Digital Edition of the Coptic Old Testament Digital Edition of the Coptic Old Testament

Project Description

The Digital Edition of the Coptic Old Testament is a long-term project at the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Lower Saxony. It fills a huge lacuna, as no modern edition of the Bible in Coptic exists. The project aims to provide a complete documentation of the manuscript evidence, digital editions of all OT manuscripts, critical editions of all OT books, corpus-linguistic analyses and translations into English, German and Arabic.

Aims and Methodology

Codicological and textual reconstruction of all extant witnesses to the Coptic-Sahidic Old Testament
Standardised system for naming Coptic biblical codices
Development of digital tools for the Coptic Bible / Coptic literature

Digital Workflow

Outcomes

A List of Coptic Biblical Manuscripts (in cooperation with S. Richter and K. Schröder, INTF Münster)
Digital editions (diplomatic & critical) and translations of the OT
Huge corpus of digitised texts for the lexicography, dialectology and linguistic history of Ancient Egyptian
With cooperation partners:
- a digital edition and information gateway for the entire Coptic Bible
- a virtual library of Coptic literature and manuscripts
- integrated digital linguistic analysis and lexicography tools
  - an annotated corpus of the Sahidic Old Testament created from our Basetext is available on the website of our partner project Coptic Scriptorium
- digital text re-use and digital stylometry research

Publications

Albrecht, Felix. 2018. “Zur Wirkungsgeschichte des Septuagintapsalters im ägyptischen Christentum. Die griechisch-koptischen Bilinguen.” In Die Septuaginta. Geschichte, Wirkung, Relevanz, edited by M. Meiser, WUNT 405, Tübingen, 481–95.

––––––. 2019. “The Septuagint Minor Prophets. Greek Tradition and Textual Variation.” In Les Douze Prophètes dans la LXX. Protocoles et procédures dans la traduction grecque. Stylistique, poétique et histoire, edited by C. Dogniez and P. Le Moigne, Vetus Testamentum. Supplements 180, Leiden: Brill, 99–112.

Albrecht, Felix, and Margherita Matera. 2017. “Testimonianze di παράγραφοι ‘a coda ondulata’ in alcuni manoscritti Greci e Copti.” Νέα Ῥώμη. Rivista di ricerche bizantinistiche 14: 5–35. URL: http://nea-rhome.uniroma2.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/nr14_albrecht-matera.pdf.

Albrecht, Felix, and Alin Suciu. 2017. “Remarks on a Coptic Sahidic Fragment of 3 Kingdoms, Previously Described as an Apocryphon of Solomon.” Journal of Biblical Literature 136: 57–62. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=A999M56C.

Atanassova, Diliana. 2016. “Die Zuweisung des sahidischen Ezechiel-Fragmentes BnF Copte 131(8) f. 127 zu seinem ursprünglichen Kodex sa 2041.” Journal of Coptic Studies 18: 1–5. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=S789ZSW9.

––––––. 2018. “Neue Erkenntnisse bei der Erforschung der sahidischen Quellen für die Paschawoche.” In Ägypten und der Christliche Orient. Peter Nagel zum 80. Geburtstag, edited by Frank Feder, Heike Behlmer, and Ute Pietruschka, Texte und Studien zur Koptischen Bibel 1, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 1–37. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=KUAYISU2.

––––––. 2019a. “Neues Blatt aus der Bodleian Library für den Psalterkodex sa 2033 (BC sa 101).” Digital Edition of the Coptic Old Testament. August 22. URL: http://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/blog/-/blogs/neues-blatt-aus-der-bodleian-library-fur-den-psalterkodex-sa-2033-bc-sa-101-.

––––––. 2019b. “Sechs neue Blätter für den Psalmenkodex sa 2055 (BC sa 33) – Teil 1.” Digital Edition of the Coptic Old Testament. September 26. URL: http://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/blog/-/blogs/sechs-neue-blatter-fur-den-psalmen-kodex-sa-2055-bc-sa-33-teil-1-.

––––––. 2019c. “Sechs neue Blätter für den Psalmenkodex sa 2055 (BC sa 33) – Teil 2.” Digital Edition of the Coptic Old Testament. October 8. URL: http://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/blog/-/blogs/sechs-neue-blatter-fur-den-psalmenkodex-sa-2055-bc-sa-33-teil-2.

––––––. 2019d. “Sechs neue Blätter für den Psalmenkodex sa 2055 (BC sa 33) – Teil 3.” Digital Edition of the Coptic Old Testament. October 9. URL: http://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/blog/-/blogs/sechs-neue-blatter-fur-den-psalmenkodex-sa-2055-bc-sa-33-teil-3.

