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Canon Comparison

Christian canon comparison

This page lists books that have appeared in major Christian canon traditions and shows, in a compact table, how those traditions commonly receive them.

The Protestant columns distinguish early English Protestant Bible printings, such as the Bishops’ Bible, Geneva Bible, and King James 1611, from the current 66-book Protestant canon.

Reader note: canon lists are historically complex. Book order, names, numbering, liturgical use, appendix placement, and local editions can differ. This page is a study map, not a church authority statement.

Table key

✓ Usually canonical in this tradition
D Deuterocanonical / received in a second group
A Often printed in an appendix or local/church-use position
V Varies by local usage, edition, or historical list
— Not normally part of this canon

39 books / book groups

Old Testament / Hebrew Bible books received by all listed traditions

These books are common to the Protestant Old Testament and are also received by Catholic, Orthodox, Syriac, and Ethiopian traditions, although order and grouping can differ.

Book Original Protestant Current Protestant Roman Catholic Greek Orthodox Slavonic Orthodox Syriac / Peshitta Ethiopian Orthodox Notes
Genesis ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Exodus ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Leviticus ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Numbers ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Deuteronomy ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Joshua ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Judges ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Ruth ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
1 Samuel ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
2 Samuel ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
1 Kings ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
2 Kings ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
1 Chronicles ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
2 Chronicles ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Ezra ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Nehemiah ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Esther ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Job ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Psalms ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Proverbs ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Ecclesiastes ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Song of Solomon ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Isaiah ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Jeremiah ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Lamentations ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Ezekiel ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Daniel ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Hosea ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Joel ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Amos ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Obadiah ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Jonah ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Micah ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Nahum ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Habakkuk ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Zephaniah ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Haggai ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Zechariah ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Malachi ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

27 books / book groups

New Testament books received by all listed traditions

The 27-book New Testament is broadly shared across the listed traditions today, though historical reception of some books was slower in some regions.

Book Original Protestant Current Protestant Roman Catholic Greek Orthodox Slavonic Orthodox Syriac / Peshitta Ethiopian Orthodox Notes
Matthew ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Mark ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Luke ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
John ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Acts ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Romans ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
1 Corinthians ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
2 Corinthians ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Galatians ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Ephesians ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Philippians ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Colossians ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
1 Thessalonians ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
2 Thessalonians ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
1 Timothy ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
2 Timothy ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Titus ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Philemon ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Hebrews ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
James ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
1 Peter ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
2 Peter ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
1 John ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
2 John ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
3 John ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Jude ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Revelation ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

19 books / book groups

Deuterocanonical and wider Old Testament books

These books appear in Catholic, Orthodox, Syriac, Ethiopian, or historical Christian Bible traditions. The Original Protestant column marks books commonly printed in early English Protestant Bibles such as the Bishops’ Bible, Geneva Bible, and King James 1611, usually in a separate Apocrypha section rather than the modern 66-book canon.

Book Original Protestant Current Protestant Roman Catholic Greek Orthodox Slavonic Orthodox Syriac / Peshitta Ethiopian Orthodox Notes
Tobit A — D ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Received by Catholic and Orthodox traditions; present in many Syriac and Ethiopian collections.
Judith A — D ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Received by Catholic and Orthodox traditions.
Wisdom of Solomon A — D ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Often called Wisdom in shorter labels.
Sirach / Ecclesiasticus A — D ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Also known as Ecclesiasticus, not to be confused with Ecclesiastes.
Baruch A — D ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Often associated with Jeremiah material.
Letter of Jeremiah A — D ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Sometimes counted as Baruch chapter 6.
Additions to Esther A — D ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Greek additions to Esther.
Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Young Men A — D ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ One of the Greek additions to Daniel.
Susanna A — D ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ One of the Greek additions to Daniel.
Bel and the Dragon A — D ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ One of the Greek additions to Daniel.
1 Maccabees A — D ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Received in Catholic and many Orthodox Old Testament collections.
2 Maccabees A — D ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Received in Catholic and many Orthodox Old Testament collections.
1 Esdras / Greek Ezra A — — ✓ ✓ V ✓ Numbering differs: some traditions call this 3 Esdras.
2 Esdras / 4 Ezra A — — A A V ✓ Often appears in Latin/English appendix traditions; numbering differs.
Prayer of Manasseh A — — ✓ ✓ V ✓ Often used liturgically or printed with biblical books in some traditions.
Psalm 151 — — — ✓ ✓ V ✓ Present in many Orthodox Psalters.
3 Maccabees — — — ✓ ✓ V ✓ Received in several Orthodox traditions.
4 Maccabees — — — A A — V Often printed in an appendix in Greek Orthodox editions rather than as a core book.
Odes — — — A A V V Collection of biblical songs in some Greek manuscript and liturgical traditions.

10 books / book groups

Ethiopian broader canon and related books

The Ethiopian Orthodox tradition preserves a broader biblical collection than most other Christian traditions. Exact names and book divisions can vary between catalogues and editions.

