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Diagram of the development of the Old Testament

Old Testament table

The order of some books varies among canons.


Books	the Hebrew Bible	Protestant ^{[O 1]}	Lutheran	Anglican	Roman Catholic^[1] ^{[O 2]}	Greek Orthodox	Slavonic Orthodox	Georgian Orthodox	Armenian Apostolic^{[O 3]}	Syriac Orthodox	Coptic Orthodox	Orthodox Tewahedo^[2]^{[O 4]}	Church of the East
	Judaism	Western tradition				Eastern Orthodox tradition			Oriental Orthodox tradition
	Torah	Pentateuch
Genesis	Yes Bereshit	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Exodus	Yes Shemot	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Leviticus	Yes Vayikra	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Numbers	Yes Bemidbar	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Deuteronomy	Yes Devarim	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Nevi'im	Historical books
Joshua	Yes Yehoshua	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes Josue	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Judges	Yes Shofetim	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ruth	Yes Rut (part of Ketuvim)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
1 and 2 Samuel	Yes Shemuel	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes 1 and 2 Kings	Yes 1 and 2 Kingdoms	Yes 1 and 2 Kingdoms	Yes 1 and 2 Kingdoms	Yes 1 and 2 Kingdoms	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
1 and 2 Kings	Yes Melakhim	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes 3 and 4 Kings	Yes 3 and 4 Kingdoms	Yes 3 and 4 Kingdoms	Yes 3 and 4 Kingdoms	Yes 3 and 4 Kingdoms	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
1 and 2 Chronicles	Yes Divrei Hayamim (part of Ketuvim)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes 1 and 2 Paralipomenon	Yes 1 and 2 Paralipomenon	Yes 1 and 2 Paralipomenon	Yes 1 and 2 Paralipomenon	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Prayer of Manasseh	No	No − inc. in some mss. (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)^{[O 5]}	No (Apocrypha)^{[O 5]}	No – (inc. in Appendix in Clementine Vulgate)	Yes (?) (part of Odes)^{[O 6]}	Yes (?) (part of Odes)^{[O 6]}	Yes (?) (part of Odes)^{[O 6]}	Yes (?)	Yes (?)	Yes^[3]	Yes (part of 2 Chronicles)	Yes (?)
Ezra (1 Ezra)	Yes Ezra–Nehemiah (part of Ketuvim)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes 1 Esdras	Yes Esdras B'	Yes 1 Esdras	Yes 1 Ezra	Yes 1 Ezra	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Nehemiah (2 Ezra)	Yes Ezra–Nehemiah (part of Ketuvim)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes 2 Esdras	Yes Esdras Γ' or Neemias	Yes Neemias	Yes Neemias	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
1 Esdras (3 Ezra)	No	No − inc. in some mss. (Apocrypha)	No	No 1 Esdras (Apocrypha)	No – (inc. in Appendix in Clementine Vulgate as 3 Esdras.)^[4]	Yes Esdras A'	Yes 2 Esdras	Yes 2 Ezra	Yes 2 Ezra^{[O 7]}	No (?) – inc. in some mss.	No – inc. in some mss.	Yes Ezra Kali	No (?) – inc. in some mss.
2 Esdras 3–14 (4 Ezra or Apocalypsis of Esdras)^{[O 8]}	No	No − inc. in some mss. (Apocrypha)	No	No 2 Esdras (Apocrypha)	No – (inc in Appendix in Clementine Vulgate as 4 Esdras.)	No (Greek ms. lost)^{[O 9]}	No 3 Esdras (appendix)	No 3 Ezra – inc. as noncanonical^{[O 10]}	Yes 3 Ezra^{[O 7]}	No (?) – inc. in some mss.	No – inc. in some mss.	Yes Ezra Sutu'el	No (?) – inc. in some mss.
2 Esdras 1–2; 15–16 (5 and 6 Ezra or Apocalypsis of Esdras)^{[O 8]}	No	No − inc. in some mss. (Apocrypha)	No	No (part of 2 Esdras apocryphon)	No – (inc. in Appendix in Clementine Vulgate as 4 Esdras.)	No (Greek ms.)^{[O 11]}	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Esther^{[O 12]}	Yes Ester (part of Ketuvim)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Additions to Esther	No	No − inc. in some mss. (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)	Yes (Deuterocanonical)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Tobit	No	No − inc. in some mss. (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)	Yes Tobias (Deuterocanonical)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Judith	No	No − inc. in some mss. (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)	Yes (Deuterocanonical)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
1 Maccabees^{[O 13]}	No	No − inc. in some mss. (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)	Yes 1 Machabees (Deuterocanonical)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
2 Maccabees^{[O 13]}	No	No − inc. in some mss. (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)	Yes 2 Machabees (Deuterocanonical)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
3 Maccabees	No	No − inc. in RSV and NRSV (Apocrypha)	No − inc. in some mss. (Apocrypha)	No − inc. in some mss. (Apocrypha)	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes^{[O 7]}	Yes	No	No	Yes
4 Maccabees	No	No − inc. RSV and NRSV (Apocrypha)	No	No	No	No (appendix)	No (appendix)	No – inc. as noncanonical^{[O 10]}	No (early tradition)	No (?) – inc. in some mss.	No (Coptic ms,)	No	No (?) – inc. in some mss.
Jubilees	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
1 Enoch	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
2 Enoch	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes (?)	No
3 Enoch	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes (?)	No
1 Ethiopic Maccabees (1 Meqabyan)	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
2 and 3 Ethiopic Maccabees^{[O 14]} (2 and 3 Meqabyan)	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Ethiopic Pseudo-Josephus (Zëna Ayhud)	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes (broader canon)^{[O 15]}	No
Josephus' Jewish War VI	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No – inc. in some mss.^{[O 16]}	No	No	No – inc. in some mss.^{[O 16]}
Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs	No	No	No	No	No	No (Greek ms.)	No	No	No – inc. in some mss.	No	No	No	No
Joseph and Asenath	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No – inc. in some mss.	No	No	No (early tradition?)^{[O 17]}	No
	Ketuvim	Wisdom literature
Book of Job	Yes Iyov	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Psalms 1–150^{[O 18]}	Yes Tehillim	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Psalm 151	No	No − inc. in RSV and NRSV (Apocrypha)	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Psalms 152–155	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No (?) – inc. in some mss.	No	No	No (?) – inc. in some mss.
Psalms of Solomon^{[O 19]}	No	No	No	No	No	No – inc. in some mss.	No	No	No	No – inc. in some mss.	No	No	No – inc. in some mss.
Proverbs	Yes Mishlei	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes (in 2 books)	Yes
Ecclesiastes	Yes Qohelet	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Song of Songs	Yes Shir Hashirim	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes Canticle of Canticles	Yes Aisma Aismaton	Yes Aisma Aismaton	Yes Aisma Aismaton	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Book of Wisdom or Wisdom of Solomon	No	No − inc. in some mss. (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)	Yes (Deuterocanonical)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Wisdom of Sirach or Sirach (1–51)^{[O 20]}	No	No − inc. in some mss. (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)	Yes^{[O 21]} Ecclesiasticus (Deuterocanonical)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Prayer of Solomon (Sirach 52)^{[O 22]}	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
	Nevi'im	Major prophets
Isaiah	Yes Yeshayahu	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes Isaias	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ascension of Isaiah	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No – liturgical (?)^{[O 23]}	No	No	No – Ethiopic mss. (early tradition?)^{[O 24]}	No
Jeremiah	Yes Yirmeyahu	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes Jeremias	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Lamentations (1–5)	Yes Eikhah (part of Ketuvim)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes^{[O 25]}	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes (part of Säqoqawä Eremyas)^{[O 26]}	Yes
Ethiopic Lamentations (6; 7:1–11:63)	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes (part of Säqoqawä Eremyas)^{[O 26]}	No
Baruch	No	No − inc. in some mss. (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)	Yes (Deuterocanonical)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes^{[O 27]}^{[O 28]}	Yes
Letter of Jeremiah	No	No − inc. in some mss as Baruch Chapter 6. (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)	Yes (chapter 6 of Baruch) (Deuterocanonical)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes (part of Säqoqawä Eremyas)^{[O 29]}^{[O 26]}^{[O 28]}	Yes
Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch (2 Baruch 1–77)^{[O 30]}	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No (?) – inc. in some mss.	No	No	No (?) – inc. in some mss.
Letter of Baruch (2 Baruch 78–87)^{[O 30]}	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No (?) – inc. in some mss.^[5]	No	No	No (?) – inc. in some mss.^[5]
Greek Apocalypse of Baruch (3 Baruch)^{[O 31]}	No	No	No	No	No	No (Greek ms.)	No (Slavonic ms.)	No	No	No	No	No	No
4 Baruch	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes (part of Säqoqawä Eremyas)	No
Ezekiel	Yes Yekhezqel	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes Ezechiel	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Daniel	Yes Daniyyel (part of Ketuvim)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Additions to Daniel^{[O 32]}	No	No − inc. in some mss. (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)	No (Apocrypha)	Yes (Deuterocanonical)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Trei Asar	Twelve Minor Prophets
Hosea	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes Osee	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Joel	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Amos	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Obadiah	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes Abdias	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Jonah	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes Jonas	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Micah	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes Micheas	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Nahum	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Habakkuk	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes Habacuc	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Zephaniah	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes Sophonias	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Haggai	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes Aggeus	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Zechariah	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes Zacharias	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Malachi	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes Malachias	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Old Testament table notes

