Table of Contents
The Quinisext Œcumenical Council held in Trullo receives certain other Councils & Fathers which enumerated the books of Sacred Scripture.
Besides those always received as the New Testament, these canons rather explicitly list for the Old Testament those books found in the Septuagint, and at any rate those alsk named in the Masoretic are deficient from the Septuagint versions used by the Councils & Fathers.
It should be known the Apocalypse was generally not counted as Scripture—and still now is never read in the Church—until St. Andrew of Crete gave an interpretation of it.
Quinisext Œcumenical Council
6201 AM.
Canon 2:
It has also seemed good to this holy council, that the eighty-five canons, received & ratified by the Holy & Blessed Fathers before us, and also handed down to us in the name of the Holy & Glorious Apostles, should from this time forth remain firm & unshaken for the cure of souls & the healing of disorders. And in these canons we are bidden to receive the Constitutions of the Holy Apostles by Clement. But formerly through the agency of those who erred from the Faith certain adulterous matter was introduced, clean contrary to piety, for the polluting of the Church, which obscures the elegance & beauty of the divine decrees in their present form. We therefore reject these Constitutions so as the better to make sure of the edification & security of the most Christian flock; by no means admitting the offspring of heretical error, and cleaving to the pure & perfect doctrine of the Apostles.
But we set our seal likewise upon all the other holy canons set forth by our Holy & Blessed Fathers, that is,
by the three hundred & eighten Holy God-bearing Fathers assembled at Nicæa,
and those at Ancyra,
further those at Neocæsarea
and likewise those at Gangra,
and besides, those at Antioch in Syria:
those too at Laodicea in Phrygia:
and likewise the one hundred & fifty who assembled in this heaven-protected royal city:
and the two hundred who assembled the first time in the metropolis of the Ephesians,
and the six hundred & thirty Holy & Blessed Fathers at Chalcedon.
In like manner those of Sardica,
and those of Carthage:
those also who again assembled in this heaven-protected royal city under its bishop Nectarius & Theophilus Archbishop of Alexandria.
Likewise too the Canons [i.e. the decretal letters] of Dionysius, formerly Archbishop of the great city of Alexandria;
and of Peter, Archbishop of Alexandria & Martyr;
of Gregory the Wonder-worker, Bishop of Neocæsarea;
of Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria;
of Basil, Archbishop of Cæsarea in Cappadocia;
of Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa;
of Gregory the Theologian;
of Amphilochius of Iconium:
of Timothy, Archbishop of Alexandria;
of Theophilus, Archbishop of the same great city of Alexandria;
of Cyril, Archbishop of the same Alexandria;
of Gennadius, Patriarch of this heaven-protected royal city.
Moreover the canon set forth by Cyprian, Archbishop of the country of the Africans & Martyr, and by the synod under him, which has been kept only in the country of the aforesaid Bishops, according to the custom delivered down to them.
Council of Laodicea
5852 AM.
Canon 60:
These are all the books of Old Testament appointed to be read:
j. Genesis of the world;
ij. the Exodus from Ægypt;
iij. Leviticus;
iv. Numbers;
v. Deuteronomy;
vi. Joshua, the son of Navi;
vij. Judges, Ruth;
viij. Esther;
ix. of the Kings, First & Second;
x. of the Kings, Third & Fourth;
xi. Chronicles, First & Second;
xij. Esdras, First & Second;
xiij. the Book of Psalms;
xiv. the Proverbs of Solomon;
xv. Ecclesiastes;
xvi. the Song of Songs;
xvij. Job;
xviij. the Twelve Prophets;
xix. Esaias;
xx. Jeremias, & Baruch, the Lamentations, & the Epistle;
xxi. Ezechiel;
xxij. Daniel.
