The growth and development of the Armenian biblical canon

The Breath of God: A Journey into the Heart of the Armenian Bible

The Armenian people have a beautiful and powerful name for the Holy Bible: Asdvadzashounch (Աստուածաշունչ). This sacred word means “Breath of God,” a name that captures the deep reverence and love that one of the world’s most ancient Christian communities holds for the Holy Scriptures.¹ This is not just any book; it is a living word, inspired and sustained by God Himself.

The Armenian Apostolic Church holds a unique place in the family of God. It was the first nation in history to embrace Christianity as its official state religion in the early 4th century, a courageous step that would shape its destiny forever.⁴ For over 1,700 years, through times of peace and prosperity, and through unimaginable trial and persecution, the Armenian people have been sustained by their faith, a faith nourished and preserved by their own precious Bible.

This article is an invitation to journey into the heart of this sacred tradition. Together, we will walk through the history of how the Armenian Bible came to be, a story of divine inspiration and heroic faith. We will open its pages and discover the spiritual treasures it contains, including books that may be new to many readers in the Western Christian tradition. We will see how this ancient canon compares to others and explore the beautiful story of reconciliation between the Armenian Church and her sister churches. This is more than a history lesson; it is a pilgrimage into the life of a faithful people and the Word of God that has been their fortress and their hope for centuries.

How Did the Armenian Bible, the “Queen of Translations,” Come to Be?

The story of the Armenian Bible is a powerful testament to how God works through history to provide for His people. It was born out of a time of great need, through the faith of a humble monk, and it became the very soul of a nation.

A Nation in Need of God’s Word

In the early 5th century, the nation of Armenia was in a precarious position, caught between the mighty Persian and Byzantine (Roman) Empires.⁵ The Christian faith had taken root, but it struggled to penetrate the hearts of the common people. The reason was simple: the Bible and the church liturgy were in foreign languages, either Greek or Syriac. Only the highly educated elite could understand the Scriptures directly, leaving most Armenians to rely on oral interpretations.² This created a deep spiritual hunger and a pressing need for the people to hear God’s voice in their own tongue.

The leaders of the church and state, including the head of the Catholicos St. Sahak the Great, and King Vrampshapuh, recognized that a unique Armenian identity, rooted in a shared faith, was essential for survival.⁶ They saw that to truly unify the people and strengthen them against outside pressures, the Word of God had to be made accessible to all. The creation of a Bible in the Armenian language was not just a religious project; it was an act of national preservation, a way to build a spiritual fortress that could withstand the storms of history.⁸

A Divinely Inspired Mission: The Story of St. Mesrop Mashtots

God raised up the right man for this monumental task: a devout monk and brilliant scholar named Mesrop Mashtots. Having served in the royal court, Mashtots had left worldly life to become a missionary, and he felt the people’s spiritual thirst firsthand.⁶ He was moved with a holy passion to bring the Gospels to them in a language they could understand and love.

With the blessing of St. Sahak and the king, Mashtots embarked on a spiritual and intellectual quest. He traveled to the great centers of Christian learning, such as Edessa and Samosata, searching for a way to create a written form for the Armenian language.⁶ According to his disciple and biographer, Koriun, this was a journey of deep prayer, fasting, and solitude.⁸ Finally, through what the Armenian tradition has always held to be an act of divine inspiration, St. Mesrop Mashtots was gifted with the vision for a new alphabet. Around the year 405 AD, with the help of a Greek calligrapher named Rufinus, he finalized the 36 letters of the Armenian script, a perfect tool to capture the unique sounds of the language.⁵ This was not merely a human invention; it was seen as a grace-filled answer to prayer, a gift from God for the salvation of his people.⁸

The “Queen of Translations”: A Monumental Work of Faith

With the alphabet secured, the holy work of translation began. St. Mesrop and St. Sahak assembled a team of gifted students, who came to be known as the Surb Targmanichk, the “Holy Translators”.⁶ They were sent to the great Christian cities of the time—Edessa, Constantinople, Alexandria, and Rome—to gather the most authentic and reliable manuscripts of the Bible in both Greek and Syriac.² They were determined to build their translation on the best possible foundation.

The very first sentence translated into the new Armenian script reveals the spiritual heart of the entire project. It was not from Genesis or the Gospels, but from the Book of Proverbs: “To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding” (Proverbs 1:2).² This choice shows that the goal was not just to transmit information, but to bring the people into a life-changing relationship with God’s wisdom.

