Christians everywhere honor the Holy Scriptures as the foundation of faith and life. The Bible is traditionally divided into two major parts: the Old Testament, which prepares for Christ, and the New Testament, which proclaims Him.

The Old Testament

While the list of Old Testament books may differ between traditions, these variations are not regarded as doctrinal disputes. Among both Catholics and Orthodox, there is a shared understanding that the Gospels stand at the heart of Scripture, followed by the rest of the New Testament, and then the Old Testament writings. The relative emphasis placed on different scriptural books reflects a hierarchy of authority within the one unified witness of the Bible. Christians generally agree on the New Testament, but the Old Testament can differ slightly between traditions. These differences are not disagreements in doctrine, but reflect different traditions of Scripture that developed over time.

The Christian Church in the East (both Orthodox and Catholic) receives the Septuagint (LXX) as the basis for the Old Testament. The Septuagint is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures made by Jewish scholars in the centuries before Christ. It was widely used in the early Church and often quoted by the apostles in the New Testament. For Eastern Christians, the LXX is not just a translation—it is a received tradition of Scripture that includes books not found in the modern Hebrew Bible.

The Christian Church in the West (Roman Catholic) also includes almost all of these same books, often referring to them as “Deuterocanonical.” These books are part of the Latin Vulgate (based upon a mix of the Septuagint and an older Hebrew version) and have been recognized as Scripture since the early centuries of the Church. Following the directive of the Second Vatican Council, modern Catholic translations of the Old Testament are based primarily on the Hebrew Masoretic Text, but give due consideration to the Septuagint, particularly where it provides insight into early Christian interpretation.

The Protestant Old Testament is based on the later Jewish canon, the Masoretic Text, which excludes the Deuterocanonical books (though the 1611 and other editions of the Authorized Version (the King Jame Version) did include them).

While the list of books may differ, this is not a source of conflict between Catholic and Orthodox Christians. There is a recognized hierarchy of scriptural authority: for example, the Gospels are central to the faith and stand above all, followed by other New Testament books like Acts of the Apostles, and then the Old Testament writings, including historical books and the books of the Maccabees.

The chart below shows how the books of the Old Testament are arranged and grouped in the Latin Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic, and Protestant traditions. The order of the books do differ slightly in different tradtions, but that is not a matter of theology. Since most English-language Bibles follow the Catholic and Protestant ordering that is what is used here. 

Listing of Books in the Old Testament

Note 1: The Fourth Book of Maccabees is also found in some lists, particularly the Apostolic Canons (Greek Church) and the Codex Claromontanus (Latin Church). 

Note 2: The 1611 King James Version was originally publisehed with the books Protestants call "apocrypha." Over time most printed editions of the KJV and daughter translations omitted them. The list of these books is: 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, Tobit, Judith, Rest of Esther, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch and the Epistle of Jeremy, Song of the Three Children, Story of Susanna, The Idol Bel and the Dragon, Prayer of Manasses, 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees.

The New Testament

All major Christian traditions—Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant—agree on the same 27 books of the New Testament. These include the four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the letters (Epistles) of Paul and other apostles, and the Book of Revelation.

Although the list of books is the same, the emphasis and interpretation can vary slightly across traditions. Catholic and Orthodox Christians, for example, recognizes a hierarchy within Scripture, where the Gospels hold the highest place, as they directly reveal the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Next in importance is the Acts of the Apostles, which records the early Church’s life and mission, followed by the apostolic epistles and finally the Book of Revelation, which, though inspired, is read with care due to its symbolic and prophetic nature.

The New Testament canon was recognized early in the life of the Church and was formally affirmed in Church councils by the fourth century. Because of this universal agreement, there is no difference in the books of the New Testament between the Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Bibles.

Below is the full list of New Testament books as recognized by all Christian traditions:

• The Gospels
  • Matthew
  • Mark
  • Luke
  • John
• Acts of the Apostles
  • Acts of the Apostles
• New Testament Letters
  • Romans
  • 1 Corinthians
  • 2 Corinthians
  • Galatians
  • Ephesians
  • Philippians
  • Colossians
  • 1 Thessalonians
  • 2 Thessalonians
  • 1 Timothy
  • 2 Timothy
  • Titus
  • Philemon
  • Hebrews
• Catholic Letters
  • James
  • 1 Peter
  • 2 Peter
  • 1 John
  • 2 John
  • 3 John
  • Jude
• Revelation
  • Revelation

Note: The arrangement and number of biblical books differ slightly between traditions, but the core message of salvation through Jesus Christ is shared. Within the Catholic and Orthodox tradition, Scripture is read with reverence and understood within the living tradition of the Church, with the Gospels always occupying the highest place.

Images: The top image is a bible open to Psalm 23. The lower image is a portion of the Gospel of Saint John from Vaticanus.

For those new to the Bible, choosing a translation can feel overwhelming. There are dozens of English versions, each with its own style, vocabulary, and approach to the original languages. Which one should you choose?

