An ancient Ethiopian Bible has revealed lost words of Jesus after His resurrection, hidden for 2,000 years, offering scholars astonishing insights into early Christian teachings and leaving the world both amazed and challenged by a perspective preserved outside the Western canon.

For nearly two millennia, a passage detailing the words of Jesus after His resurrection remained unknown to the wider world, preserved not in Western biblical texts but in an ancient Ethiopian manuscript older than many scriptures traditionally accepted by the Church.

This remarkable discovery, part of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church’s extensive biblical canon, has prompted scholars to re-examine the manuscript and its implications for understanding early Christianity.

The manuscript, believed to date back to the 5th century CE, is written in Ge‘ez, the ancient liturgical language of Ethiopia, and has been carefully preserved in monastic libraries in the highlands of northern Ethiopia.

It contains texts that were excluded, altered, or forgotten as Christianity spread across empires and became standardized in the Roman world.

Researchers first began analyzing high-resolution scans of the manuscript in 2025, using advanced imaging techniques to study fragile pages without risking damage.

The scans revealed passages that describe Jesus speaking to His disciples after His resurrection, offering guidance and insight not found in the canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.

“This text provides a rare glimpse into a version of early Christianity that developed outside the Roman Empire,” said Dr.Selamawit Alemayehu, a leading scholar on ancient Ethiopian manuscripts.

“The teachings preserved here emphasize personal spiritual growth, forgiveness, and direct connection to God in ways that differ from the narratives widely known in the West.

It challenges the notion that early Christian teachings were uniform.”

The Ethiopian Bible, also known as the Meqabyan, includes a broader canon than Western Bibles, preserving apocryphal books such as Enoch, Jubilees, and others that were excluded during the process of canonization in Europe.

The newly studied passages describing Jesus’ post-resurrection instructions depict intimate conversations with His disciples, highlighting moral and spiritual principles that suggest a more reflective, inward-focused approach to faith.

Scholars believe that these texts may reflect the theological priorities of early African Christian communities, which maintained independent interpretations of Jesus’ teachings.

In one passage, Jesus is shown advising His disciples to embrace patience, cultivate understanding, and strengthen their connection to God, while also emphasizing forgiveness and the pursuit of moral clarity.

“It’s a perspective that adds depth to our understanding of how Christianity developed outside the Roman context,” Dr.

Alemayehu explained.

“These were communities that interpreted and preserved the teachings of Jesus according to their own cultural and spiritual context, and now we can see that richness in detail.”

The implications of these findings are significant.

They provide evidence that early Christian teachings were diverse and that certain aspects of Jesus’ message were preserved in remote regions long after being omitted elsewhere.

Historians are now debating how these texts might influence our understanding of Christian origins, the formation of the canon, and the theological diversity that existed before formal church councils dictated standardized scripture.

Public reaction has been equally intense.

Religious scholars, historians, and enthusiasts worldwide are intrigued by the idea that Jesus’ words were hidden in Ethiopia for 2,000 years, untouched by Western oversight.

Online forums and academic seminars have seen growing discussion about the implications of this discovery, and plans are underway for virtual exhibitions and workshops that will allow broader audiences to explore the manuscripts.

Digital preservation techniques are being employed to make the fragile texts accessible while ensuring their long-term conservation.

The Ethiopian manuscript also highlights the resilience and dedication of monastic communities in preserving religious heritage.

Isolated from the political and cultural pressures that influenced Christianity elsewhere, these monasteries maintained texts that provide alternative insights into early Christian practice, belief, and interpretation.

Their careful stewardship has made it possible for modern scholars to uncover teachings that otherwise might have been lost forever.

While the theological significance of the passages continues to be debated, they undoubtedly expand our understanding of early Christian history and the diversity of voices that existed within it.

The rediscovery of these lost words underscores the importance of looking beyond the familiar canon and considering how local traditions and isolated communities have contributed to the broader history of faith.

As research continues, scholars hope to translate more of the manuscript and provide detailed commentary, allowing the public to engage directly with the text and its context.

The Ethiopian Bible, with its hidden passages, serves as a testament to the complexity, diversity, and resilience of early Christianity, offering new perspectives on the teachings of Jesus and the faith that has endured for millennia.

This extraordinary revelation invites both scholars and believers to reconsider the boundaries of sacred scripture and to explore the teachings of Jesus that remained hidden for two thousand years, preserved in the highlands of Ethiopia, and now finally brought to light.