Bible translations into Albanian

The history of Bible translations into the Albanian language can be divided into early and modern translations.

Albanian priest Gjon Buzuku translated selected Scripture portions into Albanian which were printed in 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 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 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 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 as well as portions of the Old Testament (Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, The Psalms, The Proverbs, and Isaiah). His work 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.

Don Simon Filipaj worked with the Belgrade office of the United Bible Societies (UBS) to produce a Bible translation in Albanian. The New Testament was published in 1977, which makes it the first New Testament in modern Albanian. One of the translation Consultants 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.

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