A list of books in the KJV Bible, read by many for 274 years, were suddenly removed in 1885.
Deuteronomy 4:2
2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.
The collective name assigned to the books that were removed is, “Apocrypha”, meaning: those that were hidden. Generally, the term is applied to writings that were not part of the canon because they are not considered genuine.
Timothy 3:16-17
16: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 17: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Here is the list of what was removed:
1 Esdras (Vulgate 4 Esdras)
Book of Tobit (the Vulgate, and Luther call it “Tobias”)
Book of Judith (“Judeth” in Geneva)
Book of Wisdom
Ecclesiasticus (also known as Sirach)
Baruch and the Epistle of Jeremy (“Jeremiah” in Geneva) (all part of Vulgate Baruch)
Song of the Three Children (Vulgate Daniel 3:24–90)
Story of Susanna (Vulgate Daniel 13)
The Idol Bel and the Dragon (Vulgate Daniel 14)
Prayer of Manasses (Daniel)
1 Maccabees
2 Maccabees
The Ethiopian and Roman Catholic Bibles still currently have these books in the Old Testament. They do not call them Apocrypha.
The most popular Bible at the time of Jesus was the Greek Septuagint version – which included the extra books.
Why did this happen?
In 1885 two critics, Brooke Westcott and Fenton Hort had 14 books removed from the Bible. The Catholics ignored Westcott and Hort, but the Protestants and the Anglicans obeyed.
This was not the dark ages, they had electricity, automobiles, engines, etc. This was a modern-day removal of 14 books from God’s Word because they felt those books needed to go.
Your KJV Bible was altered by these two men.
Where are we today with the Old Testament?
- The Orthodox Bible has 51 books
- The Protestant Bible, (such as the King James), has 39 books
- The Catholic Bible contains 46 books
- The Jewish Bible (Tanakh) has 24 books
- The Ethiopian Bible has all original books (full count)
The KJV Bible speaks of many unknown books:
- Book of the Covenant – Exodus 24:7
- Book of the Wars of the Lord – Numbers 21:14
- Book of Jasher – Joshua 10: 13, 2 Samuel 1:18
- The Manner of the Kingdom / Book of Statutes – 1 Samuel 10:25
- Book of Samuel the Seer – 1 Chronicles 29:29
- Nathan the Prophet – 1 Chronicles 29:29, 2 Chronicles 9:29
- Acts of Solomon – 1 Kings 11:41
- Shemaiah the Prophet – 2 Chronicles 12:15
- Prophecy of Abijah – 2 Chronicles 9:29
- Story of Prophet Iddo – 2 Chronicles 13:22
- Visions of Iddo the Seer –2 Chronicles 9:29
- Iddo Genealogies – 2 Chronicles 12:15
- Book of Jehu – 2 Chronicles 20:34
- Sayings of the Seers – 2 Chronicles 33:19
- Book of Enoch – Jude 1:14
- Book of Gad the Seer – 1 Chronicles 29:29
- Epistle to Corinth – 1 Corinthians 5:9
- The Annals of King David – 1 Chronicles 27:24
According to biblical scholars, as many as twenty gospels were not included or banned from inclusion. Among these are the gospel of Thomas, Mary Magdalene, Matthias, Perfection, Bartholomew, Nazarenes, and the book of Hebrews.
Some additional books not included in the new testament are The Epistle of Barnabas, Shepherd of Hermas, The Didache, the lost epistle and the third letter to the Corinthians. There are several more.