📖📖WHAT BOOKS ARE AND AREN’T IN THE BIBLE?

Ari Umble

26 Apr 2025 — 6 min read

📖 Old Testament / Hebrew Bible (39 Books)

Pentateuch (Torah)

Genesis
- Author: Moses
- Date: ~1446–1406 BC (some scholars: 10th–6th century BC)
Exodus
- Author: Moses
- Date: ~1446–1406 BC
Leviticus
- Author: Moses
- Date: ~1446–1406 BC
Numbers
- Author: Moses
- Date: ~1446–1406 BC
Deuteronomy
- Author: Moses (and possibly Joshua)
- Date: ~1406 BC

Historical Books

Joshua
- Author: Joshua
- Date: ~1400 BC
Judges
- Author: Samuel (traditionally)
- Date: ~1050–1000 BC
Ruth
- Author: Samuel (traditionally)
- Date: ~1000 BC
1 Samuel
- Author: Samuel; later prophets (Nathan, Gad)
- Date: ~930 BC
2 Samuel

Author: Nathan, Gad (traditionally)
Date: ~930 BC

1 Kings

Author: Jeremiah (traditionally)
Date: ~560 BC

2 Kings

Author: Jeremiah (traditionally)
Date: ~560 BC

1 Chronicles

Author: Ezra (traditionally)
Date: ~450 BC

2 Chronicles

Author: Ezra (traditionally)
Date: ~450 BC

Ezra

Author: Ezra
Date: ~440 BC

Nehemiah

Author: Nehemiah (compiled by Ezra)
Date: ~430 BC

Esther

Author: Mordecai (traditionally)
Date: ~400 BC

Wisdom & Poetry

Job

Author: Unknown (possibly Moses)
Date: ~2000–1000 BC (uncertain)

Psalms

Author: David, Asaph, Sons of Korah, others
Date: ~1000–400 BC

Proverbs

Author: Solomon, Agur, Lemuel
Date: ~950–700 BC

Ecclesiastes

Author: Solomon
Date: ~935 BC

Song of Songs

Author: Solomon
Date: ~950 BC

Major Prophets

Isaiah

Author: Isaiah
Date: ~740–680 BC

Jeremiah

Author: Jeremiah
Date: ~626–586 BC

Lamentations

Author: Jeremiah
Date: ~586 BC

Ezekiel

Author: Ezekiel
Date: ~593–571 BC

Daniel

Author: Daniel
Date: ~530 BC (some scholars: 2nd century BC)

Minor Prophets (The Book of the Twelve)

Hosea – Hosea (~755–710 BC)
Joel – Joel (~835 or ~400 BC)
Amos – Amos (~760 BC)
Obadiah – Obadiah (~586 BC or earlier)
Jonah – Jonah (~785–760 BC)
Micah – Micah (~740–700 BC)
Nahum – Nahum (~660–630 BC)
Habakkuk – Habakkuk (~609–597 BC)
Zephaniah – Zephaniah (~640–609 BC)
Haggai – Haggai (~520 BC)
Zechariah – Zechariah (~520–518 BC)
Malachi – Malachi (~430 BC)

📖 New Testament (27 Books)

Gospels & Acts

Matthew
- Author: Matthew (Levi)
- Date: ~50–70 AD
Mark
- Author: John Mark
- Date: ~50–65 AD
Luke
- Author: Luke
- Date: ~60–70 AD
John
- Author: John the Apostle
- Date: ~85–95 AD
Acts
- Author: Luke
- Date: ~62–70 AD

Pauline Epistles

Romans
- Author: Paul
- Date: ~57 AD
1 Corinthians
- Author: Paul
- Date: ~55 AD
2 Corinthians
- Author: Paul
- Date: ~56 AD
Galatians
- Author: Paul
- Date: ~49–55 AD
Ephesians

