1 Variations within books
Often the common name for a Bible book can refer to any of several variants of the text. This means that one has to look at the cultural context of a canon list to know the content. The most common case is the Book of Psalms which may refer to a book of 150 psalms, a book of 151 psalms, or occasionally a book of 155 psalms. In other cases, the same name may be used for different books in different manuscript traditions. 1 Esdras is a common example which may refer to Ezra, Ezra-Nehemiah, or Greek Ezra (a.k.a. 3 Esdras in the Vulgate.) Or a single book in one tradition may be multiple books in another tradition – the Hebrew Samuel being divided into 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel is a prime example. These are shown in the Verbum/Logos canon comparison tool as follows:
- On mouse-over the book block one sees alternative names for the book e.g. 3 Kings ≡ 1 Kings
- On mouse-over an asterisk one sees annotations identifying the text as long form, short form etc. e.g. Acts long form (Western form) or short form
- On mouse-over squares following the book name one sees the components of composite books e.g. Psalms (Psalms, Psalm 151, Psalms 152-155)
1.1 Simple long/short forms
The following books are described with a simple “long form”, “short form”, “with additions” or “with subscription” annotations:
1.1.1 Job
The final verse is followed by a long subscription in the Septuagint and the Arabic. The short version ends at “full of days.”
17 And Job died, an old man and full of days: and it is written that he will rise again with those whom the Lord raises up.
This man is described in the Syriac book as living in the land of Ausis, on the borders of Idumea and Arabia: and his name before was Jobab; and having taken an Arabian wife, he begot a son whose name was Ennon. And he himself was the son of his father Zare, one of the sons of Esau, and of his mother Bosorrha, so that he was the fifth from Abraam. And these were the kings who reigned in Edom, which country he also ruled over: first, Balac, the son of Beor, and the name of his city was Dennaba: but after Balac, Jobab, who is called Job: and after him Asom, who was governor out of the country of Thæman: and after him Adad, the son of Barad, who destroyed Madiam in the plain of Moab; and the name of his city was Gethaim. And his friends who came to him were Eliphaz, of the children of Esau, king of the Thæmanites, Baldad sovereign of the Sauchæans, Sophar king of the Minæans. [1]
1.1.2 Mark
The long form of Mark includes 16:9-20 which are wholly missing in the short form. Several modern translations include both the shorter and the longer endings of Mark.
8 Then they went out and ran away from the tomb, beside themselves with terror. They said nothing to anybody, for they were afraid.[2]
And they delivered all these instructions briefly to Peter and his companions. Afterwards Jesus himself sent out by them from east to west the sacred and imperishable message of eternal salvation.[3]
9 When he had risen from the dead early on Sunday morning he appeared first to Mary of Magdala, from whom he had formerly cast out seven devils. 10 She went and carried the news to his mourning and sorrowful followers, 11 but when they were told that he was alive and that she had seen him they did not believe it.
12 Later he appeared in a different guise to two of them as they were walking, on their way into the country. 13 These also went and took the news to the others, but again no one believed them.
14 Afterwards while the Eleven were at table he appeared to them and reproached them for their incredulity and dullness, because they had not believed those who had seen him after he was raised from the dead. 15 Then he said to them: ‘Go forth to every part of the world, and proclaim the Good News to the whole creation. 16 Those who believe it and receive baptism will find salvation; those who do not believe will be condemned. 17 Faith will bring with it these miracles: believers will cast out devils in my name and speak in strange tongues; 18 if they handle snakes or drink any deadly poison, they will come to no harm; and the sick on whom they lay their hands will recover.’
19 So after talking with them the Lord Jesus was taken up into heaven, and he took his seat at the right hand of God; 20 but they went out to make their proclamation everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed their words by the miracles that followed.[4],[5]
1.1.3 John
The long form of John includes John 7:53-8:11 known as Pericope Adulterae. It is not in the Codex Sinaiticus or Codex Vaticanus nor in the Gothic Bible of Wulfila. However, it is found in Codex Bezae and the Vulgate. All these manuscripts are documented later in these notes.
