The Loose Canon: How Only 66 Books Literally Changed History

This document is certainly not meant to be an exhaustive study of how the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible (39 books in Protestant Bibles) or the 27 books of the Christian Bible were canonized. Rather, this document is meant to provide information on how important details and history behind the many events we read in the 66 books of the Protestant Bible can be better understood by reading the Scriptures, books, and historical texts read and understood by first century Jews including Yeshua and His disciples.

Was the Bible Written by Historians?

The canonized Hebrew and Christian Bibles we read today do not provide a full history of the people of God or what was happening around the world at the time because it was not meant to be a history book or an encyclopedia. Ancient history was passed down orally for generations before it was published by the people of Israel. This is no different than how events that happen in the United States of America are not always officially published and recorded in the annals of history, but still remembered by those who lived during the particular event or period, but pass relevant facts or circumstances on to their children. To determine which particular events are “important” enough to pass on to a future audience who are not necessarily connected that particular groups history would surely have been a daunting task.

The modern, Merriam-Webster’s dictionary definition of a “historian” is an expert in or student of history, especially that of a particular period, geographical region, or social phenomenon. In 1828, Noah Webster defined a historian as, “A writer or compiler of history; one who collects and relates facts and events in writing, particularly respecting nations.” Consider the following quote from the first century, Hebrew-speaking Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, who wrote a 20-volume historiographical work called “The Antiquities of the Jews” in Greek in the 13th year of the reign of Roman emperor Domitian in 94 A.D. This historical work contains an account of the history of the Jewish people for Josephus’s gentile patrons:

“Those who undertake to write histories, do not, I perceive, take that trouble on one and the same account, but for many reasons, and those such as are very different one from another. For some of them apply themselves to this part of learning to show their skill in composition, and that they may therein acquire a reputation for speaking finely: others of them there are, who write histories in order to gratify those that happen to be concerned in them, and on that account have spared no pains, but rather gone beyond their own abilities in the performance: but others there are, who, of necessity and by force, are driven to write history, because they are concerned in the facts, and so cannot excuse themselves from committing them to writing, for the advantage of posterity; nay, there are not a few who are induced to draw their historical facts out of darkness into light, and to produce them for the benefit of the public, on account of the great importance of the facts themselves with which they have been concerned. Now of these several reasons for writing history, I must profess the two last were my own reasons also; for since I was myself interested in that war which we Jews had with the Romans, and knew myself its particular actions, and what conclusion it had, I was forced to give the history of it, because I saw that others perverted the truth of those actions in their writings. Now I have undertaken the present work, as thinking it will appear to all the Greeks 2 worthy of their study; for it will contain all our antiquities, and the constitution of our government, as interpreted out of the Hebrew Scriptures.” – Preface from Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus

Josephus’ perception as to why writers of history take on the arduous task of recording history for the benefit of the public is further validated by Luke, the “beloved physician” (Colossians 4:14) and first century (non-eyewitness) follower of Yeshua who is the author of the Gospel of Luke and the book of The Acts of the Apostles. He wrote:

“Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us, even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus; that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.” – Luke 1:1-4

Luke clearly took on the role of a historian and even shares that his account of the history concerning “all Yeshua began both to do and to teach, until the day in which he was received up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the emissaries whom he had chosen” (Acts 1:1-2) was from eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered to him. Theophilus was most likely, “a person of social and government rank, and a Gentile with a background in Roman and Greek culture”, “who had received some introductory teachings about Christ and who needed factual verification of the events surrounding the emergence of Christianity.” Thus, Luke’s desire for Theophilus to know for certain that what he was instructed about Yeshua was accurately sourced was extremely important because “from this, it would seem that Luke had high hopes for his audience of one.”

Luke’s historian approach and personal address to Theophilus as the intended audience of his Gospel account of Yeshua’s life and the book of The Acts of the Apostles, which was originally a single work, is unique among the books of the canonized Bible. In fact, all books found in the canonized Hebrew Bible from Genesis to Chronicles were written by non-historians with Israel, not the public, as the intended audience. Also, the majority of all works written by Yeshua’s apostles were written to actual believers and followers of Yeshua and not the work of historians. For example:

“…to the twelve tribes which are in the Diaspora…” (James 1:1)
“…to the chosen ones who are living as foreigners in the Diaspora in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia…” (1 Peter 1:1)
“…to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and kept for Yeshua the Messiah…” (Jude 1:1)
“…to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be holy ones…” (Romans 1:7)
“…to the assembly of God which is at Corinth…” (1 Corinthians 1:2)
“…to Timothy, my true child in faith…” (1 Timothy 1:2)

Exploring the Biblical Canon

Let’s begin this exploration with a statement from The Gospel Coalition, “The biblical canon is the collection of scriptural books that God has given his corporate people, which are distinguished by their divine qualities, reception by the collective body, and their apostolic connection, either by authorship or association.”

The Christian Bible wasn’t formally canonized until the 5th Century A.D. It is well-documented that early Christian Church Fathers struggled to determine which books and letters would make up their canon. They even sought to remove Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, 2 John, 3 John, Jude and Revelation from the canon of the Christian Bible all the way up through the 3rd century. One of the reasons Acts remained was because Luke wrote it and one of the reasons Revelation stayed was because John wrote it.

2 Timothy 3:14-17 English Standard Version (ESV) But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings (gramma G1121, from grapho G1125), which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture (graphe G1124) is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:14-17 New International Version (NIV) But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures (G1121), which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture (G1124) is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16 refers to sacred, holy writings Timothy knew from childhood and is not referring to the Christian Bible canonized hundreds of years later and may have included some books not canonized in the Hebrew Bible, either.

Was it YHWH, or man, who decided which books would be canonized? Does YHWH define “inspired” or does man define it?

Let’s take a deeper look…

Defining “Scripture” (Books, Bibles, Scriptures, and Writings)

The Hebrew word סֵפֶר sepher (H5612) means “to record” and was concretely represented as a scroll. At its core, סֵפֶר sepher was a document or record written on a sheet of skin or papyrus and rolled up (i.e. a scroll) and later became known as a “book” (cf. Genesis 5:1; Exodus 17:14; Exodus 24:7; Exodus 32:32-33; Numbers 5:23; Numbers 21:14; Deuteronomy 17:18; Deuteronomy 24:1 – bill = סֵפֶר sepher; Joshua 10:13; 1 Samuel 1:18; 2 Samuel 11:14-15 – letter = סֵפֶר sepher; 1 Kings 11:41; 1 Kings 14:19; Daniel 9:2). סֵפֶר sepher is equivalent to the Greek word βιβλίον biblion (G975) which means “book” and further defined as a small book, scroll, or written document or a sheet on which something has been written (cf. Matthew 19:7 writing or bill = βιβλίον biblion; Luke 4:17; John 20:30; John 21:25; 2 Timothy 4:13; Hebrews 9:19; Hebrews 10:7; Revelation 22:7; Revelation 22:18; Revelation 22:19)

Interestingly, the word “Scripture” in the famous verse “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, reproof, for setting straight, for instruction in righteousness, that each person who belongs to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) is γραφή graphē (G1124) which means “a writing or thing written.” In the Apostolic Scriptures, γραφή graphē always refers to the Scripture (Torah, Prophets, and Writings as known by those who lived during the first century A.D. along with the letters and writings of the Apostles), used to denote either the book itself, or its contents (cf. Matthew 21:42; Luke 24:27; John 10:35; Acts 17:2; James 2:8; 2 Peter 1:20; 2 Peter 3:16). γραφή graphē is equivalent to the Hebrew word מִכְתָּב mikhtav (H4385) which means “to write” and is something written and as well as the act of writing (Exodus 32:16; Exodus 39:30; Deuteronomy 10:4; Isaiah 38:9; 2 Chronicles 21:12).