Book Original Protestant Current Protestant Roman Catholic Greek Orthodox Slavonic Orthodox Syriac / Peshitta Ethiopian Orthodox Notes
1 Enoch — — — — — — ✓ Canonical in the Ethiopian Orthodox tradition; influential in early Jewish and Christian literature.
Jubilees — — — — — — ✓ Canonical in the Ethiopian Orthodox tradition.
1 Meqabyan — — — — — — ✓ Ethiopian book distinct from Greek/Latin Maccabees.
2 Meqabyan — — — — — — ✓ Ethiopian book distinct from Greek/Latin Maccabees.
3 Meqabyan — — — — — — ✓ Ethiopian book distinct from Greek/Latin Maccabees.
4 Baruch / Paralipomena of Jeremiah — — — V V — ✓ Associated with Jeremiah traditions; reception varies outside Ethiopia.
Sinodos — — — — — — ✓ Part of the Ethiopian broader canon lists.
Book of the Covenant — — — — — — ✓ Part of the Ethiopian broader canon lists.
Ethiopic Clement — — — — — — ✓ Part of the Ethiopian broader canon lists.
Ethiopic Didascalia — — — — — — ✓ Part of the Ethiopian broader canon lists.

Ancient traditions / witnesses

Ancient witness table

This table keeps ancient textual witnesses separate from the main canon comparison. It lists major manuscript and translation streams, then summarises the books or book groups connected with each stream.

Hebrew and Second Temple witnesses

These rows group books by ancient Hebrew, Aramaic, and Second Temple textual evidence. This is evidence of transmission and use, not a church canon ruling.

Tradition / witness Books / book groups Notes
Hebrew Masoretic tradition / MT Genesis through Malachi in the Hebrew Bible arrangement Primary medieval Hebrew textual tradition behind many Old Testament editions; book order and grouping differ from Christian Old Testament order.
Dead Sea Scrolls / Qumran Most Hebrew Bible books; Tobit; Sirach; Psalm 151; 1 Enoch; Jubilees; other Second Temple texts Surviving manuscript evidence varies by book and is fragmentary in many cases.
Hebrew and Aramaic fragments outside MT Tobit; Sirach; Psalm 151; 1 Enoch; Jubilees Useful for ancient textual history, but not the same thing as later canon status.

Greek witnesses

These rows group books found in Greek Jewish and Christian manuscript streams, especially the Septuagint / LXX and related Greek traditions.

Tradition / witness Books / book groups Notes
Septuagint / LXX core Old Testament Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Kingdoms / Samuel-Kings, Chronicles, Ezra-Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Prophets Greek Old Testament tradition; names, order, and numbering often differ from English Bibles.
Septuagint / LXX wider books Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, Letter of Jeremiah, Greek Esther, Greek Daniel additions, 1 Esdras, 1-4 Maccabees, Psalm 151, Odes, Psalms of Solomon Availability and placement differ by manuscript and printed edition. Tobit has multiple Greek forms.
Greek New Testament manuscript tradition Matthew through Revelation Primary ancient-language witness stream for the New Testament; reception history varied before broad later consensus.

Ancient version witnesses

These rows group early translation traditions that preserve important evidence for how books circulated in ancient and early medieval Christian communities.

Tradition / witness Books / book groups Notes
Old Latin / Vulgate Old and New Testament books; Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, Letter of Jeremiah, Maccabees, additions to Esther and Daniel; 2 Esdras / 4 Ezra in appendix traditions Latin transmission is especially important for Western Christian Bible history and early English printed Bible traditions.
Syriac / Peshitta and related Syriac traditions Old and New Testament books; many deuterocanonical/wider books in varying Syriac usage Syriac Bible history has distinctive transmission and edition variation.
Coptic traditions Old and New Testament books; selected wider Old Testament books preserved in Coptic witnesses Important Egyptian Christian version evidence; survival varies by book and dialect.
Ethiopic tradition Old and New Testament books; 1 Enoch, Jubilees, Meqabyan, broader Ethiopian books, and other wider-canon material The Ethiopic tradition preserves the broadest well-known Christian biblical collection.
Armenian and other ancient versions Selected Old Testament, New Testament, and wider-canon books including 4 Ezra / 2 Esdras traditions Useful supporting witness streams; details vary by tradition and manuscript.

How to read this comparison

  • Original Protestant means early English Protestant Bible printings such as the Bishops’ Bible, Geneva Bible, and King James 1611. These commonly printed the Apocrypha in a separate section, not as the same status as the Old and New Testament books.
  • Current Protestant means the 66-book Old and New Testament canon commonly used in many Reformation traditions today.
  • Roman Catholic means the canon formalised in the Latin Catholic tradition, including the deuterocanonical books.
  • Greek Orthodox and Slavonic Orthodox are shown separately because Orthodox biblical collections and numbering can differ by local tradition and edition.
  • Syriac / Peshitta is shown because Syriac Bible history has distinctive Old Testament transmission and some variation in printed and ecclesial use.
  • Ethiopian Orthodox is shown because it preserves the broadest well-known Christian biblical canon, including books such as 1 Enoch and Jubilees.
  • Ancient witness table is separate from the church canon comparison. It groups major textual streams and manuscript traditions, such as the Septuagint / LXX, Hebrew Masoretic tradition, Dead Sea Scrolls, Old Latin / Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and Ethiopic evidence.