hatsoff

Hey, all.

Just a quick question: I read once that the Armenian translations were useful to scholars trying to reconstruct NT autographs. Apparently they were created very early and kept isolated from RCC influence... or something like that. The problem is, I can't find any resources on the net. Can someone fill me in on the textual significance of the Armenian mss., and maybe help me out with some links on the subject?

Thanks in advance!

Roger Pearse

This isn't something on which I have special knowledge. The following is off the top of my head, and no doubt others will correct me.

Armenian literature in general only dates from the early 5th century. St. Gregory the Illuminator converted the Armenians (314 AD) and associated Christianity very strongly with Armenian national identity -- so much so that Persian attempts to reintroduce Magianism were met with very great resistance. The first Armenian letters were devised by Mesrop (d. 440), one of the "Holy translators", and Armenian literature begins then. Prior to that there was Syriac, then Greek influence.

Much of Armenian literature is translated from Syriac; later from Greek. There was a monastery in Jerusalem of Armenian monks which translated a great deal of Greek literature for use in the old country, and thereby preserved various items otherwise lost in the original language.

All the best,

Roger Pearse

hatsoff

Hmm. If that is the case, then am I mistaken about it being valuable to reconstructing the original texts? Or is it somehow useful as a reflection of the old Syriac?

I really need to read up on all this, but I don't have any resources! Oh, well. Thanks for the input, Roger.

Toto

armenianbible.org/

andrewcriddle

This may be helpful
http://www.skypoint.com/~waltzmn/Versions.html#Armenian

Andrew Criddle

Roger Pearse

I have some very basic notes on Armenian patristic literature online, which may be of help, but I have never had the opportunity to flesh them out.

http://www.tertullian.org/rpearse/oriental/armenian.htm

All the best,

Roger Pearse

Toto

This looks very helpful. It recommends Metzger's The Early Versions of the New Testament: Their Origin, Transmission, and Limitations (or via: amazon.co.uk) (not searchable; there are cheaper copies, and google books has a minimal excerpt.)

There are also references to Armenian texts in Metzger's The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration (or via: amazon.co.uk).