Work dossier · summary and historical context
The Geʿez text titled ካልእት መልእክተ ጳውሎስ ኀበ ጢሞቴዎስ (Second Epistle of Paul to Timothy) is an Ethiopic version of the canonical New Testament letter. The edition (betmas) provides the Geʿez text without critical apparatus, translation, or commentary, and its manuscript basis is unspecified. The work is traditionally attributed to Paul and dated to c. 64–67 CE, but this is not independently verifiable from the edition. The text includes a chapter heading and subtitle not found in the canonical Greek version, and it incorporates apocryphal or hagiographic elements, such as a reference to Laodicea and an emphasis on apostolic ordination. It is part of the Ethiopic Orthodox Tewahedo Church's canon.
This Geʿez version of 2 Timothy is significant for studying the reception of the Pauline corpus in the Ethiopian Christian tradition, particularly the incorporation of apocryphal details and liturgical emphases. It relates to broader questions of biblical translation, canon formation, and the adaptation of New Testament texts in non-Greek contexts. The edition's lack of critical apparatus limits its use for textual criticism but highlights the need for further manuscript study.
The Geʿez translation of 2 Timothy likely originated within the Aksumite or post-Aksumite Ethiopian Christian tradition, probably between the 4th and 7th centuries CE, when the Geʿez Bible was translated from Greek (and later Syriac or Arabic) sources. The Ethiopic Orthodox Tewahedo Church received the Pauline epistles as part of its broader New Testament canon, which was finalized in the Geʿez tradition by the medieval period. The edition (betmas) does not specify its manuscript basis, but the text reflects a transmission history that includes both canonical and apocryphal elements, as seen in the reference to Laodicea and the ordination motif. The work was copied and transmitted in monastic scriptoria, often as part of larger biblical codices. The lack of a critical apparatus means the relationship to the Greek Vorlage and the extent of later editorial additions remain unclear.
Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded
| Coptic | Rendering | Count | First |
|---|---|---|---|
| no glossary terms recorded | |||