The resulting translation of the Bible, completed around the year 434, was a masterpiece of accuracy, clarity, and spiritual beauty. It was so faithful to the best source texts of its day that scholars have called it the “Queen of the Versions”.³ This Bible became the cornerstone of Armenian literature and culture, ushering in a “Golden Age” of learning and faith.⁸ More importantly, it became the anchor of the Armenian soul. By giving the people God’s Word in their own language, St. Mesrop Mashtots and the Holy Translators forged an unbreakable link between faith and identity. The Asdvadzashounch became a spiritual homeland, a fortress that would preserve the Armenian people’s Christian character through centuries of trial and tribulation, even through the horrors of the 20th-century genocide, where faith in Christ was the very reason for their martyrdom.⁴

What Books Are in the Armenian Old Testament That Might Be New to Me?

As you open the pages of an Armenian Bible, you are stepping into a library of sacred texts that is both familiar and wonderfully rich. Like the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, the Armenian Apostolic Church has preserved a fuller collection of Old Testament writings than what is found in most modern Protestant Bibles.¹² These books are known as the Deuterocanonical books, a term meaning “second canon.”

This name does not mean they are less inspired or less important. Rather, it reflects the historical journey of how the Old Testament came together. The early including the Apostles themselves, primarily used a Greek translation of the Old Testament called the Septuagint. This version, translated by Jewish scholars in the centuries before Christ, contained several books that were not in the final Hebrew canon established by rabbinic Judaism much later. Because the Christian Church was born using this broader collection of Scriptures, these books have always been part of the historic Christian Old Testament.¹⁴ The Armenian in its faithfulness to the ancient tradition, has always cherished these books as Holy Scripture, as the “Breath of God”.¹²

Here are the primary deuterocanonical books you will find in the Armenian Old Testament, treasures of wisdom, history, and faith that have nourished Armenian Christians for centuries:  Tobit

• Judith
• Wisdom of Solomon
• Sirach (also known as Ecclesiasticus)
• Baruch
• The Letter of Jeremiah (often included as the final chapter of Baruch)
• 1, 2, and 3 Maccabees
• 1 Esdras (also known as 3 Ezra in some traditions)
• The Prayer of Manasseh

In some ancient Armenian manuscripts and canon lists, you might also find other books like 2 Esdras (4 Ezra) and 4 Maccabees, which shows that the boundaries of the canon were understood with a certain pastoral flexibility for a long time.¹⁶

What Spiritual Lessons Do These Extra Old Testament Books Hold?

These deuterocanonical books are not mere historical curiosities. The Armenian guided by the Holy Spirit, preserved them because they are spiritually beneficial and rich with lessons for our faith journey.¹ They are windows into God’s heart, revealing His wisdom, mercy, and faithfulness in powerful ways.

The Book of Sirach: A Guide to Godly Wisdom

The Book of Sirach, written by a wise scribe named Yeshua ben Sira around 200 BC, is a beautiful collection of teachings on living a life that pleases God.¹⁸ Much like the Book of Proverbs, it is filled with practical advice on everything from family life and friendship to honesty in business. At its heart, Sirach teaches that true wisdom is not just human cleverness, but a gift from God that begins with a reverent “fear of the Lord”.²⁰ It beautifully shows how a life of wisdom is a life lived in joyful obedience to God’s Law, the Torah. The book also contains a magnificent section praising the heroes of Israel’s faith, reminding us of the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us.¹⁹ The Armenian Church has long valued this book for its rich moral and spiritual instruction.²¹

The Book of Tobit: A Story of God’s Providence and Angelic Care

The Book of Tobit is one of the most heartwarming stories in the Bible. It tells of a righteous and charitable man named Tobit, who suffers many trials, including blindness, while living in exile.²² At the same time, a young woman named Sarah is tormented by a demon who has killed her seven previous husbands on their wedding nights.²⁴ Both Tobit and Sarah cry out to God in their despair, and God hears their prayers. He sends the Archangel Raphael, one of the seven holy angels who stand before the Lord, disguised as a human guide.²⁶ Raphael leads Tobit’s son, Tobias, on an adventure-filled journey. Along the way, Tobias learns how to drive away the demon, marries the blessed Sarah, and returns home with a cure for his father’s blindness.²⁷

