GEORGIAN was one of the earliest languages into which the Bible was translated, along with Armenian, Coptic, Latin, Syriac, and others. Old Georgian manuscripts of the Gospels, the letters of Paul, and the Psalms have been dated to the mid-fifth century C.E. or even earlier. In the following centuries, the translating and copying of the Bible into Georgian increased, resulting in several versions.a

The Bible strongly influenced the literature and traditional values of the Georgian people. For example, the tragic story of Queen Shushanik, likely written in the late fifth century, includes quotations from and allusions to various passages of the Bible. In his epic poem Vepkhvistqaosani (The Knight in the Panther’s Skin), composed about 1220, poet Shota Rustaveli alluded to Christian moral values. He wrote on themes such as friendship, generosity, and love for strangers​—values that are still considered moral ideals among the Georgian people.