Joshua Bennett
The Catholic Bible is a cornerstone of faith for millions of Catholics around the world. It is a compilation of sacred texts that has undergone significant transformations through translations and revisions to address the evolving needs of the faithful. The Catholic Bible includes several books not found in the Protestant (Christian) Bible, and there is an ongoing debate about whether Catholics added these books or Protestants removed them. The Catholic Bible includes 73 books, including 46 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament, while the Protestant Bible includes only 66 books. These additional books in the Catholic Bible are known as the deuterocanonical books, which include Tobit, Judith, Wisdom (also called the Wisdom of Solomon), Sirach (also called Ecclesiasticus), Baruch, 1 Maccabees, and 2 Maccabees. The deuterocanonical books also include additional passages in the books of Esther and Daniel. The Catholic Church believes these books to be inspired by the Holy Spirit.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of books in the Catholic Bible | 73 |
| Number of books in the Old Testament | 45 or 46 |
| Number of books in the New Testament | 27 |
| Number of additional books in the Catholic Bible compared to the Protestant Bible | 7 |
| Names of additional books | Baruch, Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom (or Wisdom of Solomon), and Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus) |
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What You'll Learn
The Catholic Bible has 73 books
The Catholic Bible typically includes 73 books, comprising 46 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. This is different from the Protestant Bible, which does not include seven books that are present in the Catholic Bible. These seven books are Baruch, Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom (or Wisdom of Solomon), and Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus). These books are referred to as the deuterocanonical books by Catholics and the apocryphal books by Protestants.
The deuterocanonical books were included in the Septuagint, a third-century BC Greek translation of the Old Testament, which served as the Scripture for the apostles and their successors. They were also included in the earliest Greek manuscripts of the Old Testament, such as Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Alexandrinus. Regional Church councils at Hippo in 393 AD and Carthage in 397 and 419 AD listed these books as Scripture, reflecting the general belief of the universal Church.
The deuterocanonical books include passages that support the practice of offering prayers and sacrifices for the dead and, by extension, the doctrine of purgatory. Luther rejected these teachings and denied the deuterocanonical books a place in the Protestant canon. However, early Protestant Bibles, such as the Geneva Bible and the King James Bible, included these books.
The number of books in the Catholic Bible has been a subject of discussion among Catholics, with some older sources mentioning 72 books instead of 73. This variation depends on whether Jeremiah and Lamentations are considered one book or two separate books. Strong tradition, including the Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate, has ascribed the origin of Lamentations to Jeremiah. Both books deal with the turmoil leading up to and following the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple in 586 BC, and they share a similar tone and vocabulary.
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Seven books are not in Protestant Bibles
The Catholic Bible includes all of the books present in the Protestant Bible, but it also contains seven additional books, often referred to as the deuterocanonical books. These books are considered canonical by the Catholic Church and are included in Catholic Bible translations. However, they are not present in Protestant Bibles, and this is a significant difference between the two biblical canons.
The seven books that are absent from Protestant Bibles are:
- Tobit: This book tells the story of Tobit, a pious Israelite, and his son Tobias. It includes the famous account of Tobias' journey with the archangel Raphael and the healing of Tobit's blindness.
- Judith: The Book of Judith narrates the brave actions of a Jewish widow, Judith, who infiltrates the camp of the Assyrian general Holofernes and decapitates him, leading to the victory of the Israelites over their enemies.
- Wisdom of Solomon: This book is a wisdom book, presenting reflections on wisdom and righteous living, often in the form of instructions or meditations.
- Sirach (Ecclesiasticus): Similar to the Book of Proverbs, Sirach is a collection of ethical instructions, wise sayings, and teachings on moral behavior.
- Baruch: The book is attributed to Baruch, the scribe of the prophet Jeremiah. It includes a letter from Baruch to Jewish exiles in Babylon, as well as a prophecy and a poem of consolation for Jerusalem.
- First Maccabees and Second Maccabees: These historical books recount the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire and the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, forming the backdrop for the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.
These seven books were written during a period when Hellenistic influence was prominent in Judaism, and they reflect the cultural and historical context of that time. They were originally written in Greek, and their inclusion in the biblical canon was a matter of debate among early Christians. Eventually, the Catholic Church affirmed their canonical status, while Protestant denominations, following the example of the Jewish canon, generally excluded them from their Bibles.
