Explore the hidden world of the Apocrypha - 14 books excluded from the Hebrew Bible. Uncover their origins, their contents, and why they didn't make it into most Bibles. What is the Apocrypha?

Understanding the Context

The 14 Books Left Out of the Bible The Apocrypha from the King James Bible (KJV) — background, history, and links to all apocryphal books. What Are the Apocryphal Books and Do They Belong in the Bible? The Apocrypha, a collection of ancient texts excluded from the canonical Bible, offers a fascinating glimpse into the diverse religious and cultural landscape of the ancient world. What Are the Apocryphal Books and Do They Belong in the Bible?

Key Insights

Apocrypha means 'hidden things' in Greek. The Apocryphical books of the Bible fall into two categories: texts which were included in some canonical version of the Bible at some point, and other texts of a Biblical nature which have never been canonical. Apocrypha, (from Greek apokryptein, “to hide away”), in biblical literature, works outside an accepted canon of scripture. The history of the term’s usage indicates that it referred to a body of esoteric writings that were at first prized, later tolerated, and finally excluded. When Martin Luther translated the Bible, the great Reformer chose to include the Apocrypha but didn’t like it.

Final Thoughts

He called these books apocryphal, that is, texts of dubious origin, and disqualified by their very nature from being part of the Holy Scriptures. What Is the Apocrypha and Can We Trust It? - Bible Study Tools The apocrypha is a selection of books which were published in the original 1611 King James Bible. These apocryphal books were positioned between the Old and New Testament (it also contained maps and geneologies).