Author: Paul
Date: ~60–62 AD

Philippians

Author: Paul
Date: ~60–62 AD

Colossians

Author: Paul
Date: ~60–62 AD

1 Thessalonians

Author: Paul
Date: ~50–51 AD

2 Thessalonians

Author: Paul
Date: ~51–52 AD

1 Timothy

Author: Paul
Date: ~62–64 AD

2 Timothy

Author: Paul
Date: ~64–67 AD

Titus

Author: Paul
Date: ~63–65 AD

Philemon

Author: Paul
Date: ~60–62 AD

General Epistles

Hebrews

Author: Unknown (possibly Paul, Barnabas, Apollos)
Date: ~60–70 AD

James

Author: James, brother of Jesus
Date: ~45–50 AD

1 Peter

Author: Peter
Date: ~60–64 AD

2 Peter

Author: Peter
Date: ~64–68 AD

1 John

Author: John the Apostle
Date: ~85–95 AD

2 John

Author: John the Apostle
Date: ~85–95 AD

3 John

Author: John the Apostle
Date: ~85–95 AD

Jude

Author: Jude, brother of Jesus
Date: ~65–80 AD

Prophecy

Revelation

Author: John the Apostle
Date: ~95–96 AD

Protestant Canon (66 books) – already listed above
Apocrypha / Deuterocanonical Books – accepted by Catholic, Orthodox, or some other Christian traditions
Pseudepigrapha – Jewish and Christian writings attributed to ancient figures, not part of most canons
Other Early Christian Writings – e.g., Church Fathers, Gnostic texts, Dead Sea Scrolls (selectively included)

📚 I. Apocrypha / Deuterocanonical Books

🟡 Books in Catholic and/or Orthodox Bibles

Tobit
- Author: Unknown (possibly 3rd–2nd century BC)
- Date: ~200–175 BC
Judith
- Author: Unknown
- Date: ~150 BC
Additions to Esther
- Author: Hellenistic Jew(s)
- Date: ~140–130 BC
Wisdom of Solomon (Book of Wisdom)
- Author: Pseudo-Solomon
- Date: ~100–50 BC
Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)
- Author: Jesus ben Sirach
- Date: ~180 BC
Baruch
- Author: Attributed to Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe
- Date: ~100–50 BC
Letter of Jeremiah
- Author: Attributed to Jeremiah
- Date: ~300–100 BC
Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Jews
- Additions to Daniel
- Date: ~100–50 BC
Susanna
- Additions to Daniel
- Date: ~100–50 BC
Bel and the Dragon
- Additions to Daniel
- Date: ~100–50 BC
1 Maccabees
- Author: Anonymous Hebrew author
- Date: ~100 BC
2 Maccabees
- Author: Jason of Cyrene (abridged by another)
- Date: ~124 BC

🔵 Books Included in the Eastern Orthodox Canon

3 Maccabees
- Author: Unknown
- Date: ~100 BC
4 Maccabees(in appendix of Orthodox Bibles)
- Author: Hellenistic Jewish philosopher
- Date: ~1st century AD
1 Esdras (Greek Ezra)
- Author: Unknown
- Date: ~150–100 BC
2 Esdras (also called 4 Ezra in Latin)
- Author: Jewish apocalypticist
- Date: ~90–100 AD
Prayer of Manasseh
- Author: Unknown
- Date: ~2nd–1st century BC
Psalm 151
- Author: Attributed to David
- Date: Found in Dead Sea Scrolls (~2nd–1st century BC)

📜 II. Pseudepigrapha

These are extra-canonical Jewish and Christian texts attributed to famous figures. Not part of any standard canon but important historically.

Jewish Pseudepigrapha

1 Enoch (Ethiopic Enoch)
- Attributed to Enoch
- Date: ~300 BC to 100 BC
2 Enoch (Slavonic Enoch)
- Attributed to Enoch
- Date: ~1st century AD
3 Enoch (Hebrew Enoch)
- Attributed to Rabbi Ishmael
- Date: ~5th–6th century AD
Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs
- Attributed to sons of Jacob
- Date: ~2nd century BC
Book of Jubilees
- Attributed to Moses
- Date: ~160–140 BC
Life of Adam and Eve (Apocalypse of Moses)
- Author: Unknown
- Date: ~1st century AD
Martyrdom and Ascension of Isaiah
- Attributed to Isaiah
- Date: ~1st century AD
Apocalypse of Abraham
- Attributed to Abraham
- Date: ~1st–2nd century AD
Sibylline Oracles
- Author: Jewish-Hellenistic poets
- Date: 2nd century BC–2nd century AD
Psalms of Solomon
- Author: Pharisaic Jews
- Date: ~50–1 BC
Joseph and Aseneth
- Author: Unknown
- Date: ~1st century BC–1st century AD
Testament of Abraham
- Author: Unknown
- Date: ~1st–2nd century AD

