Apocrypha

Deutorocanonical Scripture or Apocrypha

The word Deuterocanonical comes from the Greek words Deutero and canona meaning second to law. The word Apocrypha comes from the Greek word ἀπόκρυφα, meaning hidden. According to Orthodox teaching they may be read for personal edification but are not authoritative for doctrine. They are included in the Orthodox Bible because they were included in the Septuagint which was in use at the time of Jesus.

The Books of the Apocrypha

• Tobit
• Judith
• Esther(Greek)
• The Wisdom of Solomon
• Sirach
• Baruch
• The Letter of Jeremiah
• Azariah and the three Jews
• Susanna
• Bel and the Dragon
• 1 Maccabees
• 2 Maccabees
• 1 Esdras
• The Prayer of Manasseh
• psalm 151
• 3 Maccabees
• 2 Esdras
• 4 Macabees

The Apocrypha in Roman Catholicism and Protestants

In an Orthodox Bible which has the Apocrypha there are 49 books in its Old Testament. Roman Catholics only accept 7 Deuterocanonical books, so their Old Testament has a total of 46 books. Protestants do not accept the Apocrypha so in their Old Tstament they only have 39 books. All 3 accept the same 27 books of the New Testament.