This beautiful story is a powerful lesson in God’s loving providence. It teaches us that God hears our prayers and is always at work for our good, even when we cannot see it. It reminds us that suffering is often a test of our faith, not a punishment for sin.²⁶ Tobit is also one of the clearest places in Scripture where we learn about the ministry of angels, the importance of filial piety, and the spiritual power of prayer and almsgiving.²⁴

The Book of Judith: A Portrait of Faith and Courage

The Book of Judith is a thrilling and inspiring tale of incredible courage. It tells of how God saved Israel from a mighty Assyrian army through the actions of a single, devout widow named Judith.²⁹ When the enemy general, Holofernes, lays siege to her town of Bethulia and the men of the city are ready to surrender, Judith puts her entire trust in God.³⁰ Using her wisdom, beauty, and daring, she enters the enemy camp, gains the general’s trust, and in a moment of stunning bravery, beheads him in his own tent.³⁰ With their leader gone, the Assyrian army panics and flees, and Israel is saved.

Judith stands as a powerful symbol of what God can accomplish through a faithful soul. She embodies the biblical truth that God often chooses the weak and humble to shame the strong. For centuries, Christians have seen in Judith a model of faith in action and a prefiguration of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who through her own “yes” to God, brought about the defeat of sin and death.³²

The Wisdom of Solomon: A Hymn to Divine Wisdom

This eloquent and deeply theological book was likely written by a Greek-speaking Jew in Alexandria, Egypt.³⁴ It is a powerful meditation on the nature of Divine Wisdom, which it describes in beautiful, poetic language. Wisdom is personified as a pure “emanation of the glory of the Almighty,” a companion of God from all eternity who was present at the creation of the world.³⁴ The book urges the rulers of the earth to seek this Wisdom, which is righteousness, and promises that those who live justly will receive the gift of immortality.³⁵ This book contains some of the clearest teachings on life after death in the Old Testament and has been profoundly influential in Christian theology, helping the Church to understand Jesus as the very Wisdom of God made flesh.³⁷

The Book of Baruch and the Letter of Jeremiah: A Call to Repentance and True Worship

Attributed to Baruch, the faithful scribe of the prophet Jeremiah, this collection of writings offers a powerful message of hope to those in exile.³⁹ It begins with a heartfelt prayer of confession, acknowledging Israel’s sins and pleading for God’s mercy.⁴¹ It then includes a beautiful poem that identifies true wisdom with the Law of God, given to Israel as a precious gift.⁴² Finally, it offers words of tender consolation, personifying Jerusalem as a mother who will one day see her children return.⁴³ The attached Letter of Jeremiah is a fiery and passionate sermon against the foolishness of idolatry, mocking the lifeless statues of pagan gods and calling the people to worship the one, true, living God.⁴⁴ Together, these texts provide a timeless model for repentance, reminding us to turn away from the false idols of our own age and find our hope in God’s unfailing mercy.

The Books of Maccabees: Stories of Faithfulness unto Death

The books of 1, 2, and 3 Maccabees tell the dramatic story of the Maccabean revolt in the second century BC.⁴⁶ During this time, the Greek Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes tried to force the Jewish people to abandon their faith and adopt pagan practices. He desecrated the holy Temple in Jerusalem and outlawed the Torah.⁴⁶ In response, a heroic family of priests, the Hasmoneans (nicknamed the Maccabees), led a rebellion to fight for their religious freedom.⁴⁶

These books are filled with stories of incredible heroism and faith under persecution. In particular, 2 Maccabees contains some of the most explicit teachings in the Old Testament on doctrines that have been cherished by the Armenian, Catholic, and Orthodox Churches for centuries. It speaks clearly of the resurrection of the body, the intercession of the saints in heaven, and the spiritual value of offering prayers and sacrifices for the dead, so that they may be freed from their sins (2 Maccabees 12:43-46).²⁸ The stories of the Maccabean martyrs, especially the mother and her seven sons who chose death over betraying God’s law, have inspired Christians for generations to remain faithful, no matter the cost.⁴⁹

Are There Any Unique Books in the Armenian New Testament?

While the Armenian Old Testament contains a richer collection of books, the New Testament is almost identical to the one used by Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Christians today. It contains the same 27 books, from the Gospel of Matthew to the Book of Revelation.⁵⁰ But the history of the Armenian canon reveals a fascinating story about one other text that was once held in very high regard.

