that none exists: the check matches English title words, so works catalogued under a Latin or original-language title are missed.
  • limitThe English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve.
  • registerRegister: apocryphon in Geʿez; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them.
  • structurePassages: 8 narrative.
  • sourceSource edition: betmas — CC BY-SA 4.0 (per file); site footer states NC-SA - treat as NC

Term index

CopticRenderingCountFirst
no glossary terms recorded
LIT2296Sayfas:1 · narrativehigh
Source
The following division into weekdays and the texts of the prayers are taken from unless indicated otherwise. Introduction በስመ፡ ንጽሕፍ፡ መቅድመ፡ ሰይፈ፡ ሥላሴ፡ ዘ፯ ዕለታት፡ ተማኅፀንኩ፡ ብክሙ፡ አብ፡ ወወልድ፡ ወመንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ በከመ፡ አተውክሙ፡ ውስተ፡ ቤተ፡ አብርሃም፡ quoted after Praise for Monday Transmitted as prayer for Monday in . በስመ፡ አብ፡ እነቅህ፨ በስመ፡ አብ፡ ወወልድ፡ ወመንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፤ እትነሣእ፡ በስመ፡ አብ፡ ወወልድ፡ ወመንፈስ፤ አአምን፨ በስመ፡ አብ፡ ወወልድ፡ ወመንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፤ Transmitted as prayer for Monday in and . The following incipit and explicit are given according to . ዝንቱ፡ ስመ፡ ሥላሴ፡ ግሩም፡ ማኅተመ፡ ሕይወት፡ ለምዕመናን፨ ወማኅተመ፡ መንሱት፡ ለረሲዓን፡
English
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God. I write the beginning of the Sword of the Trinity of the seven weekdays. I have taken refuge in you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as you entered into the house of Abraham. In the name of the Father. I arise. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. I stand up in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. I believe. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. This is the name of the glorious Trinity, the seal of life for the faithful, and the seal of destruction for the wicked.
LIT2296Sayfas:2 · narrativemedium
Source
በዝንቱ፡ ስመ፡ ሥላሴ፡ ማኅፀን፡ ከመ፡ ይክፍሉኒ፡ ሥሉስ፡ ቅዱስ፨ እንተ፡ ይእቲ፡ ደብተራ፡ ጽድቅ፡ ለዓለመ፡ ዓለም፡ አሜን፨ Transmitted as prayer for Monday in and . The following incipit and explicit are given according to . በስመ፡ አብ፡ ወወልድ፡ ወመንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ ፩ አምላክ፡ አአምን፡ በስመ፡ አብ፡ ወወልድ፡ ወመንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ ፩ አምላክ፡ እትመኃፀን፨ በስመ፡ አብ፡ ወወልድ፡ ወመንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ ፩ አምላክ፨ በቅድስት፡ ሥላሴ፡ እንዘ፡ አአምን፡ ወእትመኃፀን፡ እክህድከ፡ ሰይጣን፨ ለዓመ፡ ዓለ፡ አሜን፨ አአትብ፡ ገጽየ፡ በምዕዛረ፡ ገጹ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር፨ አአትብ፡ ዘመንየ፡ በምዕዛረ፡ ዘመኑ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር፡ ዘአልቦ፡ ጥንት፡ ወኢተፍጻሚት፡ ለዓለመ፡ አሜን፨ Part of the prayer for Monday, the first verse is identical in and , then possibly diverging. ሰላም፡ ለአብ፡ ነቅዓ፡ ዘይት፡ ምሕርት፡ ጥሉል።
English
In this name of the Trinity, the sanctuary, as the Holy Trinity may grant me. It is the book of righteousness for ever and ever, amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, I believe. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, I take refuge. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God. In the Holy Trinity, while I believe and take refuge, I deny you, Satan. For ever and ever, amen. I turn my face toward the face of the Lord. I turn my time toward the time of the Lord, who has no beginning and no end, for ever, amen. Peace to the Father, a spring of oil, mercy abundant.
