An Introduction to the
Deutero-Canonical Books
What is the Apocrypha?
 “Apocrypha” Greek word:
 Literally means “things that are hidden.”
 Books that appeared in the Greek (Septuagint), Latin (Vulgate), Coptic (and its
Arabic version), as well as the Syriac and other translations of the Old
Testament, but are not included in the original Hebrew Scriptures.
 All are considered canonical (hence the word deutero-canonical or second
canonical) and authoritative by all Orthodox Churches and by the Roman
Catholic Church.
 Martin Luther:
 “books which are not held equal to the Sacred Scriptures, and nevertheless are
useful and good to read.”
 In his translation of the Bible into German, Martin Luther differentiated the books
originally in Hebrew from those of Greek origin. The latter he labeled the
Apocrypha.
What is the Apocrypha?
 When the King James or Authorized Version of the Bible was published in 1611,
it contained, between the Old and the New Testaments, the books of the
Apocrypha.
 Other Protestant leaders simply omitted these writings from their Bibles, and the
Westminster Confession (1646) dismissed them as non-biblical, secular
literature. In the course of time printers began to issue editions of the King James
Bible without the books of the Apocrypha.
The Deutero-Canonical Books
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Tobit
Judith
The Additions to the Book of Esther (Verses 10:3a-k)
Wisdom of Solomon
Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach
Baruch
The Letter (Epistle) of Jeremiah (= Baruch Chapter 6)
The 3 additions to the Book of Daniel:
 The Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Jews (68 verses between
3:23 – 24)
 Susanna (= Chapter 13 or in the beginning)
 Bel and the Dragon (= Chapter 14 or at the end of Chapter 12)
The Deutero-Canonical Books
 1 Maccabees
 2 Maccabees
 Psalm 151: follows Psalm 150 in the Greek Bible (not included in
the Roman Canon)
The Role of Ezra the Priest
 Ezra was a famous Jewish priest of the tribe of Levi, and a
descendant of Aaron.
 He was the first scribe.
 He was born during the period of exile and he lead the second group
of returning Jews from Babylon to Jerusalem in 458 BC.
 During the period of exile, many copies of the Scriptures were either
destroyed or lost.
 Furthermore, many of the Jews born in exile were Hebrew-illiterate
and therefore unable to read their own Scriptures.
 Ezra's greatest contribution was his teaching, establishing, and
implementing the Five Books of Moses among the Jews.
The Role of Ezra the Priest
 (Ezra 7:6-10 NKJV) 6This Ezra came up from Babylon; and he was a
skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had
given. The king granted him all his request, according to the hand of
the LORD his God upon him. 7Some of the children of Israel, the
priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim
came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. 8And
Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh
year of the king. 9On the first day of the first month he began his
journey from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came
to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. 10For
Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do
it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.
 (Neh 9:3 NKJV) And they stood up in their place and read from the
Book of the Law of the LORD their God.
The Role of Ezra the Priest
 He was the first person to compile the Jewish Scriptures into one
collection.
 Jewish tradition says he authored Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah.
 Ezra is sometimes called “the father of Judaism,” though others offer
a different opinion.
 He did most to codify, emphasize, and sent up the Law of Moses.
The Ritual of Transcribing
Hebrew Scripture
 The scribes were specially chosen people who transcribed the Holy
Scriptures according to rigorous standards determined by the
Jewish High Council. (The council, which was founded by Ezra, had
three essential principles; the third required the Jews to be a solid
fortress in protecting the Torah.)
 (Rom 3:1-2 NKJV) What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the
profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them
were committed the oracles of God.
The Ritual of Transcribing
Hebrew Scripture
Scribes were ordered to follow the following traditions:
 Before transcribing bathe, wear the special Hebrew clothes and
prepare your mind with holy submissive thoughts.
 Use scrolls made from the skins of pure animals.
 Use pure black ink made of charcoal and coke powder mixed in
gum.
 Do not write a single word out of memory, always look at the original
text and read out loud the word before copying it.
 Before writing any of God’s names, pause and clean your pen; and
before writing the name of the Almighty, wash your entire body.
 At the end of your transcription, if you find three or more errors
destroy this copy and start all over.
The Ritual of Transcribing
Hebrew Scripture
Scribes were ordered to follow the following traditions:
 You should know how many letters are in a page before starting to
transcribe it. Each page should contain 30 equal lines. Count the
number of times each letter occurred in each page and in the entire
book.
 Do not talk with other people during the transcription session.
The Septuagint
 After the death of Alexander the Great, Egypt and later Palestine fell
under the rule of Ptolemy I Soter, and his successors.