[[53 Then each of them went home, 8 1 while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5 Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”]]
1.1.4 Acts
For Acts of the Apostles the differences are spread throughout the book. Wikipedia describes the short vs. long form as:
There are two major textual variants of Luke-Acts, the Western text-type and the Alexandrian. The oldest complete Alexandrian manuscripts date from the 4th century and the oldest Western ones from the 6th, with fragments and citations going back to the 3rd. Western texts of Acts are 10% longer than Alexandrian texts, the additions tending to enhance the Jewish rejection of the Messiah and the role of the Holy Spirit, in ways that are stylistically different from the rest of Acts. These conflicts suggest that Luke-Acts was still being substantially revised well into the 2nd century. The majority of scholars prefer the Alexandrian (shorter) text-type over the Western as the more authentic, but this same argument would favour the Western over the Alexandrian for the gospel of Luke, as in that case the Western version is the shorter. The debate therefore continues.[7]
1.1.5 1 John
The long form of 1 John includes a clause in 1 John 5:7-8 known as Comma Johanneum. This clause is in the Textus Receptus of Desiderius Erasmus and the translations based upon it, e.g. Geneva Bible, Authorized Version, Douay-Rheims, etc. More recent critical editions of the Greek consider the clause a later addition – perhaps a marginal note accidentally moved into the text itself. Thus one does not find the clause in the Nova Vulgata, English Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version. Here the Comma, as included in the New King James Version, is highlighted in bold:
7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.
1.2 Omitted texts not considered in the canon charts
The following chart of verses omitted in modern translations comes from Wikipedia[9]. It has been edited to include only a few representative translations available in Verbum/Logos.
|
Passage
|
NIV
|
NKJV
|
RSV
|
NRSV
|
ESV
|
REB
|
HCSB
|
LEB
|
NET
|
|
Matthew 9:34
|
|
|
|
|
|
F
|
|
|
|
|
Matthew 12:47
|
|
|
O
|
F
|
F
|
|
F
|
|
|
|
Matthew 17:21
|
O
|
F
|
O
|
O
|
F
|
F
|
B
|
O
|
O
|
|
Matthew 18:11
|
O
|
F
|
O
|
O
|
F
|
F
|
B
|
O
|
O
|
|
Matthew 21:44
|
F
|
|
O
|
F
|
|
F
|
B
|
|
|
|
Matthew 23:14
|
O
|
F
|
O
|
O
|
F
|
F
|
B
|
O
|
O
|
|
Mark 7:16
|
O
|
F
|
O
|
O
|
F
|
F
|
B
|
O
|
O
|
|
Mark 9:44
|
O
|
F
|
O
|
O
|
F
|
F
|
B
|
O
|
O
|
|
Mark 9:46
|
O
|
F
|
O
|
O
|
F
|
F
|
B
|
O
|
O
|
|
Mark 11:26
|
O
|
F
|
O
|
O
|
F
|
F
|
B
|
O
|
O
|
|
Mark 15:28
|
O
|
F
|
O
|
O
|
F
|
F
|
B
|
O
|
O
|
|
Mark 16:9–20
|
F
|
F
|
F
|
F
|
B
|
|
B
|
B
|
B
|
|
Luke 17:36
|
O
|
F
|
O
|
O
|
F
|
F
|
B
|
O
|
O
|
|
Luke 22:20
|
|
|
|
|
|
F
|
F
|
|
|
|
Luke 22:43
|
F
|
F
|
O
|
F
|
|
|
B
|
B+F
|
B
|
|
Luke 22:44
|
F
|
F
|
O
|
F
|
|
|
B
|
B+F
|
B
|
|
Luke 23:17
|
O
|
F
|
O
|
O
|
F
|
F
|
B
|
O
|
O
|
|
Luke 24:12
|
|
|
O
|
|
|
F
|
|
|
|
|
Luke 24:40
|
|
|
F
|
F
|
F
|
F
|
|
|
|
|
John 5:4
|
O
|
F
|
O
|
O
|
F
|
F
|
B
|
O
|
O
|
|
John 7:53–8:11
|
F
|
F
|
O
|
F
|
B
|
|
B
|
B+F
|
B
|
|
Acts 8:37
|
O
|
F
|
O
|
F
|
F
|
F
|
B
|
O
|
O
|
|
Acts 15:34
|
O
|
F
|
O
|
O
|
F
|
F
|
O
|
O
|
O
|
|
Acts 24:7
|
O
|
F
|
O
|
O
|
F
|
F
|
B
|
O
|
O
|
|
Acts 28:29
|
O
|
F
|
O
|
O
|
F
|
F
|
B
|
O
|
O
|
|
Romans 16:24
|
O
|
F
|
O
|
O
|
F
|
F
|
B
|
|
O
|
O = omitted in main text.
