Bible translations into Slovak


The first known translations of parts of the Bible into Slovak dates to 15th century, although full translations, as an alternative to Bible translations into Czech, date from the year 1756.

John's gospel, 1469

From the year 1469 originates handwritten part of the Bible, written in contemporary Slovak, being John's gospel. It was found in library of Esztergom.

The Camaldolese Bible, 1756

The first vernacular Bibles to enter into use in Slovakia were in Czech, which came to be used among Slovak Protestants. In response the Catholic church arranged for the Camaldolese Benedictines at Červený Kláštor monastery to produce a Catholic Slovak Bible in the 1750s. This translation is accredited to Romuald Hadbavný.

Catholic Bible translation by Juraj Palkovič, 1829 & 1832

This translation is credited to professor Juraj Palkovič. It used Anton's Bernolák Slovak language. It was printed in two parts, first in 1829 and second in 1832. The books full title was Swaté Písmo starého i nowého Zákona: podla obecného latinského od sw. Rímsko-katolíckég Církwi potwrďeného, preložené s Prirownaním ğruntowného Tekstu na Swetlo widané. Ďel prwní, Ďel druhí. W Ostrihome: Josef Beimel, 1829, 1832.

The Roháček version, 1936

A more modern Slovak version was produced by the Lutheran pastor Jozef Roháček in 1936.

Ecumenical translation

In 2008 the Slovak Bible Society published two versions of the Slovak Ecumenical Translation.