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Deuterocanonical books are in Catholic Bibles
The term "deuterocanonical" was coined in 1566 by the theologian Sixtus of Siena, who had converted to Catholicism from Judaism. The term refers to scriptural texts considered canonical by the Catholic Church, but which were considered “secondary" by Sixtus. The deuterocanonical books are also known as the "second canon" and are included in Catholic Bibles. These books are considered to be inspired by the Holy Spirit and are a part of the Liturgy of the Word during Mass.
The deuterocanonical books include seven books: Tobit, Judith, Baruch, Ecclesiasticus, Wisdom, and First and Second Maccabees. In addition, there are Greek additions to the books of Esther and Daniel, which are also considered deuterocanonical. These books are not found in Protestant Bibles, and Protestants consider them to be Apocrypha. However, the deuterocanonical books are included in the Septuagint, the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, which was used by the early Christian church as its Old Testament.
The deuterocanonical books were reaffirmed as part of the Catholic canon at the Council of Trent in 1546. This council ratified the Vulgate Bible as the official Latin version of the Bible for the Roman Catholic Church. The Vulgate, a Latin translation of Scripture by Jerome, includes all seven deuterocanonical books. The deuterocanonical books were also included in early Protestant Bibles, such as the first King James Version (1611) and the Gutenberg Bible.
The deuterocanonical books are important to the Catholic Church because they teach Catholic doctrine. They were used by Jesus and the apostles and are considered to be a part of the Christian canon that was defined by the early Church. The deuterocanonical books are a key part of the Catholic Bible and its interpretation of Scripture.
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Protestants call them apocryphal books
The Catholic Bible includes all of the books present in Protestant Bibles, but it also includes seven additional books known as the deuterocanonical books. These books are considered canonical by the Catholic Church and are included in Catholic Bible translations. However, these books are absent from Protestant Bible translations, and this is where the term "apocryphal" comes into play.
The seven deuterocanonical books are: Tobit, Judith, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach, and Baruch, along with certain additions to the books of Esther and Daniel. These books are found in the Old Testament of Catholic Bibles, placed in a section called "Apocrypha" in some Protestant Bibles, or completely omitted in others. The reason for this discrepancy lies in the historical and theological differences between the Catholic and Protestant traditions.
Protestants call these books "apocryphal" because they do not consider them to be part of the canonical Scripture. The term "apocrypha" comes from a Greek word meaning "hidden" or "secret," and it was used historically to refer to writings that were not widely accepted or recognized as authoritative. During the Reformation, Protestant leaders like Martin Luther questioned the canonicity of these books, primarily due to their absence from the Hebrew Bible and the fact that they were not accepted by the earliest Christians.
The deuterocanonical books were originally written in Greek, whereas the other Old Testament books were mostly written in Hebrew. They were included in the Septuagint, an ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, which was widely used by Greek-speaking Jews and early Christians. Over time, these books became part of the Christian canon for the Western Church, but they were never fully accepted by Jews or Eastern Churches.
Protestants generally argue that the apocryphal books do not meet the standards for canonicity, which include factors such as apostolic authorship, consistency with other Scripture, and acceptance by the early Church. They believe that these books, while perhaps valuable as historical or devotional literature, do not carry the same level of authority as the books found in the Hebrew Bible.
It's important to note that the term "apocryphal" does not imply that these books are heretical or devoid of spiritual value. They contain wisdom, historical accounts, and theological insights that can be illuminating for readers. However, from a Protestant perspective, they are not considered to be on par with the inspired Scriptures that comprise the Protestant Old Testament.
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Books include Baruch, Tobit, Judith, and more
The Catholic Bible includes 73 books in its canon, which is recognised by the Catholic Church. This includes some deuterocanonical books (and parts of books) of the Old Testament, which are not present in the Hebrew Masoretic Text collection. These deuterocanonical books are found in the Greek Septuagint collection.
The deuterocanonical books include Baruch, Tobit, Judith, and others. Baruch is the text written by Baruch, the son of Neraiah, in Babylon. It describes the capture and burning of Jerusalem by the Chaldaeans. The Book of Judith tells the story of Judith, who, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, saves her people from the siege of the Assyrian general Holofernes. The Book of Tobit, on the other hand, begins with the story of Tobit, son of Tobiel, who was exiled from Thisbe.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 73 books in the Catholic Bible.
There are 45 books in the Old Testament in the Catholic Bible.
There are 27 books in the New Testament in the Catholic Bible.
There are seven more books in the Catholic Bible than in the Protestant Bible.
The seven extra books in the Catholic Bible are Baruch, Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom (or Wisdom of Solomon), and Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus).
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