Why Don’t All Bibles Have the Same Books?
Different Jewish and Christian communities came to recognize different collections of writings as scripture. Some differences involve additional books; others come from dividing, counting or arranging the same works differently.
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Which books belong to which collection?
Bibles differ in both the works they contain and the way they count and arrange them. Open a collection below to see its books. English names are used for comparison; the order of books can vary between editions.
The Jewish scriptures. Tanakh brings together the Torah (Teachings), Nevi’im (Prophets) and Ketuvim (Writings).
Jewish Tanakh · 24 books
Torah (5): Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.
Nevi’im / Prophets (8): Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the Twelve.
The Twelve: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi—counted together as one book.
Ketuvim / Writings (11): Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra–Nehemiah, Chronicles.
Samuel, Kings and Chronicles each count as one book; Ezra–Nehemiah also counts as one. The Writings appear in different orders in different Jewish editions.
Source: Sefaria — Tanakh collectionThe Old Testament used in Protestant Christianity. It contains the same collection of works as the Jewish Tanakh, divided and arranged differently.
Protestant Old Testament · 39 books
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.
These correspond to the 24 books of the Tanakh, with several works divided and the collection reordered. Some Protestant Bibles also print an Apocrypha section separately.
Source: United Bible Societies — TIPs book comparisonThe Old Testament recognized by the Roman Catholic Church. It includes the shared collection plus books and passages known in Catholic usage as deuterocanonical.
Roman Catholic Old Testament · 46 books
The 39 books listed above, plus Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Baruch, 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees.
Esther and Daniel also include additional material. Daniel contains the Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Young Men, Susanna, and Bel and the Dragon. The Letter of Jeremiah is included as Baruch 6. These additions are included within the existing book count.
Deuterocanonical is the usual Catholic term for these books and passages. They belong to the Catholic Old Testament.
Source: Catechism, paragraph 120Old Testament collections used by Orthodox Christian churches. Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox traditions include further writings, with differences among churches and editions.
Orthodox Old Testament collections
Eastern Orthodox collections include the Catholic deuterocanonical works and further material such as 1 Esdras, 3 Maccabees, Prayer of Manasseh and Psalm 151. Some traditions also include 2 Esdras; it is absent from the Greek Orthodox canon. Contents and placement vary, so consult the named church or edition.
Ethiopian and Eritrean Tewahedo collections have further distinctive works, including 1 Enoch, Jubilees and 1–3 Meqabyan. Meqabyan are different works from the Greek books of Maccabees.
Source: United Bible Societies — Eastern and Oriental Orthodox comparisonA name used for a separate collection in many Protestant Bibles. It includes works received as scripture in Catholic or Orthodox traditions, alongside other writings. The contents and religious status depend on the tradition and edition.
What does “Apocrypha” include?
In many Protestant editions, Apocrypha names a separate collection containing Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch with the Letter of Jeremiah, 1–2 Maccabees, the additions to Esther and Daniel, 1–2 Esdras and the Prayer of Manasseh. Its contents vary by edition.
The Church of England’s Article VI lists these works under historical names: its Third and Fourth Esdras correspond to works often called 1 and 2 Esdras today. Esdras numbering differs among traditions, so identify the work as well as its number.
Apocrypha and deuterocanonical describe reception within particular traditions. Neither term supplies one universal book list across all Bibles.
Source: Church of England — Article VIWhat about Islam?
The Qur’an recognizes earlier revelations associated with Moses, David and Jesus and includes many figures also known from biblical traditions. Muslims regard the Qur’an as a distinct scripture. Its relationship with Jewish and Christian scriptures concerns shared traditions and their interpretation, rather than an alternative list of books within a Bible.
Source: The Cambridge Companion to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament — The Hebrew Bible in Islam
Canon formation was a process
Books could be composed, copied, translated, read publicly, treated as authoritative, grouped with other writings, and eventually inherited in established collections. Those stages do not necessarily happen at one moment or in one place. The New Testament likewise developed as collections of apostolic and early Christian writings circulated and were evaluated across communities.
Was the Bible chosen at one council?
No single council explains the whole history of either the Hebrew Bible or the Christian Bible. Councils and church leaders matter within parts of Christian canonical history, but the formation and reception of biblical collections began earlier and unfolded across a much longer period.
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