How Many Books Are Missing From The Bible? (2023)

Contents

  • How many books are missing from the Bible?
  • Why are there missing books from the Bible?
  • What are the missing books from the Bible?
  • Who decided which books would be in the Bible?
  • How were the books of the Bible chosen?
  • What is the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament?
  • Why are there different versions of the Bible?
  • What is the most accurate Bible translation?
  • What is the difference between the King James Bible and other versions?
  • Which Bible version should I use?

A lot of people are under the impression that the Bible is an entirely accurate and reliable document. However, there are actually many books that are missing from the Bible.

Checkout this video:

How many books are missing from the Bible?

There are a total of 66 books in the Bible – 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. However, some Christians believe that there are actually more books that were left out of the Bible.

The Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, which is the basis for the Old Testament, contains 24 books. These books were written between 1400 and 400 BCE. The Old Testament that we have today was compiled by Jewish scholars known as the Masoretes between the 6th and 10th centuries CE. They used a method called “consonantal text” to produce a text that was very close to the original.

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The New Testament was written between 40 and 100 CE. It wasn’t until the Council of Carthage in 397 CE that the list of 27 books was finalized. However, there were many other early Christian texts that were not included in the New Testament.

The reason why these other books were not included is unclear. It’s possible that they were not considered to be authoritative or inspired by God. It’s also possible that they were simply not well-known at the time when the decision was made about which books should be included in the Bible.

Some of these other texts are now known as “apocryphal” or “deuterocanonical” books. The term “apocrypha” comes from a Greek word meaning “hidden things.” These are texts that were not included in either the Hebrew Bible or the Christian Bible, but which are still considered to be important by many people.

The term “deuterocanonical” comes from a Greek word meaning “secondarily canonized.” These are texts that were originally included in either the Hebrew Bible or the Christian Bible, but which were later removed by authorities.

There are a total of 24 apocryphal or deuterocanonical books: 14 in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles, and 9 in Protestant Bibles (these 9 are sometimes referred to as intertestamental works).

Why are there missing books from the Bible?

There are a number of books that were not included in the Bible for various reasons. Some of these books were never considered for inclusion in the Bible, while others were rejected by early church leaders. There are also a few books that were included in early versions of the Bible but later removed.

The most common reason for a book to be left out of the Bible is that it was not considered to be inspired by God. In other words, early church leaders did not believe that these books contained accurate or important information about God and his relationship with humanity. In some cases, the content of these books was thought to be false or misleading.

Another reason why some books were not included in the Bible is that they were not widely circulated among early Christian communities. Some of these books may have been written in languages other than Greek or Latin, which made them less accessible to early Christians. Additionally, some of these books may have only been circulated among small groups of Christians and were not widely accepted by the larger Church.

Finally, there are a few books that were included in early versions of the Bible but later removed. These include the Books of Tobit and Judith, which were part of the Catholic Bible until the Reformation. Additionally, the Book of Wisdom was included in some Eastern Orthodox Bibles until it was removed in the 16th century.

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What are the missing books from the Bible?

There are several books that were left out of the Bible. Some were left out because they were not considered to be inspired by God. Other books were left out because they were not included in the canonic list of scripture that was put together by the early church fathers.

The following is a list of some of the more notable missing books:

The Book of Enoch
The Book of Jasher
The Book of Jubilees
The Book of Wisdom
The Book of Baruch
The Letter of Jeremiah
1 Esdras
2 Esdras
The Prayer of Manasseh
Psalm 151

Who decided which books would be in the Bible?

The Bible that we have today is a collection of 66 books, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. But who decided which books would be included? And are there any books that were left out that should have been included?

The answer to the first question is that, basically, a group of Church leaders got together and decided which books would be included. This process started happening in the early 400s, and by the year 419, the Council of Carthage had come up with a list of exactly which books should be in the Bible.

