The Origin of The Apocrypha & The Bible of The Early Church
Why Some Bibles Have More Books Than Others: A History of the Apocrypha
Most modern Bibles don’t match the one the early Church used.That’s not a provocative claim—it’s a historical fact. For over a thousand years, Christians read and cherished books like Tobit, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, Judith, and 1–2 Maccabees as Scripture. These were included in the Greek Septuagint (LXX), which was quoted, read and referenced by Jesus and the apostles, preserved in the earliest Christian Bibles, and affirmed by church fathers and councils. Yet today, these books are often missing entirely from Protestant Bibles, relegated to a footnote in history or dismissed as “Apocrypha.”So what happened? Why do some Bibles include these books and others do not? And what does that say about the Bible you hold in your hands?________________________________________The Bible Jesus Knew: The Septuagint
The Septuagint was the first major translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. It was produced in the 3rd–2nd centuries BC by Jewish scholars in Alexandria, Egypt, for the Greek-speaking Jewish diaspora. It eventually included all the books we now associate with the Old Testament—but also several others, such as Tobit, Baruch, Wisdom, Sirach, Judith, 1–2 Maccabees, and extended versions of Esther and Daniel (including Susanna and Bel and the Dragon).The Septuagint wasn’t just a convenience for Greek-speaking Jews—it was believed by many in the early Church to be divinely inspired. The name Septuagint comes from the Latin for “seventy,” referencing the traditional account in the Letter of Aristeas that 72 Jewish elders, working independently, all produced identical translations of the Torah—seen as a miraculous confirmation of divine guidance.Early Christians viewed this translation as more than accurate—they saw it as Spirit-led. Church Fathers like Augustine said, “The translators of the Septuagint were not only learned but inspired as prophets” (City of God, Book 18.43). Irenaeus echoed this, writing, “God himself prepared and gave this interpretation through the seventy elders” (Against Heresies 3.21.2). Even Justin Martyr, in his Dialogue with Trypho, asserted that the Septuagint was the true text and accused Jewish scribes of altering the Hebrew to hide prophecies about Christ.
This expanded Greek Old Testament was the Bible most frequently quoted in the New Testament. Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and the author of Hebrews all quote or allude to the Septuagint dozens of times—often when the Greek and Hebrew differ. Some critical Messianic prophecies—such as Isaiah 7:14 ("a virgin will conceive") and Psalm 22:16 ("they have pierced my hands and feet")—are far clearer in the Greek than in the later Hebrew Masoretic Text. In fact, the belief of early Christians was that the Greek version of the Old Testament was a divinely inspired version that better pointed to Jesus as the Messiah or Christ.________________________________________The Masoretic Counter-Canon: A Reaction to Jesus
After Jesus’ resurrection, Christianity spread rapidly among Greek-speaking Jews and Gentiles. Christians claimed Jesus fulfilled the Jewish Scriptures—using the Greek Septuagint as proof. In response, Jewish leaders began to distance themselves from the Septuagint and formed what became known as the Masoretic Text (MT), a more limited Hebrew canon compiled and finalized between the 7th–10th centuries AD.Many of the Messianic prophecies were reworded, weakened, or entirely omitted in the Masoretic version. Psalm 22:16 (“they pierced my hands and feet”) was changed to “like a lion at my hands and feet.” Isaiah 7:14 (“a virgin will conceive”) was changed to “a young woman.” And significantly, the books not found in the Hebrew tradition—like Wisdom of Solomon or 1 Maccabees—were excluded altogether.The early church did not follow this shift. But the seeds of division were planted.________________________________________Jerome vs. Augustine: The Great Debate
In the late 4th century, Jerome was commissioned to create a Latin translation of the Bible—what became the Latin Vulgate. Instead of using the established Greek Septuagint, Jerome insisted on returning to the Hebrew, influenced by a growing desire to access the “original” texts. In doing so, he rejected the full canon used by Christians for centuries.Augustine, bishop of Hippo, strongly objected. He argued that the Greek Septuagint was inspired by the Holy Spirit, widely used by the apostles, and supported by the testimony of the early Church. He warned Jerome that removing these books would undermine Christian doctrine and tradition.Despite the objections, Jerome’s Hebrew-based Vulgate eventually became the standard Bible for the Roman Catholic Church—with the Apocryphal books included, but treated as a “secondary” canon (deuterocanon). The Orthodox Church, meanwhile, never accepted Jerome’s downgrade and continued using the Septuagint in full.________________________________________The Canon Splits: Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant Paths
