This, maybe generally described as the “collection of books which form the original and authoritative written rule of the faith and practice of the Christian Church,” the Old and New Testaments. The word canon, in classical Greek, is properly a straight rod, “a rule” in the widest sense, and especially in the phases “the rule of faith,” “the rule of truth.” The first direct application of the term canon to the Scriptures seems to be in the verses of Amphilochius (cir. 380 A.D.), where the word indicates the rule by which the contents of the Bible must be determined, and thus secondarily an index of the constituents books.

The un-canonical books were described simply as “those without” or “those un-canonized.” The un-canonical books were called “books of the testament, and Jerome styled the whole collection by the striking name of “the holy library,” which happily expresses the unity and variety of the Bible.

After the Maccabean persecution the history of the formation of the Canon is merged in the history of its contents. The Old Testament appears from that time as a whole. The complete Canon of the New Testament, as commonly received at present, was ratified at the third Council of Carthage (A.D. 397), and from that time was accepted throughout the Latin Church.

Respecting the books of which the Canon is composed. The books of Scripture were not made canonical by act of any council, but the council gave its sanction to the results of long and careful investigations as to what books were really of “divine authority” and expressed the un-reversible accepted decisions of the church.

The Old Testament Canon is ratified by the fact that the present Old Testament books were those accepted in the time of Christ and endorsed by him, and that of the 275 quotations of the Old Testament in the New, no book out of the Canon is quoted from excepted perhaps the words of Enoch in Jude.

After nearly forty centuries of “desperate failure,” has Satan , aided and cheerfully incited by deceitful and desperately wicked men, finally succeeded in destroying the written word of God, the Bible, as a single voice witness to his great arch enemy, our God and Savor Jesus Christ. Has the old Devil, finally brought us to the point where we are searching desperately for the true word of God? This great conflict maybe seen throughout the Bible and it forms a great and important subject of Biblical study. In each case the human instrument had his own personal interest to serve, while Satan had his own great object in view. Hence God had, in each case, to interfere and avert the evil and the dangers of which His servants and people were holy ignorant.

No where in God`s word, has He directed man to setup councils to determine what was really of “Divine” authority. This is why Paul in (2 Thessalonians 2:7), warned us that the mystery of iniquity was already working in his day.

This iniquity, and confusions of these councils can be viewed in their many letters in trying to determine what was of “Divine” authority. One year parts of the Old and New Testaments Apocrypha was admitted, and the next year, some added, and others omitted.

Canon 59. No psalms composed by private individuals nor any uncanonical books may be read in the

church, but only the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testaments. 22.Daniel. And these are the books of the New Testament:

Canon 60. [N.B.--This Canon is of most questionable genuineness.] These are all the books of Old Testament appointed to be read: 1.Genesis of the world; 2.The Exodus from Egypt; 3.Leviticus; 4.Numbers; 5.Deuteronomy; 6.Joshua, the son of Nun; 7.Judges, Ruth; 8.Esther; 9.Of the Kings, First and Second; 10.Of the Kings, Third and Fourth; 11.Chronicles, First and Second; 12.Esdras, First and Second; 13.The Book of Psalms; 14.The Proverbs of Solomon; 15.Ecclesiastes; 16.The Song of Songs; 17.Job; 18.The Twelve Prophets; 19.Isaiah; 20.Jeremiah, and Baruch, the Lamentations, and the Epistle; 21.Ezekiel; Four Gospels, according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; The Acts of the Apostles; Seven Catholic Epistles -- one of James, two of Peter, three of John, one of Jude; Fourteen Epistles of Paul - one to the Romans, two to the Corinthians, one to the Galatians, one to the Ephesians, one to the Philippians, one to the Colossians, two to the Thessalonians, one to the Hebrews, two to Timothy, one to Titus, and one to Philemon. Excerpted from Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Volume 14.

The New Testament: The Gospels (4 books), The Acts of the Apostles (1 book), The Epistles of Paul (14), The Epistles of Peter, the Apostle (2), The Epistles of John the Apostle (3), The Epistles of James the Apostle (1), The Epistle of Jude the Apostle (1), The Revelation of John (1 book)

Let this be sent to our brother and fellow bishop, [Pope] Boniface, and to the other bishops of those parts, that they may confirm this canon, for these are the things which we have received from our fathers to be read in church.

The following books were left out:

Apocryphal Acts, The Acts of Andrew, The Acts and Martyrdom of Andrew, The Acts of Andrew and Matthew, The Acts of Barnabas, The Acts of John, The Acts of John the Theologian, The Acts and Martyrdom of Matthew, The Martyrdom of Matthew, The Acts of Paul, The Acts of Peter, The Acts of Peter and Andrew, The Acts of Peter and Paul, The Acts of Philip, The Acts of Thomas, The Consummation of Thomas

Apocalyptic Texts, The Revelation of John the Theologian, The Revelation of Paul, The Apocalypse of Peter (Traditional - Not NHL), The Revelation of Stephen, The Apocalypse of Thomas, The Apocalypse of the Virgin.

Apocryphal Gospels, The Infancy Gospel of Thomas: Greek Text A, The Infancy Gospel of Thomas: Greek Text B, The Infancy Gospel of Thomas: Latin Text, A Compilation of the Thomas Texts (c. 5th Century), An Arabic Infancy Gospel, The Gospel of James, The Gospel of the Nativity of Mary, The Gospel of Mary of Bethany (or Magdalene), The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, The Gospel of Nicodemus (The Acts of Pilate), The Gospel of Bartholomew, The Gospel of Peter, The Gospel of the Lord by Marcion, The Secret Gospel of Mark

There are many others.

The Second Book of Esdras 14:44-48 In forty days ninety-four books were written. And it came to pass, when the forty days were over, that the Most High spoke to me and said, “Publish the twenty-four books that you wrote first, for the worthy and the unworthy to read, but keep the seventy books that were written last, to be hand down to the wise men among your people, for in them is the source of understanding, and the spring of wisdom, and the stream of knowledge.” And I did so, in the seventh year, in the sixth week, after five thousands years of the creation, and three months and twelve days.

The Book of Enoch 104:6-11 I will show you that light and darkness, day and night, behold all your transgressions. Be not impious in your thoughts: lie not: surrender not the word of uprightness: lie not against the word of the holy and mighty One: glorify not your idols: for all your lying and all your impiety is not for righteousness, but for great crime. Now will I point out a mystery: Many sinners shall turn and transgress against the word of uprightness. They shall speak evil things: they shall utter falsehood: create a great creation: and compose books in their own words. But when they write all my words correctly, in their own languages. They shall neither change nor diminish them: but shall write them all correctly, all which from the first I have uttered concerning them. Another mystery also I point out. To the righteous and the wise shall be given books of joy, of integrity, and of great wisdom. To them shall books be given, in which they shall believe: And in which they shall rejoice. And all the righteous shall be rewarded, who from these shall acquire the knowledge of every upright path.