As for whether any books were left out that should have been included, there are actually quite a few candidates! One example is the Book of Enoch, which was popular among some early Christians (including some of the New Testament writers themselves) but was eventually left out. There are also several other “gospels” (stories about Jesus’ life) that were written around the same time as the ones that made it into the Bible, but were not chosen to be included.

So, while there is no official “missing book” of the Bible, there are certainly some contenders for what could have been!

How were the books of the Bible chosen?

In ancient times, there were many different books written about Jesus and His followers. Some were originally written in Hebrew, some in Aramaic, and some in Greek. But not all of these books made it into the Bible as we know it today. So how were the books of the Bible chosen?

The first step was to identify which books wereInspired by God and which were not. This was not an easy task, and it took many years for Church leaders to reach a consensus. In the end, they chose 27 books for the New Testament and 39 for the Old Testament.

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The second step was to translate these texts into Latin, which was the language of the Church at that time. The most important translation was done by St. Jerome in the 4th century. This version of the Bible came to be known as the Vulgate, and it remained the standard Bible for centuries.

The third step was to print copies of the Bible so that people could read it for themselves. The first printed Bible was produced by Johannes Gutenberg in 1455. Since then, there have been many different versions of the Bible printed in various languages.

What is the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament?

Christians believe that the Bible is the word of God, and that it contains everything that one needs to know in order to live a life pleasing to God. But how many books are actually in the Bible?

There are 66 books in the Bible – 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. The Old Testament is a collection of books written by various authors over a period of about 1000 years, from Moses (around 1500 BC) until the time of the Babylonian captivity (around 600 BC). The New Testament was written over a period of about 60 years, from Jesus’ earthly ministry (around 30-33 AD) until the end of the first century AD.

So why are there only 66 books in the Bible? And why are some books missing?

The answer has to do with history and tradition. When early Christians were putting together what would become the Bible, they chose certain documents because they believed them to be inspired by God. Other documents were not included because they were not considered to be inspired, or because they were controversial, or because they simply weren’t available at the time.

Over time, certain books came to be accepted as canonical (i.e., authoritative and binding) by virtually all Christians, while other books were rejected as non-canonical. The process of deciding which books belonged in the Bible and which did not was largely complete by the end of the fourth century AD.

There are a number of other ancient texts that were written around the same time as the documents that became part of the Bible, but which did not make it into the canon. These include works such as The Gospel of Thomas, The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, and The Acts of Pilate. There is also a large body of early Christian artwork, some of which depicts scenes from these missing gospels.

So why aren’t these other gospels included in the Bible? In short, it’s because they were not considered to be inspired by God. There is no single reason why this is so; rather, it is due to a combination of factors such as historical accuracy, theological correctness, and popularity within early Christianity.

(Video) 75 books REMOVED from the ORIGINAL Bible!!!

Ultimately, it was up to each individual church to decide which documents should be included in their canon. While there was some disagreement on this point at first, eventually all major branches of Christianity came to accept the same 66 books as canonical – with only a few minor exceptions.

Why are there different versions of the Bible?

Different versions of the Bible exist because there is no one standard text that all Christians agree on. The Bible is a collection of religious texts that were written over the course of hundreds of years, in different languages and by different authors. As such, there are many different interpretations of what the Bible says and how it should be read.

Christians who believe that the Bible is the infallible word of God often point to the fact that there are different versions of the Bible as proof that it is not to be trusted. They argue that if Christians cannot even agree on which books should be included in the Bible, then how can we trust that any of it is true? However, many scholars believe that the fact that there are different versions of the Bible is actually a strength, not a weakness. They argue that the different interpretations offer us a richer understanding of Christianity and its history.

What is the most accurate Bible translation?

There are many Bible translations out there and it can be difficult to know which one is the most accurate. Some people believe that the King James Version is the most accurate, while others believe that the New International Version is more accurate. There are also translations like the Amplified Bible and the Living Bible that attempt to make the Bible more understandable for modern readers. Ultimately, it is up to each individual to decide which translation they believe is the most accurate.

What is the difference between the King James Bible and other versions?