This divergence hardened during the Great Schism of 1054. The Eastern Orthodox Church retained the full Septuagint-based Old Testament. The Roman Catholic Church used Jerome’s Vulgate, still including the Apocryphal books but with a slight hesitancy.Then came the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. Martin Luther, seeking to align doctrine strictly with what was found in Hebrew Scripture, moved the Apocryphal books to a separate section between the Old and New Testaments. He called them “not equal to the Holy Scriptures, but useful and good to read.” Still, he included them in the 1534 Luther Bible, and they remained in Protestant Bibles for centuries.That included the 1611 King James Version, which also included the Apocrypha as standard. For over 250 years, English-speaking Protestants read these books. It wasn’t until the mid-1800s, under pressure from Bible societies and cost-cutting publishers, that the Apocryphal books began disappearing altogether from Protestant editions.________________________________________Modern Restoration: What Scholars Know and Publishers Don’t Say
Today, Protestant Bibles are shorter—not because of new research, but because of old decisions rooted in theological disagreement. Catholic and Orthodox Bibles still include the Apocryphal books, and scholarly editions like the NRSV with Apocrypha or ESV with Apocrypha restore them—quietly acknowledging their importance.And what’s most telling? These books keep showing up in footnotes. When modern translations like the NIV or ESV encounter difficult Hebrew passages, they often reference the Greek Septuagint—the very collection that includes these so-called “extra books.” Look for “LXX” in the footnotes of your Bible – this is acknowledging that the translators needed to use the Greek version!________________________________________So Why Were They Removed?
Not because they were obscure. Not because they were new. Not because they were heretical.But because they may have supported doctrines the Reformers challenged, were written in Greek, and were not included in the post-Christian Hebrew canon.Yet for the first 1,500 years of the Church, the Apocryphal books were not Apocryphal—they were Scripture. And many of them remain powerful witnesses to Christ: containing prophecy, foreshadowing, and typology the New Testament builds upon.________________________________________Where Do We Go From Here?
The question isn’t just, “Why were these books removed?”It’s, “Why did it take us so long to notice?”And now that we know, it’s time to read them again—with open eyes and an open Bible.________________________________________Read More: Proving the Apocryphal Books Were Always in the Bible
The Apocryphal—or more accurately, Deuterocanonical—books were not fringe writings casually appended to Scripture. For the majority of Church history, they were Scripture. These books—Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, Baruch, 1 & 2 Maccabees, and additions to Esther and Daniel—were preserved in the Greek Septuagint, quoted by New Testament writers, and defended by the Church Fathers and early councils.________________________________________1. Church Fathers Who Considered Them Scripture• Origen of Alexandria (c. 184–253 AD):In Homilies on Joshua 1.8, Origen explicitly includes Tobit among canonical books. In Commentary on Psalm 1, he lists books the Jews did not accept but affirms that the Christian Church uses others, including the Apocryphal books.• Cyprian of Carthage (c. 200–258 AD):Quotes Tobit 4:11 as Scripture in Testimonia ad Quirinum (Book 3.17). He also alludes to Sirach in his pastoral letters, demonstrating its usage across Africa.• Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 296–373 AD):While he distinguishes between canonical and edifying books in his Festal Letter 39, he still assigns high value to Wisdom, Sirach, Judith, and Tobit for teaching and public reading.• Augustine (c. 354–430 AD):Treats the Deuterocanonical books as inspired. In City of God (Book 18), he quotes from Wisdom and Sirach authoritatively. In On Christian Doctrine (Book 2, Chapter 8), he lists the full canon—including all the Apocryphal books—as Scripture.• The Apostolic Constitutions (c. 250–300 AD):A crucial liturgical document in Greek-speaking churches quotes Tobit several times and uses it as authoritative Scripture.________________________________________2. Church Councils That Affirmed These Books• Council of Rome (AD 382) – Under Pope Damasus I, issued a list including Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, etc.• Council of Hippo (AD 393) and Council of Carthage (AD 397) – Both affirmed the same list of books used in the Catholic Bible today.• Council of Florence (1442) and Council of Trent (1546) – Reaffirmed the canon including these books, especially in response to Protestant challenges.These councils demonstrate that the Deuterocanonical books were not added after the fact—they were defended because they were being challenged.________________________________________3. New Testament Usage of Apocryphal BooksThe New Testament writers didn’t treat the Apocryphal books as marginal. On the contrary, they were steeped in them. Echoes, allusions, and even direct references appear throughout the Gospels, Epistles, and Revelation. These books shaped the worldview, language, and theology of the New Testament Church. And while no Apocryphal book is directly called “Scripture” in the New Testament, many of them are treated as authoritative and familiar to the readers. Here are some examples:
Matthew 22:23–28 & Mark 12:18–23“Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died… In the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven?”Tobit 3:8; 6:14–15“She had already been given to seven husbands, but the demon Asmodeus had killed them before they could sleep with her.”Explanation:The Sadducees’ scenario mirrors the real account in Tobit, where Sarah's seven husbands die before the marriage can be consummated. Their challenge to Jesus is not just hypothetical—it’s an ironic use of a popular Apocryphal narrative to argue against the resurrection. Jesus answers with authority, but never denies the premise, indicating its known cultural context.