 The Ptolemies made Alexandria a center of learning and commerce.
 Ptolemaic rule directly impacted Jews both inside and outside of
Palestine.
 Ptolemy I Soter (323-283 BC) transported large numbers of Jews
from Palestine to Alexandria for settlement.
 This was the beginning of a large and influential Jewish community,
which prospered by maintaining good relations with the Ptolemies,
frequently serving as mercenaries and merchants.
 Soon Alexandria became a major center of world Jewish culture.
 The Alexandrian Jews imbibed Hellenism (the Greek culture) much
more deeply than the Jews of Judea.
The Septuagint
 This Hellenization trend necessitated the translation of the Old
Testament writings into Greek.
 Ptolemy II Philadelphus (282-246 BC) built the School of Alexandria,
to help spread the Greek culture and philosophy.
 He then arranged with the Jewish High Priest in Jerusalem to send
72 translators (six elders from each of the twelve tribes of Israel) to
Alexandria.
 As they sailed from Judea to Alexandria, two of them died during the
trip, while the rest arrived in Alexandria and started the translation of
the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek (280 BC).
 This translation, called the Septuagint (or LXX), in its complete form,
became widely used in the Greeko-Roman Empire around the time
of Jesus Christ.
The Septuagint
 It included all the second canonical books recognized by our Coptic
Church.
 There are at least three complete and concordant historical
manuscripts of this version: the Codex Vaticanus (4th century AD),
the Codex Sinaiticus (4th century AD) and the Codex Alexandrinus
(5th century AD), as well as numerous less complete or more recent
manuscripts.
The Dead Sea Scrolls
 Between 1946 - 1960 AD, about 40,000 fragments of 800 ancient
manuscripts were discovered and retrieved from eleven caves near
the Dead Sea (the caves of Qumran).
 Of these 170 are fragments of Old Testament books (including
manuscripts of each Old Testament book except Esther). The most
important may be a nearly complete text of Isaiah.
 The rest of the scrolls include commentaries on Habakkuk and
Micah, Jewish documents from the interbiblical and New Testament
time periods – including parts of the deutero-canonical writings, as
well as writings that describe the community at Qumran and the
lifestyle of the Essene Jews that inhabited them.
 Scrolls were found in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.
The Dead Sea Scrolls
 The scrolls themselves have been dated to about 200 BC to 70 AD,
and are believed to have been transcribed by the Essenes (who
lived during that period).
 The Dead Sea Scrolls provide Old Testament Hebrew manuscripts,
which are one thousand years older than any other Old Testament
manuscripts.
 Before 1947, the earliest Hebrew Old Testament manuscripts known
to exist dated to the late ninth century AD (the Masoretic Jews).
Josephus
 A Jewish Historian (37-100 AD).
 He listed 22 of the books that Ezra had compiled, and which
became the basis of the Hebrew Canon established by the council
of Jamnia (100 AD).
 From that point onwards, a standard Hebrew text has been
recognized.
Josephus
 He also referred to the deutero-canonical books:
 “It is true, our history has been written since Artaxerxes very particularly, but has
not been esteemed of the like authority with the former (i.e. Older Scriptures) by
our forefathers, because there has not been an exact succession of prophets
since that time. How firmly we have given credit to those books of our own
nation, is evident by what we do; for during so many ages as have already
passed, no one has been so bold as either to add anything to them, to take
anything from them, or to make any change in them. But it becomes natural to all
Jews immediately and from their very birth, to esteem those books to contain
divine doctrines, and to persist in them, and if occasion be, willingly to die for
them.” (Josephus Against Apion, 1.8:41-42)
The Hidden Books
 There are probably many reasons why Ezra, and later the Council of
Jamnia, did not include all the books of the Septuagint when
compiling the Jewish Scriptures.
 1 Maccabees covers the period 180 – 135 BC after the time of Ezra.
 2 Maccabees was originally written in Greek.
 Similarly, the Wisdom of Ben Sirach was written in the third century BC, and
translated to Greek by his grandson in the late second century BC. Only then
was it added to the Septuagint.
 The book of Tobit stayed as a family secret and heritage until the second century
BC, when it was released to the public.
The Hidden Books
 There are probably many reasons why Ezra, and later the Council of
Jamnia, did not include all the books of the Septuagint when
compiling the Jewish Scriptures.
 The Hebrew version of the book of Esther:
 Makes no mention of the name of God, the God of the Jews. This is possibly
explained on the basis of the political climate at that time.
