ASH · Virtual classroom · Course 02 of 03
Christian
Canon
Explore the Old and New Testaments, the great biblical translations, and the collections received by different Christian traditions.
Introduction
The Christian Canon gathers the texts recognized as Scripture across the various Christian traditions, structured into the Old and New Testaments. While sharing a common framework, it presents variations among major confessions, reflecting different historical and theological criteria of formation.
First Testament
Old Testament
Law, history, wisdom and prophecy: Israel’s Scriptures as received in Christian traditions.
Explore the biblical books and the interlinear resources available on ASH.
Study the Old Testament →Second Testament
New Testament
The Gospels, Acts, Letters and Revelation: Jesus and the witness of the earliest Christian communities.
Begin with a Gospel, then follow the growth and teaching of the early Church.
Study the New Testament →Related literature
Apocryphal Scriptures
Explore writings whose reception and canonical status differ across religious traditions.
A field of comparative study, not a third Testament.
Explore apocryphal writings →“Old Testament” is a Christian designation. The Tanakh retains its own Jewish organisation and interpretative traditions.
Inside the New Testament
The 27-book collection received by Catholic, Protestant and Eastern Orthodox churches has four main groups.
4 + 1 + 21 + 1 = 27 booksGospels
The life, teaching and mission of Jesus.
Show the 4 books
- Matthew
- Mark
- Luke
- John
Acts of the Apostles
The witness and journeys of the early Christian community.
One book within the New Testament.
Apostolic Letters
Teaching, encouragement and practical questions of community life.
Show the 21 books
- 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
Apocalyptic imagery, judgement and hope.
One book within the New Testament.
Two influential translations
A canon identifies a collection of recognised books; a translation concerns their wording in another language.
Greek · LXX
Septuagint
The Septuagint, identified by the Roman numeral LXX — an ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures produced mainly between the 3rd and 1st centuries BC, widely used in Hellenistic Judaism and early Christianity.
The name derives from the Latin for “seventy”. The collection developed over time, rather than as one simultaneous translation.
Explore the Septuagint →Latin · Western tradition
Vulgate
Latin translation of the Bible traditionally attributed to Jerome (4th–5th century), which became the biblical text of the Western Christian tradition.
Its history includes Jerome’s revisions and translations alongside work transmitted by other hands.
Explore the Vulgate →Why the numbers differ
66 and 73 books
The usual Protestant count is 39 + 27 = 66; the Catholic count is 46 + 27 = 73. The difference concerns the Old Testament, including books Catholics call deuterocanonical.
Orthodox traditions
Eastern Orthodox collections draw on the Septuagint tradition. The broader Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo canon is a distinct case: its church lists 81 books, including 35 New Testament books. One total cannot represent every Orthodox tradition.
Structure and reference sheet
Texts, terminology and book counts to consult as you study.
Complete comparative reference 13 entries · Testaments, traditions and terminology
| Element | Description | Term | Books | Characteristic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Bible | Canonical collection of Christian Scriptures | Biblia | 66 Protestant; 73 Catholic; other traditions vary | Divided into Old and New Testament |
| Old Testament | Texts prior to Jesus, largely derived from the Tanakh | Vetus Testamentum | 39 Protestant; 46 Catholic; Orthodox counts vary | Structured into Pentateuch, historical, wisdom, and prophetic books |
| New Testament | Texts concerning the life and teachings of Jesus | Novum Testamentum | 27 | Shared by Catholic, Protestant and Eastern Orthodox churches; broader Ethiopian canon noted below |
| Gospels | Narratives of the life and mission of Jesus | Evangelia | 4 | Matthew, Mark, Luke, John |
| Acts of the Apostles | History of the early Christian community | Actus Apostolorum | 1 | Transition from Jesus to the Church |
| Apostolic Letters | Doctrinal and pastoral writings | Epistolae | 21 | Pauline and general epistles |
| Revelation | Apocalyptic and prophetic text | Apocalypsis | 1 | Symbolic vision of the end |
| Catholic Canon | Catholic collection of the Old and New Testaments | – | 73 | Includes deuterocanonical books |
| Protestant Canon | Old Testament books correspond to the Hebrew canon; includes the New Testament | – | 66 | Does not count the deuterocanonical books as canonical |
| Eastern Orthodox Canon | Version based on the Septuagint | Septuaginta | Varies by church and method of counting | Includes additional books beyond the Catholic canon |
| Deuterocanonical Books | Books included in the Catholic canon but not in the Hebrew canon | – | 7 books, plus additions to Esther and Daniel | Not canonical in Protestant tradition; sometimes read for instruction |
| Language | Original languages of the texts | – | – | Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek |
| Structure | Internal organization of the texts | – | – | Theological and thematic order |
Counting with care. Totals depend on the tradition and on how texts are grouped. The 27-book New Testament above is the common collection specified here; the broader Ethiopian canon includes additional writings. “81” is not a single count for all Orthodox Bibles.
Study in three steps
- Begin with a textChoose a Gospel or an Old Testament book. Read a complete passage and identify its genre.
- Locate its contextAsk who is speaking, who is addressed and what question the passage responds to.
- Compare with careDistinguish the text, its translation and its interpretation within a particular Christian tradition.