Sola Scriptura

Sola Scriptura (“by scripture alone” in English) is a theological doctrine held by some Protestant Christian denominations that posits the Canon of the Christian Bible as the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice. In most of the earliest articulations of the Solae, three were typically specified: scripture over tradition (sola scriptura), faith over works (sola fide), and grace over merit (sola gratia). Each was intended to represent an important distinction compared with teachings claimed in Catholic doctrine.

However, how did Yeshua, the Son of God and the very Word made flesh define “Scripture” thousands of years before Protestants began to proclaim, “Sola Scriptura”?

Yeshua defines Scripture as, “the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms” as recorded in the Gospel of Luke. In Luke 24:27 on the road to Emmaus after His resurrection, Yeshua spoke with two of His followers; “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” In Luke 24:42-45, Yeshua appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating and discussing what was revealed in Scripture to the two men on the road to Emmaus; “They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them. Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures”

What’s interesting is that these three parts are actually mentioned in the “non-canonized” book of Sirach, or Ben Sira:

And meditates in the law of the Most High; (Torah)
He will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, (Writings)
And will be occupied in prophecies. (Prophets)
Sirach 39:1, emphasis added

It’s important to note that Sirach was written between 200 to 175 B.C. which means the authorized books of the Torah, Prophets, and Writings may have already been established well before the Maccabean revolt which began 10 years later in 165 B.C.

The Hebrew Bible

The following details provides a basic understanding of how the Tanakh (Torah, Prophets, and Writings) were canonized within the Hebrew Bible.

An important statement to deal with is, “The Hebrew Bible is divided into three parts, Torah (Pentateuch), Prophets and Writings. This division is not strictly one of content; it derives from the canonization process in that the three parts were closed at separate times.” – Lawrence H. Schiffman author of “From Text to Tradition: A History of Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism”

The “Old Testament,” an invented and erroneous name coined by Melito of Sardis in the 2nd century A.D., has more books than the Hebrew Bible, in part because Christian editors divided particular works into two sections but also because different Christian groups consider as canonical some texts not found in the Hebrew Bible. For example, although the Hebrew canon consists of 24 books, while the Roman Catholic comprises 46 books and that of most Protestant churches has 39.

Let’s talk about another point. Because Greek did not become the international language until about 70 years after the close of the canonized books of the Hebrew Bible in 330 B.C., thus it is believed that any book without a Hebrew original was excluded from the canon.

However, these books were already in dispute hundreds of years before Greek became an international language in 330 B.C. Rabbi Akiva ben Yosef (50 A.D. – 135 A.D.), who was a famous Jewish scholar and leading contributor to the Mishnah, forbade the reading of books deemed not to be scripture, claiming a Jewish person who read them was barred from entering “the World to Come” (Sanhedrin 10:1). This included all “non-approved” books such as Sirach (Ben Sira), the book of Tobit, and the Epistle of Jeremiah. The dilemma is that these three books, and others such as Jubilees and Enoch, were later found among the Dead Sea Scrolls in the mid 1900s and found to have been originally written in Hebrew or Aramaic. Thus, the rejection of these books likely has little to do with supposed Greek authorship or composition.

Neither 1st nor 2nd Maccabees were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. But why? It likely has nothing to do with the original language (scholars believe 1 Maccabees was originally written in Hebrew), likely has nothing to do with the date it was written (the book of Daniel was written around 165 B.C., the same time as the Maccabean revolt), but most likely has to do with the disagreements between the Sadducees and Pharisees. Take a look at the following excerpt for more details:

“There are various theories to explain the exclusion of the apocryphal books. One theory is that only books written originally in Hebrew were considered for inclusion in the canon. However, the Book of Daniel, although included within the canon, is to a large extent written in Aramaic. Even more problematic is the fact that scholars believe that the First Book of Maccabees was indeed written originally in Hebrew, therefore meeting the language criterion for inclusion–and yet it is absent from the biblical canon. Another theory to explain the omission of the first two Books of Maccabees is based on the dating of these documents. Although it is often assumed that the biblical canon was formalized at [The Council of] Jamnia, there is some speculation that the accepted list of books was in existence long before. In other words, perhaps the gathering of rabbis at Jamnia inherited a list of documents already unofficially recognized as canonical and simply formalized this list. If this is true, the relatively late date of the Maccabean revolt would preclude its inclusion in an already accepted previous list. It would be too “new” a book for serious consideration, since it had no history grounding it securely within tradition. This theory, however, is severely weakened through a comparison with the Book of Daniel, since Daniel is included within the biblical canon in spite of the fact that most scholars date the latter book to the time of the Maccabean revolt around 165 B.C.E.–in other words, to the time of the story related in the Books of Maccabees. It has also been suggested that the exclusion of the Books of the Maccabees can be traced to the political rivalry that existed during the late Second Temple Period between the Sadducees and the Pharisees. The Sadducees, a priestly class in charge of the Temple, openly rejected the oral interpretations that the Pharisees, the proto-rabbinic class, openly promoted. The Maccabees were a priestly family, while the rabbis who may have determined the final form of the biblical canon at Jamnia were descended from the Pharisees. Is it possible that the exclusion of the Books of Maccabees was one of the last salvos in the battle between the Pharisees and Sadducees? Would the rabbis at Jamnia have been inclined to canonize a document that so clearly praised the priestly Hasmonean family? https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/omitting-the-maccabees/

The following excerpt will also provide some context as to why the Hebrew Bible does not include books considered “Extrabiblical”:

Torah “The Torah of Moses” was already the name for the first part in the various post-exilic books. We will not attempt here to deal with the complex questions regarding the history and authorship of the Torah. Suffice it to say that a unified, canonized Torah was available to Ezra for the public reading which took place in approximately 444 B.C.E. Further, the various legal interpretations (midrashim) found in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah are themselves a result of the issues raised by a Torah in which there are apparent contradictions and repetitions. It can therefore be stated unquestionably that the canonization of the Torah was completed by the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.

The Prophets (Nevi’im) Later rabbinic tradition asserts that prophecy ceased with the conquest of Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. E. In effect, this meant that books composed thereafter were not to be included in the prophetic canon, the second of the Hebrew Bible’s three parts. This view can be substantiated by the absence of later debate about the canonicity of the prophets, the lack of Greek words in the prophetic books, and the inclusion of Daniel and Chronicles in the Writings rather than in the Prophets. It must be the case, therefore, that the Prophets were canonized late in the Persian period, probably by the start of the fourth century [B.C.E].

