Specific Faith Communities and Other Particular Needs

Ancient writers produced countless documents addressing religious matters. Some of these documents are held in special regard as Scripture. The process of identifying the specific documents that are considered authoritative—that is, they are viewed as suitable for establishing doctrine and guiding religious practice—is called canonization. The roster of canonized writings is called the Canon (from a word that originally meant "rule"). The main streams of Christianity hold slightly different views regarding the canonical status of some pre-New Testament writings.

Different Canons

The Protestant movement grew out of a rift that formed within Western European expressions of Christianity during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The Protestant Canon incorporates the Old Testament books from the Hebrew Masoretic Text.

In addition to the 66 books with canonical status, some Protestant denominations accord a special, but lesser, status to a specific set of books that are considered instructive or historically significant. These books are called the Apocrypha (or deuterocanonical books).

The Roman Catholic Canon was adopted during councils held primarily in the fourth century. All the books represented in the Masoretic Text are included along with some others found in a Greek translation of the ancient Hebrew texts called the Septuagint.

The Orthodox Canon, which includes some regional variation, considers the Septuagint, rather than the Masoretic Text, as authoritative.

To consider Bible choices based on the canon they follow, please choose one of the following:

The Protestant Canon, either with or without the Apocrypha
The Roman Catholic Canon
The Orthodox Canon

In addition to these three streams of historical Christianity (Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant), modern times have seen the development of Innovations in the Christian Tradition that rely on specialized interpretations of Biblical material and supplementary texts. Choose this answer if you want more information about Swedenborgian, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon), Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist), and Jehovah's Witnesses writings.

Finally, for some people, the primary criteria for selecting a Bible translation is not the identity of source documents or the roster of books included. Instead, other qualities or features in addition to the biblical text are more important. Do you have Other Particular Needs when considering a Bible, such as a specific type of commentary, a low reading level, or in a language other than English? If so, choose this answer.

If you would like to explore other options, you can return to The Initial Question.

Protestant Canon

The Protestant Canon includes 66 books which are arranged into two major groupings: 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament. In the Protestant Canon, Old Testament writings are drawn from the Hebrew Scriptures as represented by the Masoretic Text. The New Testament writings comprise compositions written in the early Christian era. For a list of these books and information about how the Protestant Canon compares with others, see the table listing the Canonical Status of Specific Biblical Books.

Additional books, called the Apocrypha (or deuterocanonical books), are sometimes included as an appendix, but among Protestant denominations they are not viewed as authoritative for establishing doctrine.

There are many Bible translations available that include the Protestant Canon, with and without the Apocrypha. Return to The Initial Question to explore the differences between Bibles Based on Textus Receptus and Bibles Based on the Critical Text or return to Specific Faith Communities and Other Particular Needs to explore other canons or concerns.

Apocrypha

Some Protestant denominations ascribe a secondary value to a specific set of ancient writings that are not included in the Protestant Canon. These books comprise a collection commonly called the Apocrypha. The word apocrypha carries the connotation of uncertainty, implying that the validity of the work is in doubt. This can be seen as a disparaging assessment, and for this reason, some people prefer to use the word deuterocanonical, which means "secondary canon." For clarity, this guide uses the word apocrypha when discussing the Protestant Canon and the word deuterocanonical when referring to the books' status in the Roman Catholic Canon.

Some versions of the Protestant Bible include the apocryphal books because of their historical significance or because they provide stories about faith in action. When these titles are offered, however, they are usually grouped together in an appendix-type section which is typically placed between the two testaments. The Protestant Canon does not consider these books authoritative for establishing doctrine.

The table in the section Canonical Status of Specific Biblical Books provides information about which books are considered part of the Apocrypha.

The following Protestant Bibles are available in editions that include the Apocryphal books (or at least some of them). They are also available in editions that do not include the Apocrypha, so be sure to check the title carefully. Also, because Bible publishers frequently produce new editions, this list should not be considered inclusive of all editions that may include the Apocryphal writings:

You can return to The Initial Question to explore the differences between Bibles Based on Textus Receptus and Bibles Based on the Critical Text, or you can return to Specific Faith Communities and Other Particular Needs to explore other canons and concerns.

Roman Catholic Canon

The canon recognized by the Roman Catholic Church includes 73 books. This number includes the 66 books of the Protestant Canon plus an additional seven Old Testament books which are termed deuterocanonical, a term that means "secondary canon." In a Bible based on the Roman Catholic Canon, the deuterocanonical books are incorporated as part of the Bible's main text. For information about how the Roman Catholic Canon compares with others, see the table provided in the section Canonical Status of Specific Biblical Books.

