It usually starts with a single verse.
Maybe a pastor mentions it in passing. Maybe you stumble on it yourself one evening. In the short letter of Jude, near the very end of the New Testament, the writer quotes a prophecy and credits it to a man you have heard of, but never read:
"And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints."
Jude 1:14 (KJV)So you look for the Book of Enoch in your own Bible. It isn't there.
Which raises an uncomfortable question. If the Bible quotes Enoch, why was Enoch left out? The full answer would fill a book, but the short version fits on one page.
Wait, why aren't these books in my Bible?
The early church writer Tertullian defends the Book of Enoch as Scripture, pointing out that Jude quotes it.
Ethiopia becomes a Christian kingdom, centuries before much of Europe. Its church keeps Enoch, Jubilees and other books in its Bible, copied by hand in Ge'ez.
The original King James Bible is printed with the Apocrypha, 14 extra books placed between the Old and New Testaments.
The British and Foreign Bible Society stops funding Bibles that include them. Most English Bibles printed since have left them out.
The Dead Sea Scrolls are discovered at Qumran. Among them are fragments of Enoch and Jubilees, some of the oldest biblical manuscripts ever found.
The complete Book of Enoch still survives in only one ancient language: the Ge'ez of Ethiopia.
Nobody locked these books in a vault. Most Western printers simply stopped including them, while one of the oldest churches on earth never stopped reading them.
So more and more Christians go looking for the Ethiopian Bible. It belongs to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, one of the oldest churches in the world, which has kept Enoch, Jubilees and other ancient books in its canon all along.
And that is where the trouble starts.
The problem with searching for a "complete" Ethiopian Bible
Type it into any online marketplace and you will find page after page of nearly identical covers. Some copy the design of our edition almost exactly.
But put a copy next to the real thing and the differences show up fast: books missing from the table of contents, verses that skip, thin paper that bleeds through, and "bonus" QR codes that lead nowhere.
One reader filmed the difference side by side:
Watch: the official edition next to a copy.
If you are about to order one, or you already have one on your shelf, here is exactly what to check.
The 10-point check
You can run all ten in about a minute with the book in your hands, or before you buy by asking the seller.
Count the books
Red flagFewer than 88 books, even when the cover says "complete"
Official edition88 numbered books, Genesis to the First Epistle of Clement
Find Enoch and Jubilees by name
Red flagMissing, or impossible to find in the contents
Official editionJubilees is Book 16, Enoch is Book 17, Second Enoch is Book 18
Spot-check pages and layout
Red flagMissing pages or passages, and messy, unformatted text
Official editionComplete text in a clean two-column biblical layout
Read the wording
Red flagScripture that has been altered or reworded
Official editionDrawn from faithful English renderings of the Ge'ez manuscripts
Check the divine name
Red flag"Lord" substituted throughout
Official editionThe divine name Yahweh preserved
Feel the cover
Red flagA shiny, glossy cover
Official editionA matte finish
Look at the spine
Red flagA plain spine with words only
Official editionA decorative spine design
Hold a page to the light
Red flagThin paper that bleeds through
Official editionPremium paper designed to minimize bleed-through
Flip to the back
Red flagNo glossary to explain names and terms
Official editionA full glossary of key names, places and terms
Scan the bonus code
Red flagA missing or dead QR code
Official editionA Bonus Guide on page 5 that unlocks audio, video and a digital library
The rule of thumb: if a copy fails even one of these checks, it is not the edition you were promised.
The edition that passes all 10
The Complete Ethiopian Bible in English (Illustrated)
4.6 · 100K+ sold · Amazon Best Seller
- 88 books in one volume
- Enoch, Jubilees, Meqabyan
- Full-page Doré illustrations
- Hardcover, gilded edges
- 100+ hrs audio, 150+ hrs video
- Glossary and expert introduction
We know how that sounds coming from the publisher. So don't take our word for it. Run the ten checks on any copy, including ours. That is exactly why we wrote them down.
Check Today's PriceDon't take our word for it: what an independent reviewer found
Isabella Viora reviewed the Solomon's Gate Press edition for the book site Twin & Tine. This is how she described opening the box:
"What I got instead was a theological earthquake disguised as a hardcover."
And this is what she says it gives a believer:
"If you are a believer, you will encounter texts that deepen your understanding of early Jewish and Christian thought."
"It simply shows you that another tradition exists, equally ancient, equally faithful, and far more complete."
She was honest about one drawback too: she found the print small for older eyes. If that is you, Solomon's Gate Press also publishes a separate Extra Large Print edition. For everyone else, this is the edition she called "far more complete."
A look inside the edition that passed
Here is what you actually hold in your hands. Every photo below is of the real book.
What you will actually read in those 22 extra books
"Lost books" sounds mysterious until you open them. Here is a plain-English preview of what is waiting for you, with each book's number in the table of contents.
Enoch
The Watchers, the Nephilim and Enoch's visions of heaven. This is the book Jude quotes.
Second Enoch
Enoch's journey through the heavens, and the teaching he passes on to his sons.
Jubilees
Genesis and the start of Exodus retold in periods of 49 years, with added detail and dates.
Meqabyan I, II and III
Three books found only in the Ethiopian Bible, on faithfulness under persecution and God's justice. Not the same as Maccabees.
First and Second Esdras
The famous contest of the three guards over what is strongest of all, and Ezra's seven visions.
Tobit
Young Tobias sets out on a journey with a companion who turns out to be the angel Raphael.
Judith
A widow of great faith who saves her city from the general Holofernes.
Wisdom of Solomon and Sirach
Two books of wisdom teaching that the early church read and quoted often.