The good news is that the Church—East and West—has long affirmed that many translations can faithfully convey the Word of God, provided they are accurate, complete, and interpreted within the mind of the Church.

Below are several recommended translations, grouped by language style, with notes on their background and character. These are all suitable for personal reading, prayer, and study. There are, of course, many other translations you might choose. And some of the details (such as the text basis of the Old and New Testaments) might be unnecessary for the new reader. Perhaps these readers might just choose based upon the style.

Modern Language Translations

Revised Standard Version – Second Catholic Edition (RSV-2CE)
A beloved and balanced translation, the RSV-2CE maintains dignified English while using clear, accessible language. It is closely based on the traditional RSV, with revisions to conform to Catholic usage (including restored "sacred" vocabulary). It includes the full canon of Scripture and is widely used in Catholic study materials, as well as liturgical texts in the Ordinariate.
🟢 Old Testament Base: Primarily Masoretic with Septuagint comparisons
🟢 New Testament Base: Revised from the 1946 RSV NT (originally based on Nestle-Aland 17/21)
🟢 Style: Formal equivalence (word-for-word), clear, literary
Read RSV-CE at BibleGateway (this is the first edition with traditional language, the second edition is not available online)

Orthodox Study Bible (OSB)
This edition features the Old Testament translated from the Septuagint, which is the version traditionally used by the Eastern Churches. The New Testament is based on the New King James Version (NKJV), which reflects the Byzantine text-type through the Textus Receptus. It is currently the most accessible English Bible aligned with Eastern / Byzantine Christian tradition. Includes commentary and liturgical notes.
🟢 Old Testament Base: Septuagint (Rahlfs)
🟢 New Testament Base: Textus Receptus (via NKJV) with updates to the Received Greek New Testament
🟢 Style: Moderately traditional language, devotional tone
Order the OSB at Ancient Faith Store

New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
This is the official English translation for the United States published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. It features modern language and includes extensive notes for historical and theological context. While the translation is readable and academically grounded, some may find the style less poetic. Some Eastern Catholics also use this or an earlier version of this Bible in thier lectionary. 
🟢 Old Testament Base: Masoretic Text with some Septuagint influence
🟢 New Testament Base: Nestle-Aland (critical Greek text, Alexandrian type)
🟢 Style: Dynamic equivalence (thought-for-thought), scholarly, pastoral
Read NABRE at USCCB

English Standard Version – Catholic Edition (ESV-CE)
A recent Catholic adaptation of the ESV, known for its elegant, modern prose and clarity. This version includes the full Catholic canon, though the Old Testament is translated from the Masoretic Text. The New Testament closely follows the Nestle-Aland 27th edition. It is growing in popularity for Bible study and personal devotion.
🟢 Old Testament Base: Masoretic Text with some Septuagint influence where necessary
🟢 New Testament Base: Nestle-Aland 27 (via RSV & ESV revisions)
🟢 Style: Formal equivalence, smooth and precise English
Read ESV at esv.org (Catholic edition not available online)

Traditional or “Elevated” English Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
The traditional English Catholic Bible, translated from the Latin Vulgate. Its language is stately, poetic, and rooted in the same Elizabethan English style as the King James Version. It remains a favorite for those who love traditional forms of prayer and older liturgical expressions.
🟢 Old Testament Base: Latin Vulgate (derived from LXX and early Hebrew texts)
🟢 New Testament Base: Latin Vulgate (informed by older Greek manuscripts)
🟢 Style: Elevated, reverent, literary
Read Douay-Rheims at DRBO.org

Brenton’s Septuagint (Old Testament only)
This is the classic 19th-century English translation of the Greek Septuagint. It’s especially valued by those who want to study the Old Testament as it was received by the early Church and quoted in the New Testament. While the English is dated, it remains useful for comparison and deeper study.
🟢 Old Testament Base: Septuagint
🟢 New Testament: Not included
🟢 Style: 19th-century formal English, academic tone
Read Brenton's LXX at Elpenor

Final Advice

Choose a Bible you will actually read. If you are more drawn to poetic, traditional English, choose a translation that resonates with that voice. If you prefer clarity and accessibility, begin with a modern-language edition. Each of these recommended translations is trustworthy, faithful to the Church’s tradition, and suitable for prayerful reading.

Consider reading the Gospels first—especially Luke or John—and return often to the Psalms. The most important step is not finding the “perfect” Bible, but opening it with faith, reverence, and a desire to meet the living God.

If you desire to read the Holy Scriptures together with the larger Church, consider following the Byzantine Lectionary. Or there are numerous online resources you can utilize, such as the popular "The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)" from Ascension Press (also available from all major podcasters).

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
—Psalm 119:105

Start over: Part 1 – What Is the Bible? →

Explore All Sections

• Part 1 – What Is the Bible?
• Part 2 – The Structure of the Bible
• Part 3 – Inspiration and How to Read the Bible
• Part 4 – Tradition and the Role of the Church
• Part 5 – The Bible in the Life of the Church
• Part 6 – