What are the Apocrypha / Deuterocanonical books?

Roman Catholic Bibles have more Old Testament books than Protestant Bibles. These books are part of the Apocrypha or Deuterocanon. The word apocrypha means “hidden,” while the word deuterocanonical means “second canon.” The additional books are Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus (Sirach), Baruch (including the Letter of Jeremiah), and 1 and 2 Maccabees. Catholic Bibles also include additions to the books of Esther and Daniel. Other books, such as 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, and the Prayer of Manasseh, are also part of the Apocrypha, but aren’t included in the Catholic Bible. Although Jews and Christians have read these books for centuries, their status as Scripture has been debated for centuries because they contain errors.

Although the Apocrypha is Jewish literature and has value within the Jewish community, Jews have never accepted it as part of the Hebrew Bible. This raises questions about why the Catholic Church gave these books an elevated status over a thousand years after they were written. In the first few centuries of Christianity, church leaders debated the value of these books. Many believed they did not belong in the Bible because they lacked signs of inspiration. They pointed to content that contradicted Scripture and to the fact that the New Testament never quotes from these books.

The Apocrypha contains teachings that are not historically accurate. For example, Judith 1:5 contains a clear historical error: Judith 1:5, “Now in the twelfth year of his reign, Nabuchodonosor, king of the Assyrians, who reigned in Ninive the great city, fought against Arphaxad and overcame him.” The verse incorrectly refers to Nebuchadnezzar (using an alternative spelling) as the king of Assyria, yet he was the king of Babylon (e.g., 2 Kings 24:1).

Tobit provides an example of a theological error. Tobit 4:11 falsely indicates that almsgiving—acts of compassion for those in need—can forgive sin: “For alms deliver from all sin, and from death, and will not suffer the soul to go into darkness.” This contradicts the Bible’s teaching that sinners are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8).

Despite these errors, some in the early church valued these books. The Catholic Church included these books in several early lists of biblical writings. The Council of Hippo in AD 393 and the Third Council of Carthage in AD 397 accepted the Apocrypha as inspired Scripture. However, these were regional councils, not ecumenical or general councils. As a result, their decisions were not binding on the entire church.

Many leaders within the Catholic Church continued to view the Apocrypha as valuable but not inspired Scripture. That changed at the Council of Trent in the mid-1500s, when the Catholic Church officially declared the books divinely inspired and authoritative. This decision came largely in response to the Protestant Reformation.

The Bible is God’s Word. 2 Timothy 3:16–17 teaches this when it says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Because the Bible is God’s Word, it is truthful in all it teaches and affirms. Proverbs 30:5 reflects this: “Every word of God is flawless.” In summary, the Apocrypha is important historical literature, but it does not demonstrate characteristics of divine inspiration.