And these are the books of the New Testament:
Four Gospels, according to
Matthew,
Mark,
Luke
and John;
the Acts of the Apostles;
Seven Catholic Epistles, to wit,
j. of James,
ij. of Peter,
iij. of John,
j. of Jude;
Fourteen Epistles of Paul,
j. to the Romans,
ij. to the Corinthians,
j. to the Galatians,
j. to the Ephesians,
j. to the Philippians,
j. to the Colossians,
ij. to the Thessalonians,
j. to the Hebrews,
ij. to Timothy,
j. to Titus,
and i.to Philemon.
Council of Carthage
5906 AM.
Canon 27:
That besides the canonical Scriptures nothing be read in Church under the name of divine Scripture. But the canonical Scriptures are as follows:
Genesis.
Exodus.
Leviticus.
Numbers.
Deuteronomy.
Joshua the Son of Navi.
The Judges.
Ruth.
The Kings, iv. books.
The Chronicles, ij. books.
Job.
The Psalter.
The Five books of Solomon [i.e. Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Wisdom, & Psalms].
The Twelve Books of the Prophets.
Esaias.
Jeremias.
Ezechiel.
Daniel.
Tobit.
Judith.
Esther.
Esdras, ij. books.
Macchabees, ij. books.
The Gospels, iv. books.
The Acts of the Apostles, j. book.
The Epistles of Paul, xiv.
The Epistles of Peter, the Apostle, ij.
The Epistles of John the Apostle, iij.
The Epistles of James the Apostle, i.
The Epistle of Jude the Apostle, i.
Let this be sent to our brother and fellow bishop, 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 Apocalypse was added at a subsequent council in 5928 AM.
St. Athanasius the Great
As the heretics are quoting apocryphal writings, an evil which was rife even as early as when St. Luke wrote his gospel, therefore I have thought good to set forth clearly what books have been received by us through tradition as belonging to the canon, and which we believe to be divine.
For there are in all twenty-two books of the Old Testament.
Genesis,
Exodus,
Leviticus,
Numbers,
Deuteronomy.
After this comes Joshua,
and Judges,
and Ruth.
The four books of the Kings, counted as two.
Then Chronicles, counted the two as one.
Then First & Second Esdras.
After these Psalms,
Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes,
and the Song of Songs.
To these follow Job,
and the Twelve Prophets, counted as one book.
Then Esaias,
Jeremias together with the Epistle of Baruch, the Lamentations,
Ezechiel,
and Daniel.
Continuing, I must without hesitation mention the scriptures of the New Testament; they are the following: the four Gospels according to
Matthew,
Miark,
Luke,
and John,
after them the Acts of the Apostles
and the seven so-called catholic epistles of the apostles—namely,
j. of James,
ij. of Peter,
then iij. of John
and after these j. of Jude.
In addition there are fourteen epistles of the apostle Paul written in the following order:
the first to the Romans,
then ij. to the Corinthians
ane then after these the j. to the Galatians,
following it the j. to the Ephesians,
thereafter the j. to the Philippians
the j. to the Colossians
and ij. to the Thessalonians
and the epistle to the Hebrews
and then immediately ij. to Timothy,
j. to Titus
and lastly the j. to Philemon.
Yet further the Apocalypse of John.
… I also add for further accuracy that there are certain other books, not edited in the canon, but established by the Fathers, to be read by those who have just come to us and wish to be instructed in the doctrine of piety.
The Wisdom of Solomon,
the Wisdom of Sirach,
Esther,
Judith,
Tobit,
the Doctrine of the Apostles [Didache]
and the Pastor [Shepherd of Hermas].
St. Gregory the Theologian
The divine oracles should always on the tongue & in the mind be rehearsed. For God will indeed give a reward for this labor, so that you may obtain light from anything hidden, or, what is far better, that you may be spurred by God to greater purity, & thirdly, be called away from the cares of the world by such study. But let not extraneous books seduce your mind. For many malignant writings have been disseminated. Accept, friend, this my approved number. These are all twelve of the historical books, of the most ancient Hebrew wisdom:
First there is Genesis,
then Exodus,
Leviticus too.