B = bracketed in the main text – The translation team and most biblical scholars today believe were not part of the original text. However, these texts have been retained in brackets in the NASB and the Holman CSB.[34]
F = omission noted in the footnote.
B+F = bracketed in the main text and omission noted in the footnote.
1.3 Composite books
There are a group of books, primarily in the Old Testament, where the name of the does not necessarily identify the contents. With some books, e.g. Esther and Daniel, this reflects a difference in the Masoretic text in Hebrew and the Septuagint text in Greek. With other books, e.g. Judges-Ruth and Samuel, it reflects a differences reinforced by making canons contain a number of books that has independent significance e.g. the 22 letters of the Hebrew Alphabet. However, in most cases it simply reflects the lack of uniformity as the canon developed.
1.3.1 Judges-Ruth
The Pharisaic and Rabbinic Jewish canon easily slips into a 24 book form. This was condensed into a 22 book format symbolically mirroring the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The common way to achieve this was to combine Judges and Ruth because they deal with the same period of history and to combine Jeremiah and Lamentations because they are by the same author.[10]
1.3.2 Samuel
The two books of Samuel are frequently treated as a single volume.
1.3.3 Kings-Sirach-Prayer of Solomon
The two books of Kings are frequently treated as a single volume. 1 Kings 8:22-52, Prayer of Solomon, may also appear in slightly modified form as Sirach 52 or as an independent book following Sirach.
1.3.4 Chronicles-Prayer of Manasseh
The two books of Kings are frequently treated as a single volume. The Prayer of Manasseh may appear at the end of 2 Chronicles as in the 4th century Vulgate, as an independent book as in Luther’s Bibel[11], or in the book of Odes as in many Eastern and Oriental Orthodox canons.
1.3.5 Ezra material
The two Hebrew books of Ezra and Nehemiah are frequently treated as a single volume called variously Ezra, Ezra-Nehemiah, 1 Esdras or 2 Esdras. Additional Ezra materials considered canonical or pseudepigraphical include:
- Greek Ezra which includes s paraphrase of 2 Chronicles 35-36; Hebrew Ezra, Nehemiah 7:38-8:12, and additional tale of Darius’ bodyguards.
- Jewish Apocalypse of Ezra (Apocalyptic Esdras) written c. 100 A.D. was highly influential in Jewish theology at the end of the first century.
- Greek Apocalypse of Ezra (The Word and Revelation of Esdras) which was influenced by the preceding. It is a Christian work.
- Questions of Ezra is a late work known from an Armenian manuscript.
- Revelation of Ezra is a kalandologion[12] and may be among the books condemned by Nicephorus.
- Vision of Ezra is another Christian apocalypse influenced by the Ezra Apocalypse.
The composition and titles of the four books most frequently in canons are shown in the following chart. The scholarly titles are used in the canon comparison tool often with a note to remind the user of the precise content.