LIT2296Sayfas:3 · narrativemedium
Source
Part of the prayer for Monday, following . The beginning in and is not identical, but very similar. በስመ፡ አብ፡ መለኮተ፡ ሥላሴ፡ ፍጽምት፡ አሐቲ፡ ስምረት፡ ወሠለስቱ፡ አካል፡ በዋህድ፡ ጽምረት፡ ፩ መንበር፡ በ፩ ህላዌ፡ Described as explicit of as prayer for Monday in , transmitted for Tuesday in . The following complete text is given according to , where it is transmitted for Monday. አአምን፡ አንሰ፡ በባሕርየ፡ ስሙ፡ ለአብ፡ ዘይሴባሕ፡ ቦቱ፡ ወልድ፡ ወይትዌደስ፡ መንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ አአምን፡ አንሰ፡ በባሕርየ፡ ስሙ፡ ለወልድ፡ ዘይትቄደስ፡ ቦቱ፡ አብ፡ ወይትባረክ፡ ቦቱ፡ መንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ አአምን፡ አንሰ፡ በባሕርየ፡ ስሙ፡ ለመንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ ዘኅቡረ፡ ተአኵቶ፡ ምስለ፡ አብ፡ ወወልድ፡ ዘንተ፡ ሥላሴ፡ እንዘ፡ አአምን፡ ወአትመኃፀን፡ እክህደከ፡ ሰይጣን፡ ለዓለመ፡ ዓለም፡ አሜን፨
English
I believe, I, in the nature of the name of the Father, who is praised, He is the Son, and the Holy Spirit is glorified. I believe, I, in the nature of the name of the Son, who is sanctified, He is the Father, and the Holy Spirit is blessed, He is. I believe, I, in the nature of the name of the Holy Spirit, who is united in conjunction with the Father and the Son. This Trinity, while I believe and confess, I deny you, Satan, for ever and ever, amen.
LIT2296Sayfas:4 · narrativehigh
Source
Praise for Tuesday Transmitted as prayer for Tuesday in . ኦአብ፡ ፍጽምየ፨ በመለኮተ፡ ስሉስ፡ ቅዱስ፨ አኃትም፡ ከዋላየ፡ በመለኮተ፤ ሥሉስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ አኃትም፡ የማንየ፡ በመለኮተ፤ ሥሉስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ አኃትም፡ ጸጋምየ፡ በመለኮተ፤ ሥሉስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ The following explicit is taken from . አኃትም፡ ፍናውየ፡ ወህላዌየ፡ ከመ፡ ኢይቅረቡኒ፡ መናፍስት፡ ርኩሳን፡ ወበዝ፡ ዓለም፡ በሕይወትየ፡ ወበዘይመጽእ፡ ዓለም፡ እምድኅረ፡ ሞትየ፡ ለዓለመ፡ ዓለም፡ አሜን፨ The following incipit and explicit are taken from . እሰግድ፡ ለአብ፡ ወወልድ፡ ወመንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ ለ፫ ፩ ወለዝ ፩ ፫ ቱ፡ እንበለ፡ ብዕድና፡ በሥላሴ፡ ግፅዋን፡ ወእኁዛን፡ በሥልጣን፡ አብ፡ በገጹ፡ ፩ ውእቱ፡ ምስለ፡ ወልድ፡ እንዘ፡ ንብል፡ ቡሩክ፡ አብ፡ ቅዱስ፡ ወቡሩክ፡ ወልድ፡ ቅዱስ፡ ቡሩክ፡ መንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ ሥላሴ፡ ፍጹመ፡ ናመልክ፡ ቦቱ፡ ወናመልክ፡ ሎቱ፡ ለዓለመ፡ ዓለም፡ አሜን፡
English
Praise for Tuesday Transmitted as prayer for Tuesday in . O Father, my completion, in the divinity of the Holy Trinity. O my crown, in the divinity of the Holy Trinity. O my right hand, in the divinity of the Holy Trinity. O my grace, in the divinity of the Holy Trinity. The following explicit is taken from . O my face and my form, that unclean spirits may not approach me, in this world in my life, and in the world that is to come after my death, for ever and ever, Amen. The following incipit and explicit are taken from . I bow to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, to the Three in One, and to this One in Three, without separation, in the Trinity, strong and united, in the authority of the Father, in his face, He is one with the Son. While we say, Blessed Father, Holy, and Blessed Son, Holy, Blessed Holy Spirit, the perfect Trinity, we worship Him, and we shall worship Him for ever and ever, Amen.