Behlmer, Heike. 2017. “The Use of the Psalms in Shenoute’s Tractate He Who Sits Upon His Throne.” In From Gnostics to Monastics. Studies in Coptic and Early Christianity in Honor of Bentley Layton, edited by David Brakke, Stephen J. Davis, and Stephen Emmel, Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 263, Leuven: Peeters, 315–30. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=VM5YVJ4D.

––––––. 2020a. “Paul de Lagarde und die Geschichte der (Göttinger) Ägyptologie.” In Der Nachlass Paul de Lagarde. Orientalistische Netzwerke und antisemitische Verflechtungen, edited by Heike Behlmer, Orell Witthuhn, and Thomas L. Gertzen, Europäisch-jüdische Studien – Beiträge 46, Berlin, 69–80. URL: https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110615463

––––––. 2020b. “Vorwort.” In Der Nachlass Paul de Lagarde. Orientalistische Netzwerke und antisemitische Verflechtungen, edited by Heike Behlmer, Orell Witthuhn, and Thomas L. Gertzen, Europäisch-jüdische Studien – Beiträge 46, Berlin, 5–8. URL: https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110615463

––––––. 2021. “Debatten um heilige Schriften im ägyptischen Christentum.” In Lesen, Deuten und Verstehen?! Debatten über Heilige Text in Orient und Okzident, edited by Sebastian Günther and Florian Wilk, SERAPHIM 10, Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 110–20. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=YMPTEQCI.

––––––. 2022. “Paul de Lagarde, Agapius Bsciai and the History of Coptic Bible Research.” In The Rediscovery of Shenoute. Studies in Honor of Stephen Emmel, edited by Anne Boud’hors, David Brakke, Andrew Crislip, and Samuel Moawad, Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 310, Leuven-Paris-Bristol, CT: Peeters, 123–35. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=YQXARP52.

Behlmer, Heike, and Frank Feder. 2017. “The Complete Digital Edition and Translation of the Coptic Sahidic Old Testament. A New Research Project at the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities.” Early Christianity 8: 97–107. doi: https://doi.org/10.1628/186870317X14876711440169. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=VMH398P3.

Behlmer, Heike, Frank Feder, and Ute Pietruschka, eds. 2015. Digitale Edition der koptisch-sahidischen Septuaginta. Fragestellungen und Herausforderungen. Beiträge zur internationalen Tagung vom 26./27. April 2013 im Koptischen Kloster der Jungfrau Maria und des Heiligen Mauritius in Höxter-Brenkhausen, Halle. URL: http://menadoc.bibliothek.uni-halle.de/id/1453421.

Behlmer, Heike. 2017. “Differentiating Lexical Borrowing According to Semantic Fields and Text Types: A Case Study.” In Greek Influence on Egyptian-Coptic: Contact-Induced Change in an Ancient African Language (DDGLC Working Papers 1), edited by Eitan Grossman, Peter Dils, Tonio Sebastian Richter, and Wolfgang Schenkel, Lingua Aegyptia Studia Monographica 17, Hamburg: Widmaier Verlag, 457–78. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=A7W4UFI7.

Behlmer, Heike, and So Miyagawa. 2022. “Quotative Index Phrases in Shenoute’s Canon 6: A Case Study of Quotations from the Psalms.” In Uses and Misuses of Ancient Mediterranean Sources: Erudition, Authority, Manipulation, edited by Chiara Meccariello and Jennifer Singletary, SERAPHIM 12, Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 101–16.

Behlmer, Heike, Orell Witthuhn, and Thomas L. Gertzen, eds. 2020. Der Nachlass Paul de Lagarde. Orientalistische Netzwerke und antisemitische Verflechtungen, Europäisch-jüdische Studien – Beiträge 46, Berlin. URL: https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110615463

Elhage-Mensching, Lina. 2020a. “The Arabic Pen Trial in the Sahidic Holy Week Lectionary of the Bodleian Library.” Journal of Coptic Studies 22: 69–93. doi: 10.2143/JCS.22.0.3287546.

––––––. 2020b. “A Coptic Folio Finds Its Way Back Home: New Insights into BnF, Copte 129.19, Folio 85.” Digital Edition of the Coptic Old Testament. February 11. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/blog/-/blogs/a-coptic-folio-finds-its-way-back-home-new-insights-into-bnf-copte-129-19-folio-85.