The table uses the spellings and names present in modern editions of the Bible, such as the New American Bible Revised Edition, Revised Standard Version and English Standard Version. The spelling and names in both the 1609–1610 Douay Old Testament (and in the 1582 Rheims New Testament) and the 1749 revision by Bishop Challoner (the edition currently in print used by many Catholics, and the source of traditional Catholic spellings in English) and in the Septuagint differ from those spellings and names used in modern editions that derive from the Hebrew Masoretic text.^[6]

The King James Version references some of these books by the traditional spelling when referring to them in the New Testament, such as "Esaias" (for Isaiah). In the spirit of ecumenism more recent Catholic translations (e.g., the New American Bible, Jerusalem Bible, and ecumenical translations used by Catholics, such as the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition) use the same "standardized" (King James Version) spellings and names as Protestant Bibles (e.g., 1 Chronicles, as opposed to the Douaic 1 Paralipomenon, 1–2 Samuel and 1–2 Kings, instead of 1–4 Kings) in the protocanonicals.

The Talmud in Bava Batra 14b gives a different order for the books in Nevi'im and Ketuvim. This order is also quoted in Mishneh Torah Hilchot Sefer Torah 7:15. The order of the books of the Torah are universal through all denominations of Judaism and Christianity.

^ The term "Protestant" is not accepted by all Christian denominations who often fall under this title by default—especially those who view themselves as a direct extension of the New Testament church. However, the term is used loosely here to include, with the exception of Lutherans and Anglicans, most of the non-Roman Catholic Protestant, Charismatic/Pentecostal, Reformed, and Evangelical churches. Other western churches and movements that have a divergent history from Roman Catholicism, but are not necessarily considered to be historically Protestant, may also fall under this umbrella terminology.
^ The Roman Catholic Canon as represented in this table reflects the Latin tradition. Some Eastern Rite churches who are in fellowship with the Roman Catholic Church may have different books in their canons.
^ The growth and development of the Armenian Biblical canon is complex. Extra-canonical Old Testament books appear in historical canon lists and recensions that are either exclusive to this tradition, or where they do exist elsewhere, never achieved the same status. These include the Deaths of the Prophets, an ancient account of the lives of the Old Testament prophets, which is not listed in this table. (It is also known as the Lives of the Prophets.) Another writing not listed in this table entitled the Words of Sirach—which is distinct from Ecclesiasticus and its prologue—appears in the appendix of the 1805 Armenian Zohrab Bible alongside other, more commonly known works.
^ Adding to the complexity of the Orthodox Tewahedo Biblical canon, the national epic Kebra Negast has an elevated status among many Ethiopian Christians to such an extent that some consider it to be inspired scripture.
^ ^a ^b The English Apocrypha includes the Prayer of Manasseh, 1 & 2 Esdras, the Additions to Esther, Tobit, Judith, 1 & 2 Maccabees, the Book of Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, the Letter of Jeremiah, and the Additions to Daniel. The Lutheran Apocrypha omits from this list 1 & 2 Esdras. Some Protestant Bibles include 3 Maccabees as part of the Apocrypha. However, many churches within Protestantism—as it is presented here—reject the Apocrypha, do not consider it useful, and do not include it in their Bibles.
^ ^a ^b ^c The Prayer of Manasseh is included as part of the Book of Odes, which follows the Psalms in Eastern Orthodox Bibles. The rest of the Book of Odes consists of passages found elsewhere in the Bible. It may also be found at the end of 2 Chronicles (2 Paralipomenon)
^ ^a ^b ^c 2 Ezra, 3 Ezra, and 3 Maccabees are included in Bibles and have an elevated status within the Armenian scriptural tradition, but are considered "extra-canonical".
^ ^a ^b In many eastern Bibles, the Apocalypse of Ezra is not an exact match to the longer Latin Esdras–2 Esdras in KJV or 4 Esdras in the Vulgate—which includes a Latin prologue (5 Ezra) and epilogue (6 Ezra). However, a degree of uncertainty continues to exist here, and it is certainly possible that the full text—including the prologue and epilogue—appears in Bibles and Biblical manuscripts used by some of these eastern traditions. Also of note is the fact that many Latin versions are missing verses 7:36–7:106. (A more complete explanation of the various divisions of books associated with the scribe Ezra may be found in the Wikipedia article entitled "Esdras".)
^ Evidence strongly suggests that a Greek manuscript of 4 Ezra once existed; this furthermore implies a Hebrew origin for the text.