A Special Correspondence: The Third Epistle to the Corinthians

For a major period of its history, the Armenian Church included a text in its New Testament known as the Third Epistle to the Corinthians (or 3 Corinthians).⁵¹ This short work presents itself as a correspondence between the church elders in Corinth and the Apostle Paul, who is writing from prison.⁵³

In the first letter, the Corinthians write to Paul with an urgent problem. Two false teachers, named Simon and Cleobius, have come to their city and are spreading dangerous ideas that contradict the apostolic faith.⁵³ They are teaching that:  The Old Testament prophets should not be used.

• God is not the Almighty Creator of the world.
• There is no physical resurrection of the body.
• Jesus did not truly come in the flesh or was not born of the Virgin Mary.⁵³

In the second letter, Paul writes back, refuting these heresies one by one. He powerfully affirms the core truths of the Christian faith: the authority of the prophets, the goodness of God’s creation, the reality of the incarnation, and the hope of our own bodily resurrection, which is guaranteed by the resurrection of Christ Himself.⁵³

Its Journey In and Out of the Canon

This letter was highly valued in the early Church because it was a clear and forceful defense against Gnostic-like heresies that threatened the faith in the second and third centuries.⁵³ It was so respected that it was included in the Bible of the ancient Syrian Church and was part of the very first translations of the New Testament into Armenian.⁵² We find it listed as canonical by important Armenian Church Fathers, such as Mekhitar of Ayrivank’ in the 13th century and the great St. Gregory of Tatev in the 14th century.¹⁷

But over time, the Church continued its process of discernment. While the letter’s teachings were orthodox, questions about its authorship and origins led to its eventual re-evaluation. Although it was printed in the canonical section of the first Armenian Bible of 1666, by the time of the influential Zohrab Bible of 1805, it had been moved to an appendix.⁵² Today, 3 Corinthians is not considered part of the canonical New Testament by the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The story of 3 Corinthians provides a beautiful illustration of how the biblical canon was formed. It was not a rigid, one-time decision, but a living, Spirit-guided process within the Church. The Armenian Church’s long history with this text shows a tradition that was pastorally responsive, valuing writings that defended the apostolic faith when it was under attack. Its eventual exclusion shows a process of careful and prayerful discernment over many centuries, a process that prioritized long-term, universal reception as the ultimate sign of a book’s canonical authority. This organic development stands in contrast to the popular but mistaken idea that the canon was fixed by a single vote at one council, revealing a much more powerful and historically accurate understanding of how God guided His Church to recognize His Word.

How Did the Armenian Church Decide Which Books Were God’s Word?

One of the most common questions people have about the Bible is how we got the specific collection of books we have today. The history of the Armenian canon offers a clear and beautiful answer, showing that it was not a single event, but a gradual process of prayerful reception by the Church.

Not a Single Event, But a Process of Reception

It is a popular myth, often repeated online, that the books of the Bible were decided by a committee of bishops who took a vote at a council like the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD.⁵⁶ The historical reality is much more organic and Spirit-led. The process of canonization was the over centuries, recognizing which books were truly Asdvadzashounch, the “Breath of God”.⁵⁷

The Church used a few key principles in this process of discernment. Was a book written by an apostle or a close associate of an apostle? Did it agree with the core faith taught by the apostles, known as the “rule of faith”? Most importantly, was the book consistently used in the Church’s worship and accepted by the faithful across the world? In the Armenian tradition, books that met these criteria were deemed ěnduneli (“acceptable”) and were ěnkaleal (“accepted”) into the life of the Church.⁵⁷ The canon wasn’t so much decided by the Church as it was recognized by the which was guided by the Holy Spirit.

Key Witnesses: The Canon Lists

While no single council created the canon, various Church Fathers and local councils did compile lists of the books that were accepted as Scripture in their time. These “canon lists” are like historical snapshots, giving us a window into the process of reception.

The Council of Partaw (c.⁷⁶⁸ AD)

One of the earliest known Armenian councils to issue a canon list was the Council of Partaw.²¹ This council was held at a crucial time in Armenian history. The Armenian Church had recently reaffirmed its distinct theological path following the Council of Chalcedon, which had caused a break with the Byzantine and Georgian Churches.⁵⁹ Defining which Scriptures were authoritative was a natural and necessary part of defining their faith. The list from Partaw is very similar to other ancient Christian lists, affirming the core books of the Old Testament. Interestingly, it gives a special status to the Book of Sirach, recommending it “for the teaching of…children,” which shows a nuanced understanding of canonicity, where some books were valued for spiritual instruction even as their precise canonical status was still being discussed.⁵⁸