LIT2296Sayfas:5 · narrativehigh
Source
Transmitted as part of the prayers for Tuesday in most manuscripts and as prayer of Wednesday in . The following incipit and explicit are taken from . አብ፡ ወወልድ፡ ወመንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ ሥሉሳን፡ በገጽ፡ ኅቡራን፡ በራዕይ፡ ወበገጽ፡ ግጽዋን፡ በስም፡ ዕሩያን፡ በመንግሥት፡ ወጽልመትሰ፡ ኡይረክቦ፡ ወኢይቀርቦ፡ ተማኅፀንኩ፡ በዝንቱ፡ ቃል፡ ቡሩክ፡ ዘአስተርአያ፡ ለማርያም፡ በአምሳለ፡ ገብርኤል፡ መልዓክ፡ ከማሁ፡ አስተርአየኒ፡ ሊተ፡ ለገብርከ፡ ለዓለመ፡ ዓለም፡ አሜን፨ The following incipit and explicit are taken from . አብ፡ ወወልድ፡ ወመንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ ፫ አካል፡ ፩ መለኮት፡ እሙንቱ፡ ኢየሐፅፁ፡ ወኢይፈደፍዱ፡ ኢይውኅዱ፡ ወኢይበዝኁ፡ ኢይትፈለጡ፡ ወኢይበዓዱ፡ በዝንቱ፡ ህላዌ፡ ሥላሴ፡ ተማኅፀንኩ፡ ወአማኅፀንኩ፡ ነፍስየ፡ ወሥጋየ፡ ከመ፡ ያሥጥሙኒ፡ ሥሉስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ በቀላየ፡ ምሕረቶሙ፡ ለዓለመ፡ ዓለም፡
English
Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, Trinity in countenance, united in vision and in countenance, equal in name, in kingdom. And darkness shall not reach him nor approach him. I have taken refuge in this blessed word which was revealed to Mary in the likeness of Gabriel the angel. As it was revealed to him, so it was revealed to me, to your servant, forever and ever. Amen. Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, three persons, one divinity. They are not divided, nor do they separate; they are not mixed, nor do they multiply; they are not parted, nor do they distance themselves. In this existence of the Trinity, I have taken refuge and I have caused my soul and my body to take refuge, that the Holy Trinity may immerse me in the basin of their mercy, forever and ever.
LIT2296Sayfas:6 · narrativehigh
Source
Praise for Wednesday Transmitted as prayer for Wednesday in . አብ፡ ወወልድ፡ ኅቡረ፡ ሀልዎቶሙ፡ ሥሉስ፡ በተገጽዎቶሙ፤ አብ፡ ወወልድ፡ ወመንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ በጽማሬ፡ ሥሉስ፡ በዝንቱ፡ ሥላሴ፡ ኅቡር፤ ተማህፀንኩ፡ ወአማህፀንኩ፡ ነፍስየ፡ ወሥጋየ፡ ከመ፤ ይምሐሩኒ፡ ወይሣሃሉኒ፡ ሥሉስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ በእንተ፡ ሥላሴሁ፡ ሊተ፡ ለገበርከ፡ Praise for Thursday Transmitted as prayer for Thursday in . አብ፡ ወወልድ፡ ወመንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ በግጻዌ፡ ሥሉስ፡ በሥላሴ፡ ዋህድ፡ አምላክ፡ ፫አዕማደ፡ ብርሃን፡ ፩አምጣኖሙ፡ ወ፩ስኖሙ፡ ፫መባርቅት፡ ፩ንጥረ፡ መለኮት፡ በዝንቱ፡ ስመ፡ ሥላሴ። ተማኅፀንኩ፡ ከመ፡ ይክፍለነ፤ ለሥሉሥ፡ ቅዱስ፡ እምተሳትፎ፡ ቅዱሳን፤ እንተ፤ ይእቲ፡ ደብተራ፡ ጽድቅ፡ ጽዮን፡ ለገብርከ፡ Praise for Friday Transmitted as prayer for Friday in .
English
Father, and Son, united in their existence, Trinity in their countenances; Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, in their form, Trinity. In this united Trinity, I have taken refuge and I have entrusted my soul and my body, so that the Holy Trinity may have mercy on me and forgive me, because of its Trinity, for me, your servant. Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, Trinity in their manifestation, in the Trinity, one God, three pillars of light, one their measure and one their rank, three flashes of lightning, one essence of divinity. In this name of the Trinity, I have taken refuge, so that he may grant us a portion of the Holy Trinity from the participation of the saints, which is the tablet of righteousness of Zion, for your servant.