The Writings (Ketuvim) The Writings are a diverse collection. Some of the books included in this corpus are earlier than the canonization of the Prophets and were placed in the Writings because of their literary form or because they were regarded as having a lesser degree of divine inspiration. Other books appear in this collection because they were authored after the canon of the Prophets was closed. As already mentioned, this was the case with Daniel and Chronicles. Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes are regarded by some scholars as of Hellenistic origin, but rabbinic tradition attributes them to King Solomon. Daniel is widely regarded by modern scholars as having been written in the Hellenistic period. There is no evidence at all for the oft‑repeated view that the Scriptures were formally canonized [during the Council of Jamnia] at Yavneh (in the first centuries of the Common Era, following the destruction of the Temple.) While virtually all the Writings were regarded as canonical by the time of the destruction of the Temple in 70 C.E., arguments continued regarding the status of Proverbs, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, and these disputes are attested in rabbinic literature. Second Temple literature indicates that a collection of Writings existed as early as the second century B.C.E. but was not regarded as formally closed.

The above was taken from a book called “From Text to Tradition: A History of Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism” and reprinted at: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/creating-the-canon/

The Septuagint

The Septuagint, abbreviation LXX, the earliest extant Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible from the original Hebrew. The Septuagint was presumably made for the Jewish community in Egypt when Greek was the common language throughout the region. Analysis of the language has established that the Torah, or Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible), was translated near the middle of the 3rd century B.C. and that the rest of the Old Testament was translated in the 2nd century B.C. The name Septuagint (from the Latin septuaginta, “70”) was derived later from the legend that there were 72 translators, 6 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel, who worked independently to translate the whole and ultimately produced identical versions.

Given that the language of much of the early Christian church was Greek, many early Christians relied on the Septuagint to locate the prophecies they claimed were fulfilled by Christ. Jews considered this a misuse of Holy Scripture and stopped using the Septuagint altogether; its subsequent history lies within the Christian church. – Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Septuagint”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Sep. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Septuagint. Accessed 21 October 2024.

The Dead Sea Scrolls

The Dead Sea Scrolls are ancient, mostly Hebrew, manuscripts (of leather, papyrus, and copper) first found in 1947 on the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea. Discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls is among the more important finds in the history of modern archaeology. Study of the scrolls has enabled scholars to push back the date of a stabilized Hebrew Bible to no later than 70 A.D., to help reconstruct the history of Palestine from the 4th century B.C.E to 135 A.D., and to cast new light on the emergence of Christianity and of rabbinic Judaism and on the relationship between early Christian and Jewish religious traditions. – Davies, Philip R.. “Dead Sea Scrolls”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Sep. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Dead-Sea-Scrolls. Accessed 21 October 2021.

The Dead Sea Scrolls are important not only because they offer insight into the community at Qumrān but because they provide a window to the wider spectrum of ancient Jewish belief and practice. A quarter of the texts are biblical manuscripts—to which can be added copies of works such as the books of Enoch, Jubilees, and Tobit, previously known and not thought to be sectarian. Thus, the scrolls shed light on more than merely the sect that possessed them.

The Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Canon

The Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant versions of the Bible canonized the exact same books to complete the Christian Bible from Matthew to Revelation. The disagreement comes over which books to use outside of the already canonized Hebrew Bible. Protestant versions of the Bible contain, in a much different order, the same books of the Hebrew Bible while Roman Catholic versions contain 7 additional books plus some additions to the books of Daniel and Esther. Eastern Orthodoxy accepts all books from the Roman Catholic versions plus 3 extra books.

Nobody, including Biblical scholars, knows for sure how the books outside of the 24 canonized books of the Hebrew Bible came to be part of some copies of the Roman Catholic and Easter Orthodox Bibles. Many, however, think that the extra books were added when the Hebrew Bible (originally written in Hebrew) was translated into Greek. This theory is based on the fact that the earliest copy of the Greek version of the Hebrew Bible available today contain these extra books, while the Hebrew Bible canonized by the Masoretes did not contain them. These books, along with the rest of the Bible, were translated by Jerome into Latin around A.D. 400, but Jerome himself did not think they belonged in the Bible.

“Apocrypha” or “Pseudepigrapha”

The following books are sometimes erroneously called “Apocrypha” or “Pseudepigrapha” to cast much doubt on the authenticity of the works. Apocrypha literally means “to hide away” and is defined as being of “doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true.” The term pseudepigrapha comes from the Greek pseudo, meaning “false,” and epigraphein, meaning “to inscribe,” thus, “false writings.” Since you may find yourself using these terms, it’s good to know what they mean.

The descriptions of these additional books below show they were likely widely used due to the fact that most were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls in the caves at Qumran and originally written in Hebrew, not Greek as commonly told.

This is not an exhaustive list of books and writings considered “Apocrypha,” “Pseudepigrapha,” or “lost books of the Bible.” However, at The Cord, we’ve set a standard to only use, to the best of our ability, writings found among the Dead Sea Scrolls since they can be verified as existing and used before the Hebrew Bible or Christian Bible was canonized by men.

Why Do Protestants Reject the Apocrypha?

The article, “Why We Reject the Apocrypha” written by Myron J. Houghton, Ph.D., Th.D. gives 7 reasons why Protestant Christians reject the Apocrypha and concludes that, “There are good reasons for rejecting the Apocrypha as part of Holy Scripture, but those reasons are historical and not doctrinal.” – https://faith.edu/faith-news/why-we-reject-the-apocrypha

Even though the Septuagint existed in New Testament times and was available to the New Testament writers (the Book of Hebrews quotes from the Septuagint), there are no direct quotations from the Apocrypha in the New Testament nor does the New Testament refer to any apocryphal books as part of Scripture.
No general church council in the first four centuries of Christian history endorsed apocryphal books. While some early Christians thought highly of these books, others, such as Athanasius, Cyril of Jerusalem, Origen and Jerome opposed them.
While Augustine accepted the Apocrypha, his list is not exactly the same as that found in Catholic Bibles [for example, he omitted Baruch, which is in the Catholic Bible, and he included 1 Esdras, which is not in the Catholic Bible]. Furthermore, Augustine seems to have changed his mind from accepting the Septuagint as authoritative to later recognizing that only the Hebrew Scriptures were inspired.
Even the Roman Catholic Church did not officially recognize the Apocrypha as belonging in the Bible until the Council of Trent in A.D. 1546—Catholicism’s response to the Reformation.
The Apocrypha appeared in Protestant Bibles even before the Council of Trent and on into the nineteenth century but were placed in a section separate from the Old and New Testaments.
Some teachings found in the Apocrypha appear to be unbiblical and even heretical, such as praying for the dead (2 Maccabees 12:45–46) and salvation by works (Tobit 12:9). The New Testament teaches that after death comes the judgment (Hebrews 9:27) and that salvation is by grace and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9);
Some stories in the Apocrypha seem fanciful or even unethical (for example, Judith asks God to help her in a falsehood, Judith 9:10-13).

