The Elbasan Gospel Manuscript is an 18th-century collection of translations from the New Testament into Albanian . Although the author is mainly known as the Anonymous of Elbasan ( Albanian : Anonimi i Elbasanit ), according to Mahir Domi and Robert Elsie the linguistic and historical evidences indicate to be the work of Gregory of Durrës . On the cover's verso with the same ink as the text, something has been written in a different script, which has been interpreted by a historian as ‘Theodoros Bogomilos / Papa Totasi’, although this tentative interpretation isn't universally accepted. For this reason the work is sometimes attributed to Totasi as the owner, if not the creator of the manuscript.
29-612: The work is presumed to be the oldest work of Albanian Orthodox literature and the first Bible translation into Albanian . According to Elsie, the manuscript was created in 1761, soon before Gregory became the Metropolitan (archbishop) of the Archdiocese of Durrës (1762–1772). The archdiocese's see was then in the St. Jovan Vladimir's Church , in Shijon near Elbasan , central Albania . The manuscript
58-694: A Protestant seminary , finishing the translation of The New Testament in the Tosk and Gheg dialects. He was helped by Nikolla Serreqi from Shkodër with the Gheg version of the Testament. Nikolla Serreqi was also the proponent for the use of the Latin alphabet, which had already been used by the early writers of the Albanian literature and Kristoforidhi embraced the idea of a Latin alphabet. He went to Tunis , where he worked as
87-557: A faithful, word-for-word translation that is understandable for the Albanian people. In 2000, Albanian linguist Vladimir Dervishi (1958-2010) produced a New Testament translation called the CHC ( Christian Heritage College ) Version and is based on Nestle-Aland 's Novum Testamentum Graece with comparisons from the Textus Receptus . In 2000, the Jehovah's Witnesses ' New World Translation of
116-670: A teacher until 1865, when a representative of the British and Foreign Bible Society contracted him to work for the company to produce Bible translations into Albanian . He published in 1866 the first Gheg translation of the four gospels and the Acts of the Apostles ; for the many years to come, he continued his work, publishing in the Tosk and Gheg dialects The Psalms (1868, 1869); The New Testament (1879, 1869), Genesis and Exodus (Tosk, 1880); Deuteronomy (Tosk, 1882); The Proverbs and
145-457: Is composed of 30 unnumbered folios, 59 pages of biblic translations and has 10×7 cm format. The script used is the Elbasan script , which consists of forty letters, most of them completely original, and not derived from any language spoken in the regions neighboring Albania. However, according to Dhimitër Shuteriqi and Mahir Domi , there is some Slavic and Greek influence in the remainder of
174-484: Is presented in various formats including the "Bibla e Studimit" (The New Thompson Study Bible , Albanian version 2009). In websites and apps this version is accessed as "ALBB Albanian Bible." This text is copyright the Albanian Bible Society (ABS) although it is misleadingly labelled as public domain on various websites. This translation was published by Botime Çabej MÇM. According to the version's foreword,
203-529: Is true and faithful to the original languages, is clear and natural sounding and in modern standard Albanian, and is not theologically biased to any denominational interpretations. It is accepted across all the denominations. It is available in print and online in the YouVersion app and other platforms. It was published by the Interconfessional Bible Society of Albania also engages in reproducing
232-572: The New Testament into Albanian for the first time in the Gheg Albanian dialect in 1872. He also provided a translation in Tosk Albanian in 1879 thereby improving the 1823 tosk version of Vangjel Meksi . By providing translation in both dialects, he has the merit of founding the basis of the unification of both dialects into a national language. He was born in Elbasan and from 1847 studied at
261-639: The Zosimea Greek college in Ioannina , where he became friends with Johann Georg von Hahn by helping him learn Albanian and write a German-Albanian dictionary . In 1856 or 1857 he joined a Protestant church in Izmir after his conversion to Protestantism, thus becoming the first known Albanian Protestant. He went to Istanbul in 1857, and drafted a Memorandum for the Albanian language . He stayed in Malta until 1860 in