––––––. 2020c. “A Sahidic-Arabic Paper Fragment in the Michigan Collection.” Digital Edition of the Coptic Old Testament. February 19. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/blog/-/blogs/a-sahidic-arabic-paper-fragment-in-the-michigan-collection.

––––––. 2020d. “On an Uncommon Arabic ‘probatio Pennae’ in Codex Sa 292L.” Digital Edition of the Coptic Old Testament. May 20. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/blog/-/blogs/on-an-uncommon-arabic-probatio-pennae-in-codex-sa-292l.

––––––. 2020e. “Eusebian Tituli Psalmorum in the Coptic Psalter Codex Sa 2033.” Digital Edition of the Coptic Old Testament. December 21. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/blog/-/blogs/eusebian-tituli-psalmorum-in-the-coptic-psalter-codex-sa-2033.

Feder, Frank. 2015. “Zur Geschichte der Erforschung der koptischen Septuagintaübersetzung.” In Digitale Edition der koptisch-sahidischen Septuaginta (I), Fragestellungen und Herausforderungen: Beiträge zur internationalen Tagung vom 26./27. April 2013 im Koptischen Kloster der Jungfrau Maria und des Heiligen Mauritius in Höxter-Brenkhausen, edited by Heike Behlmer, Frank Feder, and Ute Pietruschka, The Middle East Virtual Library, Halle: Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Sachsen Anhalt. URL: http://menadoc.bibliothek.uni-halle.de/id/1453421.

––––––. 2016a. “1.4.2 Coptic Translations.” In Textual History of the Bible. The Hebrew Bible, Vol. 1A: Overview Articles, edited by Armin Lange and Emanuel Tov, Leiden & Boston: Brill, 331a–45. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=VZCFGSU6.

––––––. 2016b. “Rez. zu: Schüssler, Karlheinz, Das sahidische Alte und Neue Testament. 2010.” Orientalistische Literaturzeitung 111: 310–14. doi: 10.1515/olzg-2016-0124. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=I9CM3ITB.

––––––. 2017a. “6–9.2.2.1 Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel.” In Textual History of the Bible. The Hebrew Bible, Vol. 1B: Pentateuch, Former and Latter Prophets, edited by Armin Lange and Emanuel Tov, Leiden & Boston: Brill, 665a–71. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=WCFC9DI4.

––––––. 2017b. “Koptische Bibelfragmente der Berliner Papyrussammlung IV - Ein ausgesondertes (?) fragmentarisches Blatt mit Hiob 2,13; 3,1-7 und 3,7-10.” In Ägypten begreifen - Erika Endesfelder in memoriam, edited by Frank Feder, G. Sperveslage, and F. Steinborn, IBAES 19, Berlin-London, 113–16. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=TB44QYLF.

––––––. 2018. “Ein Pergamentblatt aus dem British Museum zu London (EA 75338) mit Jer 22,4–20.” In Ägypten und der Christliche Orient. Peter Nagel zum 80. Geburtstag, edited by Frank Feder, Heike Behlmer, and Ute Pietruschka, Texte und Studien zur Koptischen Bibel 1, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 77–84. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=I3TR9MPV.

––––––. 2019a. “2.1.6 Coptic.” In Textual History of the Bible. The Deuterocanonical Scriptures, Vol. 2B: 2 Baruch/Jeremiah, 2.1 1 Baruch, edited by Frank Feder and Matthias Henze, Leiden & Boston: Brill, 24a–26b.

––––––. 2019b. “2.4.6 Coptic.” In Textual History of the Bible. The Deuterocanonical Scriptures, Vol. 2B: 2 Baruch/Jeremiah, 2.4 Letter of Jeremiah, edited by Frank Feder and Matthias Henze, Leiden & Boston: Brill, 99a–101b.

––––––. 2019c. “5.7.2.1 Coptic.” In Textual History of the Bible. The Deuterocanonical Scriptures, Vol. 2B: 5 Enoch, 5.7 Excursus: Other Enochic Literature, 5.7.2. 2 Enoch, edited by Frank Feder and Matthias Henze, Leiden & Boston: Brill, 370a–71.

––––––. 2019d. “11.7 Coptic.” In Textual History of the Bible. The Deuterocanonical Scriptures, Vol. 2C: 11 Prayer of Manasseh, edited by Frank Feder and Matthias Henze, Leiden & Boston: Brill, 259.

––––––. 2019e. “12.7 Coptic.” In Textual History of the Bible. The Deuterocanonical Scriptures, Vol. 2C: 12 Psalms 151-155, edited by Frank Feder and Matthias Henze, Leiden & Boston: Brill, 312a–14.

