
The Catholic Bible is the holy book of the Catholic Church. It is a Christian Bible that includes the whole 73-book canon recognized by the Catholic Church, comprising 46 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament. The Catholic Bible includes some deuterocanonical books (and parts of books) of the Old Testament from the Greek Septuagint collection, which are absent from the Hebrew Masoretic Text collection. The current official version of the Catholic Church is the Nova Vulgata. The Bible is considered a sacred scripture and is believed to be a long love letter written by God.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of books | 73 (46 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament) |
| Deuterocanonical books | 7 books and additional deuterocanonical content in 2 books |
| Prophetic books | 18: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Baruch, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi |
| Pauline epistles | 13: Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon |
| Wisdom books | Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Wisdom, Sirach/Ecclesiasticus |
| Gospels | Matthew, Mark, Luke, John |
| Acts of the Apostles | Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews |
| Catholic Letters | James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation/Apocalypse |
| Versions | NABRE (New American Bible Revised Edition), RSVCE (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition), NRSV-CE (New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition), Vatican (The New American Bible) |
| Languages | Over 191 |
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What You'll Learn

The Catholic Bible is made up of 73 books
The Bible is the holy book of Catholicism. It is a collection of books that tell the story of God's love for humanity. The Catholic Bible is made up of 73 books in total, comprising the Old Testament and the New Testament.
The Old Testament consists of 46 books, including the Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. It also includes the Wisdom Books such as Job, Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. The Prophets, including Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Baruch, and Ezekiel, are also part of the Old Testament.
The New Testament consists of 27 books, including the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. It also includes the Acts of the Apostles, the Pauline Epistles, and the Catholic Letters such as James and Jude.
The Catholic Bible includes some deuterocanonical books and content from the Greek Septuagint collection that are not present in the Hebrew Masoretic Text collection. These deuterocanonical books include Tobit, Judith, Baruch, and Sirach, among others.
The Catholic Church interprets Scripture with a view to its heart and mystery: Jesus Christ, whom the entire Bible speaks of, even the Old Testament. The Church teaches that Scripture should be read in context, considering the whole message rather than picking out isolated details. This interpretation is guided by the living faith of the Church, which gave rise to these Sacred Scriptures.
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It includes the deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament
The Catholic Bible is a Christian Bible that includes the whole 73-book canon recognized by the Catholic Church. This includes the deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament. The deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament are those that are included in the Greek Septuagint collection but are absent from the Hebrew Masoretic Text collection. The Catholic Church formally affirmed its canon of scripture with the Synod of Hippo in 393, followed by a Council of Carthage in 397.
The deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament are an important part of the Catholic Bible. They consist of seven books: Tobit, Judith, Baruch, Wisdom, Sirach, 1 Maccabees, and 2 Maccabees. These books are considered to be inspired by God and are included in the canon of the Catholic Bible. The deuterocanonical books provide valuable insights into the history and theology of the Old Testament era and are often referenced in Catholic theology and devotion.
The inclusion of the deuterocanonical books in the Catholic Bible has been a matter of debate and discussion among Christian denominations. Some Protestant Bibles, for example, do not include these books. However, the Catholic Church has long recognized their importance and included them in the canon. This recognition dates back to the early Church, with the Decretum Gelasianum, a work written by an anonymous scholar between AD 519 and 553, citing a list of books of scripture presented as having been made canonical at the Council of Rome in 382.
The deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament offer a unique perspective on the relationship between God and humanity. They include historical narratives, wisdom literature, and prophetic writings. These books provide additional context and depth to the understanding of the Old Testament and its themes of God's covenant with humanity, divine revelation, and the history of salvation.
The deuterocanonical books have also played a significant role in the liturgical and devotional life of the Catholic Church. Passages from these books are often included in lectionaries for use in the liturgy, although some verses may be omitted or adapted. The deuterocanonical books have also influenced Catholic art, music, and theological reflections, enriching the spiritual life of Catholics and providing a broader understanding of the Old Testament tradition.
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The Bible is a collection of different literary forms
The Bible is the holy book of Catholicism. It is a collection of 73 books: 46 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament. The Bible is a unified story expressed in a rich variety of literary forms. Over 1500 years, God inspired 40 people to write his word using a diverse range of literary styles to communicate effectively with people.
The Bible includes narrative history, poetry, wisdom literature, prophetic literature, gospels, oratory, and epistles. The prophetic books include Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, and more. These writings often take the form of oracles or visions, revealing hidden knowledge of God and his plans. The prophets' personalities, backgrounds, and writing styles vary, with some employing satire, such as in the book of Jonah and Amos 4.
