Biblical canon

=== New Testament ===
{{Main|Development of the New Testament canon|New Testament apocrypha|Antilegomena}}

Other New Testament works that are generally considered apocryphal nonetheless appear in some Bibles and manuscripts. For instance, the [[Epistle to the Laodiceans]] was included in numerous Latin Vulgate manuscripts, in the eighteen German Bibles prior to [[Martin Luther|Luther's]] translation, and also a number of early English Bibles, such as Gundulf's Bible and John Wycliffe's English translation—even as recently as 1728, [[William Whiston]] considered this epistle to be genuinely Pauline. Likewise, the [[Third Epistle to the Corinthians]]<ref group="note">The Third Epistle to the Corinthians can be found as a section within the [[Acts of Paul]], which has survived only in fragments. A translation of the entire remaining Acts of Paul can be accessed online at [http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/actspaul.html Early Christian Writings].</ref> was once considered to be part of the Armenian Orthodox Bible,<ref>{{cite web |last=Saifullah |first=M. S. M. |title=Canons & Recensions of the Armenian Bible |publisher=Islamic Awareness |url=http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Bible/Text/Canon/armenianlist.html |access-date=25 January 2012}}</ref> but is no longer printed in modern editions. Within the Syriac Orthodox tradition, the Third Epistle to the Corinthians also has a history of significance. Both [[Aphrahat]] and [[Ephraem of Syria]] held it in high regard and treated it as if it were canonical.<ref>{{harvp|Metzger|1997|loc=pp. 219, 223; cf. 7, 176, 182}}. Cited in {{cite book |editor-last1=McDonald |editor-first1=L. M. |editor-last2=Sanders |editor-first2=J. A. |year=2002 |last=Epp |first=Eldon Jay |title=The Canon Debate |chapter=Issues in the Interrelation of New Testament Textual Criticism and Canon |publisher=Hendrickson Publishers |page=492 }}</ref>

The [[Didache]],<ref group="note">Various translations of the Didache can be accessed online at [http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/didache.html Early Christian Writings].</ref> [[The Shepherd of Hermas]],<ref group="note">A translation of the Shepherd of Hermas can be accessed online at the [http://sacred-texts.com/bib/lbob/lbob26.htm Internet Sacred Texts Archive].</ref> and other writings attributed to the [[Apostolic Fathers]], were once considered scriptural by various early [[Church fathers]]. They are still being honored in some traditions, though they are no longer considered to be canonical. However, certain canonical books within the Orthodox Tewahedo traditions find their origin in the writings of the Apostolic Fathers as well as the [[Ancient Church Orders]]. The Orthodox Tewahedo churches recognize these eight additional New Testament books in its broader canon. They are as follows: the four books of Sinodos, the two books of the Covenant, Ethiopic Clement, and the Ethiopic Didascalia.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Cowley |first=R. W. |year=1974 |title=The Biblical Canon of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Today |journal=Ostkirchliche Studien |volume=23 |pages=318–323 |url=http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Bible/Text/Canon/ethiopican.html}}</ref>

==== New Testament table ====
{{sticky header}}
{| class="wikitable sortable sticky-header"
|-
! style="width:124px;"| Books
! style="width:123px;"| Protestant tradition<ref group="N" name="LutherNew">Edmon L. Gallagher and John D. Meade. ''The biblical canon lists from early Christianity: Texts and analysis.'' (Oxford: OUP, 2017), pp.xx-xxii.</ref>
! style="width:123px;"| Roman Catholic tradition<ref name=":0">{{cite web|access-date=29 August 2020|publisher=[[United States Conference of Catholic Bishops]]|title=Books of the Bible|url=https://bible.usccb.org/bible}}</ref>
! style="width:123px;"| Eastern Orthodox tradition<ref group="N" name="GrOrthodox">Edmon L. Gallagher and John D. Meade. ''The biblical canon lists from early Christianity: Texts and analysis.'' (Oxford: OUP, 2017), pp.xx-xxii.</ref>