The King James Bible is a translation of the Christian Bible for the Church of England that began in 1604 and was completed in 1611. The King James Bible has been influential in the English-speaking world and has been called the “Authorized Version” in the English-speaking world. Other versions of the Bible include the New International Version (NIV), the New American Standard Bible (NASB), the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), and many others.

Which Bible version should I use?

There are many versions of the Bible available today, and it can be confusing to try to figure out which one is the best to use. The answer to this question really depends on your personal preferences and what you are looking for in a Bible.

Some people prefer to use a version that is closer to the original manuscripts, while others prefer a version that has been updated to reflect modern language. There are also versions of the Bible available in different translations, so you can choose one that is easier for you to understand.

The number of books missing from the Bible varies depending on which version you are using. For example, the King James Version of the Bible includes 66 books, while the New International Version (NIV) includes 73 books.

FAQs

What are the books of the Bible that are missing? ›

Past of The Lost Books of the Bible
  • The Book of Enoch.
  • The Protevangelion.
  • The Gospel of the Infancy of Jesus Christ.
  • The Infancy Gospel of Thomas.
  • The Epistles of Jesus Christ and Abgarus King of Edessa.
  • The Gospel of Nicodemus (Acts of Pilate)
  • The Apostles' Creed (throughout history)

Who removed the books from the Bible? ›

However, in the 16th century, Martin Luther argued that many of the received texts of the New Testament lacked the authority of the Gospels, and therefore proposed removing a number of books from the New Testament, including Hebrews, James, Jude, and Revelation.

What are the 7 books left out of the Bible? ›

Did you know that the Catholic Bible contains seven books that are not included in the Protestant Bible? These special books of the Bible—Sirach, Wisdom, Tobit, 1 Maccabees, Judith, additions to Daniel, and Esther—contain harrowing stories of family, resurrection, and prayer.

Who removed the Apocrypha from the Bible? ›

Robert Haldane criticised this policy. The British and Foreign Bible Society had in fact dropped the Apocrypha from its bibles published in English in 1804. This decision broke with the tradition of Myles Coverdale, of consolidating the Apocrypha between the two Testaments.

Why was the Book of Enoch not in the Bible? ›

The Book of Enoch was considered as scripture in the Epistle of Barnabas (4:3) and by many of the early Church Fathers, such as Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria, Irenaeus and Tertullian, who wrote c. 200 that the Book of Enoch had been rejected by the Jews because it contained prophecies pertaining to Christ.

How many true books of the Bible are there? ›

Books of the Bible. Written under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit by laymen and scholars, commoners and nobility, the Bible is as unique as it is profound, containing 66 ancient books that have shaped laws, influenced culture and inspired billions to faith over three millennia.

Did the Catholic Church change the Bible? ›

Absolutely not. In the days of Jesus, there were a lot texts in use by the Hebrew people. These texts were written on individual scrolls and taken out by rabbis when they needed to be read publically. Jesus and his followers would have been very familiar with most of the texts available at that time.

What is the original Bible with all the books? ›

The Ethiopian Bible is the oldest and most complete bible on earth. Written in Ge'ez an ancient dead language of Ethiopia it's nearly 800 years older than the King James Version and contains 81-88 books compared to 66.

Who destroyed the original Bible? ›

In A.D. 301-304, the Roman Emperor Diocletian burned thousands of copies of the Bible, commanded that all Bibles be destroyed and decreed that any home with a Bible in it should be burned. In fact, he even built a monument over what he thought was the last surviving Bible.

WHO removed the 7 books? ›

They don't seem to realize that Luther removed seven entire books and parts of three others from it for no other reason than that they didn't fit his idea of “what God really wanted.” Luther claimed they celebrated Judaism and because he wanted to justify his challenging the authority of the Catholic Church, he threw ...

Is the first book of Adam and Eve real? ›

The "Pseudepigrapha" is a collection of historical biblical works that are considered to be fiction. Because of that stigma, this book was not included in the compilation of the Holy Bible. This book is a written history of what happened in the days of Adam and Eve after they were cast out of the garden.