^ ^a ^b In Eastern Orthodox Churches, including the Georgian Orthodox Church, Ecumenical Councils are the highest written determining church authority on the lists of Biblical books. Canon 2 of the Quintsext Council, held in Trullo and affirmed by the Eastern Orthodox Churches, listed and affirmed Biblical Canon lists, such as the list in Canon 85 of the Canons of the Apostles. Trullo's Biblical Canon lists affirmed documents such as 1-3 Maccabees, but neither Slavonic 3 Esdra/Ezra (AKA Vulgate "4 Ezra/Esdras"), nor 4 Maccabees. Source: Canon 2, Council of Trullo, https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3814.htm Georgian Orthodox Bibles apparently tend to include Slavonic 3 Esdra/Ezra and 4 Maccabees (both apocryphal). Contemporary Georgian Orthodox Bibles may mark them and the Deuterocanonical Books (eg. 1-3 Maccabees) as "noncanonical." See eg. "The Old Testament in Modern Georgian Language" on the following Georgian Orthodox website: http://www.orthodoxy.ge/tserili/biblia/sarchevi.htm
^ An early fragment of 6 Ezra is known to exist in the Greek language, implying a possible Hebrew origin for 2 Esdras 15–16.
^ Esther's placement within the canon was questioned by Luther. Others, like Melito, omitted it from the canon altogether.
^ ^a ^b The Latin Vulgate, Douay–Rheims, and Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition place First and Second Maccabees after Malachi; other Catholic translations place them after Esther.
^ 2 and 3 Meqabyan, though relatively unrelated in content, are often counted as a single book.
^ Some sources place Zëna Ayhud within the "narrower canon".
^ ^a ^b A Syriac version of Josephus's Jewish War VI appears in some Peshitta manuscripts as the "Fifth Book of Maccabees", which is clearly a misnomer.
^ Several varying historical canon lists exist for the Orthodox Tewahedo tradition. In one particular list Archived 10 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine found in a British Library manuscript (Add MS 16188), a book of Assenath is placed within the canon. This most likely refers to the book more commonly known as Joseph and Asenath. An unknown book of Uzziah is also listed there, which may be connected to the lost Acts of Uziah referenced in 2 Chronicles 26:22.
^ Some traditions use an alternative set of liturgical or metrical Psalms.
^ In many ancient manuscripts, a distinct collection known as the Odes of Solomon is found together with the similar Psalms of Solomon.
^ The book of Sirach is usually preceded by a non-canonical prologue written by the author's grandson.
^ In the Latin Vulgate and Douay-Rheims, chapter 51 of Ecclesiasticus appears separately as the "Prayer of Joshua, son of Sirach".
^ A shorter variant of the prayer by King Solomon in 1 Kings 8:22–52 appeared in some medieval Latin manuscripts and is found in some Latin Bibles at the end of or immediately following Ecclesiasticus. The two versions of the prayer in Latin may be viewed online for comparison at the following website: BibleGateway.com: Sirach 52 / 1 Kings 8:22–52; Vulgate
^ The "Martyrdom of Isaiah" is prescribed reading to honor the prophet Isaiah within the Armenian Apostolic liturgy. While this likely refers to the account of Isaiah's death within the Lives of the Prophets, it may be a reference to the account of his death found within the first five chapters of the Ascension of Isaiah, which is widely known by this name. The two narratives have similarities and may share a common source.
^ The Ascension of Isaiah has long been known to be a part of the Orthodox Tewahedo scriptural tradition. Though it is not currently considered canonical, various sources attest to the early canonicity—or at least "semi-canonicity"—of this book.
^ In some Latin versions, chapter 5 of Lamentations appears separately as the "Prayer of Jeremiah".
^ ^a ^b ^c Ethiopic Lamentations consists of eleven chapters, parts of which are considered to be non-canonical.
^ The canonical Ethiopic version of Baruch has five chapters, but is shorter than the LXX text.
^ ^a ^b Some Ethiopic translations of Baruch may include the traditional Letter of Jeremiah as the sixth chapter.
^ The "Letter to the Captives" found within Säqoqawä Eremyas—and also known as the sixth chapter of Ethiopic Lamentations—may contain different content from the Letter of Jeremiah (to those same captives) found in other traditions.
^ ^a ^b The Letter of Baruch is found in chapters 78–87 of 2 Baruch—the final ten chapters of the book. The letter had a wider circulation and often appeared separately from the first 77 chapters of the book, which is an apocalypse.
^ Included here for the purpose of disambiguation, 3 Baruch is widely rejected as a pseudepigraphon and is not part of any Biblical tradition. Two manuscripts exist—a longer Greek manuscript with Christian interpolations and a shorter Slavonic version. There is some uncertainty about which was written first.
^ Bel and the Dragon, Susanna, and The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children.

New Testament

Among the various Christian denominations, the New Testament canon is a generally agreed-upon list of 27 books. However, the way in which those books are arranged may vary from tradition to tradition. For instance, in the Slavonic, Orthodox Tewahedo, Syriac, and Armenian traditions, the New Testament is ordered differently from what is considered to be the standard arrangement. Protestant Bibles in Russia and Ethiopia usually follow the local Orthodox order for the New Testament. The Syriac Orthodox Church and the Assyrian Church of the East both adhere to the Peshitta liturgical tradition, which historically excludes five books of the New Testament Antilegomena: 2 John, 3 John, 2 Peter, Jude, and Revelation. However, those books are included in certain Bibles of the modern Syriac traditions.

