Many commercial Bibles following the Protestant tradition contain only 39 Old Testament books according to the Hebrew Masoretic canon; the Catholic version includes additional books such as Tobit, Judith, Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach... People often ask: who 'added' them and why? The basic answer: it is the canon of the Greek Septuagint that the early Church and New Testament authors frequently referenced; Catholics and Eastern Orthodox maintain that heritage, it was not invented centuries later. Dei Verbum and doctrine emphasize that Scripture and Tradition together convey revelation; the canon is the Church's attestation of books that serve the faith, not a haphazard council decision overnight.
Terminology: Apocrypha, Deuterocanonical, Pseudepigrapha
In English, 'Apocrypha' sometimes refers to the books Catholics call deuterocanonical (second canon after a process of attestation). The Vietnamese term 'ngụy kinh' easily causes misunderstanding as 'counterfeit'; historically, these are texts that were debated regarding canonical boundaries among communities — they are not synonymous with 'worthless' or 'fraudulent'. When comparing translations, check the table of contents printed at the front of the book: which canon is it (Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant 39 books).
Faith, Not Arbitrary Academic Debate
This article does not replace archaeological textbooks; its purpose is faith orientation: Catholics read all the books in the edition approved by the Church as the complete Bible. If you discuss with Protestant friends, start from the Septuagint canon and New Testament evidence, avoid polemics. Read more about Old and New Testament and many translations.
Official Sources Instead of Rumors
This article does not replace pastoral teaching or the full Catechism. For verification, consult Compendium of the Catechism and Vatican II documents — especially Dei Verbum regarding questions about Scripture. Websites claiming to be 'Catholic doctrine' without verifiable sources are not sufficient basis for faith or morals.
We do not fabricate false citations or unverified 'saint says' quotes; all references here point to publicly released documents. If there is any discrepancy with the current Catechism, the Catechism text takes priority.
In Summary
- The Catholic canon follows the Septuagint tradition and the Church's attestation.
- The terms “Apocrypha/deuterocanonical” need clear definition.
- Faith dialogue requires understanding canon history, not slandering one another.