|
Masoretic Hebrew
|
NRSV
|
Latin Vulgate
|
Greek Septuagint
|
Slavonic tradition
|
Scholarly alternative
|
|
Ezra
|
Ezra
|
1 Esdras
|
Esdras B
|
1 Esdras
|
Ezra-Nehemiah
|
|
Nehemiah
|
2 Esdras (Nehemias)
|
Nehemiah
|
|
|
1 Esdras
|
3 Esdras
|
Esdras A (Greek Esdras)
|
2 Esdras
|
Greek Ezra
|
|
2 Esdras
|
4 Esdras (Latin Esdras)
|
|
3 Esdras
|
4 Esdras (Jewish Apocalypse of Ezra, Apocalyptic Esdras)
|
|
|
5 Esdras
|
|
6 Esdras
|
4 Esdras is chapters 3-14 of the Latin Esdras
5 Esdras is chapters 1-2 of the Latin Esdras
6 Esdras is chapters 15-16 of the Latin Esdras
1.3.6 Esther
The book of Esther has three major forms – the Hebrew form (short form), the Greek form (long form) and a hybrid form of the Hebrew form with Greek additions. Wikipedia lists the additions:
- an opening prologue that describes a dream had by Mordecai
- the contents of the decree against the Jews
- prayers for God's intervention offered by Mordecai and by Esther
- an expansion of the scene in which Esther appears before the king, with a mention of God's intervention
- a copy of the decree in favor of the Jews
- a passage in which Mordecai interprets his dream (from the prologue) in terms of the events that followed
- a colophon appended to the end[13]
This leads to difficulties in chapter and verse assignments:
|
Hebrew
|
Hebrew with Greek Additions
|
Hebrew with integrated Greek
|
Greek
|
|
|
|
Esther Addition A: 1-17
|
Esther 11:2-12:6
|
|
Esther 1:1-22
|
Esther 1:1-22
|
Esther 1:1-22
|
Esther 1:1-22
|
|
Esther 2:1-23
|
Esther 2:1-23
|
Esther 2:1-23
|
Esther 2:1-23
|
|
Esther 3:1-15
|
Esther 3:1-15
|
Esther 3: 1-13
|
Esther 3: 1-13
|
|
|
|
Esther Addition B: 1-7
|
Esther 13:1-7
|
|
|
|
Esther 3:14-15
|
Esther 3:14-15
|
|
Esther 4:1-17
|
Esther 4:1-17
|
Esther 4:1-17
|
Esther 4:1-17
|
|
|
|
Esther Addition C: 1-30
|
Esther 13:8-14:19
|
|
|
|
|
Esther 5:1-2 omitted
|
|
|
|
Esther Addition  1-16
|
Esther 15:1-16
|
|
Esther 5:1-14
|
Esther 5:1-14
|
Esther 5:1-14
|
Esther 5:3-14
|
|
Esther 6:1-14
|
Esther 6:1-14
|
Esther 6:1-14
|
Esther 6:1-14
|
|
Esther 7:1-10
|
Esther 7:1-10
|
Esther 7:1-10
|
Esther 7:1-10
|
|
Esther 8:1-17
|
Esther 8:1-17
|
Esther 8:1-12
|
Esther 8:1-12
|
|
|
|
Esther Addition E: 1-24
|
Esther 16:1-24
|
|
|
|
Esther 8:13-17
|
Esther 8:13-17
|
|
Esther 9:1-32
|
Esther 9:1-32
|
Esther 9:1-32
|
Esther 9:1-32
|
|
Esther 10:1-3
|
Esther 10:1-3
|
Esther 10:1-3
|
Esther 10:1-3
|
|
|
|
Esther Addition F: 1-11
|
Esther 10:4-11:1
|
|
|
Esther Addition A: 1-17
|
|
|
|
|
Esther Addition B: 1-7
|
|
|
|
|
Esther Addition C: 1-30
|
|
|
|
|
Esther Addition 1-16
|
|
|
|
|
Esther Addition E: 1-24
|
|
|
|
|
Esther Addition F:1-11
|
|
|
In the canon comparison tool “Esther” without modification refers to the Hebrew version; “Esther” as a composite text is Esther plus Additions to Esther; “Greek Esther” refers to the integrated form.
1.3.7 Psalms-Psalm 151-Psalms 152-155-Odes
Psalms has two types of variation. First, the book may contain 150, 151 or 155 psalms. The component books are called Psalms, Psalm 151 and Psalms 152-155. Note that these are all Psalms of David. Second, a given manuscript may have either the Psalms as a standard translated book or a Psalter, a separate translation for liturgical use, or both. Jerome’s Vulgate often has the Vulgate Psalms (translated from Hebrew) supplemented or replaced by the Psalterium Gallicanum (Jerome’s translation from Greek used liturgically).
The Odes (see below) are sometimes appended to the Psalms or follow the Psalms as it is also a liturgical book. When appended to the Psalms, the book title is usually given as “Psalms with Odes”.