Poetry is prevalent in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament as Hebrew poetry. Psalms, for instance, are songs or poems that express feelings or experiences through imagery and symbolism. They are structured in various ways, including individual and communal lament psalms, thanksgiving psalms, descriptive praise psalms, and wisdom psalms. Poetry evokes emotions and stimulates a response, addressing the mind through the heart.
The Bible also contains wisdom literature, such as Proverbs, which offers practical advice and observations about life through concise and memorable sayings. Additionally, the Bible includes detailed commands and prescriptions on how to live and worship God, found in the Pentateuch, which comprises the first five books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
The four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John tell the unified story of Jesus Christ, each with a unique perspective and shape. They include biographies of Jesus, his teachings, and bear witness to him as the Son of God and the Messiah.
The Bible's literary forms are carefully selected and crafted, intertwining multiple styles within a single book. Understanding the original context and literary devices employed is essential to honouring the author's intent and fully appreciating the masterpiece that is the Bible.
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The Roman Catholic Church teaches Scripture to be read in context
The Catholic Church recognises the Bible as its holy book. The Bible is composed of 73 books: an Old Testament of 46 books (including 7 deuterocanonical books and additional deuterocanonical content in 2 books) and a New Testament of 27 books. The deuterocanonical books are Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach, and Baruch. Catholic Bibles also include sections in the Books of Esther and Daniel that are not found in Protestant Bibles.
Catholics are encouraged to take an intelligent, spiritual approach to reading the Bible. While individual interpretation is allowed, the Church's Magisterium, or teaching authority, is responsible for providing authentic interpretations of Scripture. This ensures that the teachings are supported by extensive scholarship and are in line with the mind and sense of the Church. Catholics are also encouraged to read the Bible within the tradition of the Church, benefiting from the holiness and wisdom of the faithful.
The Catholic approach to Scripture differs from that of Protestants, especially Fundamentalists. While Protestants rely solely on Scripture (sola Scriptura), Catholics believe that Scripture and Tradition are two forms of Revelation from the same God. The Petrine authority in the Church, established by Christ, combines with Scripture and Tradition to provide a complete and certain view of the truth. This allows for a right understanding of the Faith.
It is important for Catholics to approach Scripture with humility and caution. They recognise that a wide variety of literary forms are used in Scripture, including poetry (such as the Psalms) and historical narrative. Some books, like Esther and Ruth, appear to be historical fiction, providing insights into the period's themes and perceptions without insisting on strict historical accuracy.
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The Bible has been translated into many languages
The Bible is the holy book of Catholicism. The Catholic Bible is composed of 73 books: an Old Testament of 46 books (including 7 deuterocanonical books and additional deuterocanonical content in 2 books) and a New Testament of 27 books. The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew, with some passages in Aramaic, while the New Testament was originally written in Greek.
The Bible was first translated into Aramaic, and early translations also include Ge'ez (Ethiopic), Armenian, and Georgian. In the 13th century, the Bible was translated into Old French, and in the 14th century, the Anglo-Normans possessed a translation of the whole Old Testament and most of the New Testament. The Bible has also been translated into Czech, Uyghur or Mongolian, and Franco-Provençal (Arpitan). In the 16th century, the Bible was translated into Welsh, and in the 17th century, Jesuits in Kyoto published a lectionary of the Sunday Gospel readings and other Gospel material in Japanese. This was also the first time the Bible was translated into an indigenous American language, with John Eliot publishing the Eliot Indian Bible in the language of the Massachusett people.
Bible translation organisations have varying approaches to their work. Some focus on starting as many new language projects as possible, while others consider whether a language is already well-served by Scripture in a second language. There are also different linguistic, philological, and ideological approaches to translation, including idiomatic or paraphrastic translation, literary translation, metrical translation, and prose translation.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catholic Holy Book is the Bible, which is composed of 73 books: an Old Testament of 46 books and a New Testament of 27 books.
The Old Testament includes the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy), prophetic books (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Baruch, Ezekiel, etc.), and wisdom books (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, etc.).
The New Testament includes the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), the Acts of the Apostles, Pauline epistles (Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, etc.), and the Catholic Letters (James, Peter, John, Jude, and Revelation).
Yes, there are several versions of the Catholic Bible, including the NABRE (New American Bible Revised Edition), RSVCE (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition), and the Vatican's New American Bible. The current official version is the Nova Vulgata, a revision of the Vulgate, which was declared the official translation for the Latin Church by the Council of Trent.











