The graphic below shows how many of the books and letters of the Christian Bible were included and excluded over time. It was not until the 5th century that all the different Christian churches came to a basic agreement on Biblical canon:

The Hebrew Bible was officially canonized by Jewish Masoretes between the 7th and 10th centuries and the Christian Bible was formally canonized over hundreds of years between the 2nd and 5th centuries. It should be noted that the earliest canons of the Christian Bible, both the Marcion and Muratorian (shown above), included the “apocryphal” book of the Wisdom of Solomon, which will be discussed later.

No matter which books were officially finalized in the Hebrew or Christian canons, they were completed hundreds of years after the resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah and hundreds of years after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 A.D. There were multiple books left out of the canon that were used by Yeshua and His disciples, as we will uncover in the following pages.

Here we go…

The Book of Enoch

The Book of Enoch (also known as 1 Enoch) was written during the second century B.C. The older sections (mainly in the Book of the Watchers) of the text are estimated to date from about 300–200 B.C., and the latest part (Book of Parables) probably to 100 B.C. Various Aramaic fragments found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, as well as Koine Greek and Latin fragments, were proof that The Book of Enoch was known by early Jews and Christians.

Why is the book of Enoch not in the Bible?

There are several theories, some in conflict, for why Enoch was not made part of canonical Scripture by the Jews and Christians. As far as the Jews, they are said to have believed that inspiration had ceased with the prophet Malachi which was written around 450 B.C. Therefore, because Enoch is estimated to have been written somewhere between 300 B.C. and the first century B.C., they did not consider the book of Enoch to be inspired. However, some people believe the book of Enoch was rejected by the Jews because it contains prophecies pertaining to Jesus Christ. In the case of the Christian canon, later fathers of the Christian church denied that the book of Enoch was inspired by the Holy Spirit. They felt the book of Enoch was not in harmony with the rest of the 66 books that were included in Scripture. Some topics included in the book of Enoch that some church fathers point to for rejecting the book Enoch is the idea of angels having sex with human earth-bound women – yet this is clearly mentioned in Genesis 6, as well as, are giants living upon the earth. – Jimmy Parsons, https://todaysdailyblessing.com/should-the-book-of-enoch-be-in-the-bible

Below are just a few verses from both the Hebrew and Christian Bible with concepts or direct quotes from the Book of Enoch:

Genesis 6:4 (ESV) The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.
1. Enoch 6:1-2 And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters. 2. And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: ‘Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children.’ … Enoch 7:1 And all the others together with them took unto themselves wives, and each chose for himself one, and they began to go in unto them and to defile themselves with them, and they taught them charms and enchantments, and the cutting of roots, and made them acquainted with plants. 2. And they became pregnant, and they bare great giants, whose height was three thousand ells (an ell is about 18 inches or 1 cubit): 3. Who consumed all the acquisitions of men. And when men could no longer sustain them, 4. the giants turned against them and devoured mankind.
2. Wisdom of Solomon 14:6 For in the old time also, when proud giants were perishing, the hope of the world, taking refuge on a raft, your hand guided the seed of generations of the race of men.
  The Wisdom of Solomon, or Book of Wisdom, is a Jewish work, written in Greek, and most likely composed in Alexandria, Egypt. Generally dated to the mid first century B.C. It is uncertain whether the book has a single author or comes from a school of writers, but recent scholarship has favored regarding it as a unified work. Fragments of the Wisdom of Solomon were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls in the first discovered and excavated cave at Qumran in 1949.
3. Sirach 16:7 He was not pacified toward the giants of old time, who revolted in their strength.
4. Baruch 3:26 Giants were born that were famous of old, great of stature, and expert in war.
Leviticus 16:8-10 (ESV) And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the LORD and the other lot for Azazel. 9 And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the LORD and use it as a sin offering, 10 but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the LORD to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel.
1. Enoch 10:8 And the whole earth has been corrupted through the works that were taught by Azazel: to him ascribe all sin.
2 Peter 2:4, 11 (ESV) For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment.. 11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord.
1. This concept of the judgement of angels because of their sin is entirely found in the Book of Enoch.
2. Enoch 10:9-14 And to Gabriel said the Lord: ‘Proceed against the bastards and the reprobates, and against the children of fornication: and destroy [the children of fornication and] the children of the Watchers from amongst men [and cause them to go forth]: send them one against the other that they may destroy each other in battle: for length of days shall they not have. 10. And no request that they (i.e. their fathers) make of thee shall be granted unto their fathers on their behalf; for they hope to live an eternal life, and that each one of them will live five hundred years.’ 11. And the Lord said unto Michael: ‘Go, bind Semjaza and his associates who have united themselves with women so as to have defiled themselves with them in all their uncleanness. 12. And when their sons have slain one another, and they have seen the destruction of their beloved ones, bind them fast for seventy generations in the valleys of the earth, till the day of their judgement and of their consummation, till the judgement that is for ever and ever is consummated. 13. In those days they shall be led off to the abyss of fire: and to the torment and the prison in which they shall be confined for ever. And whosoever shall be condemned and destroyed will from thenceforth be bound together with them to the end of all generations.
Jude 1:14-15 (ESV) It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
1. Enoch 1:9 And behold! He cometh with ten thousands of His holy ones To execute judgement upon all, And to destroy all the ungodly: And to convict all flesh of all the works of their ungodliness which they have ungodly committed, And of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.
Revelation 1:13-14 (ESV) Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire
1. Enoch 46:1-3 There I beheld the Ancient of days, whose head was like white wool, and with him another, whose countenance resembled that of man. His countenance was full of grace, like that of one of the holy angels. Then I inquired of one of the angels, who went with me, and who showed me every secret thing, concerning this Son of man; who he was; whence he was and why he accompanied the Ancient of days. 2 He answered and said to me, This is the Son of man, to whom righteousness belongs; with whom righteousness has dwelt; who will reveal all the treasures of that which is concealed: for the Lord of spirits has chosen him; and his portion has surpassed all before the Lord of spirits in everlasting uprightness.
John 1:1-2 (ESV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
1. Enoch 48:2-5 In that hour was this Son of man invoked before the Lord of spirits, and his name in the presence of the Ancient of days. 3 Before the sun and the signs were created, before the stars of heaven were formed, his name was invoked in the presence of the Lord of spirits. A support shall He be for the righteous and the holy to lean upon, without falling; and he shall be the light of nations. 4 He shall be the hope of those whose hearts are troubled. All, who dwell on earth, shall fall down and worship before him; shall bless and glorify him, and sing praises to the name of the Lord of spirits. 5 Therefore the Elect and the Concealed One existed in his presence, before the world was created, and for ever.

The Book of Jubilees

Between 1947 and 1956 approximately 15 Jubilees scrolls were found in five caves at Qumran, all written in Hebrew. The large number of manuscripts (more than for any biblical books except for Psalms, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Exodus, and Genesis, in descending order) indicates that Jubilees was widely used at Qumran. A comparison of the Qumran texts with the Ethiopic version, performed by James VanderKam, found that the Ethiopic was in most respects an accurate and literalistic translation. Scholars have dated Jubilees to have been written sometime around 160-150 B.C.