1.3.8 Odes-Prayer of Manasseh
Odes is primarily a liturgical book containing the odes (canticles) used in services especially in the Liturgy of the Hours. It contains nine to fourteen odes, all but one taken from canonical, deuterocanonical or pseudepigraphical texts. Rahlff’s Septuagint includes the following odes:
|
Song of Moses 1
|
Exodus 15:1-9
|
|
Song of Moses 2
|
Deuteronomy 32:1-43
|
|
Prayer of Hannah
|
1 Samuel 2:1-10
|
|
Prayer of Habakkuk
|
Habakkuk 3:2-19
|
|
Prayer of Isaiah
|
Isaiah 26:9-20
|
|
Prayer of Jonah
|
Jonah 2:3-10
|
|
Prayer of Azariah
|
Daniel 3:26-45
|
|
Song of the three youths
|
Daniel 3:52-88
|
|
Prayer of Mary (Magnificat)
|
Luke 1:46-55
|
|
Prayer of Zacharias (Benedictus)
|
Luke 1:68-79
|
|
Song of Isaiah
|
Isaiah 5:1-9
|
|
Prayer of Hezekiah
|
Isaiah 38:10-20
|
|
Prayer of Manasseh
|
Pr Man 1-15
|
|
Prayer of Simeon (Nunc dimittis)
|
Luke 2:29-32
|
|
Hymn of Praise (Gloria in excelsis Deo)
|
Non-Biblical composition
|
The inclusion of Odes in a manuscript does not necessarily imply that it is considered canonical, only that it is liturgical. However, some canonical lists explicitly list the Odes as canonical.
1.3.9 Proverbs- Messalë-Tägsas
In the Ethiopian Tewahedo tradition Proverbs is divided into two books:
- Proverbs 1-24 ≡ Messalë
- Proverbs 25-31 ≡ Tägsas (Reproof)
The form of Proverbs in the Beta Israel canon has not been determined.
1.3.10 Sirach-Prologue-Praise of the Ancestors-Prayer of Joshua, son of Sirach-Prayer of Solomon
In the case of Wisdom of Sirach there are five components – one core, three noted for their absence and one noted for its presence.
- Prologue by the grandson of Sirach (noted if absent)
- Sirach 1-43 (always present)
- Praise of the Ancestors – Sirach 44-50 (noted if absent)
- Prayer of Joshua, son of Sirach – Sirach 51 (noted if absent)
- Prayer of Solomon – Sirach 52 ≡ 2 Chronicles 6:13-22 (noted if present)
The Old Latin form lacks the Prologue and Praise of the Ancestors[14]. The most common form lacks only the Prayer of Solomon.
1.3.11 Jeremiah material
The canonical and pseudepigraphical literature surrounding Jeremiah is divided in several different ways depending upon the canon. Elements to be considered include:
- Jeremiah
- Lamentations of Jeremiah
- Prayer of Jeremiah
- Ethiopian additional lamentations
- Baruch (1 Baruch)
- Letter of Jeremiah (Epistle of Jeremiah)
- 2 Baruch (Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch and Letter of Baruch to the Nine and a Half Tribes)
- 3 Baruch (Greek Apocalypse of Baruch)
- 4 Baruch
- Paralipomena of Jeremiah (Rest of the Words of Baruch)
The book of Jeremiah may, depending upon the tradition, contain Jeremiah, Lamentations, Prayer of Jeremiah, Baruch and Letter of Baruch. Most sources of canonical information with note if more than Jeremiah is included. The major exception is the pair Jeremiah-Lamentation.
The Letter of Jeremiah may appear as the sixth chapter of Baruch or as an independent book.
The Prayer of Jeremiah normally appears as the fifth chapter of Lamentation. When it appears as a separate book it is titled “Prayer of Jeremiah” and its omission from Lamentations noted.
2 Baruch is always a composite book containing the Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch and the Letter of Baruch to the Nine and a Half Tribes. The Letter of Baruch also appears as an independent book.
Paralipomena of Baruch is a composite book containing Lamentations (including the Prayer of Jeremiah i.e. Lamentations 1-5), Letter of Jeremiah, a prophecy against Pashur (Lam 7:1-5), 4 Baruch, and additional verses to Lamentation 7.[15]
In addition, the book of Jeremiah proper has two manuscripts traditions. The Hebrew from which the Greek Septuagint derives is shorter than the Hebrew from which the Masoretic text derives. The first is about seven-eighths the length of the latter and is believed to be the earlier of the texts.