Other New Testament works that are generally considered apocryphal nonetheless appear in some Bibles and manuscripts. For instance, the Epistle to the Laodiceans^{[note 1]} was included in numerous Latin Vulgate manuscripts, in the eighteen German Bibles prior to Luther's translation, and also a number of early English Bibles, such as Gundulf's Bible and John Wycliffe's English translation—even as recently as 1728, William Whiston considered this epistle to be genuinely Pauline. Likewise, the Third Epistle to the Corinthians^{[note 2]} was once considered to be part of the Armenian Orthodox Bible,^[7] but is no longer printed in modern editions. Within the Syriac Orthodox tradition, the Third Epistle to the Corinthians also has a history of significance. Both Aphrahat and Ephraem of Syria held it in high regard and treated it as if it were canonical.^[8] However, it was left-out of the Peshitta and ultimately excluded from the canon altogether.

The Didache,^{[note 3]} The Shepherd of Hermas,^{[note 4]} and other writings attributed to the Apostolic Fathers, were once considered scriptural by various early Church fathers. They are still being honored in some traditions, though they are no longer considered to be canonical. However, certain canonical books within the Orthodox Tewahedo traditions find their origin in the writings of the Apostolic Fathers as well as the Ancient Church Orders. The Orthodox Tewahedo churches recognize these eight additional New Testament books in its broader canon. They are as follows: the four books of Sinodos, the two books of the Covenant, Ethiopic Clement, and the Ethiopic Didascalia.^[9]

New Testament table


Books	Protestant ^{[O 1]}	Roman Catholic	Greek Orthodox	Armenian Apostolic^{[N 1]}	Coptic Orthodox	Orthodox Tewahedo	Syriac Orthodox	Marcionism
	Western tradition		Eastern Orthodox tradition	Oriental Orthodox tradition				Early Christianity
Canonical gospels^{[N 2]}
Matthew	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes^{[N 3]}	No
Mark^{[N 4]}	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes^{[N 3]}	No
Luke	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes^{[N 3]}	Gospel of Marcion
John^{[N 4]}^{[N 5]}	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes^{[N 3]}	No
Acts of apostles
Acts^{[N 4]}	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Acts of Paul and Thecla^{[N 6]}^[10]^[11]	No	No	No	No (early tradition)	No	No	No (early tradition)	No
Pauline epistles
Romans	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
1 Corinthians	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
2 Corinthians	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
3 Corinthians^{[N 6]}^{[N 7]}	No	No	No	No − inc. in some mss.	No	No	No (early tradition)	No
Galatians	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ephesians	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Philippians	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Colossians	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Laodiceans	No − inc. in Wycliffe and early Quaker Bibles.^{[N 8]}	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes (contents unknown)
1 Thessalonians	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
2 Thessalonians	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
1 Timothy	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
2 Timothy	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Titus	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Philemon	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Catholic epistles (General epistles)
Hebrews	Yes^{[N 9]}	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
James	Yes^{[N 9]}	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
1 Peter	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
2 Peter	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes^{[N 10]}	No
1 John^{[N 4]}	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
2 John	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes^{[N 10]}	No
3 John	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes^{[N 10]}	No
Jude	Yes^{[N 9]}	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes^{[N 10]}	No
Apocalypse^{[N 11]}
Revelation of John	Yes^{[N 9]}	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes^{[N 10]}	No
Revelation of Peter	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes (part of Ethiopic Clement under broader canon)	No
Apostolic Fathers^{[N 12]} and Church Orders^{[N 13]}
1 Clement^{[N 14]}^[12]	No (Codices Alexandrinus and Hierosolymitanus)							No
2 Clement^{[N 14]}^[12]	No (Codices Alexandrinus and Hierosolymitanus)							No
Shepherd of Hermas^{[N 14]}	No (Codex Siniaticus)							No
Epistle of Barnabas^{[N 14]}	No (Codices Hierosolymitanus and Siniaticus)							No
Didache^{[N 14]}	No (Codex Hierosolymitanus)							No
Ser'atä Seyon (Sinodos)	No	No	No	No	No	Yes (broader canon)	No	No
Te'ezaz (Sinodos)	No	No	No	No	No	Yes (broader canon)	No	No
Gessew (Sinodos)	No	No	No	No	No	Yes (broader canon)	No	No
Abtelis (Sinodos)	No	No	No	No	No	Yes (broader canon)	No	No
Book of the Covenant 1 (Mäshafä Kidan)	No	No	No	No	No	Yes (broader canon)	No	No
Book of the Covenant 2 (Mäshafä Kidan)	No	No	No	No	No	Yes (broader canon)	No	No
Ethiopic Clement (Qälëmentos)^{[N 15]}	No	No	No	No	No	Yes (broader canon)	No	No
Ethiopic Didescalia (Didesqelya)^{[N 15]}	No	No	No	No	No	Yes (broader canon)	No	No