 This version was accessible to the non-Jews, including their enemies, and
were routinely read every year during the Purim festivities.
 The “hidden” chapters however, which are found only in the Greek version,
show a deep spiritual attitude of worship towards the Almighty Sovereign
God.
 Prior to the first century, there was an emerging distinction between
the books of scripture which are to be available to the public and the
others which are to be “hidden,” and thus kept from public access,
since the wisdom of God is reserved for the elect community alone.
The Hidden Books
 This tradition of secret writings may be the origin of the notion that some of
the biblical books were to be kept “hidden” (apocrypha).
 But by the end of the first century AD there were Jews who were dismissing
as non-authoritative many of the writings that the editors of the Septuagint
had treated as biblical by the very act of including them among the
scriptures in Greek.
 There were over 70 “hidden” books, many of which were written in Greek.
 In a curious shift of connotations, the term that for some Jews initially
implied “secret” was now used by Protestants to mean inauthentic and
lacking in authority for the community of faith.
 In spite of this historical division of opinion among church bodies about the
Apocrypha, in recent decades important translations of the Bible initiated by
Protestants have included these works as part of the body of Sacred
Scripture
The Masoretic Jews
 These Jews were scholars who lived during the seventh to tenth
centuries AD.
 They edited the Hebrew text into its current version.
 They also added to it vowel sounds, rendering it more readable to
non-natives.
Other Translations Of The Old
Testament
The Coptic Translation:
 This spread throughout Egypt during the second and third centuries.
 By the mid-third century, it was widely used in our churches.
 We still have most passages of scripture retained in the Coptic language.
The Latin Vulgate:
 The first official Latin Bible was translated by St. Jerome during the fourth
century at the request of the Roman Pope Damasus. (“Vulgate” means “for the
people as a whole”)
 St. Jerome added prefaces to the deutero-canonical books, noting their absence
in the Hebrew canon.
 The Vulgate also includes the two books of Esdras and the Prayer of Manasseh,
as an addendum. These books are considered apocryphal rather than canonical
by the Catholic Church.
The Apocrypha in
The New Testament
 Wis Sol 13:5,8 (NRSVA) 5For
 Rom 1:20-25,29 (NKJV) 20For since
from the greatness and beauty of
the creation of the world His invisible
created things comes a
attributes are clearly seen, being
corresponding perception of their
understood by the things that are made,
Creator. 8Yet again, not even they
even His eternal power and Godhead,
are to be excused.
so that they are without excuse,
21because, although they knew God,
 Wis Sol 14:24,27 (NRSVA) 24they
they did not glorify Him as God, nor
no longer keep either their lives or
were thankful, but became futile in their
their marriages pure, but they
thoughts, and their foolish hearts were
either treacherously kill one
darkened. 22Professing to be wise, they
another, or grieve one another by
became fools, 23and changed the glory
adultery, 27For the worship of idols
of the incorruptible God into an image
not to be named is the beginning
made like corruptible man—and birds
and cause and end of every evil.
The Apocrypha in
The New Testament
 Wis Sol 13:5,8 (NRSVA) 5For
 and four-footed animals and creeping
from the greatness and beauty of
things. 24Therefore God also gave them
created things comes a
up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their
corresponding perception of their
hearts, to dishonor their bodies among
Creator. 8Yet again, not even they
themselves, 25who exchanged the truth
are to be excused.
of God for the lie, and worshiped and
served the creature rather than the
 Wis Sol 14:24,27 (NRSVA) 24they
Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
no longer keep either their lives or
…29being filled with all
their marriages pure, but they
unrighteousness, sexual immorality,
either treacherously kill one
wickedness, covetousness,
another, or grieve one another by
maliciousness; full of envy, murder,
adultery, 27For the worship of idols
strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are
not to be named is the beginning
and cause and end of every evil.
whisperers.
The Apocrypha in
The New Testament
 Wis Sol 12:12,20 (NRSVA) 12For  Rom 9:20-23 (NKJV) 20But indeed, O
who will say, “What have you
man, who are you to reply against
done?” or will resist your
God? Will the thing formed say to him
judgment? Who will accuse you
who formed it, “Why have you made me
for the destruction of nations that
like this?” 21Does not the potter have
you made? Or who will come
power over the clay, from the same
before you to plead as an
lump to make one vessel for honor and
advocate for the unrighteous?
another for dishonor? 22What if God,
20For if you punished with such
wanting to show His wrath and to make
great care and indulgence the
His power known, endured with much
enemies of your servants and
longsuffering the vessels of wrath
those deserving of death, granting
prepared for destruction, 23and that He
them time and opportunity to give
might make known the riches of His
up their wickedness.
glory on the vessels of mercy, which He
had prepared beforehand for glory.