Genesis 48:21-22 (ESV) Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your fathers. 22 Moreover, I have given to you rather than to your brothers one mountain slope that I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.”
1. Jubilees 34:1-9 And in the sixth year of this week of this forty-fourth jubilee [2148 A.M.] Jacob sent his sons to pasture their sheep, and his servants with them to the pastures of Shechem. And the seven kings of the Amorites assembled themselves together against them, to slay them, hiding themselves under the trees, and to take their cattle as a prey. And Jacob and Levi and Judah and Joseph were in the house with Isaac their father; for his spirit was sorrowful, and they could not leave him: and Benjamin was the youngest, and for this reason remained with his father. And there came the king[s] of Taphu and the king[s] of ‘Aresa, and the king[s] of Seragan, and the king[s] of Selo, and the king[s] of Ga’as, and the king of Bethoron, and the king of Ma’anisakir, and all those who dwell in these mountains (and) who dwell in the woods in the land of Canaan. And they announced this to Jacob saying: ‘Behold, the kings of the Amorites have surrounded thy sons, and plundered their herds.’ And he arose from his house, he and his three sons and all the servants of his father, and his own servants, and he went against them with six thousand men, who carried swords. And he slew them in the pastures of Shechem, and pursued those who fled, and he slew them with the edge of the sword, and he slew ‘Aresa and Taphu and Saregan and Selo and ‘Amani- sakir and Ga[ga]’as, and he recovered his herds. And he prevailed over them, and imposed tribute on them that they should pay him tribute, five fruit products of their land, and he built Robel and Tamnatares. And he returned in peace, and made peace with them, and they became his servants, until the day that he and his sons went down into Egypt.
Exodus 1:8-10 (ESV) Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. 10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.”
1. Jubilees 46:8-13 And Joseph died in the forty-sixth jubilee, in the sixth week, in the second year [2242 A.M.], and they buried him in the land of Egypt, and all his brethren died after him. 9 And the king of Egypt went forth to war with the king of Canaan in the forty-seventh jubilee, in the second week in the second year [2263 A.M.], and the sons of Israel brought forth all the bones of the children of Jacob save the bones of Joseph, and they buried them in the field in the double cave in the mountain. 10. And the most (of them) returned to Egypt, but a few of them remained in the mountains of Hebron, and Amram thy father remained with them. 11. And the king of Canaan was victorious over the king of Egypt, and he closed the gates of Egypt. 12. And he devised an evil device against the sons of Israel of afflicting them and he said unto the people of Egypt: ‘Behold the people of the sons of Israel have increased and multiplied more than we. 13. Come and let us deal wisely with them before they become too many, and let us afflict them with slavery before war come upon us and before they too fight against us; else they will join themselves unto our enemies and get them up out of our land, for their hearts and faces are towards the land of Canaan.’
Exodus 2:1-12 (ESV) Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. 3 When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. 4 And whis sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. 5 Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. 6 When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.” Moses Flees to Midian 11 One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. 12 He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
1. Jubilees 47:4-10 4 And thy mother hid thee for three months, and they told regarding her. And she made an ark for thee, and covered it with pitch and asphalt, and placed it in the flags on the bank of the river, and she placed thee in it seven days, and thy mother came by night and suckled thee, and by day Miriam, thy sister, guarded thee from the birds. 5. And in those days Tharmuth, the daughter of Pharaoh, came to bathe in the river, and she heard thy voice crying, and she told her maidens to bring thee forth, and they brought thee unto her. 6. And she took thee out of the ark, and she had compassion on thee. 7. And thy sister said unto her: ‘Shall I go and call unto thee one of the Hebrew women to nurse and suckle this babe for thee?’ 8. And she said : ‘Go.’ And she went and called thy mother Jochebed, and she gave her wages, and she nursed thee. 9. And afterwards, when thou wast grown up, they brought thee unto the daughter of Pharaoh, and thou didst become her son, and Amram thy father taught thee writing, and after thou hadst completed three weeks they brought thee into the royal court. 10. And thou wast three weeks of years at court until the time [2351 – 2372 A.M.] when thou didst go forth from the royal court and didst see an Egyptian smiting thy friend who was of the sons of Israel, and thou didst slay him and hide him in the sand.
2. Exodus 2:10 (LXX) And when the boy was grown, she brought him to the daughter of Pharaoh, and he became her son; and she called his name, Moses, saying, I took him out of the water.
3. Hebrews 11:23-25 (ESV) 23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
The Torah put in place and declared by angels
1. Acts 7:53 (ESV) you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”
2. Galatians 3:19 (ESV) Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.
3. Hebrews 2:1-4 (ESV) Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
4. Jubilees 1:26 And He said to the angel of the presence: Write for Moses from the beginning of creation till My sanctuary has been built among them for all eternity.
5. Jubilees 2:1 And the angel of the presence spake to Moses according to the word of the Lord, saying: Write the complete history of the creation, how in six days the Lord God finished all His works and all that He created, and kept Sabbath on the seventh day and hallowed it for all ages, and appointed it as a sign for all His works.

The Book of Tobit

Tobit, also called The Book of Tobias, found its way into the Roman Catholic canon via the Septuagint. Before the 1952 discovery of Aramaic and Hebrew fragments of Tobit among the Dead Sea Scrolls in a cave at Qumran, scholars believed Tobit was not included in the Jewish canon because of late authorship, estimated to 100 A.D. Qumran fragments of the text, which were copied between 100 B.C. to 25 A.D., evidence a much earlier origin than previously thought. These fragments evidence authorship no later than the 2nd century B.C. and, likely, contemporary with the date ascribed, by modern scholars, to the final compilation of the Book of Daniel, which did attain canonical status.

