Key Bible verses
- 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
- Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
The seven extra books
The Catholic Old Testament includes Tobit, Judith, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach (also called Ecclesiasticus) and Baruch, plus longer versions of Esther and Daniel. Catholics call them deuterocanonical (“second canon”); Protestants usually call them the Apocrypha. The New Testament is the same 27 books in both.
Why the Bibles differ
The extra books were part of the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint) used by many early Christians, but not of the Hebrew Bible. At the Reformation, Protestants followed the Hebrew list of books, while the Catholic Council of Trent (1546) confirmed the longer list. The original 1611 King James Bible actually printed the Apocrypha in a separate section between the Testaments; most editions dropped it in the 1800s.
Can Catholics read the KJV?
Catholics are encouraged to read approved Catholic translations, which include notes and all 73 books. The King James Version is a Protestant translation, but Catholics and Protestants share the same 66 books it contains, and its wording of passages like Psalm 23 and the Lord’s Prayer is loved across churches. This site offers the KJV and the World English Bible, both free of copyright; Catholic translations such as the NABRE are copyrighted.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in the Catholic Bible?
The Catholic Bible has 73 books: 46 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. Protestant Bibles such as the KJV have 66: 39 and 27.
What Bible is read at Catholic Mass in the US?
The readings at Mass in the United States use the Lectionary based on the New American Bible. Other English-speaking countries use different approved translations.
Is the Douay-Rheims a Catholic Bible?
Yes. The Douay-Rheims is an English Catholic translation from the Latin Vulgate, completed in 1610 and revised by Bishop Challoner in the 1700s. It is still read by many traditional Catholics.
Did the King James Bible have the Apocrypha?
Yes. The 1611 King James Bible included the Apocrypha in a section between the Old and New Testaments. Most editions printed since the 1800s leave it out, giving 66 books.