Christian Pseudepigrapha

Gospel of Thomas
- Attributed to Didymus Thomas
- Date: ~50–140 AD
Gospel of Peter
- Attributed to Peter
- Date: ~100–150 AD
Infancy Gospel of James (Protoevangelium of James)
- Author: Unknown
- Date: ~150 AD
Infancy Gospel of Thomas
- Author: Unknown
- Date: ~2nd century AD
Acts of Paul and Thecla
- Author: Unknown
- Date: ~160 AD
Apocalypse of Peter
- Attributed to Peter
- Date: ~135 AD
Shepherd of Hermas
- Author: Hermas of Rome
- Date: ~100–140 AD
Epistle of Barnabas
- Author: Unknown (traditionally Barnabas)
- Date: ~70–130 AD
Didache (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles)
- Author: Unknown
- Date: ~50–100 AD
2 Clement
- Author: Unknown (not Clement)
- Date: ~100–150 AD
Gospel of Mary (Magdalene)
- Attributed to Mary Magdalene
- Date: ~2nd century AD
Odes of Solomon
- Author: Unknown
- Date: ~1st–2nd century AD

The works of the Christian Pseudepigrapha have been largely discredited as canonical Scripture for several reasons. These reasons are historical, theological, literary, and ecclesial. Here’s a breakdown of the key factors:

⚖️ 1. Apostolic Authority Was Lacking

The early Church recognized canonical books based on apostolic origin or connection to the apostles.

Many pseudepigraphal works were written in the name of apostles (e.g., Gospel of Peter, Acts of Paul, Gospel of Thomas), but clearly post-date the apostles’ lifetimes.
Early church leaders identified these texts as inauthentic, attributing them to later communities trying to borrow apostolic authority to gain legitimacy.

Example:
The Gospel of Thomas claims to be by Didymus Judas Thomas, but it is dated well into the 2nd century—long after Thomas’s death.

🧪 2. Theological Inconsistencies

Many pseudepigraphal writings include ideas that conflict with the theological core of the New Testament.

Gnostic influences (hidden knowledge, dualism, denial of the physical resurrection) appear in texts like:
- Gospel of Thomas
- Gospel of Mary
- Apocalypse of Peter
Some promote mythological or fanciful tales inconsistent with apostolic doctrine or sober teaching.

Example:
The Infancy Gospel of Thomas describes the boy Jesus cursing children and raising clay birds to life—not reflective of the Jesus portrayed in the canonical Gospels.

📜 3. Late Date of Composition

Most Christian pseudepigrapha were written in the 2nd to 4th centuries AD, well after the apostolic era.

The canon of the New Testament began forming within the 1st century, and was being stabilized by the mid-2nd century.
Documents written later could not have been part of the “faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3).

Example:
The Shepherd of Hermas, written ~100–140 AD, was valued for devotion but ultimately excluded due to late authorship and lack of apostolic backing.

🧩 4. Use in Worship and Church Consensus

Early church communities naturally gravitated toward certain writings for worship, teaching, and instruction.

Books that were read publicly in churches, used in baptismal preparation, and quoted by early Church Fathers became the core canon.
Pseudepigraphal texts were often regionally used, not universally accepted, and sometimes even condemned.

Example:
The Didache was used for training catechumens but never treated as divinely inspired Scripture.

🔍 5. Rejected by Early Church Fathers

Key Church Fathers and councils discerned and defended the canon, rejecting the pseudepigrapha as spurious or dangerous:

Irenaeus (c. 180 AD): defended the fourfold Gospel and rejected Gnostic texts
Origen, Athanasius, Eusebius: catalogued genuine vs. false writings
Muratorian Fragment (c. 170 AD): an early canon list that excludes many pseudepigrapha

Example:
The Gospel of Peter was condemned by Serapion of Antioch for Docetism (denial of Christ’s true humanity).

🛑 6. Pseudonymity Was Seen as Deceptive

While pseudonymity (writing under another’s name) was common in the Greco-Roman world, the early Church considered it dishonest in sacred writings.

The Holy Spirit does not lie, they reasoned.
Therefore, a false claim of authorship disqualified a text from being Scripture.

Example:
Books falsely attributed to apostles were understood to be forgeries rather than inspired works.

✅ Summary Table

Criterion	Canonical Books	Christian Pseudepigrapha
Apostolic origin	Yes	No (later attribution)
Consistent theology	Yes	Often Gnostic or divergent
Early widespread use	Yes	Limited or localized use
Recognized by Church Fathers	Yes	Mostly rejected or condemned
Truthfulness of authorship	Yes	Falsely attributed to apostles