290-676: The Albanian language. Cosmas of Durrës, previously Cosmas of Kition moved to Elbasan in 1682 and stayed there until his death in 1702. He was initially the igumen of the Archbishopric of Ohrid , and since 1694 the Metropolitan of Durrës, thus being called Cosmas of Durrës. His stay in Elbasan is well documented. Bible translations into Albanian The history of Bible translations into Albanian can be divided into early and modern translations. Albanian priest Gjon Buzuku translated selected Scripture portions into Albanian which were printed in
319-747: The Book of Isaiah (Tosk, 1884). Kristoforidhi became a member of the Central Committee for Defending Albanian Rights (founded 1877) which was a group of Albanian intelligentsia based in Istanbul advocating for the territorial integrity and unity of Albanian inhabited areas in the Ottoman Empire. During the Great Eastern Crisis , Kristoforidhi criticized some League of Prizren notables and viewed their actions as being based on self interest, preservation of
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#1732858736622348-640: The Christian Greek Scriptures was released in Albanian ( Shkrimet e Shenjta Përkthimi Bota e Re ); the entire New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures in Albanian was released in 2005. According to the JW website their Bible translations are translated from English. In 2007, Shërbimi Informues Biblik (SHIB) produced a text of the New Testament reportedly based on the 1912 German Luther Bibel. It
377-516: The New Testament in 1821 with the support of the British and Foreign Bible Society . This work was edited by bishop Gregory IV of Athens . The book of Matthew was published in 1824 and the full New Testament in the Tosk form of Albanian in 1827, in both a full volume and a split two-volume set because "the Albanians had the custom of carrying their books with them near their heart." An Albanian Translation of
406-657: The Transcript was done by Dr. Thoma Qendro. The book was printed and published in spring of 2016 by SHBSHA. Kostandin Kristoforidhi translated the New Testament into Albania's two dialects, of Gheg and Tosk. The New Testament in Gheg was published in 1872, and the New Testament in Tosk in 1879, and he also translated portions of the Old Testament into Tosk (Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, The Psalms, The Proverbs, and Isaiah). His work
435-674: The country's president and people. This version which was a dynamic equivalent translation similar to the English Good News Bible or German Gute Nachricht translation is now out of print. In 2003 this was reprinted by the Albanian Interconfessional Bible Society. In 1993, the Albanian Bible Society finished work on a translation of the complete Old Testament and by 1994 they finished the entire Bible. The Society had been preparing literature with Biblical content since 1974 and originally published its Bible with
464-560: The earliest known Albanian versions or portions of the Bible. The BiblaPRO version (" P ërkthimi i R i i Biblës nga O rigjinali", or "New Translation of the Bible from the Original") is currently in translation and seeks to fulfill three aims: 1) to be true and faithful to the original languages in both semantic and stylistic aspects; 2) to be as clear and flowing as possible within the boundaries of today's standard Albanian; and 3) to be faithful in
493-538: The first known Albanian book, The Missal ( Meshari ), composed in the Gheg dialect of Albanian. The Apostolic Library in the Vatican holds the only known copy of the book. Dr. Thoma Qendro prepared the Biblical text from Buzuku's Missal for the Albanian Interconfessional Bible Society's reprint in 2010. Earlier attempts have been recorded such as the 18th century Elbasan Gospel Manuscript . Vangjel Meksi translated
522-540: The letters. The Elbasan Gospel Manuscript is the only document where the Elbasan script has been retrieved so far. The manuscript was purchased shortly before or around World War II by politician Lef Nosi , who was the owner of a remarkable personal library, and a notable collector. It was confiscated from him by the communist regime in 1945. It is now preserved in the National Archives of Albania . The albanologist and translator Injac Zamputi (1910–1998) transcribed
551-523: The manuscript, after which the Elbasan Gospel was published in Standard Albanian for the first time. The origin was traced back to the village of Polis near Librazhd . Polisi back then was part of the wider Shpat region in today's Elbasan county , and its population had converted to Islam in early 19th century. A more recent inquiry gives indication that Cosmas of Durrës (1643–1702) might be
