Testaments of Abraham Collection

By Scriptural Research Institute

In the early Christian era a number of Testaments of the Partiarchs circulated in Jewish and Christian communities, the foremost being the Testaments of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The other major testaments were grouped together as the Testaments of the Twelve, which included the Testaments of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Joseph, and Benjamin. These testaments were widely accepted by the early Christian churches, and continue to form part of the Armenian Bible. The books were popular in Western Europe during the Middle Ages, when they were generally considered authentic ancient Jewish texts. Critical analysis in the 16th century changed the view of Protestants and Catholics, as scholars at the time came to the belief that the texts were written in the early Christian era, likely in Greek. Subsequently the texts fell out of favor in most parts of Europe. However, Hebrew fragments of the Testaments of the Patriarchs were discovered in the 20th century among the Dead Sea Scrolls, proving the texts were originally written in Aramaic and Hebrew. The current academic view is that there was a simpler Hebrew Jewish version that was then updated in the early Christian era by Greek speakers that added the Christian prophesies.

The 1st Testament of Abraham is the Christian version of the Testament of Abraham, a Christianized version of the 2nd Testament of Abraham. The designation of 1st and 2nd were determined by early Christian scholars, who decided that the 2nd version was a corrupted version of the 1st version. Modern scholars have come to the conclusion that the 1st version was a Christianized version of the older 2nd version, which itself was likely a Jewish version, originally written in Aramaic or Hebrew. One of the reasons that the 2nd version is considered older, is because it has survived in a number of languages, including Greek, Coptic, Old Slavonic, Arabic, Ge'ez, and Romanian, while the 1st version has only survived in Greek and Romanian.

The 2nd version has also been considered scripture by several Churches and Israelite groups, including the Coptic Church in Egypt, Beta Israel in Ethiopia, and Beta Abraham in Sudan. The Testament of Abraham was also quoted by Origen circa 200 AD, and later in the Qur'an, showing it's significance to the people of the Middle East in the early Christian era. It is generally accepted that Origen was quoting the 1st version, meaning the text had already been Christianized by his time, however, the final paragraph is believed to be a later addition by an Orthodox cleric some time after the Council of Nicene in the 4th-century.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Scriptural Research Institute
• Release date: Dec 30, 2019
• ISBN: 9781989604755

Book preview

1st Testament of Abraham - Chapter 1

ABRAHAM LIVED THE LENGTH of his life, nine hundred and ninety-five years, and having lived all the years of his life in quietness, gentleness, and righteousness. The righteous one was exceeding hospitable, for, pitching his tent in the cross-roads at the oak of Mamre, he received everyone, both rich and poor, kings and rulers, the maimed and the helpless, friends and strangers, neighbors and travelers, all alike did the devout, all-holy, righteous, and hospitable Abraham entertained. Even on him, however, there came the common, inexorable, bitter lot of death and the uncertain end of life. Therefore the god Iaw,¹ summoned his archangel Michael,² and said to him, "Go down, chief-captain Michael, to Abraham and speak to him concerning his death, that he may set his affairs in order, as I have blessed him to be like the stars of the sky, and like the sand of the sea-shore, and he is in abundance of long life and many possessions and has become exceeding rich. Beyond all men, moreover, he is righteous in all goodness, hospitable and loving to the end of his life, but go, archangel Michael, to Abraham, my beloved friend, and announce to him his death and assure him of this, ‘You will at this time leave from this vain world, and will leave the body, and go to your lord among the