Why was apocrypha removed from Bible? ›

They reasoned that not printing the Apocrypha within the Bible would prove to be less costly to produce. Since that time most modern editions of the Bible and reprintings of the King James Bible omit the Apocrypha section. Modern non-Catholic reprintings of the Clementine Vulgate commonly omit the Apocrypha section.

Who decided which books to include in the Bible? ›

Eventually, the question was taken up by Church councils. At the Council of Hippo, held in north Africa in AD 393, a group of church leaders recognized a list of books that they believed to be scripture. Later, the Council of Carthage affirmed that decision in AD 397.

Why was the book of Judith removed from the Bible? ›

Reasons for its exclusion include the lateness of its composition, possible Greek origin, open support of the Hasmonean dynasty (to which the early rabbinate was opposed), and perhaps the brash and seductive character of Judith herself.

Do Christians accept the Apocrypha? ›

New Testament apocrypha—books similar to those in the New Testament but almost universally rejected by Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants—include several gospels and lives of apostles. Some were written by early Jewish Christians (see the Gospel according to the Hebrews).

Did Martin Luther take the Apocrypha out of the Bible? ›

Luther included the deuterocanonical books in his translation of the German Bible, but he did relocate them to after the Old Testament, calling them "Apocrypha, that are books which are not considered equal to the Holy Scriptures, but are useful and good to read."

Does Apocrypha mention Jesus? ›

The New Testament apocrypha (singular apocryphon) are a number of writings by early Christians that give accounts of Jesus and his teachings, the nature of God, or the teachings of his apostles and of their lives.

How many heavens are there? ›

In religious or mythological cosmology, the seven heavens refer to seven levels or divisions of the Heavens.

Who are the fallen angels in the Book of Enoch? ›

Bad watchers in the Book of Enoch. In the Book of Enoch, the watchers (Aramaic עִירִין, iyrin) are angels dispatched to Earth to watch over the humans. They soon begin to lust for human women and, at the prodding of their leader Samyaza, defect en masse to illicitly instruct humanity and procreate among them.

Where is the modern day Garden of Eden? ›

The location of Eden is described in the Book of Genesis as the source of four tributaries. Various suggestions have been made for its location: at the head of the Persian Gulf, in southern Mesopotamia (now Iraq) where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers run into the sea; and in Armenia.

How much has the Bible changed? ›

Over 30,000 changes were made, of which more than 5,000 represent differences between the Greek text used for the Revised Version and that used as the basis of the King James Version. Most of the other changes were made in the interest of consistency or modernization.

What is the oldest Bible on earth? ›

Codex Sinaiticus Petropolitanus, Oxford.

What was the first Bible ever found? ›

Bible #1. The oldest surviving full text of the New Testament is the beautifully written Codex Sinaiticus, which was “discovered” at the St Catherine monastery at the base of Mt Sinai in Egypt in the 1840s and 1850s. Dating from circa 325-360 CE, it is not known where it was scribed – perhaps Rome or Egypt.

Where is purgatory in the Bible? ›

Roman Catholic Christians who believe in purgatory interpret passages such as 2 Maccabees 12:41–46, 2 Timothy 1:18, Matthew 12:32, Luke 23:43, 1 Corinthians 3:11–3:15 and Hebrews 12:29 as support for prayer for purgatorial souls who are believed to be within an active interim state for the dead undergoing purifying ...

Do Catholics believe in Adam and Eve? ›

Catholicism holds that God initiated and continued the process of his creation, that Adam and Eve were real people, and that all humans, whether specially created or evolved, have and have always had specially created souls for each individual.

Who was the pope when Jesus was alive? ›

Pope Julius I was the bishop of Rome from 6 February 337 to his death on 12 April 352.