Prayer of Manasses
The prayer of repentance attributed to King Manasseh, one of the most moving in Scripture.
Psalm 151
David's own short psalm: the youngest son, anointed by God, who faced Goliath.
4 Baruch
The story of Abimelech, who falls asleep for 66 years while Jerusalem is in exile.
Susanna, Bel and the Dragon
Two more stories of Daniel, exposing false accusers and false priests.
First Epistle of Clement
A letter from the church in Rome to Corinth, written around AD 96, one of the oldest Christian writings outside the New Testament.
Want to read them for yourself?
All 88 books in one illustrated hardcover: $98.75 $124.99
What your first month with it can look like
The edition is laid out so you can read the familiar and the unfamiliar side by side. Here is a simple path many readers follow:
Start where it starts
Read Genesis 1 to 6, then Jubilees, the "Little Genesis," which retells the story from creation to Sinai in far more detail.
Find the verse that started it all
Read Jude 14 and 15, then the opening chapter of Enoch. Keep going into the Book of the Watchers.
Read what almost nobody has
Meqabyan I, II and III, three books kept only in the Ethiopian tradition and rarely seen in English.
Keep going on the go
Scan the Bonus Guide on page 5 and continue with audio files, video teachings and the digital library, including 3 Enoch and the Book of Jasher.
"But won't these books contradict my Bible?"
It is the right question to ask, and most readers find the opposite is true. These books sat beside Scripture for centuries in some of the oldest churches on earth. Many of them were printed in the original 1611 King James Bible. And the New Testament itself quotes Enoch.
Read them the way the early church did: with discernment, beside the Scriptures you already trust. Most readers say they fill in history and context they never knew was missing.
"The traditional order of books is maintained with the lost books inserted where they should be. Highly recommended for study."
CVB, reader reviewWho this edition is for (and who should skip it)
It is for you if
- You have always sensed there was more to the story
- You have heard about Enoch and Jubilees and want to read them in context
- You lead or attend a Bible study and want the full canon on the table
- You want to read the Bible of one of Christianity's oldest churches
- You are looking for a meaningful gift for someone who loves Scripture
Skip it if
- You need a small Bible to carry every day. This one is big.
- You need extra-large print. There is a separate Extra Large Print edition for that.
- You want commentary on every page. This edition lets the text speak, with a glossary and an expert introduction.
The honest pros and cons
Pros
- All 88 books in one volume, in English
- Full-page illustrations by Gustave Doré
- Free audio files, video lessons and digital library via QR
- Hardcover with gold gilded edges
- Introduction and conclusion by Rev. Dr. Rance Settle (MDiv, DMin)
- Ordered direct, with real publisher support
Cons
- It is big. This is a Bible for the table, not for your purse.
- Standard-size print. If you need larger type, there is a separate Extra Large Print edition.
What readers are saying
Official edition vs. a typical copy
| Check | Official edition | Typical copy |
|---|---|---|
| Books | 88, numbered | Often fewer |
| Enoch and Jubilees | Included | May be missing |
| Text | Complete, formatted | Missing pages or passages |
| Divine name | Yahweh preserved | "Lord" substituted |
| Cover and spine | Matte, decorative | Glossy, plain |
| Paper | Minimal bleed-through | Thin, bleeds |
| Glossary | Included | Usually none |
| Audio, video, library | Working QR access | Missing or broken |
| Support | From the publisher | Unknown seller |
Get the official edition, the one that passes all 10 checks
Choose your binding and how many copies. Your price updates instantly.
The Complete Ethiopian Bible in English (Illustrated)
4.6 out of 5 · 100K+ sold
- Official Solomon's Gate Press edition
- Bonus audio, video and digital library access included
- Support from the publisher if you ever need help
- Ships within the timeframe shown at checkout, with tracking
Quick answers
Is this the real Solomon's Gate Press edition?
Does it include Enoch and Jubilees?
Hardcover or paperback?
Is it illustrated?
Is the print large?
How do I unlock the bonus audio and video?
What comes with the QR bonus?
Why does this edition cost more than some others online?
What if my copy arrives damaged?
When will my order ship?
The bottom line
If you have read this far, you already know you want the books your Bible left out. The only real question is whether you read them in the edition the publisher stands behind, or take a chance on a copy.
Get the Official EditionP.S. Buying for someone else too? Choose 2 Bibles in the order box and pay $91.75 each. Every copy includes the bonus audio, video and digital library.
"The Ethiopian Bible has the books that I've always heard existed but never found. There are 88 books as opposed to the 66 of a standard Bible... This is a must for anyone interested in reading the true word."
"What makes this edition especially powerful is how it brings together rare and often overlooked writings, such as the Book of Enoch, Jubilees, the Books of Ezra, the Book of Wisdom, and other ancient works that many readers have never had the opportunity to explore in one place."
"I wish I could give this more stars. This Bible is absolutely beautiful. And it is HUGE!!! ... The richness of these ancient texts slowed me down, drew me into prayerful reflection, and helped me feel more connected to God and the early roots of belief."
"I am thrilled to have access to these sacred texts of wisdom. I bought several to give to friends and family. There is so much more to learn. Thank you for doing the hard work of translating, it certainly is a labor of love."
"Very informative and easy to read... The traditional order of books is maintained with the lost books inserted where they should be. Highly recommended for study."
"I absolutely love this bible! It's so easy to read, It's easy to follow."
"Absolutely love it I have dug so deep in the book of Enoch... I definitely suggest if you want to know a different side of the Bible."
"I am so impressed with this bible because it answers question my bible do mot give me about things that happened in the beginning..."
"Love this Bible with all of my heart"