Canon
The first list is what was already written and in religious use by 32 AD, inside the Catholic canon or the mainstream Greek or Slavonic Orthodox canon. The New Testament is a second list, confirmed separately.
The date
The project date for “in use” is the death of Christ in 32 AD. Many historians argue for 30 or 33. This project uses 32 AD as the cutoff, and only for the first canon.
The 27 New Testament books are in, in the usual order, translated from the earliest Greek witnesses. They were written after 32 AD. They are not treated as books already in use at Jesus’ death.
First canon
Reader order follows the Greek scripture tradition: Law, then the historical books, poetry and wisdom, then the prophets with the twelve before Isaiah. Psalm 151, the Prayer of Manasseh, 1 Esdras, and 3 Maccabees are inside that order and labeled as Orthodox books with pre-32 use. The Prayer of Manasseh has thinner evidence than the others, and the label says so.
Law
- Genesis
In the Law, already in religious use well before 32 AD.
Hebrew BibleTranslated - Exodus
In the Law, already in religious use well before 32 AD.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Leviticus
In the Law, already in religious use well before 32 AD.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Numbers
In the Law, already in religious use well before 32 AD.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Deuteronomy
In the Law, already in religious use well before 32 AD.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet
History
- Joshua
Among the Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, and in the Greek historical books.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Judges
Among the Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, and in the Greek historical books.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Ruth
A Writing in the Hebrew Bible. In the Greek order it follows Judges.
Hebrew BibleTranslated - 1 Samuel
1 Kingdoms in the Greek tradition. Hebrew Samuel is translated from Hebrew.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - 2 Samuel
2 Kingdoms in the Greek tradition.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - 1 Kings
3 Kingdoms in the Greek tradition.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - 2 Kings
4 Kingdoms in the Greek tradition.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - 1 Chronicles
A Writing. Placed here in the Greek historical order.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - 2 Chronicles
A Writing. Placed here in the Greek historical order.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - 1 Esdras
Greek Esdras A, the book of the return and the three guards. It is in the mainstream Greek and Slavonic Orthodox canon and was in circulation before 32 AD. It is not the apocalypse called 2 Esdras or 4 Ezra.
Orthodox, with use before 32 ADNot translated yet - Ezra
A Writing. Translated from Hebrew and Aramaic, not from Greek Esdras A.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Nehemiah
A Writing, read here as its own book after Ezra.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Tobit
In religious use before 32 AD, and in both canons named for the first list. Where a Qumran Aramaic or Hebrew copy preserves the wording, that wording is preferred.
Shared by the Catholic and Orthodox canonsTranslated - Judith
In both canons named for the first list, and early enough to count as in use by 32 AD.
Shared by the Catholic and Orthodox canonsNot translated yet - Esther
The Hebrew book is in the Writings, including Esther. The Greek additions are kept in the same book and will be footnoted as absent from the Hebrew.
Hebrew Bible, with shared additionsNot translated yet - 1 Maccabees
A history of the Maccabean revolt, in both canons, from before 32 AD.
Shared by the Catholic and Orthodox canonsNot translated yet - 2 Maccabees
Written in Greek. It is translated from Greek because that is the language it was written in.
Shared by the Catholic and Orthodox canonsNot translated yet - 3 Maccabees
In the mainstream Greek Orthodox canon. It is earlier than 32 AD. It is labeled as an Orthodox book, not as a book in the Catholic list.
Orthodox, with use before 32 ADNot translated yet
Poetry and wisdom
- Psalms
The 150 psalms of the Hebrew book. Psalm 151 is a separate entry.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Psalm 151
A Hebrew copy was found at Qumran. The Greek psalter carries it as Psalm 151. It is labeled as an Orthodox book. The Hebrew wording is preferred where that copy can be read.
Orthodox, with use before 32 ADNot translated yet - Prayer of Manasseh
Included with a flag. It stands in the Greek tradition among the odes, and mainstream Orthodox use treats it as scripture. The evidence that it was already in religious use by 32 AD is thinner than for Psalm 151 or 1 Esdras. The canon page keeps that caution next to the title.
Orthodox, with use before 32 ADNot translated yet - Job
A Writing, translated from Hebrew.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Proverbs
A Writing, translated from Hebrew.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Ecclesiastes
A Writing, translated from Hebrew.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Song of Songs
A Writing, translated from Hebrew.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Wisdom of Solomon
Written in Greek, so it is translated from Greek. Shared by both canons named for the first list.
Shared by the Catholic and Orthodox canonsNot translated yet - Sirach
Hebrew copies, including Qumran, are preferred where they preserve an earlier wording. The later Greek is footnoted there. Elsewhere the Greek is the continuous text.
Shared by the Catholic and Orthodox canonsNot translated yet
Prophets
- Hosea
The Greek order places the twelve shorter prophets before Isaiah.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Amos
One of the twelve, in the Greek order.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Micah
One of the twelve, in the Greek order.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Joel
One of the twelve, in the Greek order.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Obadiah
One of the twelve, in the Greek order.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Jonah
One of the twelve, in the Greek order.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Nahum
One of the twelve, in the Greek order.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Habakkuk
One of the twelve, in the Greek order.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Zephaniah
One of the twelve, in the Greek order.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Haggai
One of the twelve, in the Greek order.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Zechariah
One of the twelve, in the Greek order.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Malachi
One of the twelve, in the Greek order.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Isaiah
A prophetic book, after the twelve in the Greek order.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Jeremiah
Translated from Hebrew. Baruch follows it, as in the Greek order.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Baruch
Includes the Letter of Jeremiah. One book in this reader, not two. Shared by both canons named for the first list.
Shared by the Catholic and Orthodox canonsNot translated yet - Lamentations
A Writing in the Hebrew Bible. In the Greek order it follows Baruch.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Ezekiel
A prophetic book, translated from Hebrew.
Hebrew BibleNot translated yet - Daniel
The Hebrew and Aramaic book stays one book. Susanna, the Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three, and Bel and the Dragon stay inside it. They are footnoted as absent from the Hebrew and Aramaic copies found at Qumran.
Hebrew Bible, with shared additionsNot translated yet
New Testament
All 27 books, usual order, from the earliest Greek witnesses. 27 books. None of them is translated yet.
Gospels
Letters
- RomansNot yet
- 1 CorinthiansNot yet
- 2 CorinthiansNot yet
- GalatiansNot yet
- EphesiansNot yet
- PhilippiansNot yet
- ColossiansNot yet
- 1 ThessaloniansNot yet
- 2 ThessaloniansNot yet
- 1 TimothyNot yet
- 2 TimothyNot yet
- TitusNot yet
- PhilemonNot yet
- HebrewsNot yet
- JamesNot yet
- 1 PeterNot yet
- 2 PeterNot yet
- 1 JohnNot yet
- 2 JohnNot yet
- 3 JohnNot yet
- JudeNot yet
- RevelationNot yet
Examined and left out
4 Maccabees
It cannot be shown to have been in religious use by 32 AD. It is an appendix in some Greek manuscripts, not a book of the first canon used here.
2 Esdras (4 Ezra)
The apocalypse also called 4 Ezra cannot be shown to have been in religious use by 32 AD. It is not the same book as 1 Esdras, which is included, or as Ezra and Nehemiah.
1 Enoch
It was in use in some Jewish groups, and Jude later quotes it. It is left out because it is not in the Catholic canon or the mainstream Greek or Slavonic Orthodox canon.
Jubilees
It was in use in some Jewish groups. It is left out because it is not in the Catholic canon or the mainstream Greek or Slavonic Orthodox canon.