In addition to including different rosters of canonical books, the Roman Catholic and Protestant Canons refer to some books by different names. The Roman Catholic Canon includes a book that is often titled Sirach (or Ben Sira). The Protestant Apocrypha often identifies this writing with the title Ecclesiasticus—a name that is different from (and should not be confused with) the separate biblical book titled Ecclesiastes. In the Roman Catholic Canon, the book Ecclesiastes is sometimes called Qoheleth. The Roman Catholic Canon also includes the two books Ezra and Nehemiah, although sometimes they are titled 1 Esdras and 2 Esdras (and parts of them are considered apocryphal in the Protestant Canon).

Two contemporary Bible translations that have received approval from the Roman Catholic Church are the New Jerusalem Bible (an update of the Jerusalem Bible) and the New American Bible.

If you would like to explore other options or other canons, you can return to The Initial Question or return to Specific Faith Communities and Other Particular Needs.

Orthodox Canon

Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Canons vary somewhat regionally. The Eastern Orthodox group includes Greek, Slavonic, and Georgian. The Oriental Orthodox group includes Armenian, Syriac, Coptic, and Ethiopian. In general their canons include the books in the Roman Catholic Canon, plus some additions. For a list of these books and information about how the Orthodox Canon compares with others, see the table provided in Canonical Status of Specific Biblical Books.

English-reading Orthodox Christians rely on a variety of biblical translations, but most of those available do not include the entire Orthodox canon. Furthermore, Old Testament passages can be problematic because the Orthodox Canon considers the Septuagint (Greek) version of the Old Testament as authoritative, rather than the Hebrew Masoretic Text which is used by Roman Catholic and Protestant translations.

One translation made for members of the Eastern and Coptic Orthodox churches that uses the Septuagint as an authority for Old Testament text is the Orthodox Study Bible. Other resources for Orthodox readers include the New English Translation of the Septuagint (published in 2007 by the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies) and the Eastern/Greek Orthodox New Testament, which was published in 2011.

If you would like to explore other options or other canons, you can return to The Initial Question or return to Specific Faith Communities and Other Particular Needs.

Canonical Status of Specific Biblical Books

In the following table, the symbol + indicates that the book is included in the category where it is shown. The Orthodox Canon is variable by region. Books generally included are identified with the same symbol +. Additional books that are included in some Orthodox canons are listed with these letters:

O: Included in multiple, but not all, Orthodox Canons
G: Included in the Georgian Orthodox Canon
E: Included in the Ethiopian Orthodox Canon
S: Included in the Syriac Orthodox Canon

Book	Protestant Canon	Apocrypha	Roman Catholic Canon	Orthodox Canon
Old Testament
Genesis	+		+	+
Exodus	+		+	+
Leviticus	+		+	+
Numbers	+		+	+
Deuteronomy	+		+	+
Joshua	+		+	+
Judges	+		+	+
Ruth	+		+	+
1 Samuel	+		+	+
2 Samuel	+		+	+
1 Kings	+		+	+
2 Kings	+		+	+
1 Chronicles	+		+	+
2 Chronicles	+		+	+
Prayer of Manesseh (*)		+		O
Ezra (*)	+		+	+
Nehemiah (*)	+		+	+
Tobit		+	+	+
Judith		+	+	+
1 and 2 Esdras (*)		+		O
Esther	+		+	+
Additions to Esther		+	+	+
1 Maccabees		+	+	+
2 Maccabees		+	+	+
3 Maccabees		+		O
4 Maccabees				O
Jubilees				E
Enoch				E
Job	+		+	+
Psalms	+		+	+
Psalms 151–155				O
Proverbs	+		+	+
Ecclesiastes / Qoheleth	+		+	+
Song of Solomon / Song of Songs	+		+	+
Wisdom		+	+	+
Ecclesiasticus / Sirach		+	+	+
Isaiah	+		+	+
Jeremiah	+		+	+
Lamentations	+		+	+
Additions to Lamentations				E
Baruch		+	+	+
Apocalypse of Baruch				S
2 Baruch				S
4 Baruch				E
Ezekiel	+		+	+
Daniel	+		+	+
Additions to Daniel (**)		+	+	+
Hosea	+		+	+
Joel	+		+	+
Amos	+		+	+
Obadiah	+		+	+
Jonah	+		+	+
Micah	+		+	+
Nahum	+		+	+
Habakkuk	+		+	+
Zephaniah	+		+	+
Haggai	+		+	+
Zechariah	+		+	+
Malachi	+		+	+
New Testament
Mathew	+		+	+
Mark	+		+	+
Luke	+		+	+
John	+		+	+
Acts	+		+	+
Romans	+		+	+
1 Corinthians	+		+	+
2 Corinthians	+		+	+
Galatians	+		+	+
Ephesians	+		+	+
Philippians	+		+	+
Colossians	+		+	+
1 Thessalonian	+		+	+
2 Thessalonian	+		+	+
1 Timothy	+		+	+
2 Timothy	+		+	+
Titus	+		+	+
Philemon	+		+	+
Hebrews	+		+	+
James	+		+	+
1 Peter	+		+	+
2 Peter	+		+	+
1 John	+		+	+
2 John	+		+	+
3 John	+		+	+
Jude	+		+	+
Revelation	+		+	+

