The Bible we all predominantly use is the 66 book protestant bible. But the real Bible has more than 66 books. There are 72 books in the Original Books. 6 of these were removed by the protestants in the 16th century. 6 Old testament books were removed by Protestants. The New Testament is same for both Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox christians.( 27 books). But the Orthodox and Catholics Old Testament has 45 Books. While the Protestant Old Testament has just 39 books. The 6 books that were removed by Protestants were all Old Testament Books. They are:- 1) Maccabees 2)Tobit 3)Judith 4)Wisdom of Solomon 5)Bara Sirach 6)Baruch In addition to this, the protestants also removed several parts from the existing 39 books of their OT such as: *After Daniel 3,23- the Prayer of Azariah and the three Young Men, who were put in the fire by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar *Story of Susanna in 64 verses (Chapter 13 of the Book of Daniel) *The Bel and the Dragon (Chapter 14 of the Book of Daniel) *Some parts of Esther. *Psalms 151 Why did they edit the Holy Bible? Why did the Protestants decide to remove the 6 books from OT in 16th century after the Reformation in Europe? Reasons: 1)The books that were removed supported such things as: Prayers for the dead (Tobit 12:12; 2 Maccabees 12:39-45) Purgatory (Wisdom 3:1-7) Intercession of saints in heaven (2 Maccabees 15:14) Intercession of angels (Tobit 12:12-15) 2)Orthodox Christians follow the Older version/canon of the Jewish Scriptures(OT) which was in Greek*. While Protestants follow the Masoretic Hebrew Text which was a new canon or version invented by the Jews in 7th Century Ad (a new version of Old Testament 7 centuries After Christ!). {* Around 5 centuries before Christ, The Greeks colonised the Holy land and Egypt. They stayed for hundreds of years bringing hellenistic influence to West Asia. Greek became the official language and the language of the rulers. So Jewish scholars, philosophers etc switched to Greek from Hebrew, just like we deal more in English than in Malayalam these days. So the Scripture that was written down in the last 400 years Before Christ were all in Greek. The Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) is the worlds oldest surviving version of the OT} Jewish Council removes the 7 books after AD 90! The difference in the Old Testaments actually goes back to the time before and during Christs life. At this time, there was no official Jewish canon of scripture. The Jews in Egypt translated their choices of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek in the second century before Christ. This translation of 46 books, called the Septuagint, had wide use in the Roman world because most Jews lived far from Palestine in Greek cities. Many of these Jews spoke only Greek. The early Christian Church was born into this world. The Church, with its bilingual Jews and more and more Greek-speaking Gentiles, used the books of the Septuagint as its Bible. Remember the early Christians were just writing the documents what would become the New Testament. After the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, with increasing persecution from the Romans and competition from the fledgling Christian Church, the Jewish leaders came together and declared its official canon of Scripture, eliminating seven books from the Septuagint. The books removed were Tobit, Judith, Maccabees, Wisdom (of Solomon), Sirach, and Baruch. Parts of existing books were also removed including Psalm 151 (from Psalms), parts of the Book of Esther, Susanna (from Daniel as chapter 13), and Bel and the Dragon (from Daniel as chapter 14). The curse of Revelations The Jews removed 7 books that meant ERASING 400 years of history. It also helped them to deny their Messiah- Jesus Christ. The protestants removed these 7 books because they supported christian practises such as Intercession, Saints etc. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. Revelations 22:18,19 The unbroken Word of God. http://groups.msn.com/easternorthodoxchristianity/orthodoxbasics.msnw An excerpt from an article by Fr.Dr. Reji Mathew, principal STOTs seminary, Nagpur: If our Bible should contain the unbroken Word of God from the Beginning of the World (Genesis) towards the End of the World (Book of Revelation) how can then there be a silence for 400 years ? Nevertheless, if we take the Deutero-canonical Books as the Word of God then there is no break at all. They tell us how God interacted with His people during the Inter testamental period of 400 years. Thus the Deutercanonical Books makes a good bridge between the Old and the New Testament period. We also understand the Judaism of the time of Jesus in a better way if we read those books. Martin Luthers aversion to Scripture. http://members.aol.com/johnprh/deuterocanonical2.html check out this article, it is informative:- Martin Luther had developed his theory that only those books that taught his Dogma of Justification by Faith Alone should be accepted as part of the canon. However, he didnt work out this theory until after he had lost a debate with a Catholic (either Cardinal Cajetan in 1518 or Johann Eck of Ingolstadt in 1519 AD), when 2 Maccabees 12:43-45 was quoted to refute Martin Luthers Faith Alone. The book of James contradicts Luthers principle of Justification by Faith Alone. James 2:24 says See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. Rather than change his theology, Luther just denied that, James the Apostle, was the author of James and removed it from his canon. Writing of Apostle James, he says, He does violence to scripture and so contradicts Paul and all of scripture. He tries to accomplish by emphasizing law what the Apostles bring about by attracting men to love. I therefore refuse him a place among the writers of the true canon of my Bible. Luther challenged an Apostle in such a crude way and said such insulting things about Jamess ability to write (which was guided by the Holy Spirit.) In Luthers commentary on Book of Revelations he wrote, Everyone may make up his own mind as regards this book. As for me, I have a personal aversion to it and that is enough. 72, 73, 74 or 75? The Book of Maccabees are sometimes split up into 4, since its pretty large. In some Bibles there is 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees. In other it can go upto 4 Maccabees. If we take Maccabees as 1 book, there will be only 72 books. If we take them as 4, then there will be 75. This is a source for confusion for many, as different websites show different numbers. The reason is only this. Scripture used by the Apostles. The Apostles quoted from the Septuagint many times. You will not find many of these verses in the protestant bible:- http://www.geocities.com/aprofaith/bible.htm Heb 11:35, Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might find a better resurrection. The only place in the O.T. that you will find reference to that is 2 Macc 7:1-29. The first half of Heb 11:35 is found in 1 Kings 17:23 and 2 Kings 4:36. Heb 11:38, They wandered in deserts and mountains This is found in 1 Macc 2:28-30 and 2 Macc 5:27. Jn 10:22, Now there took place at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication The inauguration of this feast is found in 1Macc 4:36 & 52-59. Jn 14:23, If anyone love Me, he will keep My word This is in Sir 2:18. Rom 9:21, is not the potter master of his clay Found in Wis 15:7 1Pet 1:6-7, gold which is tried by fire See Wis 3:5-6 Rom 1:20-23, For since the creation of the world Found in Wis 13:1-7 Mt 7:12, Lk 6:31, all that you wish men to do to you, even so do you also to them Extension of Tob 4:15 Lk 25 35-36, I was hungry and you gave me food.I needed clothes and you clothed me. Based on Tob 4:16. Rev 21:18, And the material of its wall was jasper; but the city itself was pure gold, like pure glass. See Tob 13 end. Mt 13:43, Then the just will shine forth Found in Wis 3:7 Mt 27:42, if He is the King of Israel, let Him come down now from the cross See Wis 2:18-20. Lk 24:4, two men stood by them in dazzling raiment. Found in 2 Macc 3:26. Rom 11:33, How inscrutable are His judgments and how unsearchable are His ways. Found in Judith 8:14. 1 Cor 10:20, they sacrifice to demons, not to God Found in Baruch 4:7. Removing books from the Bible is a serious matter, and is specifically condemned in Revelation 22.19. When the authority for this removal depends specifically upon those who rejected the Christian message, perhaps it is time to question the basis of this change