Bible translations into Coptic: Difference between revisions
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To the present day survived about twenty Greek-Coptic diglot manuscripts of the New Testament. |
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Uncial 0100, 0110, 0114, 0129, 0177, 0184, 0200, 0204, 0236, 0237, 0238, 0239, 0275, 0276, 0298. |
Uncial 0100, 0110, 0114, 0129, 0177, 0184, 0200, 0204, 0236, 0237, 0238, 0239, 0275, 0276, 0298. |
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There have been many Coptic versions of the Bible, including some of the earliest translations into any language. Several different versions were made in the ancient world with different editions of the New Testament in all four of the four major dialects of Coptic (Bohairic (northern dialect), Fayyumic, Sahidic (southern dialect), Akhmimic). Partial copies of a number of Coptic Bibles survive. A considerable number of apocryphal texts also survive in Coptic, most notably the Gnostic Nag Hammadi library. Coptic remains the liturgical language of the Coptic Church and Coptic editions of the Bible are central to that faith.
New Testament
Sahidic
The two main dialects, Sahidic and Bohairic, are the most important for the study of early versions of the New Testament. The first translation was made in end of 2d century into Sahidic dialect (copsa) in Upper Egypt, where Greek was less understood. For this reason, the Sahidic is famous in that it was the first major literary development of the Coptic language, as other dialects were soon to follow. This translation was a representative of the Alexandrian text-type. Horner produced a critical edition of Sahidic New Testament in 1911-1924. In the ninth century, Sahidic was gradually replaced by neighbouring bohairic, and disapeared. In 18th century were discovered some manuscripts of the Sahidic translation.[1]
Sahidic translation designated by copsa.
Bohairic
The Bohairic (dialect of Lower Egypt) translation was made a little later, as Greek language was more influented in lower (northern) Egypt. Probably, it was made in the beginning of 3th century. It was a very literally translation, a lot of Greek words, and even some grammar forms (f.e. syntactic construction μεν — δε) were incorporated to this translation. For this reason, bohairic translation is more helpfull in reconstruction early Greek text than any other ancient translation. It should also be noted that the Bohairic translation was influenced by several variables, including the other dialects, primarily Sahidic and Fayyumic. When the patriarchate moved from Alexandria to Cairo in the 11th century the Bohairic was dominant language of the Coptic church. As the official dialect of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Bohairic seems to enjoy a strong relationship with mainly the other dialects, Egyptian Arabic and—as it was for several centuries—Greek. The text is mainly Alexandrian, somewhat influenced by the Western text-type. Bohairic translation designated by copbo.
The original {Old} Bohairic version is well represented by manuscripts. The earliest surviving manuscript of the Gospels is dated A.D. 889 and is held now in the Kingston Frontenac Public Library in Ontario.
More than a hundred of manuscripts have survived. Only two manuscripts have the last twelve verses of Mark. Horner produced a critical edition of Bohairic New Testament in 1898-1905.[2]
Papyrus Bodmer III dated paleographicly to the 4th century is an oldest manuscript of the bohairic version.
Middle Egypt
The only survived witnesses of an Akhmimic, and an Fayyumic Versions are in a fragmentary pieces (designated copakh, and copfay).
Greek-Coptic diglot manuscripts
To the present day survived about twenty Greek-Coptic diglot manuscripts of the New Testament.
Uncial 0100, 0110, 0114, 0129, 0177, 0184, 0200, 0204, 0236, 0237, 0238, 0239, 0275, 0276, 0298.
See also
External links
- Catalogue of the Coptic manuscripts in the British Museum. By W.E. Crum (1905)
- The Coptic (Sahidic) version of certain Books of the Old Testament: from a papyrus in the British Museum (1908)
- The new biblical papyrus, a Sahidic version of Deuteronomy, Jonah, and Acts of the Apostles from MS.Or. 7594 of the British Museum: notes and a collation (1913)
- Liste der koptischen Handschriften des neuen Testaments
- Coptic Bible Bibliography
- Coptic Wikisource (⳿ⲪⲂⲓⲕⲓⲡⲏ̇ⲋⲏ) Proposal
- ⳿ⲪⲂⲓⲕⲓⲡⲏ̇ⲋⲏ (Coptic Wikisource) Development Project, currently in incubator stage.
References
- ^ George Horner, The Coptic Version of the New Testament in the Southern Dialect, otherwise called Sahidic and Thebaic, 7 vols. (1911-1924; repr. Osnabrück: 1969).
- ^ George Horner, The Coptic Version of the New Testament in the Northern Dialect, otherwise called Memphitic and Bohairic, 4 vols. (1898-1905; repr. Osnabrück: 1969).
- "Translations" The Oxford Companion to the Bible
- "Coptic Versions of the Bible" Catholic Encyclopedia
Further reading
- Kurt Aland, and Barbara Aland, The Text Of The New Testament: An Introduction To The Critical Editions and To The Theory and Practice Of Modern Text Criticism, 1995, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
- Bruce M. Metzger, The Early Versions of the New Testament, Clarendon Press, Oxford 1977, pp. 99-152.
- Bruce M. Metzger, B.D. Ehrman, The Text Of The New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption and Restoration, Oxford University Press, 2005, pp. 110-115.