About the Apocrypha

2.4 - Foundations of the Christian Faith

The fourteen books of the Apocrypha, historically acknowledged by the traditional church, are pre-Christian Jewish writings that provide background for the New Testament and are included in many editions of the Bible. They may be read as examples of faithful living but not to establish any doctrine.

Protestants and Evangelicals often bristle about those “other books” that Catholics read... those books that are not included in the “real Bible.” This would be an error, so avoid this kind of talk. The books of the Apocrypha were not added to the Catholic Bible; rather, they were removed from the Protestant Bible. If you look at the Table of Contents for the 1611 translation of the King James Bible, you will see that the Apocrypha was included in that version of the Bible. Indeed, the Apocrypha was a part of the King James Bible for 274 years until being removed in 1885. The Apocrypha was removed from the Bible less than 150 years ago. This speaks more to the state of Protestant Christianity than it does the veracity of the apocryphal books.

Here is a list of the fourteen books of the Apocrypha:

1. 1 Esdras

2. 2 Esdras

3. Tobit

4. Judith

5. Additions to Esther (Esther 10:4-16:24)

6. Wisdom of Solomon

7. Ecclesiasticus (also known as Sirach)

8. Baruch, including the Letter of Jeremiah

9. The Song of the Three Children

10. Susanna

11. Bel and the Dragon

12. Prayer of Manasseh

13. 1 Maccabees

14. 2 Maccabees

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