6th century's manuscript has been found.

[Guri]

I think this news would be very interesting for those who love God's word. 

The manuscript is in old Georgian language (in Asomtavruli [ასომთავრულზე]).

 

Sources:  

https://caucasushistory.ru/2618-6772/article/view/1466

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330458832_GEORGIAN-ARABIC_PALIMPSEST_FROM_DAGESTAN_BRIEF_REPORT

 

https://tvkultura.ru/article/show/article_id/343128/?fbclid=IwAR1W9mpe8eFNhXUm-OhoCQBqvyUpxIIoTmpSH4nv6B7A2czoF6CCqN108mg

[carlos]

Thanks, Guri.

 

Can you read this, or Georgian has changed too much over the centuries?

[Guri]

29 minutes ago, carlos said:

Thanks, Guri.

 

Can you read this, or Georgian has changed too much over the centuries?

Asomtavruli is oldest Georgian writing. Today only scholars can read it. 

[carlos]

Fascinating!

 

The oldest complete manuscripts we have of the Greek Scriptures (Sinaiticus and Vaticanus) are from the 4th century. (There exist a few older fragments, but they only have a verse or two, so not very useful for translation.) This Georgian manuscript is from the 6th century, not too long after those.

 

This document is a palimpsest. That means that it was reused. Someone in the 11th century needed to write down some text in Arabic and parchment was expensive, so they took this old book, scraped the old text away and used it. Fortunately, the former text did not disappear completely and can still be read today. This can be appreciated in the picture that comes with the article.

Edited April 4, 2019 by carlos

[Guri]

37 minutes ago, carlos said:

Fascinating!

 

The oldest complete manuscripts we have of the Greek Scriptures (Sinaiticus and Vaticanus) are from the 4th century. (There exist a few older fragments, but they only have a verse or two, so not very useful for translation.) This Georgian manuscript is from the 6th century, not too long after those.

 

This document is a palimpsest. That means that it was reused. Someone in the 11th century needed to write down some text in Arabic and parchment was expensive, so they took this old book, scraped the old text away and used it. Fortunately, the former text did not disappear completely and can still be read today. This can be appreciated in the picture that comes with the article.

Carlos,

 

Yes, it is fascinating indeed. The old Georgian translations are in some ways very accurate. If this Georgian translation were made from the text that contained God’s name (in any form), this newly found Georgian translation may have used it. I say so because, for instance, John 8:58 in Old Georgian (Adysh Gospel) is rendered this way: «Before Abraham came to be, I was». (See Rbi8, appendix 6F).  

 

Anyway, if this new finding becomes available in English or some Georgian scholar will render in modern Georgian, it will be very interesting to read how the Bible verses been translated.