New Testament table notes

^ The growth and development of the Armenian Biblical canon is complex. Extra-canonical New Testament books appear in historical canon lists and recensions that are either distinct to this tradition, or where they do exist elsewhere, never achieved the same status. Some of the books are not listed in this table. These include the Prayer of Euthalius, the Repose of St. John the Evangelist, the Doctrine of Addai (some sources replace this with the Acts of Thaddeus), a reading from the Gospel of James (some sources replace this with the Apocryphon of James), the Second Apostolic Canons, the Words of Justus, Dionysius Areopagite, the Acts of Peter (some sources replace this with the Preaching of Peter), and a Poem by Ghazar. (Various sources also mention undefined Armenian canonical additions to the Gospels of Mark and John, however, these may refer to the general additions—Mark 16:9–20 and John 7:53–8:11—discussed elsewhere in these notes.) A possible exception here to canonical exclusivity is the Second Apostolic Canons, which share a common source—the Apostolic Constitutions—with certain parts of the Orthodox Tewahedo New Testament broader canon. The correspondence between King Agbar and Jesus Christ, which is found in various forms—including within both the Doctrine of Addai and the Acts of Thaddeus—sometimes appears separately. It is noteworthy that the Prayer of Euthalius and the Repose of St. John the Evangelist appear in the appendix of the 1805 Armenian Zohrab Bible. However, some of the aforementioned books, though they are found within canon lists, have nonetheless never been discovered to be part of any Armenian Biblical manuscript.
^ Though widely regarded as non-canonical, the Gospel of James obtained early liturgical acceptance among some Eastern churches and remains a major source for many of Christendom's traditions related to Mary, the mother of Jesus.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d The Diatessaron, Tatian's gospel harmony, became a standard text in some Syriac-speaking churches down to the 5th century, when it gave-way to the four separate gospels found in the Peshitta.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Parts of these four books are not found in the most reliable ancient sources; in some cases, are thought to be later additions; and have therefore not historically existed in every Biblical tradition. They are as follows: Mark 16:9–20, John 7:53–8:11, the Comma Johanneum, and portions of the Western version of Acts. To varying degrees, arguments for the authenticity of these passages—especially for the one from the Gospel of John—have occasionally been made.
^ Skeireins, a commentary on the Gospel of John in the Gothic language, was included in the Wulfila Bible. It exists today only in fragments.
^ ^a ^b The Acts of Paul and Thecla and the Third Epistle to the Corinthians are portions of the greater Acts of Paul narrative, which is part of a stichometric catalogue of New Testament canon found in the Codex Claromontanus, but has survived only in fragments. Some of the content within these individual sections may have developed separately, however.
^ The Third Epistle to the Corinthians always appears as a correspondence; it also includes a short letter from the Corinthians to Paul.
^ The Epistle to the Laodiceans is present in some western non-Roman Catholic translations and traditions. Especially of note is John Wycliffe's inclusion of the epistle in his English translation, and the Quakers' use of it to the point where they produced a translation and made pleas for its canonicity (Poole's Annotations, on Col. 4:16). The epistle is nonetheless widely rejected by the vast majority of Protestants.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d These four works were questioned or "spoken against" by Martin Luther, and he changed the order of his New Testament to reflect this, but he did not leave them out, nor has any Lutheran body since. Traditional German Luther Bibles are still printed with the New Testament in this changed "Lutheran" order. The vast majority of Protestants embrace these four works as fully canonical.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e The Peshitta excludes 2 John, 3 John, 2 Peter, Jude, and Revelation, but certain Bibles of the modern Syriac traditions include later translations of those books. Still today, the official lectionary followed by the Syriac Orthodox Church and the Assyrian Church of the East, present lessons from only the twenty-two books of Peshitta, the version to which appeal is made for the settlement of doctrinal questions.
^ The Apocalypse of Peter, though not listed in this table, is mentioned in the Muratorian fragment and is part of a stichometric catalogue of New Testament canon found in the Codex Claromontanus. It was also held in high regard by Clement of Alexandria.
^ Other known writings of the Apostolic Fathers not listed in this table are as follows: the seven Epistles of Ignatius, the Epistle of Polycarp, the Martyrdom of Polycarp, the Epistle to Diognetus, the fragment of Quadratus of Athens, the fragments of Papias of Hierapolis, the Reliques of the Elders Preserved in Irenaeus, and the Apostles' Creed.
^ Though they are not listed in this table, the Apostolic Constitutions were considered canonical by some including Alexius Aristenus, John of Salisbury, and to a lesser extent, Grigor Tat'evatsi. They are even classified as part of the New Testament canon within the body of the Constitutions itself. Moreover, they are the source for a great deal of the content in the Orthodox Tewahedo broader canon.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e These five writings attributed to the Apostolic Fathers are not currently considered canonical in any Biblical tradition, though they are more highly regarded by some more than others. Nonetheless, their early authorship and inclusion in ancient Biblical codices, as well as their acceptance to varying degrees by various early authorities, requires them to be treated as foundational literature for Christianity as a whole.
^ ^a ^b Ethiopic Clement and the Ethiopic Didascalia are distinct from and should not be confused with other ecclesiastical documents known in the west by similar names.

Notes

^ A translation of the Epistle to the Laodiceans can be accessed online at the Internet Sacred Texts Archive.
^ The Third Epistle to the Corinthians can be found as a section within the Acts of Paul, which has survived only in fragments. A translation of the entire remaining Acts of Paul can be accessed online at Early Christian Writings.
^ Various translations of the Didache can be accessed online at Early Christian Writings.
^ A translation of the Shepherd of Hermas can be accessed online at the Internet Sacred Texts Archive.

References

Citations

^ "Books of the Bible". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
^ "The Bible". Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
^ read at Easter Saturday vigil
^ "Are 1 and 2 Esdras non-canonical books?". Catholic Answers. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
^ ^a ^b The Apocrypha in Ecumenical Perspective : The Place of the Late Writings of the Old Testament Among the Biblical Writings and their Significance in the Eastern and Western Church Traditions, p. 160
^ Generally due to derivation from transliterations of names used in the Latin Vulgate in the case of Catholicism, and from transliterations of the Greek Septuagint in the case of the Orthodox (as opposed to derivation of translations, instead of transliterations, of Hebrew titles) such Ecclesiasticus (DRC) instead of Sirach (LXX) or Ben Sira (Hebrew), Paralipomenon (Greek, meaning "things omitted") instead of Chronicles, Sophonias instead of Zephaniah, Noe instead of Noah, Henoch instead of Enoch, Messias instead of Messiah, Sion instead of Zion, etc.
^ Saifullah, M. S. M. "Canons & Recensions of the Armenian Bible". Islamic Awareness. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
^ Metzger (1997), pp. 219, 223; cf. 7, 176, 182. Cited in Epp, Eldon Jay (2002). "Issues in the Interrelation of New Testament Textual Criticism and Canon". In McDonald, L. M.; Sanders, J. A. (eds.). The Canon Debate. Hendrickson Publishers. p. 492.
^ Cowley, R. W. (1974). "The Biblical Canon of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Today". Ostkirchliche Studien. 23: 318–323.
^ Burris, Catherine; van Rompay, Lucas (2002). "Thecla in Syriac Christianity: Preliminary Observations". Hugoye: Journal of Syriac Studies. 5 (2): 225–236. doi:10.31826/9781463214104-012. Archived from the original on 1 July 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
^ Carter, Nancy A. (2000), The Acts of Thecla: A Pauline Tradition Linked to Women, Conflict and Community in the Christian Church, archived from the original on 13 February 2012
^ ^a ^b "The Canonization of Scripture | Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles". Retrieved 2022-04-02.

^ The term "Protestant" is not accepted by all Christian denominations who often fall under this title by default—especially those who view themselves as a direct extension of the New Testament church. However, the term is used loosely here to include, with the exception of Lutherans and Anglicans, most of the non-Roman Catholic Protestant, Charismatic/Pentecostal, Reformed, and Evangelical churches. Other western churches and movements that have a divergent history from Roman Catholicism, but are not necessarily considered to be historically Protestant, may also fall under this umbrella terminology.

