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How do we distinguish between the «Etchmiadzin» and «Ararat» translations of the Bible?
The Bible is one and the same for all Christian churches. There are different translations and different publications of the Bible.
The Bible Society of Armenia (BSA) publishes two translations. One is called "Echmiadzin," and the other "Ararat. The "Echmiadzin" translation is from ancient Armenian (Grabar). The Grabar translation was made in the fifth century partly from Assyrian (Peshitta) and mostly from the Greek Septuagint translation.
The "Ararat" translation was made in the late 19th century, in the Ararat dialect. That is why it is called "Ararat." It is also called the Shushi translation.
The translation "Echmiadzin" was made in 1985-1991 in Holy Etchmiadzin, which is why it is called "Etchmiadzin”. This translation was commissioned by Catholicos Vazgen I and under the supervision of Archbishop Yeznik Petrosyan (Priest Eznik at the time). The best specialists of the time were involved in the translation: Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Andranik Zeytunyan, Aram Ter-Gevondyan, Arshaluis Ghazinyan, Poghos Khachatryan, Pargev Shahbazyan, Yervand Melkonyan, Hakob Keoseyan and others. The translation of "Echmiadzin" was first published in 1994 and then it was periodically reprinted. “Echmiadzin" translation of the BSA (under the leadership of Yeznik Archbishop Petrosyan) was thoroughly revised and after the guarantee of the Special Commission established by the Supreme Spiritual Council of the Armenian Church, was published in 2017 under the title "New Echmiadzin”.
During 2000-2017 the "Ararat" translation was also carefully edited by the BS of Armenia and published in 2018 under the title "New Ararat".
Both translations are endowed with beautiful modern Eastern Armenia language and modern orthography. The translations of "New Echmiadzin" and "New Ararat" have two fundamental differences:
a. "New Echmiadzin" is translated from Grabar, and "New Ararat" is translated from the original languages (Old Testament from Hebrew, New Testament from Greek).
b. In the Old Testament, "New Echmiadzin" has 48 books, and "New Ararat" has 39.
The nine books included in the "New Echmiadzin" are called deuterocanonical books (from the Greek meaning "belonging to the second canon"). These books, though once in Hebrew and later translated into Greek in the 3rd and 2nd centuries B. C. and included in the Septuagint, later were not preserved in the Hebrew Scripture. And since "Ararat" is translated from Hebrew, it has no deuterocanonical books.
Although the followers of the Armenian Apostolic Church prefer "New Echmiadzin", "New Ararat" cannot be rejected.
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The Bible Society of Armenia
Our Addresses՝
Office / wholesale
Zakyan 6/26, Yerevan 0015 RA
(+374 10) 585509
Bookstore՝
Teryan 62 str., Yerevan 0009 RA
(+374 10) 566162
info@biblesociety.am
General inquies
customerservice@biblesociety.am
shopping inquies
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