Luke 1:52–53 (Mary’s Magnificat)“He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.”Sirach 10:14–15“The Lord has cast down the thrones of rulers, and he has seated the lowly in their place.”Explanation:Mary’s language strongly echoes the vocabulary and structure of Sirach’s wisdom hymns, highlighting themes of divine reversal, humility, and justice. This is one of several connections between the Magnificat and the wisdom literature of the Septuagint.
Luke 14:13–14“But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind, and you will be blessed…”Tobit 4:7, 16; 12:8–9“Give alms from your possessions to all who live uprightly… Give to the hungry from your bread and to the naked from your clothing.”Explanation:Jesus’ teaching about charity and secret generosity reflects Tobit’s strong emphasis on almsgiving, righteousness, and God’s reward for quiet faithfulness.
Romans 1:18–32“They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles… God gave them over to shameful lusts…”Wisdom of Solomon 13:1–10; 14:12–31“Instead of recognizing the true God, people began to worship images… as a result, immoral practices followed.”Explanation:Paul’s famous condemnation of idolatry and its consequences echoes the same moral and theological argument found in Wisdom of Solomon. The progression from idolatry to sexual sin follows nearly the same structure.
1 Corinthians 2:9“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived—the things God has prepared for those who love him.”Sirach 1:10 & 1:16 (also possibly Isaiah 64:4 via LXX)“He poured out wisdom upon all his works… those who love him will see it.”Explanation:While sometimes attributed to Isaiah, this phrase has strong thematic parallels to Sirach’s teachings on wisdom being reserved for those who fear and love God.
1 Corinthians 10:20“No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God…”Baruch 4:7“You sacrificed to demons, and not to God.”Explanation:Paul’s indictment of pagan sacrifice nearly quotes Baruch, a book closely tied to Jeremiah in the Septuagint tradition.
Ephesians 6:13–17“Put on the full armor of God… the breastplate of righteousness… the helmet of salvation… the sword of the Spirit…”Wisdom of Solomon 5:17–20“He will take his zeal as his whole armor, and will arm creation to repel his enemies… he will put on righteousness as a breastplate…”Explanation:Paul’s “Armor of God” language is heavily drawn from Wisdom of Solomon, not just Isaiah. Nearly every piece of armor Paul lists is found in Wisdom’s depiction of divine battle.
Hebrews 1:6“Let all God’s angels worship him.”Deuteronomy 32:43 (LXX only)“Rejoice, you heavens, with him… Let all God’s angels worship him.”Explanation:This verse is found in the Greek Septuagint but absent from the Masoretic Text. Hebrews quotes the LXX version directly—affirming its authority.
Hebrews 11:35“Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain a better resurrection.”2 Maccabees 7The martyrdom of the mother and her seven sons, each enduring torture for their faith in the resurrection.Explanation:This is one of the clearest New Testament references to an event found only in the Apocrypha. The theology of resurrection hope under persecution is directly tied to the Maccabean narrative.
James 1:13–15“God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone… Temptation comes from our own desires…”Sirach 15:11–20“Do not say: ‘It was God who made me sin.’ The Lord hates all abominations and they who fear him will not love them.”Explanation:James' argument that God does not tempt and that sin originates in human desire follows Sirach’s clear instruction against blaming God for temptation.
Jude 9“But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses…”Assumption of Moses (extra-biblical, non-canonical)Explanation:Though not in the Septuagint, Jude clearly refers to a tradition preserved outside the Hebrew canon, demonstrating the apostles' openness to non-Masoretic literature when it supported a theological point.
Jude 14–15“Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied: ‘See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones…’”1 Enoch 1:9Explanation:Jude directly quotes 1 Enoch, a Second Temple text excluded from both the Masoretic and Catholic canons but preserved in the Ethiopic Orthodox tradition. Jude not only references it but attributes prophecy to Enoch.
Revelation 8:3–4“Another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer… and the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints rose before God.”Tobit 12:12, 15“I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels who present the prayers of the saints and enter into the presence of the Holy One.”Explanation:The intercessory role of angels and the imagery of prayers as incense in Revelation reflects Tobit’s angelology and theology of divine mediation.