! style="width:123px;"| Armenian Apostolic tradition<ref group="N" name="Armenian">The growth and development of the Armenian Biblical canon is complex. Extra-canonical New Testament books appear in historical canon lists and recensions that are either distinct to this tradition, or where they do exist elsewhere, never achieved the same status. Some of the books are not listed in this table. These include the Prayer of [[Euthalius]], the Repose of [[St. John the Evangelist]], the [[Doctrine of Addai]] (some sources replace this with the [[Acts of Thaddeus]]), a reading from the [[Gospel of James]] (some sources replace this with the [[Apocryphon of James]]), [[Apostolic Canons|the Second Apostolic Canons]], the Words of [[Joseph Barsabbas|Justus]], [[Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite|Dionysius Aeropagite]], the [[Acts of Peter]] (some sources replace this with the [[Preaching of Peter]]), and a Poem by [[Ghazar Parpetsi|Ghazar]]. (Various sources also mention undefined Armenian canonical additions to the Gospels of Mark and John, however, these may refer to the general additions—Mark 16:9–20 and John 7:53–8:11—discussed elsewhere in these notes.) A possible exception here to canonical exclusivity is the Second Apostolic Canons, which share a common source—the [[Apostolic Constitutions]]—with certain parts of the Orthodox Tewahedo New Testament broader canon.  The correspondence between King Agbar and Jesus Christ, which is found in various forms—including within both the Doctrine of Addai and the Acts of Thaddeus—sometimes appears separately. It is noteworthy that the Prayer of Euthalius and the Repose of St. John the Evangelist appear in the appendix of the 1805 Armenian Zohrab Bible. However, some of the aforementioned books, though they are found within canon lists, have nonetheless never been discovered to be part of any Armenian Biblical manuscript. See: Michael E. Stone, "Armenian Canon Lists I—the Council of Partaw (768 CE)." ''Harvard Theological Review'' 66.4 (1973): 479-486; Michael E. Stone, "Armenian Canon Lists II—The Stichometry of Anania of Shirak (c. 615-c. 690 CE.)." Harvard Theological Review 68.3-4 (1975): 253-260. Michael E. Stone, "Armenian Canon Lists III—The Lists of Mechitar of Ayrivankʿ (c. 1285 CE)." ''Harvard Theological Review'' 69.3-4 (1976): 289-300 Michael E. Stone, "Armenian Canon Lists IV—The List of Gregory of Tatʿew (14th Century)." ''Harvard Theological Review'' 72.3-4 (1979): 237-244;  Michael E. Stone, "Armenian Canon Lists V—Anonymous Texts." ''Harvard Theological Review'' 83.2 (1990): 141-161; Michael E. Stone, "Armenian Canon Lists VI—Hebrew Names and Other Attestations." ''Harvard Theological Review'' 94.4 (2001): 477-491. Michael E. Stone, "Armenian Canon Lists VII: The Poetic List of Aṙak 'el of Siwnik '(d. 1409)." ''Harvard Theological Review'' 104.3 (2011): 367-379.</ref>
! style="width:123px;"| Coptic Orthodox tradition<ref name="lacopts.org">{{Cite web |title=The Canonization of Scripture {{!}} Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles |url=https://www.lacopts.org/orthodoxy/our-faith/the-holy-bible/the-canonization-of-scripture/ |access-date=2022-04-02 |language=en-US}}</ref>
! style="width:123px;"| [[Orthodox Tewahedo]] traditions
! style="width:123px;"| [[Syriac Christianity|Syriac Christian]] traditions<ref group="N" name="Syriac">The Peshitta excludes 2 John, 3 John, 2 Peter, Jude, and Revelation, but certain Bibles of the modern Syriac traditions include later translations of those books. Still today, the official [[lectionary]] followed by the Syriac Orthodox Church and the Assyrian Church of the East, present lessons from only the twenty-two books of Peshitta, the version to which appeal is made for the settlement of doctrinal questions.</ref>

|-
| colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| ''[[Canonical gospels]]''<ref group="N" name="infancy">Though widely regarded as non-canonical, the Gospel of James obtained early liturgical acceptance among some Eastern churches and remains a major source for many of Christendom's traditions related to [[Mary, the mother of Jesus]].</ref>
|-
| [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}<ref group=N name=Tatian>The [[Diatessaron]], [[Tatian]]'s [[gospel harmony]], became a standard text in some Syriac-speaking churches down to the 5th century, when it gave-way to the four separate gospels found in the Peshitta.</ref>