––––––. 2020a. “1.1.6 The Coptic Canon.” In Textual History of the Bible. The Deuterocanonical Scriptures, Vol. 2A: 1 Overview Articles, 1.1 The Canonicle Histories of the Deuterocanonical Texts, edited by Frank Feder and Matthias Henze, Leiden & Boston: Brill, 213a–39.

––––––. 2020b. “1.2.8 Coptic Texts.” In Textual History of the Bible. The Deuterocanonical Scriptures, Vol. 2A: 1 Overview Articles, 1.2 The Textual Histories of the Deuterocanonical Texts, edited by Frank Feder and Matthias Henze, Leiden & Boston: Brill, 424a–35.

––––––. 2020c. “Die ältesten Textzeugen der koptischen Septuaginta-Übersetzung.” In Die Septuaginta – Themen, Manuskripte, Wirkungen. 7. Internationale Fachtagung veranstaltet von Septuaginta Deutsch (LXX.D), Wuppertal 19.-22. Juli 2018, edited by Eberhard Bons, Michaela Geiger, Frank Ueberschaer, Marcus Sigismund, and Martin Meiser, Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 444, Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 643–60.

––––––. 2020d. “Manuscripts Wanting Homes: Early Biblical Manuscripts from Hermoupolis Magna and Antinoupolis.” In Coptic Literature in Context (4th-13th Cent.). Cultural Landscape, Literary Production and Manusript Archaeology, edited by Paola Buzi, Percorsi, Strumenti e Termi Di Archeologia 5, Rome, 93–100. URL: https://www.torrossa.com/en/resources/an/4661856#.

––––––. 2020e. “Review of: Elina Perttilä, Sahidic I Samuel – A Daughter Version of the Septuagint, Göttingen 2017.” Journal of the Septuagint and Cognate Studies 53: 147–57. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=3CE249E2.

––––––. 2022a. “A New Textual Witness of the Sahidic Version of Jeremiah and Its Text Historical Assessment.” In Editing the Septuagint: The Unfinished Task, edited by Frank Feder and Felix Albrecht, De Septuaginta Investigationes 16, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 123–28.

––––––. 2022b. “Eine sahidische Palimpsesthandschrift aus dem Weißen Kloster.” In Sortieren – Edieren – Kreieren: Zwischen Handschriftenfunden und Universitätsalltag. Stephen L. Emmel zum 70. Geburtstag gewidmet, edited by Angelika Lohwasser, Gesa Schenke, and Frank Feder, Aegyptiaca Monasteriensia 8, Aachen: Shaker Verlag, 233–43.

––––––. 2022c. “The Complete Reconstruction and Edition of the Coptic Sahidic Old Testament and Its Relevance for the Textual History of the Septuagint.” In XVII Congress of the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies, Aberdeen 2019, edited by G. R. Kotzé, M.N. van der Meer, and Martin Rösel, Septuagint and Cognate Studies 76, Atlanta: SBL-Press, 61–87.

Feder, Frank, and Felix Albrecht, eds. 2022. Editing the Septuagint: The Unfinished Task, De Septuaginta Investigationes 16, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

Feder, Frank, and Hans Förster. 2015. Biblia Coptica. Die koptischen Bibeltexte. Edited by Karlheinz Schüssler†. Vol. 2. Das sahidische Alte und Neue Testament: sa 181–260. Lfg. 2, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz.

Feder, Frank, and Siegfried G. Richter. 2020. “Reconstructing and Editing the Coptic Bible. The Münster-Göttingen Collaboration for a Complete Reconstruction and Edition of the Coptic Sahidic Bible.” Journal of Coptic Studies 22: 95–100. doi: 10.2143/JCS.22.0.3287547. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=TJAF2CN8.

Lohwasser, Angelika, Gesa Schenke, and Frank Feder, eds. 2022. Sortieren – Edieren – Kreieren: Zwischen Handschriftenfunden und Universitätsalltag. Stephen L. Emmel zum 70. Geburtstag gewidmet, Aegyptiaca Monasteriensia 8, Aachen: Shaker Verlag.

Miyagawa, So, Kirill Bulert, Marco Büchler, and Heike Behlmer. 2019. “Optical Character Recognition of Typeset Coptic Text with Neural Networks.” Digital Scholarship in the Humanities 34 (Supplement 1): i135–41. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/llc/fqz023.