ConclusionThe Apocryphal books weren't peripheral—they were present. The New Testament writers, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, quoted, echoed, and built upon these texts, clearly regarding them as part of the theological and devotional framework of the early Church. To dismiss them as irrelevant is to overlook the pages that shaped the very Scriptures we call sacred.________________________________________
4. The Book of Hebrews and the Greek Septuagint The Book of Hebrews is particularly notable—it is written in Greek to a Hebrew audience, yet quotes the Greek Septuagint rather than the Hebrew Masoretic Text. Key examples include:• Hebrews 1:6 – "Let all God’s angels worship Him" (from Deuteronomy 32:43 in the LXX, omitted in the MT).• Hebrews 10:5 – "A body you prepared for me" vs. the Hebrew "my ears you have opened" (Psalm 40:6). The Greek version fits perfectly with the incarnation theme.This proves that even for Jewish Christians, the Greek text held authority, and the Septuagint was central in understanding Jesus’ fulfillment of prophecy.
5. Justin Martyr’s Objection to the Masoretic Text Writing in the second century, Justin Martyr accuses Jewish leaders of deliberately removing prophetic passages from the Hebrew texts that pointed to Jesus. In Dialogue with Trypho, he writes:"But I am far from putting reliance in your teachers, who refuse to admit that the interpretation made by the seventy elders who were with Ptolemy of Egypt is a correct one... for they have taken away many Scriptures from the translations effected by those seventy elders" (Dialogue with Trypho, ch. 71).He specifically accuses Jewish scribes of removing passages like Psalm 96:10 and Isaiah 7:14 which, in Greek, clearly refer to the virgin birth.________________________________________ ConclusionThe Apocryphal or Deuterocanonical books were never "extra" in the eyes of the early Church. They were included in the earliest Christian Bibles (e.g., Codex Sinaiticus and Vaticanus), quoted by the apostles, used by Jesus and His earliest followers, affirmed by Church Fathers, and ratified in councils centuries before any Protestant Reformation.Their removal was not due to lack of value or late discovery, but due to theological disputes, linguistic preferences, and ultimately, the ripple effects of Jerome’s preference for Hebrew and Martin Luther’s theological reforms.So before deciding these books are "non-essential," consider this: they were central to the Church that gave us the New Testament—and that’s a story worth rediscovering.
Matthew 22:23–28 & Mark 12:18–23“Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died… In the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven?”Tobit 3:8; 6:14–15“She had already been given to seven husbands, but the demon Asmodeus had killed them before they could sleep with her.”Explanation:The Sadducees’ scenario mirrors the real account in Tobit, where Sarah's seven husbands die before the marriage can be consummated. Their challenge to Jesus is not just hypothetical—it’s an ironic use of a popular Apocryphal narrative to argue against the resurrection. Jesus answers with authority, but never denies the premise, indicating its known cultural context.
Luke 1:52–53 (Mary’s Magnificat)“He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.”Sirach 10:14–15“The Lord has cast down the thrones of rulers, and he has seated the lowly in their place.”Explanation:Mary’s language strongly echoes the vocabulary and structure of Sirach’s wisdom hymns, highlighting themes of divine reversal, humility, and justice. This is one of several connections between the Magnificat and the wisdom literature of the Septuagint.
Luke 14:13–14“But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind, and you will be blessed…”Tobit 4:7, 16; 12:8–9“Give alms from your possessions to all who live uprightly… Give to the hungry from your bread and to the naked from your clothing.”Explanation:Jesus’ teaching about charity and secret generosity reflects Tobit’s strong emphasis on almsgiving, righteousness, and God’s reward for quiet faithfulness.
Romans 1:18–32“They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles… God gave them over to shameful lusts…”Wisdom of Solomon 13:1–10; 14:12–31“Instead of recognizing the true God, people began to worship images… as a result, immoral practices followed.”Explanation:Paul’s famous condemnation of idolatry and its consequences echoes the same moral and theological argument found in Wisdom of Solomon. The progression from idolatry to sexual sin follows nearly the same structure.
1 Corinthians 2:9“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived—the things God has prepared for those who love him.”Sirach 1:10 & 1:16 (also possibly Isaiah 64:4 via LXX)“He poured out wisdom upon all his works… those who love him will see it.”Explanation:While sometimes attributed to Isaiah, this phrase has strong thematic parallels to Sirach’s teachings on wisdom being reserved for those who fear and love God.
1 Corinthians 10:20“No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God…”Baruch 4:7“You sacrificed to demons, and not to God.”Explanation:Paul’s indictment of pagan sacrifice nearly quotes Baruch, a book closely tied to Jeremiah in the Septuagint tradition.