1.3.12 Daniel
The book of Daniel occurs in two forms – the Hebrew and the Greek. The Greek additions also may appear as independent books:
- The Prayer of Azariah and the Hymn of the Three Young Men (Daniel 3:24-90)
- Susanna (Daniel 13:1-64)
- Bel and the Dragon (Daniel 14:1-42)
The Greek version is always shown as a composite book.
1.3.13 The Twelve Prophets
The minor prophets form a composite book known as “Twelve Prophets” or simply “The Twelve”. While the contents are consistent the order of the books is not. There are two common sequences – the order used in the western church and the order used in the eastern and oriental churches. Occasional variations occur.
|
Western
|
Eastern
|
|
Hosea
|
Hosea
|
|
Joel
|
Amos
|
|
Amos
|
Micah
|
|
Obadiah
|
Joel
|
|
Jonah
|
Obadiah
|
|
Micah
|
Jonah
|
|
Nahum
|
Nahum
|
|
Habakkuk
|
Habakkuk
|
|
Zephaniah
|
Zephaniah
|
|
Haggai
|
Haggai
|
|
Zechariah
|
Zechariah
|
|
Malachi
|
Malachi
|
The books also may appear as twelve separate books generally retaining the sequence of a composite book.
1.3.14 Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs
Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs are the purported last statements of the twelve sons of Jacob. When included in a canon, they may be treated as a single work or as twelve separate works:
- Testament of Rueben
- Testament of Simeon
- Testament of Levi
- Testament of Judah
- Testament of Issachar
- Testament of Zebulun
- Testament of Dan
- Testament of Naphtali
- Testament of Gad
- Testament of Asher
- Testament of Joseph
- Testament of Benjamin
1.3.15 Deaths of the Prophets
Deaths of the Prophets, a.k.a. Lives pf the Prophets, may appear as individual books or as a composite of up to twenty-five books.
- Death of Isaiah
- Death of Jeremiah
- Death of Ezekiel
- Death of Daniel
- Death of Hosea
- Death of Micah
- Death of Amos
- Death of Joel
- Death of Obadiah
- Death of Jonah
- Death of Obadiah
- Death of Jonah
- Death of Nahum
- Death of Habakkuk
- Death of Zephaniah
- Death of Haggai
- Death of Zechariah
- Death of Malachi
- Death of Nathan
- Death of Ahijah the Shilonite
- Death of Joad
- Death of Azariah
- Death of Elijah the Tishbite
- Death of Elisha
- Death of Zechariah ben Jehoiada[16]
1.3.16 1 Enoch
1 Enoch[17] is composed of five sections believed to have originally been independent books. Only the composite appears in canons.
- The Book of the Watchers (1 Enoch 1–36)
- The Book of Parables of Enoch (1 Enoch 37–71) (also called the Similitudes of Enoch)
- The Astronomical Book (1 Enoch 72–82) (also called the Book of the Heavenly Luminaries or Book of Luminaries)
- The Book of Dream Visions (1 Enoch 83–90) (also called the Book of Dreams)
- The Epistle of Enoch (1 Enoch 91–108)[18]
Other Enoch materials include:
- 2 Enoch (“Slavonic Enoch” or “The Secrets of Enoch”)
- 3 Enoch (“The Book of the Palaces", "The Book of Rabbi Ishmael the High Priest" or "The Revelation of Metatron")
1.3.17 The Book of Josephas the Son of Ben Gorion
The Book of Josephas the Son of Ben Gorion[19] (“Josippon” or “Pseudo-Josephus”) is a collection of eight books. In some canons only one book is canonical (e.g. >>>>), in others the entire work is considered canonical (e.g. Ethiopian broad canon). The books do not have independent names but are known by title.
1.3.18 Book of Women
The Syrian tradition contains the Book of Women[20] which contains:
- Ruth
- Susanna
- Esther
- Judith
- Thecla[21] according to some authorities
1.4 Group names
A number of terms are used in canon lists that describe groups of books. A glossary of these terms follows.