|-
| [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]]<ref group="N" name="Addition">Parts of these four books are not found in the most reliable ancient sources; in some cases, are thought to be later additions; and have therefore not historically existed in every Biblical tradition. They are as follows: [[Mark 16|Mark 16:9–20]], [[Jesus and the woman taken in adultery|John 7:53–8:11]], the [[Comma Johanneum]], and portions of the [[Acts of the Apostles#Manuscripts|Western version of Acts]]. To varying degrees, arguments for the authenticity of these passages—especially for the one from the Gospel of John—have occasionally been made.</ref>|| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}<ref group=N name=Tatian/>
|-
| [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}<ref group=N name=Tatian/>
|-
| [[Gospel of John|John]]<ref group=N name=Addition/><ref group="N" name="Goth">[[Skeireins]], a commentary on the Gospel of John in the [[Gothic language]], was included in the [[Wulfila Bible]]. It exists today only in fragments.</ref>|| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}<ref group=N name=Tatian/>
|-
| colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| ''[[Acts of the Apostles (genre)|Acts of apostles]]''
|-
| [[Acts of the Apostles|Acts]]<ref group=N name=Addition/> || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[Acts of Paul and Thecla]]<ref group="N" name="AoP">The Acts of Paul and Thecla and the Third Epistle to the Corinthians are portions of the greater [[Acts of Paul]] narrative, which is part of a stichometric catalogue of New Testament canon found in the [[Codex Claromontanus]], but has survived only in fragments. Some of the content within these individual sections may have developed separately, however.</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Burris |first1=Catherine |last2=van Rompay |first2=Lucas |year=2002 |title=Thecla in Syriac Christianity: Preliminary Observations |journal=Hugoye: Journal of Syriac Studies |volume=5 |issue=2 |pages=225–236 |doi=10.31826/9781463214104-012 |url=http://www.bethmardutho.org/index.php/hugoye/volume-index/143.html |access-date=21 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701092506/http://www.bethmardutho.org/index.php/hugoye/volume-index/143.html |archive-date=1 July 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{citation |last=Carter |first=Nancy A. |year=2000 |title=The Acts of Thecla: A Pauline Tradition Linked to Women |url=https://gbgm-umc.org/umw/corinthians/theclabackground.stm |publisher=Conflict and Community in the Christian Church |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213054326/http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/corinthians/theclabackground.stm |archive-date=13 February 2012}}</ref>|| {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || style="background:#FFA6C9; text-align:center;"| No<br />(early tradition) || {{No}} || {{No}} || style="background:#FFA6C9; text-align:center;"| No<br />(early tradition)
|-
| colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"|''[[Pauline epistles]]''
|-
| [[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[First Epistle to the Corinthians|1 Corinthians]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[Second Epistle to the Corinthians|2 Corinthians]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[Third Epistle to the Corinthians|3 Corinthians]]<ref group=N name=AoP/><ref group="N" name="Corinthians">The Third Epistle to the Corinthians always appears as a correspondence; it also includes a short letter from the Corinthians to Paul.</ref>|| {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || style="background:#fc9; text-align:center;"| No − inc. in some mss. || {{No}} || {{No}} || style="background:#FFA6C9; text-align:center;"| No<br />(early tradition)
|-