Ephesians 6:13–17“Put on the full armor of God… the breastplate of righteousness… the helmet of salvation… the sword of the Spirit…”Wisdom of Solomon 5:17–20“He will take his zeal as his whole armor, and will arm creation to repel his enemies… he will put on righteousness as a breastplate…”Explanation:Paul’s “Armor of God” language is heavily drawn from Wisdom of Solomon, not just Isaiah. Nearly every piece of armor Paul lists is found in Wisdom’s depiction of divine battle.
Hebrews 1:6“Let all God’s angels worship him.”Deuteronomy 32:43 (LXX only)“Rejoice, you heavens, with him… Let all God’s angels worship him.”Explanation:This verse is found in the Greek Septuagint but absent from the Masoretic Text. Hebrews quotes the LXX version directly—affirming its authority.
Hebrews 11:35“Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain a better resurrection.”2 Maccabees 7The martyrdom of the mother and her seven sons, each enduring torture for their faith in the resurrection.Explanation:This is one of the clearest New Testament references to an event found only in the Apocrypha. The theology of resurrection hope under persecution is directly tied to the Maccabean narrative.
James 1:13–15“God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone… Temptation comes from our own desires…”Sirach 15:11–20“Do not say: ‘It was God who made me sin.’ The Lord hates all abominations and they who fear him will not love them.”Explanation:James' argument that God does not tempt and that sin originates in human desire follows Sirach’s clear instruction against blaming God for temptation.
Jude 9“But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses…”Assumption of Moses (extra-biblical, non-canonical)Explanation:Though not in the Septuagint, Jude clearly refers to a tradition preserved outside the Hebrew canon, demonstrating the apostles' openness to non-Masoretic literature when it supported a theological point.
Jude 14–15“Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied: ‘See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones…’”1 Enoch 1:9Explanation:Jude directly quotes 1 Enoch, a Second Temple text excluded from both the Masoretic and Catholic canons but preserved in the Ethiopic Orthodox tradition. Jude not only references it but attributes prophecy to Enoch.
Revelation 8:3–4“Another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer… and the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints rose before God.”Tobit 12:12, 15“I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels who present the prayers of the saints and enter into the presence of the Holy One.”Explanation:The intercessory role of angels and the imagery of prayers as incense in Revelation reflects Tobit’s angelology and theology of divine mediation.
ConclusionThe Apocryphal books weren't peripheral—they were present. The New Testament writers, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, quoted, echoed, and built upon these texts, clearly regarding them as part of the theological and devotional framework of the early Church. To dismiss them as irrelevant is to overlook the pages that shaped the very Scriptures we call sacred.________________________________________
4. The Book of Hebrews and the Greek Septuagint The Book of Hebrews is particularly notable—it is written in Greek to a Hebrew audience, yet quotes the Greek Septuagint rather than the Hebrew Masoretic Text. Key examples include:• Hebrews 1:6 – "Let all God’s angels worship Him" (from Deuteronomy 32:43 in the LXX, omitted in the MT).• Hebrews 10:5 – "A body you prepared for me" vs. the Hebrew "my ears you have opened" (Psalm 40:6). The Greek version fits perfectly with the incarnation theme.This proves that even for Jewish Christians, the Greek text held authority, and the Septuagint was central in understanding Jesus’ fulfillment of prophecy.
5. Justin Martyr’s Objection to the Masoretic Text Writing in the second century, Justin Martyr accuses Jewish leaders of deliberately removing prophetic passages from the Hebrew texts that pointed to Jesus. In Dialogue with Trypho, he writes:"But I am far from putting reliance in your teachers, who refuse to admit that the interpretation made by the seventy elders who were with Ptolemy of Egypt is a correct one... for they have taken away many Scriptures from the translations effected by those seventy elders" (Dialogue with Trypho, ch. 71).He specifically accuses Jewish scribes of removing passages like Psalm 96:10 and Isaiah 7:14 which, in Greek, clearly refer to the virgin birth.________________________________________ ConclusionThe Apocryphal or Deuterocanonical books were never "extra" in the eyes of the early Church. They were included in the earliest Christian Bibles (e.g., Codex Sinaiticus and Vaticanus), quoted by the apostles, used by Jesus and His earliest followers, affirmed by Church Fathers, and ratified in councils centuries before any Protestant Reformation.Their removal was not due to lack of value or late discovery, but due to theological disputes, linguistic preferences, and ultimately, the ripple effects of Jerome’s preference for Hebrew and Martin Luther’s theological reforms.So before deciding these books are "non-essential," consider this: they were central to the Church that gave us the New Testament—and that’s a story worth rediscovering.