Bibliography

Beckwith, R. T. (1986). The Old Testament Canon of the New Testament Church and Its Background in Early Judaism. Eerdmans Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-8028-3617-5.
Davis, L. D. (1983). The First Seven Ecumenical Councils (325-787): Their History and Theology. Liturgical Press. ISBN 978-0-8146-5616-7.
Ferguson, Everett. Encyclopedia of Early Christianity.
Fox, Robin Lane (1992). The Unauthorized Version: Truth and Fiction in the Bible. Penguin Books.
Gamble, Harry Y. (2002). The New Testament Canon: Its Making and Meaning. Wipf & Stock Publishers. ISBN 1-57910-909-8.
Jurgens, W. A. (1970). Faith of the Early Fathers. Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical Press.
Lightfoot, Joseph; Harmer, John; Holmes, Michael, eds. (1992). The Apostolic Fathers. Barker Book House. ISBN 978-0-8010-5676-5.
McDonald, L. M.; Sanders, J. A. (2002). "Introduction". The Canon Debate. Hendrickson Publishers.
Metzger, Bruce M. (13 March 1997). The Canon of the New Testament: Its Origin, Development, and Significance. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-826954-4.
Nersessian, V. (2001). "The Armenian Canon of the New Testament". The Bible in the Armenian Tradition. Los Angeles, CA: J. Paul Getty Museum. ISBN 978-0-89236-640-8.
Sundberg, Albert (1964). The Old Testament of the Early Church. Harvard Press.

External links

Media related to Biblical canon at Wikimedia Commons
The Canon of Scripture – contains multiple links and articles
Cross Wire Bible Society Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
Old Testament Reading Room and New Testament Reading Room – Online resources referenced by Tyndale Seminary
Catholic Encyclopedia: Canon of the New Testament
Jewish Encyclopedia: Bible Canon
Table of Tanakh Books – includes Latin, English, Hebrew and abbreviated names (from Tel Aviv University).
The Bible in the Armenian Church (an essay, with full official canon at the end)
H. Schumacher, The Canon of the New Testament (London 1923), pp. 84–94.
Dale B. Martin, Introduction to New Testament History and Literature" course materials, Open Yale course, Yale University, archived from the original on 2010-08-15, retrieved 2016-01-07
WELS Topical Q&A: Canon – 66 Books in the Bible, by Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (Confessional Lutheran perspective)

[Protestant-1] The term "Protestant" is not accepted by all Christian denominations who often fall under this title by default—especially those who view themselves as a direct extension of the New Testament church. However, the term is used loosely here to include, with the exception of Lutherans and Anglicans, most of the non-Roman Catholic Protestant, Charismatic/Pentecostal, Reformed, and Evangelical churches. Other western churches and movements that have a divergent history from Roman Catholicism, but are not necessarily considered to be historically Protestant, may also fall under this umbrella terminology.

[Catholic-3] The Roman Catholic Canon as represented in this table reflects the Latin tradition. Some Eastern Rite churches who are in fellowship with the Roman Catholic Church may have different books in their canons.

[Armenian-4] The growth and development of the Armenian Biblical canon is complex. Extra-canonical Old Testament books appear in historical canon lists and recensions that are either exclusive to this tradition, or where they do exist elsewhere, never achieved the same status. These include the Deaths of the Prophets, an ancient account of the lives of the Old Testament prophets, which is not listed in this table. (It is also known as the Lives of the Prophets.) Another writing not listed in this table entitled the Words of Sirach—which is distinct from Ecclesiasticus and its prologue—appears in the appendix of the 1805 Armenian Zohrab Bible alongside other, more commonly known works.

[Sheba-6] Adding to the complexity of the Orthodox Tewahedo Biblical canon, the national epic Kebra Negast has an elevated status among many Ethiopian Christians to such an extent that some consider it to be inspired scripture.

[Apocrypha-7] The English Apocrypha includes the Prayer of Manasseh, 1 & 2 Esdras, the Additions to Esther, Tobit, Judith, 1 & 2 Maccabees, the Book of Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, the Letter of Jeremiah, and the Additions to Daniel. The Lutheran Apocrypha omits from this list 1 & 2 Esdras. Some Protestant Bibles include 3 Maccabees as part of the Apocrypha. However, many churches within Protestantism—as it is presented here—reject the Apocrypha, do not consider it useful, and do not include it in their Bibles.

[Manasseh-8] The Prayer of Manasseh is included as part of the Book of Odes, which follows the Psalms in Eastern Orthodox Bibles. The rest of the Book of Odes consists of passages found elsewhere in the Bible. It may also be found at the end of 2 Chronicles (2 Paralipomenon)

[exc-11] 2 Ezra, 3 Ezra, and 3 Maccabees are included in Bibles and have an elevated status within the Armenian scriptural tradition, but are considered "extra-canonical".

[esdras-12] In many eastern Bibles, the Apocalypse of Ezra is not an exact match to the longer Latin Esdras–2 Esdras in KJV or 4 Esdras in the Vulgate—which includes a Latin prologue (5 Ezra) and epilogue (6 Ezra). However, a degree of uncertainty continues to exist here, and it is certainly possible that the full text—including the prologue and epilogue—appears in Bibles and Biblical manuscripts used by some of these eastern traditions. Also of note is the fact that many Latin versions are missing verses 7:36–7:106. (A more complete explanation of the various divisions of books associated with the scribe Ezra may be found in the Wikipedia article entitled "Esdras".)

[lost-13] Evidence strongly suggests that a Greek manuscript of 4 Ezra once existed; this furthermore implies a Hebrew origin for the text.

[Georgian-14] In Eastern Orthodox Churches, including the Georgian Orthodox Church, Ecumenical Councils are the highest written determining church authority on the lists of Biblical books. Canon 2 of the Quintsext Council, held in Trullo and affirmed by the Eastern Orthodox Churches, listed and affirmed Biblical Canon lists, such as the list in Canon 85 of the Canons of the Apostles. Trullo's Biblical Canon lists affirmed documents such as 1-3 Maccabees, but neither Slavonic 3 Esdra/Ezra (AKA Vulgate "4 Ezra/Esdras"), nor 4 Maccabees. Source: Canon 2, Council of Trullo, https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3814.htm Georgian Orthodox Bibles apparently tend to include Slavonic 3 Esdra/Ezra and 4 Maccabees (both apocryphal). Contemporary Georgian Orthodox Bibles may mark them and the Deuterocanonical Books (eg. 1-3 Maccabees) as "noncanonical." See eg. "The Old Testament in Modern Georgian Language" on the following Georgian Orthodox website: http://www.orthodoxy.ge/tserili/biblia/sarchevi.htm

[6ez-15] An early fragment of 6 Ezra is known to exist in the Greek language, implying a possible Hebrew origin for 2 Esdras 15–16.