580-658: The name "Lajmi i Mirë" (LIM). The work was translated from the Italian text of the Textus Receptus -based Nuova Diodati Revision 1991 and checked against the original languages and the English King James Version. By 2002 the Society produced a revision of the New Testament which was "completely revised and compared in detail with the original text." This version continues to circulate widely among evangelical churches and
609-454: The potential author of the document, or at least of the alphabet. This was first pointed out by the Greek scholar Charalampos Minaoglou (2013), followed further by Yll Rugova (2022). The hypothesis is based on a contemporary witness Anastasius Michael (c.1675–1725) who claimed in a publication circa 1710 that the well known Cosmas, at the time residing in Elbasan, has devised a new alphabet for writing
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#1732858736622638-556: The presentation of theological content and historical/cultural information. It will be offered in both an interlinear (the first of its kind in Albanian) and a standard reading version, in both print and electronic formats. Kostandin Kristoforidhi Kostandin Nelko (22 May 1827 – 7 March 1895), known as Kostandin Kristoforidhi , was an Albanian translator and scholar. He is mostly known for having translated
667-570: The sultan's power and "Muslim dominance" instead of the national interest. He viewed the development of the Albanian language as important for the preservation of the Albanian people and devoted much of his lifetime toward studying and recording the language by traveling throughout Albania to collect material. The result of those endeavours was his most important work, The Dictionary of the Albanian Language ( Greek : Λεξικόν της Αλβανικής Γλώσσης ) – ( Albanian : Fjalori i Gjuhës Shqipe ),
696-410: The textual basis is the Textus Receptus but also makes use of Nestle-Aland 's Novum Testamentum Graece for several passages. Lea Plumbi-Frenzcke translated it with the help of Biblical Greek scholars. The literary editing was done by Gjergj Zheji. The language is slightly Tosk and the proper names reflect that ( Joani instead of Gjoni , etc.). The stated purpose of this translation was to make
725-666: Was Dayrell Oakley-Hill who had served in Albania with the Gendarmerie in the 1930s. In 1994, Drita re-produced Dom Simon Filipaj's Bible which includes the Apocrypha . The version is used by Albanian Roman Catholic churches. In 1993, European Christian Mission produced the first bound copy of the entire Bible in Standard Albanian, prepared by Stephen Etches. Bible smuggler Brother Andrew came personally to Albania to present this Bible to
754-610: Was also supported by the British and Foreign Bible Society. These works are being reprinted by the Albanian Interconfessional Bible Society in a ten volume set which includes Kristoforidhi's Albanian Grammar (1882) and manuscript facsimiles. Kristoforidhi's New Testament was revised in 2005. The revision has been prepared by Mr. Thoma Qendro with the blessing of the Archbishop of the Albanian Orthodox Church his grace Anastas and
783-594: Was published by the Interconfessional Bible Society of Albania. Dom Simon Filipaj who was from Montenegro, worked with the Belgrade office of the United Bible Societies (UBS) in Yugoslavia, to produce a Bible translation in Standard Albanian. The New Testament was published in 1977, which makes it the first New Testament in modern Albanian, rather than a dialect like Tosk or Gheg. One of the translation Consultants
812-455: Was then translated from the original Hebrew. As reflected in its title, Së bashku, which means altogether in Albanian, this is "the fruit of the co-operative work of all the Christian confessions present in Albania" i.e. Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox. In websites and apps this version is accessed as "AL Së bashku". The full Bible was completed in 2020, and published in 2022. This translation
841-568: Was translated into Albanian by Marcel Steiner and edited by Kujtim Drizari, and called Besëlidhja e Re, Zëri i Zotit . In 2007, the Albanian Interconfessional Bible Society (or "Shoqëria Biblike," a division of the United Bible Societies ) produced a new translation of the New Testament based on The Greek New Testament, Fourth Revised Edition by the UBS. It was printed with a short concordance and names index. The Old Testament
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