Matthew 7:12 Therefore, whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the Torah and the Prophets.
1. Tobit 4:15 And what you yourself hate, do to no man…
Matthew 11:25 At that time, Yeshua answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants.
1. Tobit 7:18 “Be comforted, my child. May the Lord of heaven and earth give you favor for this your sorrow. Be comforted, my daughter.”
2. The exact phrase, “Lord of heaven and earth” is only used in Tobit 7:18 and not found anywhere else in the entire Bible.
Matthew 22:25; Mark 12:20; Luke 20:29 – Matthew 22:23 On that day Sadducees (those who say that there is no resurrection) came to him. They asked him, 24 saying, “Rabbi, Moses said, ‘If a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring* for his brother.’ 25 Now there were with us seven brothers. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. 26 In the same way, the second also, and the third, to the seventh. 27 After them all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection therefore, whose wife will she be of the seven? For they all had her.”
1. Tobit 3:7 The same day it happened to Sarah the daughter of Raguel in Ecbatana of Media, that she also was reproached by her father’s maidservants; 8 because that she had been given to seven husbands, and Asmodaeus the evil demon killed them, before they had lain with her. And they said to her, “Do you not know that you strangle your husbands? You have had already seven husbands, and you haven’t borne the name of any one of them. 9 Why do you scourge us? If they are dead, go your ways with them. Let us never see either son or daughter from you.” 10 When she heard these things, she was grieved exceedingly, so that she thought about hanging herself. Then she said, “I am the only daughter of my father. If I do this, it will be a reproach to him, and I will bring down his old age with sorrow to Hades.” 11 Then she prayed by the window, and said, “Blessed are you, O Lord my God, and blessed is your holy and honorable name forever! Let all your works praise you forever! 12 And now, Lord, I have set my eyes and my face toward you. 13 Command that I be released from the earth, and that I no longer hear reproach. 14 You know, Lord, that I am pure from all sin with man, 15 and that I never polluted my name or the name of my father in the land of my captivity. I am the only daughter of my father, and he has no child that will be his heir, nor brother near him, nor son belonging to him, that I should keep myself for a wife to him. Seven husbands of mine are dead already. Why should I live? If it doesn’t please you to kill me, command some regard to be had of me, and pity taken of me, and that I hear no more reproach.”
2. Tobit 7:9 So he communicated the thing to Raguel. Raguel said to Tobias, “Eat, drink, and make merry: 10 for it belongs to you to take my child. However I will tell you the truth. 11 I have given my child to seven men of our relatives, and whenever they came in to her, they died in the night. But for the present be merry.” And Tobias said, “I will taste nothing here, until you all make a covenant and enter into that covenant with me.” 12 Raguel said, “Take her to yourself from now on according to custom. You are her relative, and she is yours. The merciful God will give all good success to you.” 13 And he called his daughter Sarah, and took her by the hand, and gave her to be wife of Tobias, and said, “Behold, take her to yourself after the law of Moses, and lead her away to your father.” And he blessed them. 14 He called Edna his wife, then took a book, wrote a contract, and sealed it. 15 Then they began to eat.
Revelation 1:4 John, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from God, who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits who are before his throne
1. Revelation 8:3 Another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer. Much incense was given to him, that he should add it to the prayers of all the holy ones on the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the holy ones, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.
2. Tobit 12:12 And now, when you prayed, and Sarah your daughter-in-law, I brought the memorial of your prayer before the Holy One. When you buried the dead, I was with you likewise. 13 And when you didn’t delay to rise up, and leave your dinner, that you might go and cover the dead, your good deed was not hidden from me. I was with you. 14 And now God sent me to heal you and Sarah your daughter-in-law. 15 I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels which present the prayers of the saints and go in before the glory of the Holy One.
Revelation 21:15 He who spoke with me had for a measure a golden reed to measure the city, its gates, and its walls. 16 The city is square. Its length is as great as its width. He measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand twelve stadia. Its length, width, and height are equal. 17 Its wall is one hundred forty-four cubits, by the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18 The construction of its wall was jasper. The city was pure gold, like pure glass. 19 The foundations of the city’s wall were adorned with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire; the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls. Each one of the gates was made of one pearl. The street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
1. Tobit 13:16 For Jerusalem will be built with sapphires, emeralds, and precious stones; your walls and towers and battlements with pure gold. 17 The streets of Jerusalem will be paved with beryl, carbuncle, and stones of Ophir. 18 All her streets will say, “Hallelujah!” and give praise, saying, “Blessed be God, who has exalted you forever!”

The Wisdom of Sirach

Sirach, or Wisdom of Sirach, and also known as the Book of Ecclesiasticus (abbreviated Ecclus.) or Ben Sira, is a work of ethical teachings, from approximately 200 to 175 B.C., written by the Jewish scribe Ben Sira of Jerusalem, on the inspiration of his father Joshua son of Sirach, sometimes called Jesus son of Sirach or Yeshua ben Eliezer ben Sira. Sirach was almost completely uncovered in Hebrew in the Dead Sea Scrolls, at Masada, and the Cairo Geniza. The multiplicity of manuscript fragments uncovered in the Cairo Genizah evidence its authoritative status among Egyptian Jewry until the Middle Ages.

Quotations from Sirach can be found in Rabbinic literature in multiple places. The Talmud, compiled in the 4th century in Galilee, is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (halakha) and Jewish theology. The following quotes from Sirach can be found in the Talmud:

Bava Kamma – Hebrew for “The First Gate” is the first of a series of three Talmudic tractates in the order Nezikin (“Damages”) that deal with civil matters such as damages and torts.
1. 92b:13 Rabba bar Mari explains each of the sources. It is written in the Torah, as it is written: “And so Esau went to Ishmael” (Genesis 28:9). It is repeated in the Prophets, as it is written: “And there were gathered vain fellows to Yiftah, and they went out with him” (Judges 11:3). And it is triplicated in the Writings, as it is written: All fowl will live with its kind, and men with those like him (Book of Ben Sira 13:17). We learned it in a mishna (Kelim 12:2): All that is attached to that which is ritually impure is ritually impure; all that is attached to that which is ritually pure is ritually pure. And we learned it in a baraita: Rabbi Eliezer says: Not for naught did the starling go to the raven but because it is its kind, as it too is a non-kosher bird.
  1. Sirach 3:15 Every living creature loves its own kind, and every man loves his neighbor. 16 All flesh associates with their own kind. A man will stick to people like himself. 17 What fellowship would the wolf have with the lamb? So is the sinner to the godly.
Chagigah or Hagigah – Hebrew for “Festival Offering” is one of the tractates comprising Moed, one of the six orders of the Mishnah, a collection of Jewish traditions included in the Talmud.
1. 13a:2 The Gemara comments: Until here, you have permission to speak; from this point forward you do not have permission to speak, as it is written in the book of Ben Sira: Seek not things concealed from you, nor search those hidden from you. Reflect on that which is permitted to you; you have no business with secret matters. (Sirach 3:21-22) It is taught in a baraita: Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai said: What response did the Divine Voice provide to that wicked man, Nebuchadnezzar, when he said: “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:14), thereby intending to rise to heaven? A Divine Voice came and said to him: Wicked man, son of a wicked man, descendant, i.e., follower of the ways, of Nimrod the wicked, who caused the entire world to rebel against Him during the time of his reign.”
  1. Sirach 3:21 Don’t seek things that are too hard for you, and don’t search out things that are above your strength. 22 Think about the things that have been commanded you, for you have no need of the things that are secret.
Additionally, the Gospels and other Apostolic Scriptures appear to quote or reference the Book of Sirach’s teachings of wisdom:
1. The Song of Miriam in Luke 1:52; Luke 1:46-56 (ESV) And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” 56 And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
  1. Sirach 10:14 The Lord cast down the thrones of rulers and set the lowly in their place (cf. Luke 1:52)
2. The description of the seed in Mark 4:5 (ESV) “Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil…16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.”
  1. Sirach 40:15 The children of the ungodly won’t grow many branches, and are as unhealthy roots on a sheer rock.
3. The statement by Yeshua in Matthew 7:16, 20; Matthew 7:15-20 (ESV) “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
  1. Sirach 27:6 The fruit of a tree declares the husbandry thereof; So is the utterance of the thought of the heart of a man.
4. James 1:19 (ESV) Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
  1. Sirach 5:11 Be swift to hear; And with patience make your answer. 12 If you have understanding, answer your neighbor; And if not, let your hand be upon your mouth.

The Septuagint

The text of the Septuagint is contained in a few early manuscripts. The best known of these are the Codex Vaticanus (B) and the Codex Sinaiticus (S), both dating from the 4th century A.D., and the Codex Alexandrinus (A) from the 5th century.

