Questions / The Bible

Why does the Catholic Bible have extra books?

Scripture

Answered on video by Catholic Answers

Video: Why Each "Apocryphal" Book Is in the Catholic Bible, Catholic Answers Live, published Aug 7, 2024. Checked 10 October 2026. Loads from YouTube (privacy-enhanced mode) only when you press play. Watch on YouTube

In short: They’re the books the early Church read. Catholics agree the Jews were entrusted with God’s words. Romans 3:2

The answer, in writing

Church teaching

Paul says the Jews “were entrusted with the revelations of God.” Romans 3:2

The Church accepts as inspired the 46 books of the Old Testament and the 27 of the New. CCC 138

She discerned that list by the apostolic Tradition. CCC 120

Our words

The extra seven books (like Tobit, Sirach and the Maccabees) were in the Greek Old Testament the early Christians used. Protestants later set them apart. Our Case page lays out both sides honestly.

Watch another on this

Play video: Who Compiled the Bible—and When? | Catholic Answers, Catholic Answers, from Catholic Answers, 1 min. Loads from YouTube when pressed.

Who decided which books are in the Bible?

Play video: Bishop Barron on How to Read the Bible, Bishop Robert Barron, from Bishop Robert Barron, 8 min. Loads from YouTube when pressed.

Do Catholics read the Bible?

Play video: Where Is Purgatory in the Bible? | Dr. Brant Pitre, Dr. Brant Pitre, from Catholic Productions, 14 min. Loads from YouTube when pressed.

Where is purgatory in the Bible?

Next step: The full case

Honestly? The best answers come from people, not websites. Take the next step: find a parish near you

Related questions

Who decided which books are in the Bible? Catholic Answers · 1 minDo Catholics read the Bible? Bishop Robert Barron · 8 minHow does someone become a canonized saint? Fr. Mike Schmitz · 7 minWho wrote the New Testament? Dr. Brant Pitre · 10 min

Sources on this page

How we know · 2 Catechism paragraphs · 1 Bible passage

1. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 120, 138 (official text on vatican.va).
2. Scripture (World English Bible, Catholic edition, public domain; modern verse numbers, Douay-Rheims numbers in brackets where they differ): Romans 3:2.

Stone & Incense restates Church teaching in plain words and cites every teaching claim. Our own wording is not an official Church text. Found a mistake? Report an errorCorrections.