(*) The Roman Catholic and Protestant Canons identify the Prayer of Manasseh, 1 Esdras, and 2 Esdras as apocryphal. The name Esdras, which is a version of the name Ezra, has been applied in varying ways with overlapping number systems that can be confusing.

In the Latin Vulgate Bible, the canonical books of Ezra and Nehemiah were titled 1 Esdras and 2 Esdras; the Vulgate used the titles 3 Esdras and 4 Esdras for the apocryphal books currently known as 1 Esdras and 2 Esdras. Other Latin-based traditions have subdivided the apocryphal work of 2 Esdras into sections, eventually concluding with 5 Esdras. Following a different arrangement, the Greek Septuagint combined the canonical books of Ezra and Nehemiah under the title 2 Esdras. The Septuagint's 1 Esdras is equivalent to the apocryphal book with the same title. The Septuagint omits an equivalent to the apocryphal 2 Esdras. In Orthodox traditions, the book of Ezra is identified as 1 Esdras, and Nehemiah stands as a separate book. This tradition includes the books of 2 Esdras and 3 Esdras, which are equivalents to the apocryphal books of 1 Esdras and 2 Esdras.

(**) The additions to Daniel are also known as "The Prayer of Azairah in the Furnace and the Song of the Three Young Men," "The Story of Susanna," and "Bel and the Dragon."

If you would like to learn about the ancient sources that serve as the foundations for the different canons, you can jump ahead to Old Testament Source Documents. You can also return to Specific Faith Communities and Other Particular Needs for general information about the different canons or you can return to The Initial Question.

Innovations in the Christian Tradition

During the past few centuries, many groups have emerged that use traditional biblical texts with idiosyncratic interpretations and translations or in conjunction with other writings that are also considered sacred. A few of the most well-known of these groups are identified below along with the books they honor. They are listed in the historical order of their appearance:

New Church (General Church of the New Jerusalem; Swedenborgianism): Emanuel Swedenborg, an 18th century Swedish mystic, claimed to have received revelations from God focused on reforming the church. His followers consider his writings to be divinely inspired. One of the texts Swedenborg authored is the 12-volume work Arcana Coelestia (Heavenly Secrets) which provides his insights into deeper levels of spiritual meanings found in the biblical texts of Genesis and Exodus. (Source: The New Church, http://www.newchurch.org)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormonism): The Mormon faith was founded in 1830 by Joseph Smith, a man who lived in New York. Mormons believe Smith found and translated into English an ancient record called The Book of Mormon. Smith also received revelations that were compiled into other texts known as The Doctrine and Covenants and The Pearl of Great Price. Along with the Bible, members of the Latter-Day Saints church accept these three books by Smith as scripture. (Source: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, http://mormon.org)

Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist): Mary Baker Eddy, a nineteenth-century woman born in New Hampshire, founded the Church of Christ, Scientist based on her own experiences with divine healing. Eddy studied the Bible to learn the secrets of how she had been healed. One of her writings, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, which was published in 1875, serves the Christian Science church as a definitive text for interpreting the Bible and achieving emotional, physical, and mental healing. (Source: Christian Science, http://christianscience.com)

Jehovah's Witnesses: The Jehovah's Witnesses grew out of preaching and publishing efforts begun in the late 1800s under the leadership of Charles Taze Russell. The movement's current name, Jehovah's Witnesses, was adopted in 1931. The Jehovah's Witnesses operate their own publication society, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, and they produce their own translation of the Bible, New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. (Sources: BBC: Religions, http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/witnesses; and Jehovah's Witnesses, http://www.jw.org)

If you would like to explore other options, you can return to The Initial Question or Specific Faith Communities and Other Particular Needs.