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Beth Mawtbē[22]
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Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Qoheleth, Ruth, Songs, Job, Sirach
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Catholic epistles
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New Testament epistles not written by Paul i.e. commonly those of James, John, Jude and Peter
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Five Books of Moses
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See Torah
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Five Megillot
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Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther
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Five Scrolls
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See Five Megillot
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Former Prophets
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Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings
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General epistles
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See Catholic epistles
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Hamesh Megillot
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See Five Megillot
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Ketuvim
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Sifrei Emet plus Five Megillot plus Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, Chronicles
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Latter Prophets
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Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Twelve Minor Prophets
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Minor Catholic Epistles
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The Catholic epistles traditionally omitted from Bibles in the Syriac tradition: 2 Peter, 2 John, 3 John and Jude
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Nevi’im (Prophets)
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Former Prophets plus Latter Prophets
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Octateuch
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Pentateuch plus Joshua, Judges, Ruth
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Pauline epistles
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New Testament epistles written by Paul commonly 13 (or 14 if Hebrews is included)
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Pentateuch
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See Torah
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Sifrei Emet (truth)
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Psalms, Proverbs, Job
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Torah
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Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
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[1] Lancelot Charles Lee Brenton, The Septuagint Version of the Old Testament: English Translation (London: Samuel Bagster and Sons, 1870), Job 42:17.
[2] Some manuscripts end here.
[3] At least one manuscript ends here.
[4] The long form ends here.
[5] The New English Bible (New York: Oxford University Press; Cambridge University Press, 1970), Mk 16:8–20.
The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Jn 7:53–8:11.
[7] Wikipedia contributors, "Acts of the Apostles," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Acts_of_the_Apostles&oldid=637688666 (accessed December 13, 2014).
The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), 1 Jn 5:7–8.
[9] Wikipedia contributors, "List of Bible verses not included in modern translations," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Bible_verses_not_included_in_modern_translations&oldid=629423735 (accessed December 13, 2014).
[10] JPS Guide: The Jewish Bible. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 2008. Pp.13-14.
[11] See “Luther Added Books to his Bible?” on the Beggars All blog accessed December 9, 2014 http://beggarsallreformation.blogspot.com/2011/06/luther-added-books-to-his-bible.html
[12] "... kalandologion, or document that describes the characteristics of a year according to which day of the week it begins on ..." James H. Charlesworth, “Pseudepigrapha,” ed. Erwin Fahlbusch et al., The Encyclopedia of Christianity (Grand Rapids, Mich.; Leiden, Netherlands: Wm. B. Eerdmans; Brill, 2005), 412.
[13] Wikipedia contributors, "Book of Esther," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Book_of_Esther&oldid=636986477 (accessed December 13, 2014).
[14] Skehan, Patrick W., and Alexander A. Di Lella O.F.M. The Wisdom of Ben Sira: A New Translation with Notes, Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 39. Anchor Yale Bible. New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008. Pp. 56.
[15] Wikipedia contributors, "Rest of the Words of Baruch," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rest_of_the_Words_of_Baruch&oldid=636995950 (accessed December 13, 2014).
[16] Wikipedia contributors, "Lives of the Prophets," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lives_of_the_Prophets&oldid=600041597 (accessed December 13, 2014).
[17] Davies, Philip R. Scribes and Schools: The Canonization of the Hebrew Scriptures. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Pres. 1998. Pp.163-165.
[18] Wikipedia contributors, "Book of Enoch," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Book_of_Enoch&oldid=637808101 (accessed December 13, 2014).
[19] Wikipedia contributors, "Josippon," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Josippon&oldid=637309638 (accessed December 13, 2014).
[20] Wido van Peursen, “Introduction to the Electronic Peshitta Text”, Leiden: Peshitta Institute, http://media.leidenuniv.nl/legacy/Introduction%20to%20the%20Electronic%20Peshitta%20Text.pdf (Accessed December 15, 2014). Pp. 3.
[21] Catherine Burris and Lucas Van Rompay, “Thecla In Syriac Christianity: Preliminary Observations,” Hugoye: Journal of Syriac Studies 5:2 (2002) pp 227.
[22] Wido van Peursen, “Introduction to the Electronic Peshitta Text”, Leiden: Peshitta Institute, http://media.leidenuniv.nl/legacy/Introduction%20to%20the%20Electronic%20Peshitta%20Text.pdf (Accessed December 15, 2014). Pp. 3.