Here are some notable differences in translation between the Septuagint and Bibles based on the Masoretic text:

Genesis 10:21-24 (ESV) To Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth, children were born. 22 The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. 23 The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. 24 Arpachshad fathered Shelah; and Shelah fathered Eber.
1. Genesis 10:21-24 (LXX) And to Shem himself also were children born, the father of all the sons of Heber, the brother of Japheth the elder. 22 Sons of Shem: Elam, and Assur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram, and Cainan. 23 And sons of Aram, Uz, and Ul, and Gater, and Mosoch. 24 And Arphaxad begot Cainan, and Cainan begot Sala. And Shelah begot Heber.
2. Luke 3:35-36 (ESV) the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech
  1. The Gospel of Luke references Cainan, the son of Arphaxad just as the Septuagint does in Genesis 10:22.
    1. Why did the Jewish Masoretes deliberately exclude Cainan from the genealogy of Shem and Arphaxad? Perhaps because, according to the Book of Jubilees, Cainan was taught to read by his father, and he found, carved on the rocks by former generations, an inscription preserving the science of astrology as taught by the Watchers, who had rebelled from God before the deluge.
      1. Jubilees 8:1-5 In the twenty-ninth jubilee, in the first week, in the beginning thereof Arpachshad took to himself a wife and her name was Râsû’ĕjâ, [the daughter of Sûsân,] the daughter of Elam, and she bare him a son in the third year in this week, and he called his name Kâinâm (also spelled Kenan or Cainan). 2. And the son grew, and his father taught him writing, and he went to seek for himself a place where he might seize for himself a city. 3. And he found a writing which former (generations) had carved on the rock, and he read what was thereon, and he transcribed it and sinned owing to it; for it contained the teaching of the Watchers in accordance with which they used to observe the omens of the sun and moon and stars in all the signs of heaven. 4. And he wrote it down and said nothing regarding it; for he was afraid to speak to Noah about it lest he should be angry with him on account of it. 5. And in the thirtieth jubilee, in the second week, in the first year thereof, he took to himself a wife, and her name was Mêlkâ, the daughter of Madai, the son of Japheth, and in the fourth year he begat a son, and called his name Shelah; for he said: “Truly I have been sent.”
3. Exodus 12:40-14 (ESV) The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years. 41 At the end of 430 years, on that very day, all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.
  1. Exodus 12:40-14 (LXX) And the sojourning of the sons of Israel, which they sojourned in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan, was four hundred and thirty years. 41 And it came to pass after the four hundred and thirty years, all the forces of the Lord came forth out of the land of Egypt by night.
4. Deuteronomy 32:7-9 (NIV) Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you. 8 When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided all mankind, he set up boundaries for the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel. 9 For the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance.
  1. Deuteronomy 32:7-9 (LXX) Remember the days of old, consider the years of generations of generations: ask thy father, and he shall relate to thee, thine elders, and they shall tell thee. 8 When the Most High divided the nations, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the nations according to the number of the angels of God. 9 And his people Jacob became the portion of the Lord, Israel was the line of his inheritance.
5. Job 42:17 So Job died, being old and full of days.
  1. Job 42:17 (LXX) And Job died, an old man and full of days: 17a and it is written that he will rise again with those whom the Lord raises up. 17b This man is described in the Syriac book as living in the land of Ausis, on the borders of Idumea and Arabia: and his name before was Jobab; 17c and having taken an Arabian wife, he begot a son whose name was Ennon. And he himself was the son of his father Zare, one of the sons of Esau, and of his mother Bosorrha, so that he was the fifth from Abraam. 17d And these were the kings who reigned in Edom, which country he also ruled over: first, Balac, the son of Beor, and the name of his city was Dennaba: but after Balac, Jobab, who is called Job: and after him Asom, who was governor out of the country of Thæman: and after him Adad, the son of Barad, who destroyed Madiam in the plain of Moab; and the name of his city was Gethaim. 17e And his friends who came to him were Eliphaz, of the children of Esau, king of the Thæmanites, Baldad sovereign of the Sauchæans, Sophar king of the Minæans.
  2. Genesis 36:31-34 These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the sons of Israel. 32 Bela, the son of Beor, reigned in Edom. The name of his city was Dinhabah. 33 Bela died, and Jobab, the son of Zerah of Bozrah, reigned in his place. 34 Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.
6. Psalms 22:16 (Masoretic Text) For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers has encompassed me, like a lion, my hands and feet.
  1. Psalms 22:16 (21:16) in LXX For many dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked doers has beset me round: they pierced my hands and my feet.
7. Ephesians 4:26 (KJV) Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath
  1. Psalms 4:4 (KJV) Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
  2. Psalms 4:4 (LXX) Be ye angry, and sin not; feel compunction upon your beds for what ye say in your hearts. Pause.

The Targum Pseudo-Jonathan

Composed in Talmudic Israel (c.150 – c.250 A.D.). Targum Pseudo-Jonathan is a western targum (translation) of the Torah (Pentateuch) from the land of Israel (as opposed to the eastern Babylonian Targum Onkelos). Its correct title was originally Targum Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Targum), which is how it was known in medieval times. But because of a printer’s mistake it was later labeled Targum Jonathan, in reference to Jonathan ben Uzziel. Some editions of the Pentateuch continue to call it Targum Jonathan to this day. Most scholars refer to the text as Targum Pseudo-Jonathan. This targum is more than a mere translation. It includes much Aggadic material collected from various sources as late as the Midrash Rabbah as well as earlier material from the Talmud. It is effectively a combination of a commentary and a translation. In the portions where it is pure translation, it often agrees with the Targum Onkelos. The date of its composition is disputed. It cannot have been completed before the Arabic conquest as it refers to Mohammad’s wife Fatimah, but might have been initially composed in the 4th Century A.D.. However, some scholars date it in the 14th Century.

One of the main references to the use of the Targum, or a similar work, among 1st Century Believers, whether it was the Targum Pseudo-Jonathan or a different Targum, is in 2 Timothy 3:8; “Even as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind, who concerning the faith are rejected.” Who are Jannes and Jambres? Neither the canonized Hebrew or Christian Bible mentions either of these two men. However, both are mentioned in full context in the Targum Pseudo-Jonathan of Exodus 7:11:

Exodus 7:11 (Targum Pseudo-Jonathan): And Mosheh and Aharon went in unto Pharoh, and did as the Lord had commanded. And Aharon threw down the rod before the sight of Pharoh, and before the sight of his servants, and it became a basilisk. But Pharoh called the hachems and magicians; and they also, Jannes and Jambres, magicians of Mizraim, did the same by their burnings of divination. They threw down each man his rod, and they became basilisks; but were forthwith changed to be what they were at first; and the rod of Aharon swallowed up their rods. And the disposition of Pharoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not hearken to them, as the Lord had said.

The Works of Josephus

Josephus was born Joseph ben Mattathias in 37 A.D. in Jerusalem of a priestly and royal family. He excelled in his studies of Jewish law and studied with the Sadducees, Pharisees, and the Essenes, eventually aligning himself with the Pharisees. In 62 A.D. he went to Rome to free some imprisoned priests. After accomplishing this mission through the intercession of Nero’s wife, Poppaea, he returned to Jerusalem in 65 A.D. to find the country in revolt against Rome. Josephus shrewdly reinterpreted the Messianic prophecies. He predicted that Vespasian would become the ruler of the ‘entire world’. His prophecy became true in 68 A.D. when Nero committed suicide and Vespasian became Ceasar. As a result, Josephus was freed; he moved to Roman and became a Roman citizen, taking the Vespasian family name Flavius. Vespasian commissioned Josephus to write a history of the war, which he finished in 78 A.D., the Jewish War. His second major work, the Antiquities of the Jews, was completed in 93 A.D.

