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Apocrypha

These fourteen books are the King James Apocrypha, in the order of the 1611 printing. A verse such as Tobit 12:9 is /apocrypha/tobit/12/9. Not part of the 66-book Protestant canon. Catholic and Orthodox churches accept these books as deuterocanonical. Third Maccabees, Fourth Maccabees, and Psalm 151 are not in this text. The Bible lists these books on dashed cards in the Catholic positions and keeps the 39 and 27 counts. About the text names the license.

The Fourteen Books

History

These books are not part of the 66-book Protestant canon. Westminster Confession 1.3 says the books commonly called Apocrypha are no part of the canon of Scripture. Anglican Article VI reads them for example of life and instruction of manners, and does not apply them to establish any doctrine. The Council of Trent receives the Catholic deuterocanon. Trent’s books of Esdras are Ezra and Nehemiah. The Prayer of Manasseh is not named as its own book in that decree. The Clementine Vulgate preface set the third and fourth books of Esdras, and the Prayer of Manasseh, outside the canonical series.

Authorship is not one story. Tobit 1:1 opens as the words of Tobit. The prologue on Sirach 1 says the grandfather Jesus wrote the book in Hebrew. 2 Maccabees 2:23 says the book abridges five books by Jason of Cyrene. Baruch 1:1 names Baruch the son of Nerias writing in Babylon. The Catholic Encyclopedia says the Wisdom passages in which the speaker is King Solomon are a literary fiction, and that the author’s name is unknown. Judith, 1 Maccabees, the additions to Daniel, 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, and the Prayer of Manasseh do not name a writer. Each book page states that book’s church history and the authorship problem that can be sourced, under Canon and Authorship.

Which Churches Receive Which Books

Catholic lists received at Trent name Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Baruch, and 1 and 2 Maccabees, and they read the additions to Esther and Daniel inside those books. The Council of Trent’s first and second books of Esdras are Ezra and Nehemiah, not 1 Esdras and 2 Esdras here. The Prayer of Manasseh is not named as its own book in that decree. Anglican Article VI reads the fourteen books in this collection “for example of life and instruction of manners” and does not apply them to establish any doctrine. Each book page states that book’s own reception, with the sources, under Issues With This Book and Church Lists.

On This Site

The King James Version (1769), including the Apocrypha, is in the public domain in the United States. Letters patent restrict printing this translation in the United Kingdom.