Who put together the first Bible? ›

Traditionally these books were considered to have been dictated to Moses by God himself. Since the 17th century, scholars have viewed the original sources as being the product of multiple anonymous authors while also allowing the possibility that Moses first assembled the separate sources.

Do the original books of the Bible still exist? ›

The original manuscripts of the New Testament books are not known to have survived. The autographs are believed to have been lost or destroyed a long time ago. What survives are copies of the original.

What Bible has 73 books? ›

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.

Which Bible is the true Bible? ›

The New American Standard Bible is a literal translation from the original texts, well suited to study because of its accurate rendering of the source texts. It follows the style of the King James Version but uses modern English for words that have fallen out of use or changed their meanings.

Which president rewrote the Bible? ›

Thomas Jefferson was known as an inventor and tinkerer. But this time he was tinkering with something held sacred by hundreds of millions of people: the Bible. Using his clippings, the aging third president created a New Testament of his own—one that most Christians would hardly recognize.

Who created the God? ›

We ask, "If all things have a creator, then who created God?" Actually, only created things have a creator, so it's improper to lump God with his creation. God has revealed himself to us in the Bible as having always existed.

Why is Tobit not in the Bible? ›

Canonical status

Catholic and Orthodox Christianity include it in the Biblical canon. As Protestants follow the Masoretic canon, they therefore do not include Tobit in their standard canon, but do recognise it in the category of deuterocanonical books called the apocrypha.

Why was there a list of forbidden books? ›

The Index condemned religious and secular texts alike, grading works by the degree to which they were seen to be repugnant to the church. The aim of the list was to protect church members from reading theologically, culturally, or politically disruptive books.

Is Enoch an Apocrypha? ›

Enoch, the seventh patriarch in the book of Genesis, was the subject of abundant apocryphal literature, especially during the Hellenistic period of Judaism (3rd century bc to 3rd century ad).

What language did Adam and Eve speak? ›

The Adamic language, according to Jewish tradition (as recorded in the midrashim) and some Christians, is the language spoken by Adam (and possibly Eve) in the Garden of Eden.

Is Lilith in the Book of Adam and Eve? ›

She is mentioned in the Babylonian Talmud (Eruvin 100b, Niddah 24b, Shabbat 151b, Baba Bathra 73a), in the Book of Adam and Eve as Adam's first wife, and in the Zohar Leviticus 19a as "a hot fiery female who first cohabited with man".

Who wrote down the story of Adam and Eve? ›

While a traditional view was that the Book of Genesis was authored by Moses and has been considered historical and metaphorical, modern scholars consider the Genesis creation narrative as one of various ancient origin myths.

Is the Book of Maccabees in the King James Bible? ›

The Book of Maccabees used to be in the King James Bible and others but was removed. It is now part of the Apocrypha.

Is the Apocrypha true? ›

Apocrypha per se are outside the canon, not considered divinely inspired but regarded as worthy of study by the faithful. Pseudepigrapha are spurious works ostensibly written by a biblical figure.

Where is the Book of Maccabees found? ›

The first two books only are part of canonical scripture in the Septuagint and the Vulgate (hence are canonical to Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy) and are included in the Protestant Apocrypha.

Who supposedly wrote the Bible? ›

That single author was believed to be Moses, the Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt and guided them across the Red Sea toward the Promised Land.

What was taken out of the Bible? ›

Past of The Lost Books of the Bible
  • The Book of Enoch.
  • The Protevangelion.
  • The Gospel of the Infancy of Jesus Christ.
  • The Infancy Gospel of Thomas.
  • The Epistles of Jesus Christ and Abgarus King of Edessa.
  • The Gospel of Nicodemus (Acts of Pilate)
  • The Apostles' Creed (throughout history)

Why is the Catholic Bible different? ›

The Differences

Catholics and Protestants have the same 27-book New Testament. Thus, the differences between their Bibles concerns the boundaries of the Old Testament canon. In short, Catholics have 46 books, while Protestants have 39.