Then Numbers,
and Deuteronomy.
Then Joshua
and the Judges.
Ruth is eighth.
The ninth & tenth books, the acts of Kings,
and, eleventh, Chronicles.
Last you have Esdras.
The poetic books are five:
Job being first,
then the Psalter of David;
and iij. of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, Canticles & Proverbs.
And similarly five of prophetic inspiration.
There are the Twelve written in one book: Osee & Amos, & Micæus the third; then Joel, and Jonas, Abdias, Naum also, and Abacuc, and Sophonias, Aggæus, then Zacharias, and Malachius. All these ar e one.
The second is of Esaias.
Then the one called as an infant, Jeremias,
then Ezechiel,
and the gift of Daniel.
I count therefore, twenty-two of the ancient books, corresponding to the number of the Hebrew letters. Now count also those of the new mystery.
Matthew wrote the miracles of Christ for the Hebrews,
Mark for Italy,
Luke for Greece;
John for all, the great herald, who walked in the heavens.
Then the Acts of the wise Apostles.
Of Paul there are fourteen epistles.
And the seven catholic, j. of James, ij. of Peter, iij. of John also; and Jude is the seventh.
You have them all. And if there are any beyond these, they are not genuine.
St. Amphilochius of Iconium
But this especially for you to learn is fitting: not every book is safe which has acquired the venerable name of Scripture. For there appear from time to time pseudonymous books, some of which are intermediate or neighbours, as one might say, to the words of truth, while others are spurious & utterly unsafe, like counterfeit & spurious coins which bear the king’s inscription, but as regards their material are base forgeries. For this reason I will state for you the divinely inspired books one by one, so that you may learn them clearly. I will first recite those of the Old Testament.
The Pentateuch has
Genesis,
then Exodus,
and Leviticus, the middle book,
after which is Numbers,
then Deuteronomy.
Add to these Joshua,
and Judges,
then Ruth,
and of Kingdoms iv. books,
and the double team of Chronicles;
after these, Esdras, one & then the second.
Then I would review for you five in verse:
Job, crowned in the contests of many sufferings,
and the Book of Psalms, soothing remedy for the soul,
three of Solomon the Wise:
Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes,
Song of Songs.
Add to these the Twelve Prophets, Osee first, then Amos the second, Micæus, Joel, Abdias, and the type of Him Who three days suffered, Jonas, Naum after those, and Abacuc; and ninth, Sophonias, Aggæus, and Zacharias, and twice-named angel Malachius.
After these prophets learn yet another four:
The great and fearless Esaias,
the sympathetic Jeremias,
and mysterious Ezechiel,
and finally Daniel, most wise in his deeds and words.
With these, some approve the inclusion of Esther.
Time now for me to recite the books of the New Testament. Accept only four Evangelists,
Matthew,
then Mark,
to which Luke as third add;
count John in time as fourth, but first in sublimity of dogma. Son of Thunder rightly he is called, who loudly sounded forth the Word of God.
Accept from Luke a second book also, that of the catholic Acts of the Apostles.
Add to these besides that Chosen Vessel, Herald of the Gentiles, the Apostle Paul, writing in wisdom to the churches twice seven epistles,
- j. to the Romans,
to which must be added ij. to the Corinthians,
and that to the Galatians,
and to the Ephesians,
after which there is the j. to the Philippians,
then those written to the Colossians,
to the Thessalonians ij.,
ij. to Timothy,
and to Titus
and Philemon j. each,
and to the Hebrews i.
Some call that to the Hebrews spurious, but they say it not well; for the grace is genuine. What then is left? Of the Catholic epistles some say seven, others only three must be accepted:
j. of James,
j. of Peter,
j. of John,
otherwise
iij. of John,
and with them ij. of Peter,
and also Jude’s, the seventh.
The Apocalypse of John,
again, some approve, but most will call it spurious. This would be the most unerring canon of the divinely inspired Scriptures.
Scripture