LIT2296Sayfas:7 · narrativemedium
Source
አይ፡ ልሳን፡ ወአይ፡ ከናፍር፡ ዘይክል፤ ነቢበ፡ ዕበየ፡ ክብሩ፡ ለሥላሴ፤ አይ፤ ልቡና፤ ወአይ፡ ሰሚዕ፡ ዘይክል፡ አእምሮ፤ ህላዌሁ፡ ለስላሴ፡ ስብሐት፡ ለእግዚአብሔር፡ ጠቢብ፡ በምክሩ፡ ስብሐት፡ ለእግዚአብሔር፡ ሰብእ፡ ወመላእክት፡ ዘኢየአምርዎ፤ ለምክሩ፡ ወለምሥጢሩ፤ ለዓለመ፤ ዓለም፤ አሜን፨ Praise for Saturday Transmitted as prayer for Saturday in . ሰላም፡ ለፍቅረ፡ መለኮት፤ በትስብእቱ፤ ዘጾመ፡ እንበይነ፡ ዚአሁ፡ አርአያሁ፤ ከመ፡ የሀበነ፤ ሰላም፡ ለፍቅረ፡ መለኮት፡ ዘይጼአን፡ ላዕለ፡ ኪሩቤል፡ በትስብእቱ፡ ተፅዕነ፡ ዲበ፡ ዕዋል፤ ግናይ፡ ወቡራኬ፤ ስባሔ፡ ወዝማሬ፡ ይደሉ፡ ለሥላሴ፡ በሰማይ፤ ወበምድር፡ በየብስ፡ ወበባሕር፤ ዲበ፡ ኵሉ፡ ፍጡር፡ ወግቡር፡ ላዕለ፡ ክሡት፤ ወስውር፨ መባሕተ፡ ኩነኔ፡ ይደሉ፡ መለኮት፤ አብ፤ ወወልድ፤ ወመንፈስ፤ ቅዱስ፤ ለገብርከ፡ Praise for every day ( ዘዘወትር፡
English
No tongue, no lips are able to narrate the greatness of the glory of the Trinity; no mind, no hearing is able to comprehend the existence of the Trinity. Praise to God, wise in His counsel; praise to God, man and angels, who do not know His counsel and His mystery, for ever and ever. Amen. Praise for Saturday. Salutation to the love of the Godhead, in His humanity, who fasted before His own likeness, as He gave us; salutation to the love of the Godhead, who descends upon the Cherubim in His humanity, alighting upon the altar. Hymn and blessing, praise and song are due to the Trinity in heaven and on earth, on dry land and on the sea, over every creature and creation, over the hidden and the secret. The abundance of judgment is due to the Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for Your servant. Praise for every day (daily).
LIT2296Sayfas:8 · narrativemedium
Source
Transmitted as prayer for every day in . ይትባረክ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ አብ፡ ወላዴ፡ ወልድ፡ ቅዱስ፤ ይትባረክ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ወልድ፡ አብ፡ ዋህድ፡ ይትባረክ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ጰራቅሊጦስ፡ መንፈሰ፡ አብ፡ ወወልድ፡ ስብሐት፡ ለሥላሴ፡ አብ፡ ወወልድ፡ ወመንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ ለሥላሴ፡ ምልዕት፡ በኵለሄ፤ ለሥላሴ፡ ይደሉ፡ ስባሄ፡ ሥላሴ፤ ዕውቅ፤ በሱራኄ፡ አድኅኖ፡ ወዕቀቦ፡ ለገብርከ፤ Praise for Sunday Transmitted as prayer for Sunday in . አኃሥሥ፡ ጽቅቀ። እምኀቤከ፡ ኦቀመረ፡ ጽድቅ፡ አኃሥሥ፡ ጥበበ፡ እምኔከ፡ ኦሙዳየ፤ ጥበብ፡ ወበደኃሪት፤ ዕለት፡ ትባልሕ፡ እሞት፤ ወታወርስ፡ መንግሥተ፡ ሰማያት፤ ለገብርከ፡
English
Blessed is the Lord God the Father, Begetter of the Son, the Holy One; blessed is the Lord God the Son, Father, the One; blessed is the Lord God the Paraclete, Spirit of the Father and the Son. Praise to the Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Spirit; to the Trinity, full in all things; to the Trinity, it is fitting to praise the Trinity; wise in His counsel, salvation and protection for Your servant. Praise for Sunday I seek the righteousness of the covenant from You, O priest of righteousness; I seek wisdom from You, O giver of wisdom. And on the last day, it will pass away from death and will cause Your servant to inherit the kingdom of heaven.
Citation. Tergwame, “Sword of the Trinity”, LIT2296Sayfas:1, machine-draft, 2026. https://naxiai.com/christian/works/LIT2296Sayfas#s1
Colophon. Source: betmas · licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (per file); site footer states NC-SA - treat as NC · model: deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor · provider: Relace · cost: $0.0050 · generated 2026-11-15.