The Apocrypha in
The New Testament
 Wis Sol 15:7 (NRSVA) A potter 
kneads the soft earth and
laboriously molds each vessel for
our service, fashioning out of the
same clay both the vessels that
serve clean uses and those for
contrary uses, making all alike; but
which shall be the use of each of
them the worker in clay decides.
Rom 9:20-23 (NKJV) 20But indeed, O
man, who are you to reply against
God? Will the thing formed say to him
who formed it, “Why have you made me
like this?” 21Does not the potter have
power over the clay, from the same
lump to make one vessel for honor and
another for dishonor? 22What if God,
wanting to show His wrath and to make
His power known, endured with much
longsuffering the vessels of wrath
prepared for destruction, 23and that He
might make known the riches of His
glory on the vessels of mercy, which He
had prepared beforehand for glory.
The Apocrypha in
The New Testament
 Wis Sol 9:15 (NRSVA) for a
 2 Cor 5:1,4 (NKJV) 1For we know that
perishable body weighs down the
if our earthly house, this tent, is
soul, and this earthy tent burdens
destroyed, we have a building from
the thoughtful mind.
God, a house not made with hands,
eternal in the heavens. 4For we who are
in this tent groan, being burdened, not
because we want to be unclothed, but
further clothed, that mortality may be
swallowed up by life.
 Sirach 5:11 (NRSVA) Be quick to  James 1:19 (NKJV) So then, my
hear, but deliberate in answering.
beloved brethren, let every man be
swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to
wrath.
The Apocrypha in
The New Testament
 Sirach 15:11-12 (NRSVA) 11 Do  James 1:13 (NKJV) Let no one say
not say, “It was the Lord’s doing
when he is tempted, “I am tempted by
that I fell away”; for He does not
God”; for God cannot be tempted by
do what he hates. 12Do not say, “It
evil, nor does He Himself tempt
was He who led me astray”; for he
anyone.
has no need of the sinful.
The Apocrypha in
The New Testament
 Wis Sol 7:25 (NRSVA) For she is  Heb 1:3 (NKJV) who being the
a breath of the power of God & a
brightness of His glory and the express
pure emanation of the glory of the
image of His person, and upholding all
Almighty; therefore nothing defiled
things by the word of His power, when
gains entrance into her.
He had by Himself purged our sins, sat
down at the right hand of the Majesty
on high.
 1 Maccabees 4:59 (NRSVA)
Then Judas and his brothers and  John 10:22 (NKJV) Now it was the
Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it
all the assembly of Israel
was winter.
determined that every year at that
season the days of dedication of
the altar should be observed with
joy and gladness for eight days,
beginning with the twenty-fifth day
of the month of Chislev.
Canonicity of the
Apocrypha
 Many early church fathers (first four centuries, as is evident in the
Apostolic Fathers) quoted these books in their teachings: Irenaeus,
Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria and Cyprian (none of whom knew
any Hebrew) quoted passages from the deuterocanonical books, as
“divine Scripture” and “inspired”. Hippolytus of Rome (170-230? AD)
included in his Commentary on Daniel passages from the Additions
to Daniel (Susanna and the Song of the Three Jews).
 Others as Clement of Rome, Polycarp, Origen, Ambrose, Basil,
Hilary, Chrysostom, Augustine, Gregory of Nazianzus, Cyril of
Jerusalem, Epiphanius, Eusabius and Athanasius of Alexandria also
used these books freely.
 Saint Athanasius in the fourth century listed these books as
canonical. Augustine (354-430 AD) treated them as canonical.
Canonicity of the
Apocrypha
 Numerous church councils confirmed their canonicity such as the
Council of Hippo (393 AD), and Carthage (397 & 419).
 In reaction to the Protestant criticism of these books, the Council of
Trent (April 8, 1546 by the Roman Catholics) declared the infallibility
and canonicity of these books. They pronounced an anathema upon
anyone who “does not accept as sacred and canonical the aforesaid
books in their entirety and with all their parts … ”
 The Greek Orthodox Church adopted as authoritative a list of these
books that were dismissed by Protestants as “apocryphal.”
 Our Coptic Church also considers them fully canonical. We include
many deuterocanonical passages in our prayers and liturgy, especially
during Lent and Holy Week (eg: Prayer of the 3 Young Men, Susanna,
Tobit, Psalm 151, readings from Sirach)
Classification of the OT Books