Other Particular Needs

Translators of scriptural texts employ the use of marginal notes for a wide range of purposes. Some Bible versions seek to include as few marginal notes as is possible, using them only when absolutely necessary to comment on textual variations or other uncertainties in the source documents. Other Bibles make extensive use of notes and add a broad variety of supplemental material to guide or complement the reader's experience with the text. Bibles that offer these types of enhancements are called Study Bibles.

Another element important to many people is the ultimate reading level achieved by a Bible's translators. Several contemporary translations are available that feature an estimated reading level of 6 or lower. These are called Easy Bibles, and they may be just right for children, for people for whom English is a second language, or for people with other reading challenges.

This guide focuses on Bible translations available in the English language, but many people are better served by Bibles in Languages Other Than English.

For more information about Bibles in these categories, select your preference:

If you would like to explore other options, you can return to The Initial Question or return to Specific Faith Communities and Other Particular Needs.

Study Bibles

Study Bibles exist for a wide range of purposes and include a vast array of tools and strategies to help people interact with the text.

Comparative or parallel study Bibles include the full text from multiple translations (frequently two or four, but some have more) arranged in a side-by-side format. This presentation enables the reader to consider the different ways translators have chosen to express the underlying words found in the source documents.

Topical study Bibles focus on identifying important topics and themes in the Bible, and they help readers discover connections between them. Life application study Bibles provide tips for adapting biblical material to contemporary circumstances based on the viewpoints of their producers.

Audience-specific study Bibles address the needs of women, men, teens, younger children, families, couples, and others in various life situations (usually from specific theological perspectives). Some Bibles address readers with specialized interests such as archeology, geography, or chronology. There are also study Bibles designed for different denominational audiences and some for people who want to learn about particular doctrines. For example, the Orthodox Study Bible includes commentary explaining the Orthodox perspective.

Other study Bibles incorporate teachings or commentaries from celebrities or historical figures. For example, Scofield study Bibles incorporate commentary and cross references developed by Cyrus Scofield during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Scofield's notes teach a perspective called dispensationalism (his view that God relates to people differently during different historical times and the related perspective that believers will escape a calamitous time at the end of history by being taken up to heaven during an event called the rapture). Other teachers whose notes and commentaries have been used to develop study Bibles include Matthew Henry, Charles F. Stanley, and John MacArthur.

The vast number of study Bibles available makes it impossible to list them all.

For general use, some students of the Bible prefer to have multiple translations representing different source documents and different translation strategies. One way to begin collecting assorted translations is to return to The Initial Question and make one selection from among the Bibles Based on Textus Receptus and two from among the Bibles Based on the Critical Text (one representing The Literal Side of the Continuum and the other representing The Thought-for-Thought Side of the Continuum).

If it would be more practical for you to have a single, broadly focused study Bible, you'll ultimately find more choices among the many Bibles Based on the Critical Text. The marginal notes of study Bibles in this category typically include explanations regarding the textual variations between the Critical Text and Textus Receptus.

One Bible translated specifically with the idea of providing study notes is the NET Bible (New English Translation). It contains more than 60,000 notes about texts, historical differences in translation, and interpretations.

If you would like to explore other options, you can return to The Initial Question or Specific Faith Communities and Other Particular Needs or investigate Some Other Historically Significant and Specialty Bibles.

Easy Bibles

Easy Bibles feature a reading level designed to make the text more accessible to beginning readers and to people who may have reading challenges. Because literal, word-for-word translations are often more difficult to read, all of the versions listed here follow the thought-for-thought model of translation. The numbers in parentheses indicate the reading level; the lower the reading level, the easier the text will be to read.

Another option could be the Bible in Basic English. Although its reading level is not a specific feature of the text, it was translated in accordance with the principles of Basic English, which employs a simplified vocabulary of about 1,000 words.

Reading level assessments vary, sometimes considerably. The numbers shown here are composites, based on information from the Bibles' producers, http://Christianbook.com, and http://BibleGateway.com.

If you would like to explore other options, you can return to The Initial Question, Specific Faith Communities and Other Particular Needs, or Study Bibles.

Bibles in Languages Other Than English

The Bible has been translated into all of the major world languages and many of its lesser-known languages. A discussion of these translations is beyond the scope of this guide, but you can access an extensive collection of non-English translations through http://BibleGateway.com. Additionally, the YouVersion Bible App for mobile devices includes access to translations in approximately 100 languages.

For easy Bibles in languages other than English, BibleLeague International is working on easy-to-read translations in 100 of the world's most commonly spoken languages. For more information, visit http://www.bibleleague.org.

If you would like to explore other options, you can return to The Initial Question, Specific Faith Communities and Other Particular Needs, Study Bibles, or Some Other Historically Significant and Specialty Bibles.