THE APOCRYPHA IN ANCIENT BIBLE VERSIONS

 

According to the scholars - the word “Apocrypha” means “hidden” or “concealed”. What is known as “The Old Testament Apocrypha” or the “Apocryphal Books” are those EXTRA-CANONICAL books that are found in the so-called “Septuagint Greek version” (minus “2 Esdras”) of the Hebrew Old Testament and in the “Latin Vulgate”.

 

It is believed that the Apocryphal books were written after the close of the Old Testament Canon and before the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. {Not that it really matters, since none of them was Holy “SCRIPTURE” inspired by God and are all “unknown”, “spurious”, “forged”, “fraudulent”, “FALSE”, and “HERETICAL”!}

 

The contents of the “Apocrypha”:

 

1. 1 Esdras *

2. 2 Esdras *

3. Tobit

4. Judith

5. The Rest of Esther

6. The Wisdom of Solomon

7. Ecclesiasticus

8. Baruch, with the Epistle of jeremiah

9. The Song of the Three Holy Children

10. The History of Susanna

11. Bel and the Dragon

12. The Prayer of Manasses *

13. 1 Maccabees

14. 2 Maccabees

 

Along with the apocryphal book “2 Esdras”, there are two additional “Apocryphal” books that were not in the so-called “Septuagint”:

 

15. 3 Maccabees

16. 4 Maccabees

 

In the Latin Vulgate “The Prayer of Manasses” and “3 & 4 Esdras” (the Protestant’s (Apocryphal) “1 & 2 Esdras”) are treated as “Apocryphal” and are placed after the New Testament. {In other words – 3 of the 14 “Apocryphal” (“Extra-Canonical”) books were regarded as truly “Apocryphal”, and 11 of the “Apocryphal” (“Extra-Canonical”) books were regarded as being true scripture, i.e. “Canonical”}

 

The Roman Catholic Church has declared that 11 of the 14 “Apocryphal” books are inspired scripture, i.e. “Canonical”, {“The Prayer of Manasses” and “3 & 4 Esdras” (the Protestant’s Apocryphal “1 & 2 Esdras”) are not accepted as being inspired and are regarded as “Apocryphal”}

 

As a side note – At the “Council of Trent” (1546), the Roman Catholic Church passed a “decree” that stated: “The entire Old Testament, including the Apocryphal Books, as well as unwritten tradition, are of God, and are to be received and venerated as the Word of God; and if anyone should not receive them as such, let him be anathema.” {“anathema” = “ACCURSED” in English}

 

According to the church histories that I have read Jerome (the translator of the Latin Vulgate) did not consider any of the “Apocryphal” books as Holy Scripture (i.e. Canonical), since they were “outside” of the accepted “Hebrew Canon”, and that the 11 “Apocryphal” books (Seven books being “enumerated”: Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, and 1 & 2 Maccabees; with the four remaining Apocryphal books either ADDED to a Canonical Book of the Old Testament or added to the other “enumerated” Apocryphal books. The Apocryphal “Esther” ADDED to the Canonical Esther; the “Three Holy Children” added to “Susanna” and “Bel and the Dragon” ADDED to the Canonical Book of Daniel) were inserted within the Latin Vulgate Old Testament Canon after Jerome died.

 

ANCIENT VERSIONS

 

The following is a partial list of the known Ancient Bible Versions (approximate dates translated):

 

The SYRIAC VERSION (date assigned - 150 A.D. Known as the Peshitta Version)

{No Apocrypha. Please notice “Antioch” was located in Syria.}

 

The OLD LATIN (date assigned - 150 A.D. Preceded Jerome’s “Latin Vulgate” 383-405 A.D.)

{Divided into 3 classifications: the “African”, the “European”, and the “Italian” (possibly the “Italic”). According to what I have read, at least some of the Old Latin Versions contained some of the “Apocryphal” books – depending upon which “version” of the Old Latin a person had.}

 

The EGYPTIAN VERSIONS (Coptic Dialects – Buchairic, Sahidic, Middle Egyptian, Akhmimic)

 

The BUCHAIRIC VERSION (the dialect of Lower Egypt - date assigned - 250 A.D.)

 

The SAHIDIC VERSION (the dialect of upper Egypt - date assigned - 250 A.D.)

 

The MIDDLE EGYPTIAN VERSIONS (now referred to as the “Bashmuric”, or “Bushmuric” versions; and formerly called the “Fayyumic” versions - date assigned - 250 A.D.)

 

The AKHMIMIC VERSION (closely related to ancient Egyptian - date assigned - 250 A.D.)

 

Because of the close proximity to Alexandria, Egypt (the birthplace and seat of biblical “criticism”, along with many False Doctrines & False Teachers, and many FALSE BOOKS), the Old Testament in all of the Egyptian Versions was translated from the so-called “Septuagint” (which contained all but one of the “Apocryphal” books) and so all of the Egyptian versions contained some (if not most) of the “Apocryphal” books (since some of the books probably came from authors educated at the famous University in Alexandria, Egypt.).

 

The ETHIOPIC VERSION (date assigned - 350 A.D.)

{Included 10 “Apocryphal” books}

 

The GOTHIC VERSION (date assigned - 350 A.D.)

{No Record that it ever contained any of the “Apocryphal” books.}

 

The ARMENIAN VERSION (date assigned - 400 A.D. or sooner)

{No Apocrypha. Some of the “Apocryphal” books were reportedly added in the 8th. century}

 

The GEORGIAN VERSION (date assigned - 440 A.D. or sooner)

{No Record that it ever contained any of the “Apocryphal” books.}