[Esther-16] Esther's placement within the canon was questioned by Luther. Others, like Melito, omitted it from the canon altogether.

[maccabees-17] The Latin Vulgate, Douay–Rheims, and Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition place First and Second Maccabees after Malachi; other Catholic translations place them after Esther.

[Meqabyan-18] 2 and 3 Meqabyan, though relatively unrelated in content, are often counted as a single book.

[Jossipon-19] Some sources place Zëna Ayhud within the "narrower canon".

[Josephus-20] A Syriac version of Josephus's Jewish War VI appears in some Peshitta manuscripts as the "Fifth Book of Maccabees", which is clearly a misnomer.

[ethasenath-21] Several varying historical canon lists exist for the Orthodox Tewahedo tradition. In one particular list Archived 10 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine found in a British Library manuscript (Add MS 16188), a book of Assenath is placed within the canon. This most likely refers to the book more commonly known as Joseph and Asenath. An unknown book of Uzziah is also listed there, which may be connected to the lost Acts of Uziah referenced in 2 Chronicles 26:22.

[psb-22] Some traditions use an alternative set of liturgical or metrical Psalms.

[OSO-23] In many ancient manuscripts, a distinct collection known as the Odes of Solomon is found together with the similar Psalms of Solomon.

[prologue-24] The book of Sirach is usually preceded by a non-canonical prologue written by the author's grandson.

[sir51-25] In the Latin Vulgate and Douay-Rheims, chapter 51 of Ecclesiasticus appears separately as the "Prayer of Joshua, son of Sirach".

[Solomon-26] A shorter variant of the prayer by King Solomon in 1 Kings 8:22–52 appeared in some medieval Latin manuscripts and is found in some Latin Bibles at the end of or immediately following Ecclesiasticus. The two versions of the prayer in Latin may be viewed online for comparison at the following website: BibleGateway.com: Sirach 52 / 1 Kings 8:22–52; Vulgate

[Martyrdom-27] The "Martyrdom of Isaiah" is prescribed reading to honor the prophet Isaiah within the Armenian Apostolic liturgy. While this likely refers to the account of Isaiah's death within the Lives of the Prophets, it may be a reference to the account of his death found within the first five chapters of the Ascension of Isaiah, which is widely known by this name. The two narratives have similarities and may share a common source.

[Ascension-28] The Ascension of Isaiah has long been known to be a part of the Orthodox Tewahedo scriptural tradition. Though it is not currently considered canonical, various sources attest to the early canonicity—or at least "semi-canonicity"—of this book.

[lam5-29] In some Latin versions, chapter 5 of Lamentations appears separately as the "Prayer of Jeremiah".

[ethlam-30] Ethiopic Lamentations consists of eleven chapters, parts of which are considered to be non-canonical.

[ebar-31] The canonical Ethiopic version of Baruch has five chapters, but is shorter than the LXX text.

[ebar6-32] Some Ethiopic translations of Baruch may include the traditional Letter of Jeremiah as the sixth chapter.

[lam6-33] The "Letter to the Captives" found within Säqoqawä Eremyas—and also known as the sixth chapter of Ethiopic Lamentations—may contain different content from the Letter of Jeremiah (to those same captives) found in other traditions.

[Baruch2-34] The Letter of Baruch is found in chapters 78–87 of 2 Baruch—the final ten chapters of the book. The letter had a wider circulation and often appeared separately from the first 77 chapters of the book, which is an apocalypse.

[Greeka-36] Included here for the purpose of disambiguation, 3 Baruch is widely rejected as a pseudepigraphon and is not part of any Biblical tradition. Two manuscripts exist—a longer Greek manuscript with Christian interpolations and a shorter Slavonic version. There is some uncertainty about which was written first.

[Daniel-37] Bel and the Dragon, Susanna, and The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children.

[Armenian-47] The growth and development of the Armenian Biblical canon is complex. Extra-canonical New Testament books appear in historical canon lists and recensions that are either distinct to this tradition, or where they do exist elsewhere, never achieved the same status. Some of the books are not listed in this table. These include the Prayer of Euthalius, the Repose of St. John the Evangelist, the Doctrine of Addai (some sources replace this with the Acts of Thaddeus), a reading from the Gospel of James (some sources replace this with the Apocryphon of James), the Second Apostolic Canons, the Words of Justus, Dionysius Areopagite, the Acts of Peter (some sources replace this with the Preaching of Peter), and a Poem by Ghazar. (Various sources also mention undefined Armenian canonical additions to the Gospels of Mark and John, however, these may refer to the general additions—Mark 16:9–20 and John 7:53–8:11—discussed elsewhere in these notes.) A possible exception here to canonical exclusivity is the Second Apostolic Canons, which share a common source—the Apostolic Constitutions—with certain parts of the Orthodox Tewahedo New Testament broader canon. The correspondence between King Agbar and Jesus Christ, which is found in various forms—including within both the Doctrine of Addai and the Acts of Thaddeus—sometimes appears separately. It is noteworthy that the Prayer of Euthalius and the Repose of St. John the Evangelist appear in the appendix of the 1805 Armenian Zohrab Bible. However, some of the aforementioned books, though they are found within canon lists, have nonetheless never been discovered to be part of any Armenian Biblical manuscript.

[infancy-48] Though widely regarded as non-canonical, the Gospel of James obtained early liturgical acceptance among some Eastern churches and remains a major source for many of Christendom's traditions related to Mary, the mother of Jesus.

[Tatian-49] The Diatessaron, Tatian's gospel harmony, became a standard text in some Syriac-speaking churches down to the 5th century, when it gave-way to the four separate gospels found in the Peshitta.

[Addition-50] Parts of these four books are not found in the most reliable ancient sources; in some cases, are thought to be later additions; and have therefore not historically existed in every Biblical tradition. They are as follows: Mark 16:9–20, John 7:53–8:11, the Comma Johanneum, and portions of the Western version of Acts. To varying degrees, arguments for the authenticity of these passages—especially for the one from the Gospel of John—have occasionally been made.