Later Fathers and Lists

Over the following centuries, other great Armenian teachers compiled lists that reflected the living tradition of the Church. The lists of Mekhitar of Ayrivank’ (13th century) and St. Gregory of Tatev (14th century) are particularly important.¹⁷ St. Gregory’s list is one of the most expansive in Armenian history, including books like 3 Maccabees and 1 & 2 Esdras.⁶¹ His list is valuable because it reflects the reality of which books were actually being copied by monks into the beautiful, large Bible manuscripts (known as pandects) and being used for study and prayer in the great Armenian monasteries.⁵⁷ This shows the vital link between a book’s use in the life of the Church and its recognition as Scripture.

How Does the Armenian Bible Compare to Other Christian Bibles?

While all orthodox Christian traditions are united in their love for the Holy Bible, the exact list of books in the Old Testament can vary slightly from one ancient church to another. This diversity is not a sign of disagreement on core faith, but rather a reflection of the different manuscript traditions they inherited. The New Testament, But is remarkably consistent, containing the same 27 books across the Armenian, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant traditions.⁵⁰

To help clarify these beautiful variations within the one Christian family, the following table provides a comparison of the Old Testament canons.

Book Name	Armenian Apostolic Church	Catholic Church	Eastern Orthodox Church	Protestant Churches
Protocanonical Books
Genesis to 2 Chronicles	Canonical	Canonical	Canonical	Canonical
Ezra, Nehemiah	Canonical	Canonical	Canonical	Canonical
Esther	Canonical	Canonical	Canonical	Canonical
Job, Psalms, Proverbs	Canonical	Canonical	Canonical	Canonical
Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs	Canonical	Canonical	Canonical	Canonical
Isaiah to Malachi	Canonical	Canonical	Canonical	Canonical
Deuterocanonical Books
Tobit	Canonical	Deuterocanonical	Anagignoskomena	Apocrypha / Not Included
Judith	Canonical	Deuterocanonical	Anagignoskomena	Apocrypha / Not Included
Wisdom of Solomon	Canonical	Deuterocanonical	Anagignoskomena	Apocrypha / Not Included
Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)	Canonical	Deuterocanonical	Anagignoskomena	Apocrypha / Not Included
Baruch	Canonical	Deuterocanonical	Anagignoskomena	Apocrypha / Not Included
Letter of Jeremiah	Canonical	Deuterocanonical	Anagignoskomena	Apocrypha / Not Included
Additions to Daniel	Canonical	Deuterocanonical	Anagignoskomena	Apocrypha / Not Included
Additions to Esther	Canonical	Deuterocanonical	Anagignoskomena	Apocrypha / Not Included
1 Maccabees	Canonical	Deuterocanonical	Anagignoskomena	Apocrypha / Not Included
2 Maccabees	Canonical	Deuterocanonical	Anagignoskomena	Apocrypha / Not Included
1 Esdras (3 Ezra)	Canonical	Not in Canon	Anagignoskomena	Apocrypha / Not Included
3 Maccabees	Canonical	Not in Canon	Anagignoskomena	Apocrypha / Not Included
Prayer of Manasseh	Canonical	Not in Canon	Anagignoskomena	Apocrypha / Not Included
Other Books
2 Esdras (4 Ezra)	In Appendix / Disputed	Not in Canon	In Appendix (Slavonic)	Apocrypha / Not Included
4 Maccabees	In Appendix / Disputed	Not in Canon	In Appendix (Greek)	Apocrypha / Not Included
Psalm 151	In some manuscripts	Not in Canon	Anagignoskomena	Apocrypha / Not Included

What Is the Catholic Church’s Stance on the Armenian Church and Its Bible?

The relationship between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Catholic Church is a beautiful story of healing and rediscovering brotherhood in Christ. For many centuries, these two ancient churches were separated, but in our own time, they have taken historic steps to affirm their shared faith and work toward full communion.