Exodus 20:18 (ESV) Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off
1. Antiquities of the Jews 3.5.2. So they passed two days in this way of feasting; but on the third day, before the sun was up, a cloud spread itself over the whole camp of the Hebrews, such a one as none had before seen, and encompassed the place where they had pitched their tents; and while all the rest of the air was clear, there came strong winds, that raised up large showers of rain, which became a mighty tempest. There was also such lightning, as was terrible to those that saw it; and thunder, with its thunderbolts, were sent down, and declared God to be there present in a gracious way to such as Moses desired he should be gracious. Now, as to these matters, every one of my readers may think as he pleases; but I am under a necessity of relating this history as it is described in the sacred books. This sight, and the amazing sound that came to their ears, disturbed the Hebrews to a prodigious degree, for they were not such as they were accustomed to; and then the rumor that was spread abroad, how God frequented that mountain, greatly astonished their minds, so they sorrowfully contained themselves within their tents, as both supposing Moses to be destroyed by the Divine wrath, and expecting the like destruction for themselves.
  1. What “sacred books” is Josephus referring to? His detailed description is not found in the Exodus account. It’s worth remembering that Josephus studied with the Sadducees, Pharisees, and the Essenes. These “sacred books” may no longer be in circulation but it’s clear Josephus is assuring his readers of it’s authenticity and his desire to relate this historical truth.
  2. “It’s been recorded that Josephus only used sacred books that were written in Hebrew, and belonged to the Jerusalem catalogue. Josephus’s chronology agreed neither with the Masoretic Hebrew, nor with the Greek Septuagint present during his time, but almost always with that of the Samaritan Pentateuch.” – William Whiston, M.A. Some time Professor of the Mathematicks in the University of Cambridge. London, 1737. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/josephus/ant-pref.html)
Numbers 12:1 (ESV) Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman.
1. Both Josephus (cf. Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 2.10.1-2) and Irenaeus identify the Cushite woman as Tharbis, who is speculated to have been the daughter of King Merops, or the widow of Kikianus.
  1. Irenaeus, who lived from c. 130 – c. 202 A.D., was a Greek bishop noted for his role in guiding and expanding Christian communities in what is now the south of France and, more widely, for the development of Christian theology by combating heresy and defining orthodoxy. Originating from Smyrna, he had seen and heard the preaching of Polycarp, a disciple of John (the disciple of Yeshua) and the last known living connection with the first Apostles of Yeshua.
  2. Antiquities of the Jews 2.10.1-2…However, while Moses was uneasy at the army’s lying idle, (for the enemies durst not come to a battle,) this accident happened: Tharbis was the daughter of the king of the Ethiopians: she happened to see Moses as he led the army near the walls, and fought with great courage; and admiring the subtility of his undertakings, and believing him to be the author of the Egyptians’ success, when they had before despaired of recovering their liberty, and to be the occasion of the great danger the Ethiopians were in, when they had before boasted of their great achievements, she fell deeply in love with him; and upon the prevalency of that passion, sent to him the most faithful of all her servants to discourse with him about their marriage. He thereupon accepted the offer, on condition she would procure the delivering up of the city; and gave her the assurance of an oath to take her to his wife; and that when he had once taken possession of the city, he would not break his oath to her. No sooner was the agreement made, but it took effect immediately; and when Moses had cut off the Ethiopians, he gave thanks to God, and consummated his marriage, and led the Egyptians back to their own land.

“Lost” Books of the Bible

There are also over 20 books mentioned in the canonized Hebrew Bible that have either been lost completely or referencing existing books in the canonized work:

The Book of Jasher is mentioned in Joshua 10:13 and 2 Samuel 1:18.
1. Several books have claimed to be this lost text, some of which are discounted as pseudepigrapha. (Pseudepigrapha literally means “false writings.” in Greek and is defined as spurious or pseudonymous writings, especially Jewish writings ascribed to various biblical patriarchs and prophets but composed within approximately 200 years of the birth of Christ.)
2. Certain members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints secured the copyright to a particular English translation of one of these and republished it in 1887 in Salt Lake City.
The Book of the Wars of the Lord is mentioned in Numbers 21:14.
The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel and Chronicles of the Kings of Judah are mentioned in the Books of Kings (1 Kings 14:19,29). They are said to tell of events during the reigns of Kings Jeroboam of Israel and Rehoboam of Judah, respectively. The
Chronicles of the Kings of Israel is again mentioned in 1 Kings 16:20 regarding King Zimri, and many other times throughout 1 and 2 Kings.
The Book of Shemaiah the Prophet and Visions of Iddo the Seer (also called Story of the Prophet Iddo or The Annals of the Prophet Iddo) is mentioned in the 2nd Book of Chronicles. (2 Chronicles 9:29, 2 Chronicles 12:15, 2 Chronicles 13:22). This book has been completely lost to history, save for its title.
The Manner of the Reign referenced at 1 Samuel 10:25.
The Acts of Solomon referenced at 1 Kings 11:41.
The Annals of King David referenced at 1 Chronicles 27:24.
The Book of Samuel the Seer. Also called Samuel the Seer or The Acts of Samuel the Seer, which could be the same as 1 & 2 Samuel. Referenced at 1 Chronicles 29:29.
The Book of Nathan the Prophet. Also called Nathan the Prophet or The Acts of Nathan the Prophet or History of Nathan the Prophet. Referenced at 1 Chronicles 29:29, and also 2 Chronicles 9:29.
The Book of Gad the Seer referenced at 1 Chronicles 29:29.
The Prophecy of Ahijah, might be a reference to 1 Kings 14:2–18. Referenced at 2 Chronicles 9:29.
The Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel referenced in 2 Chronicles 16:11, 2 Chronicles 27:7 and 2 Chronicles 32:32. Might be the same as 1 & 2 Kings.
The Book of Jehu referenced at 2 Chronicles 20:34. Could be a reference to 1 Kings 16:1–7.
The Story of the Book of Kings referenced at 2 Chronicles 24:27.
The Acts of Uzziah. Also called The Book by the prophet Isaiah. Perhaps the same as the Book of Isaiah. Referenced at 2 Chronicles 26:22.
The Vision of Isaiah referenced at 2 Chronicles 32:32.
The Acts of the Kings of Israel. Also called The Acts and Prayers of Manasseh. May be identical to The Book of the Kings of Israel, above. Referenced at 2 Chronicles 33:18.
The Sayings of the Seers referenced at 2 Chronicles 33:19.
The Laments for Josiah. Also called Lamentations. This event is recorded in the existing Book of Lamentations referenced at 2 Chronicles 35:25.
The Chronicles of King Ahasuerus referenced at Esther 2:23, Esther 6:1, Esther 10:2, and Nehemiah 12:23.1:9