[Goth-51] Skeireins, a commentary on the Gospel of John in the Gothic language, was included in the Wulfila Bible. It exists today only in fragments.

[AoP-52] The Acts of Paul and Thecla and the Third Epistle to the Corinthians are portions of the greater Acts of Paul narrative, which is part of a stichometric catalogue of New Testament canon found in the Codex Claromontanus, but has survived only in fragments. Some of the content within these individual sections may have developed separately, however.

[Corinthians-55] The Third Epistle to the Corinthians always appears as a correspondence; it also includes a short letter from the Corinthians to Paul.

[Laodiceans-56] The Epistle to the Laodiceans is present in some western non-Roman Catholic translations and traditions. Especially of note is John Wycliffe's inclusion of the epistle in his English translation, and the Quakers' use of it to the point where they produced a translation and made pleas for its canonicity (Poole's Annotations, on Col. 4:16). The epistle is nonetheless widely rejected by the vast majority of Protestants.

[Luther-57] These four works were questioned or "spoken against" by Martin Luther, and he changed the order of his New Testament to reflect this, but he did not leave them out, nor has any Lutheran body since. Traditional German Luther Bibles are still printed with the New Testament in this changed "Lutheran" order. The vast majority of Protestants embrace these four works as fully canonical.

[Syriac-58] The Peshitta excludes 2 John, 3 John, 2 Peter, Jude, and Revelation, but certain Bibles of the modern Syriac traditions include later translations of those books. Still today, the official lectionary followed by the Syriac Orthodox Church and the Assyrian Church of the East, present lessons from only the twenty-two books of Peshitta, the version to which appeal is made for the settlement of doctrinal questions.

[ApocPeter-59] The Apocalypse of Peter, though not listed in this table, is mentioned in the Muratorian fragment and is part of a stichometric catalogue of New Testament canon found in the Codex Claromontanus. It was also held in high regard by Clement of Alexandria.

[Fathers-60] Other known writings of the Apostolic Fathers not listed in this table are as follows: the seven Epistles of Ignatius, the Epistle of Polycarp, the Martyrdom of Polycarp, the Epistle to Diognetus, the fragment of Quadratus of Athens, the fragments of Papias of Hierapolis, the Reliques of the Elders Preserved in Irenaeus, and the Apostles' Creed.

[Apostloic-61] Though they are not listed in this table, the Apostolic Constitutions were considered canonical by some including Alexius Aristenus, John of Salisbury, and to a lesser extent, Grigor Tat'evatsi. They are even classified as part of the New Testament canon within the body of the Constitutions itself. Moreover, they are the source for a great deal of the content in the Orthodox Tewahedo broader canon.

[ApFa-62] These five writings attributed to the Apostolic Fathers are not currently considered canonical in any Biblical tradition, though they are more highly regarded by some more than others. Nonetheless, their early authorship and inclusion in ancient Biblical codices, as well as their acceptance to varying degrees by various early authorities, requires them to be treated as foundational literature for Christianity as a whole.

[Ethiopic-64] Ethiopic Clement and the Ethiopic Didascalia are distinct from and should not be confused with other ecclesiastical documents known in the west by similar names.

[39] A translation of the Epistle to the Laodiceans can be accessed online at the Internet Sacred Texts Archive.

[40] The Third Epistle to the Corinthians can be found as a section within the Acts of Paul, which has survived only in fragments. A translation of the entire remaining Acts of Paul can be accessed online at Early Christian Writings.

[43] Various translations of the Didache can be accessed online at Early Christian Writings.

[44] A translation of the Shepherd of Hermas can be accessed online at the Internet Sacred Texts Archive.

[2] "Books of the Bible". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved 29 August 2020.

[5] "The Bible". Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Retrieved 23 January 2012.

[9] read at Easter Saturday vigil

[Esdras-10] "Are 1 and 2 Esdras non-canonical books?". Catholic Answers. Retrieved 29 August 2020.

[apoc-in-e-chart-35] The Apocrypha in Ecumenical Perspective : The Place of the Late Writings of the Old Testament Among the Biblical Writings and their Significance in the Eastern and Western Church Traditions, p. 160

[38] Generally due to derivation from transliterations of names used in the Latin Vulgate in the case of Catholicism, and from transliterations of the Greek Septuagint in the case of the Orthodox (as opposed to derivation of translations, instead of transliterations, of Hebrew titles) such Ecclesiasticus (DRC) instead of Sirach (LXX) or Ben Sira (Hebrew), Paralipomenon (Greek, meaning "things omitted") instead of Chronicles, Sophonias instead of Zephaniah, Noe instead of Noah, Henoch instead of Enoch, Messias instead of Messiah, Sion instead of Zion, etc.

[41] Saifullah, M. S. M. "Canons & Recensions of the Armenian Bible". Islamic Awareness. Retrieved 25 January 2012.

[42] Metzger (1997), pp. 219, 223; cf. 7, 176, 182. Cited in Epp, Eldon Jay (2002). "Issues in the Interrelation of New Testament Textual Criticism and Canon". In McDonald, L. M.; Sanders, J. A. (eds.). The Canon Debate. Hendrickson Publishers. p. 492.

[45] Cowley, R. W. (1974). "The Biblical Canon of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Today". Ostkirchliche Studien. 23: 318–323.

[53] Burris, Catherine; van Rompay, Lucas (2002). "Thecla in Syriac Christianity: Preliminary Observations". Hugoye: Journal of Syriac Studies. 5 (2): 225–236. doi:10.31826/9781463214104-012. Archived from the original on 1 July 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.

[54] Carter, Nancy A. (2000), The Acts of Thecla: A Pauline Tradition Linked to Women, Conflict and Community in the Christian Church, archived from the original on 13 February 2012

[lacopts.org-63] "The Canonization of Scripture | Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles". Retrieved 2022-04-02.

[Protestant-46] The term "Protestant" is not accepted by all Christian denominations who often fall under this title by default—especially those who view themselves as a direct extension of the New Testament church. However, the term is used loosely here to include, with the exception of Lutherans and Anglicans, most of the non-Roman Catholic Protestant, Charismatic/Pentecostal, Reformed, and Evangelical churches. Other western churches and movements that have a divergent history from Roman Catholicism, but are not necessarily considered to be historically Protestant, may also fall under this umbrella terminology.

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