A Story of Reconciliation

The historical division dates back to the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD.⁵⁹ At that time, the Armenian Church was embroiled in a fight for its survival against the Persian Empire and was unable to attend the council.⁶³ Later, when presented with the council’s specific theological language about the two natures of Christ, the Armenian Church had concerns that it could be misinterpreted and chose not to accept it, preferring the language of their own beloved teacher, St. Cyril of Alexandria.⁶⁴ This led to a tragic misunderstanding. The Armenian Church was wrongly labeled “monophysite,” a heresy that teaches Christ had only a divine nature. In reality, the Armenian Church has always believed in Christ’s full humanity and full divinity, united perfectly in one Person—a doctrine they call “miaphysite”.⁶⁴

Healing the Wounds: Common Christological Declarations

In recent decades, guided by the Holy Spirit, the leaders of both churches have worked to heal this ancient wound. A major milestone came in 1996, when Pope St. John Paul II and the late Catholicos Karekin I signed a Common Christological Declaration. They affirmed together that they share the same faith in Jesus Christ, true God and true man. They acknowledged with great humility that the past divisions “were due in large part to misunderstandings” and different ways of expressing the same truth.⁶³ This act of reconciliation was reaffirmed in 2001 during Pope John Paul II’s historic visit to Armenia.¹¹

These declarations are a powerful witness to the world. They show that it is possible to overcome centuries of division through dialogue, humility, and a shared focus on our common Lord, Jesus Christ. This beautiful rapprochement serves as a hopeful model for all Christians who pray for the unity of the Church.

Recognition of Sacraments and Shared Heritage

Because of this shared apostolic faith, the Catholic Church recognizes the validity of the sacraments of the Armenian Apostolic Church.⁶⁷ This means that the Catholic Church believes that when an Armenian priest celebrates the Eucharist or baptizes a child in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Christ is truly present and grace is truly given. This mutual recognition is a powerful sign of brotherhood.

The existence of the Armenian Catholic Church—an Eastern church that is in full communion with the Pope but preserves the ancient and beautiful Armenian liturgy and traditions—shows the deep respect the Catholic Church has for the spiritual heritage of the Armenian people.⁶² Regarding the Bible, since both churches accept the Deuterocanonical books as inspired Scripture, they share a much more similar Old Testament than either does with the Protestant canon, fostering a common biblical worldview.⁵⁰

How Does the Armenian Church Understand the Bible’s Authority?

The Armenian Church’s understanding of the Bible’s authority is rooted in its ancient, Orthodox Christian faith. It begins with that beautiful name, Asdvadzashounch—the “Breath of God”.¹ This affirms that the Bible is divinely inspired and holds the highest place as the written Word of God.

But the Church also teaches that the Bible did not simply fall from heaven as a complete book. God’s ultimate revelation to humanity is not a book, but a Person: His Son, Jesus Christ.³ Jesus founded the Church and filled it with His Holy Spirit. It was this living community of faith, the that wrote the books of the New Testament, preserved the Scriptures of the Old Testament, and, over time, prayerfully recognized the definitive list of canonical books.³

Therefore, the Bible is understood as the pinnacle of Holy Tradition. It is the Word of God, but it is meant to be read and understood within the living faith of the Church that produced it. The Bible is the book of the for the Church. Its true meaning is unlocked through the lens of the Church’s liturgy, the teachings of the great Church Fathers, and the decisions of the holy councils.⁵⁷ This perspective protects the Bible from private misinterpretation and ensures that it continues to be a source of life and truth for the Body of Christ in every generation.

How Can I Read and Appreciate the Armenian Bible Today?

Exploring the riches of the Armenian biblical tradition is a journey that can deepen the faith of any Christian. It connects us to one of the most ancient and resilient branches of our shared family tree and opens our eyes to new dimensions of God’s Word.

For English-speaking readers, the best and most direct way to experience the Armenian canon is through the Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version, Armenian Church Edition. This publication, sponsored by the Armenian presents the books of the Old and New Testaments, including the Deuterocanon, in the order that reflects the Armenian tradition.¹ It is based on excellent modern scholarship and is a wonderful resource for personal study and devotion. Many Catholic Bibles will also contain the deuterocanonical books, making them another good option for those wishing to read these sacred texts.

As you read, it is helpful to do so with a heart open to the spirit of the Armenian Church. Read not just for information, but for spiritual nourishment. See in the stories of Tobit and Judith the unwavering providence of God. Hear in the words of Sirach and Wisdom the call to a life of righteousness. Feel in the history of the Maccabees the call to be faithful even in the face of persecution.

By exploring this sacred heritage, we do more than just learn about another denomination. We connect with our brothers and sisters in Christ across time and space. We enrich our own understanding of God’s vast and wonderful work in the world. And we come to a deeper appreciation for the one “Breath of God” that flows through all of Holy Scripture, uniting us in the one Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.