The Catholic Bible contains 73 books, consisting of 46 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament. This is in contrast to the Protestant Bible, which contains 66 books total – 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books.

The Key Difference Between the Catholic and Protestant Bibles

The main difference lies in the Old Testament. The Catholic Old Testament contains 7 additional books that are not found in Protestant Bibles. These 7 books are commonly referred to as the Deuterocanonical books or the Apocrypha and consist of:

Tobit
Judith
Wisdom
Sirach
Baruch (includes the Letter of Jeremiah)
1 Maccabees
2 Maccabees

Additionally, the Catholic Old Testament contains expanded versions of the books of Esther and Daniel with additional passages not found in Protestant versions.

Why does the Catholic Bible have more books?

The contents of the Bible were formally established over the course of several early Church councils during the 4th and 5th centuries. However, even afterwards disputes continued over the canonicity of certain Old Testament books.

At the Council of Trent in 1546, the Catholic Church formally adopted the Vulgate edition of the Bible as its authorized version. This Latin translation by St. Jerome in the late 4th century included the Deuterocanonical books.

Meanwhile, during the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, reformers questioned the canon again and rejected these additional Old Testament books as non-authoritative. They based their Old Testament solely on the Jewish Masoretic Hebrew text which did not include these books.

Over time, this led to the difference between Catholic and Protestant Bible versions persisting even down to modern translations. Catholic Bibles retain these Deuterocanonical books, while Protestant translations rely solely on the Jewish Masoretic Text and exclude them.

The Authority and Value of the Deuterocanonical Books

The Catholic Church affirmed that the Deuterocanonical books are divinely inspired and therefore canonical at the Council of Trent. They are seen as integral parts of the Bible, contributing spiritual and historical value.

These books provide details regarding Jewish history, culture, and theology in the centuries leading up to Christ which enhance scriptural understanding. Several books contain profound theological messages and wisdom for Christian living.

For example, 2 Maccabees 12 highlights the importance of praying for the dead – a distinctly Catholic teaching not found elsewhere in Scripture. Overall, while not recognized by Protestants, these books have been cherished by Christians since ancient times.

Complete List of Books in the Catholic Bible

Below is the complete list of all 73 books in the Catholic Bible – 46 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament:

Old Testament (46 Books)

Pentateuch

Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy

Historical Books

Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Tobit
Judith
Esther (with additions)
1 Maccabees
2 Maccabees

Wisdom Literature

Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Songs
Wisdom
Sirach

Prophets

Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Baruch (with Letter of Jeremiah)
Ezekiel
Daniel (with additions)
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi

New Testament (27 Books)

Gospels and Acts

Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts of the Apostles

Epistles

Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews

General Epistles

James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude

Apocalypse

Revelation

The Bible is central to the Christian faith across all denominations. While Catholic and Protestant Bibles differ slightly in composition, they share the same message of God’s revelation to mankind in Christ through the gift of His Word. Understanding how the canon of Scripture was formed can enhance biblical literacy and appreciation of this precious gift the Lord has given His people.