| [[Epistle to the Galatians|Galatians]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[Epistle to the Ephesians|Ephesians]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[Epistle to the Philippians|Philippians]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[Epistle to the Colossians|Colossians]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[Epistle to the Laodiceans|Laodiceans]] || style="background:#FFA6C9; text-align:center;"| No − inc. in Wycliffe and Quaker Bibles.<ref group="N" name="Laodiceans">The Epistle to the Laodiceans is present in some western non-Roman Catholic translations and traditions. Especially of note is [[John Wycliffe]]'s inclusion of the epistle in his English translation, and the [[Quakers]]' use of it to the point where they produced a translation and made pleas for its canonicity ([https://books.google.com/books?id=uN0XAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false Poole's ''Annotations'', on Col. 4:16]). The epistle is nonetheless widely rejected by the vast majority of Protestants.</ref>|| style="background:#fc9; text-align:center;" | No − inc. in some mss. || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| [[First Epistle to the Thessalonians|1 Thessalonians]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians|2 Thessalonians]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[First Epistle to Timothy|1 Timothy]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[Second Epistle to Timothy|2 Timothy]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[Epistle to Titus|Titus]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[Epistle to Philemon|Philemon]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"|''[[Catholic epistles]] ([[General epistles]])''
|-
| [[Epistle to the Hebrews|Hebrews]] || style="background:#1CAC78; text-align:center;"| Yes<ref group="N" name="Luther">These four works were questioned or "[[Antilegomena|spoken against]]" by [[Martin Luther]], and he changed the order of [[Luther Bible|his New Testament]] to reflect this, but he did not leave them out, nor has any [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] body since. Traditional German Luther Bibles are still printed with the New Testament in this changed "Lutheran" order. The vast majority of Protestants embrace these four works as fully canonical.</ref>|| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[Epistle of James|James]] || style="background:#1CAC78; text-align:center;"| Yes<ref group=N name=Luther/> || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[First Epistle of Peter|1 Peter]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[Second Epistle of Peter|2 Peter]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || style="background:#1CAC78; text-align:center;"| Yes<ref group="N" name="Syriac"/>
|-
| [[First Epistle of John|1 John]]<ref group=N name=Addition/> || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[Second Epistle of John|2 John]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || style="background:#1CAC78; text-align:center;"| Yes<ref group=N name=Syriac/>
|-
| [[Third Epistle of John|3 John]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || style="background:#1CAC78; text-align:center;"| Yes<ref group=N name=Syriac/>
|-
| [[Epistle of Jude|Jude]] || style="background:#1CAC78; text-align:center;"| Yes<ref group=N name=Luther/> || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || style="background:#1CAC78; text-align:center;"| Yes<ref group=N name=Syriac/>
|-
| colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| ''[[Apocalypse]]''<ref group="N" name="ApocPeter">The [[Apocalypse of Peter]], though not listed in this table, is mentioned in the [[Muratorian fragment]] and is part of a stichometric catalogue of New Testament canon found in the Codex Claromontanus. It was also held in high regard by [[Clement of Alexandria]].</ref>
|-
| [[Book of Revelation|Revelation]] || style="background:#1CAC78; text-align:center;"| Yes<ref group=N name=Luther/> || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || style="background:#1CAC78; text-align:center;"| Yes<ref group=N name=Syriac/>
|-
| colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| ''[[Apostolic Fathers]]<ref group="N" name="Fathers">Other known writings of the Apostolic Fathers not listed in this table are as follows: the seven [[Epistles of Ignatius]], the [[Epistle of Polycarp]], the [[Martyrdom of Polycarp]], the [[Epistle to Diognetus]], the fragment of [[Quadratus of Athens]], the fragments of [[Papias of Hierapolis]], the Reliques of the Elders Preserved in [[Irenaeus]], and the [[Apostles' Creed]].</ref> and [[Ancient Church Orders|Church Orders]]''<ref group="N" name="Apostloic">Though they are not listed in this table, the [[Apostolic Constitutions]] were considered canonical by some including [[Alexius Aristenus]], [[John of Salisbury]], and to a lesser extent, [[Grigor Tatevatsi|Grigor Tat'evatsi]]. They are even classified as part of the New Testament canon within the body of the Constitutions itself. Moreover, they are the source for a great deal of the content in the Orthodox Tewahedo broader canon.</ref>
|-
| [[1 Clement]]<ref group="N" name="ApFa">These five writings attributed to the Apostolic Fathers are not currently considered canonical in any Biblical tradition, though they are more highly regarded by some more than others. Nonetheless, their early authorship and inclusion in ancient Biblical codices, as well as their acceptance to varying degrees by various early authorities, requires them to be treated as foundational literature for Christianity as a whole.</ref><ref name="lacopts.org"/>|| colspan="7" style="background:#FFA6C9; text-align:center;" | No<br>(Codices [[Codex Alexandrinus|Alexandrinus]] and [[Codex Hierosolymitanus|Hierosolymitanus]])
|-
| [[2 Clement]]<ref group=N name=ApFa/><ref name="lacopts.org"/> ||  colspan="7" style="background:#FFA6C9; text-align:center;"| No<br>(Codices Alexandrinus and Hierosolymitanus)
|-
| [[Shepherd of Hermas]]<ref group=N name=ApFa/> || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || style="background:#40E0D0; text-align:center;"| No<br />(early tradition)<ref name=":EthHermas">Adrian Hastings, ''The Church in Africa, 1450-1950.'' Clarendon Press, 1995.</ref> || {{No}}<br />([[Codex Siniaticus]])
|-
| [[Epistle of Barnabas]]<ref group=N name=ApFa/> || colspan="7" style="background:#FFA6C9; text-align:center;"| No<br />(Codices Hierosolymitanus and Siniaticus)
|-
| [[Didache]]<ref group=N name=ApFa/> || colspan="7" style="background:#FFA6C9; text-align:center;"| No<br />(Codex Hierosolymitanus)
|-
| [[Ethiopian Biblical canon#Sinodos|Ser'atä Seyon]]<br />(Sinodos) || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || style="background:#40E0D0; text-align:center;"| Yes<br />(broader canon) || {{No}}
|-
| [[Ethiopian Biblical canon#Sinodos|Te'ezaz]]<br />(Sinodos) || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || style="background:#40E0D0; text-align:center;"| Yes<br />(broader canon) || {{No}}
|-
| [[Ethiopian Biblical canon#Sinodos|Gessew]]<br />(Sinodos) || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || style="background:#40E0D0; text-align:center;"| Yes<br />(broader canon) || {{No}}
|-
| [[Ethiopian Biblical canon#Sinodos|Abtelis]]<br />(Sinodos) || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || style="background:#40E0D0; text-align:center;"| Yes<br />(broader canon) || {{No}}
|-
| [[Ethiopian Biblical canon#The Book of the Covenant|Book of the<br />Covenant 1]]<br />(Mäshafä Kidan) || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || style="background:#40E0D0; text-align:center;"| Yes<br />(broader canon) || {{No}}
|-
| [[Ethiopian Biblical canon#The Book of the Covenant|Book of the<br />Covenant 2]]<br />(Mäshafä Kidan) || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || style="background:#40E0D0; text-align:center;"| Yes<br />(broader canon) || {{No}}
|-
| [[Ethiopian Biblical canon#Ethiopic Clement|Ethiopic Clement]]<br />(Qälëmentos)<ref group="N" name="Ethiopic">Ethiopic Clement and the Ethiopic Didascalia are distinct from and should not be confused with other ecclesiastical documents known in the west by similar names.</ref>|| {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || style="background:#40E0D0; text-align:center;"| Yes<br />(broader canon) || {{No}}
|-
| [[Ethiopian Biblical canon#Ethiopic Didascalia|Ethiopic Didescalia]]<br />(Didesqelya)<ref group=N name=Ethiopic/> || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || style="background:#40E0D0; text-align:center;"| Yes<br />(broader canon) || {{No}}
|-
| [[Kebra Nagast]] || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || style="background:#40E0D0; text-align:center;"| Yes<br />(broader canon) || {{No}}

|}

===== New Testament table notes =====
<references group="N" />