Nagel, Peter. 2020. Das Deuteronomium sahidisch. Nach Ms. BL Or. 7594 der British Library mit dem ergänzenden Text und den Textvarianten des Papyrus Bodmer XVIII und der Handschrift M 566 der Morgan Library & Museum New York, Texte und Studien zur Koptischen Bibel 2, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz.

Pietruschka, Ute, and Ina Hegenbarth-Reichardt. 2018. Koptische Handschriften Teil 6: Die Handschriften der Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin Preußischer Kulturbesitz – Bohairische und bohairisch-arabische Handschriften. Edited by Heike Behlmer, Verzeichnis der Orientalischen Handschriften in Deutschland (VOHD), Band 21,6, Wiesbaden.

Plisch, Uwe-Karsten. 2018. “Der Codex Glazier als Quelle für die Erforschung der koptischen Septuaginta.” In Ägypten und der Christliche Orient. Peter Nagel zum 80. Geburtstag, edited by Frank Feder, Heike Behlmer, and Ute Pietruschka, Texte und Studien zur Koptischen Bibel 1, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 227–32. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=XSM6MIQS.

––––––. 2021. “Wolf-Peter Funk, 1943-2021.” November 3. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/blog/-/blogs/wolf-peter-funk-143-2021-.

––––––. 2022. “Er brachte Og in ihre Mitte. Beobachtungen zur sahidischen Überlieferung des Buches Jesus Sirach.” In Sortieren – Edieren – Kreieren: Zwischen Handschriftenfunden und Universitätsalltag. Stephen L. Emmel zum 70. Geburtstag gewidmet, edited by Angelika Lohwasser, Gesa Schenke, and Frank Feder, Aegyptiaca Monasteriensia 8, Aachen: Shaker Verlag, 441–56. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=Q6IXU8RE.

––––––. 2023. “K 57 – ein neuer Zeuge für den koptisch-sahidischen Jesus Sirach in der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek.” Digital Edition of the Coptic Old Testament. August 2. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/blog/-/blogs/k-57-ein-neuer-zeuge-fur-den-koptisch-sahidischen-jesus-sirach-in-der-osterreichischen-nationalbibliothek.

Schroeder, Caroline T., Heike Behlmer, Elizabeth Platte, Ulrich Schmid, Amir Zeldes, So Miyagawa, and Frank Feder. 2019. “KELLIA Final White Paper.” URL: https://kellia.uni-goettingen.de/downloads/KELLIA-white-paper.pdf.

Slaughter, Laura, Luis Morgado da Costa, So Miyagawa, Marco Büchler, Amir Zeldes, Hugo Lundhaug, and Heike Behlmer. 2019. “The Making of Coptic Wordnet.” In Proceedings of the Tenth Global Wordnet Conference, edited by Christiane Fellbaum, Piek Vossen, Ewa Rudnicka, Marek Maziarz, and Maciej Piasecki, Wrocław: Oficyna Wydawnicza Politechniki Wrocławskiej, 66–175. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=FUJYFVB3.

Suciu, Alin. 2015a. “4 Ezra 5.33–40 in a Bilingual Copto-Arabic Holy Week Lectionary.” Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha 24: 288–300.

––––––. 2015b. “On a Bilingual Copto-Arabic Manuscript of 4 Ezra and the Reception of This Pseudepigraphon in Coptic Literature.” Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha 25: 3–22. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=WBSQKV5N.

––––––. 2017. “3–5.2.2 Coptic Translations.” In Textual History of the Bible. The Hebrew Bible, Vol. 1B: Pentateuch, Former and Latter Prophets, edited by Armin Lange and Emanuel Tov, Leiden & Boston: Brill, 403b–9. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=V9AFVB9P.

––––––. 2018. “Sahidic Biblical Text Found Behind Qur’an Palimpsest.” Digital Edition of the Coptic Old Testament. April 30. URL: http://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/blog/-/blogs/sahidic-biblical-text-found-behind-qur-an-palimpsest.

––––––. 2019. “The Recovery of Two Parchment Leaves Containing Portions of Genesis in Sahidic.” Digital Edition of the Coptic Old Testament. July 9. URL: http://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/blog/-/blogs/the-recovery-of-two-parchment-leaves-containing-portions-of-genesis-in-sahidic.

––––––. 2020. “The Sahidic Tripartite Isaiah: Origins and Transmission within the Coptic Manuscript Culture.” Archiv für Papyrusforschung 66: 377–406. URL: https://coptot.manuscriptroom.com/pdfpreview?id=VN24ZRDQ.