Q: Why are some books excluded from the Bible?
A: The Bible we have today consists of 66 books—39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. These books together are called the “canon” of Scripture. The 66 books of the Bible, written over time in different historical contexts, share a consistent message because the Holy Spirit inspired each writer. This makes the Bible the only record of God’s word.
However, the non-Canonical books, dating from around 400 BC to the birth of Jesus, were excluded from the official Bible canon after multiple screenings. These books don’t meet the moral standards of the Bible and often conflict with its doctrines. As a result, they weren’t included in the traditional Jewish canon and are known as Apocrypha, considered inferior and lacking historical value. The word “Apocrypha” itself means “of doubtful authenticity.”
Notably, Jesus never referenced or quoted from the Apocrypha during His sermons.
Furthermore, the Roman Catholic Church officially accepted the apocryphal books. In the 4th century, St. Jerome, a bishop, translated the Bible into Latin and included the Apocrypha as an appendix, which contributed to their acceptance. During the Reformation, the Reformers rejected the Apocrypha. In response, the Catholic Church, at the Council of Trent (1545–1547), officially declared the Apocrypha to be part of the Bible.