What are some false Gospels? ›

Seven Counterfeit Gospels
  • The Good-People Gospel. This one says, “We're all basically good people. ...
  • The Self-Esteem Gospel. This distortion claims, “Believe in yourself! ...
  • The Expressive-Individualism Gospel. ...
  • The Optional-Jesus Gospel. ...
  • The Prosperity Gospel. ...
  • The Faith-And Gospel. ...
  • The Faith-So Gospel.
Nov 9, 2017

What is a real name of Jesus? ›

Jesus' name in Hebrew was “Yeshua” which translates to English as Joshua.

What are the 19 missing books of the Bible? ›

This book contains: 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, The Book of Tobit, The Book of Susanna, Additions to Esther, The Book of Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, The Epistle of Jeremiah, The Prayer of Azariah, Bel and the Dragon, Prayer of Manasses, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, Book of Enoch, Book of Jubilees, Gospel of ...

What are the book of Enoch and other lost books? ›

The book of Enoch is a collection of five books that were removed from the canonical bible in the 19th century. It includes the book of Watchers, the book of Parables, the Book of the Luminaries of the Heaven, The book of Dream and Vision, and the Epistle of Enoch.

What are the missing books of the New Testament? ›

From these we can identify five principal "fringe" books later omitted from the canon proper. They are: the Didache (or Teaching of the Twelve Apostles), the Shepherd of Hermas, the Apocalypse of Peter, the Epistle of Barnabas and the Epistle of Clement.

Which book of the Bible is Enoch found? ›

Enoch in the Book of Genesis

Enoch appears in the Book of Genesis of the Pentateuch as the seventh of the ten pre-Deluge Patriarchs. Genesis recounts that each of the pre-Flood Patriarchs lived for several centuries.

What version of the Bible has the Book of Enoch? ›

A reprint of the classic King James version of the Holy Bible that also includes the full Apocrypha and for references from the book of Jude, the Book of Enoch is included.

What books did King James remove from the Bible? ›

King James Version
  • 1 Esdras (Vulgate 3 Esdras)
  • 2 Esdras (Vulgate 4 Esdras)
  • Tobit.
  • Judith ("Judeth" in Geneva)
  • Rest of Esther (Vulgate Esther 10:4 – 16:24)
  • Wisdom.
  • Ecclesiasticus (also known as Sirach)
  • Baruch and the Epistle of Jeremy ("Jeremiah" in Geneva) (all part of Vulgate Baruch)

What is the oldest original Bible? ›

Codex Sinaiticus Petropolitanus, Oxford.

Where was the book of Adam and Eve found? ›

The Conflict of Adam and Eve with Satan (also known as The Book of Adam and Eve) is a 6th-century Christian extracanonical work found in Ge'ez, translated from an Arabic original. It does not form part of the canon of any church.

What are the lost books of the Bible Apocrypha? ›

All 15 books of the Apocrypha: 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, The Book of Tobit, The Book of Susanna, Additions to Esther, The Book of Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, The Epistle of Jeremiah, The Prayer of Azariah, Bel and the Dragon, Prayer of Manasses, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees. The Book of Enoch.

Who wrote the book of Enoch? ›

The 3rd Book of Enoch, the Hebrew Enoch, or 3 Enoch, is a Rabbinic text originally written in Hebrew usually dated to the fifth century CE. Some experts believe it was written by Rabbi Ishmael (second century CE), familiar with both 1 Enoch and 2 Enoch.

Videos

1. How Many Books Were Removed from the Bible?
(Conscious Christianity)
2. The Lost Books of the Bible
(Wendigoon)
3. 7 LOST BOOKS Of The Bible - The Book Of Enoch? The Book Of Jasher?
(Grace Digital Network)
4. Is Your Bible Missing Books? Did Catholic's Add Books to The Bible?
(The Religious Hippie)
5. This 3000 Year Old Bible REVEALED A Terrifying Secret About Human Existence
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6. The Truth About the Apocrypha and the Lost Books of the Bible
(World Video Bible School (WVBS))
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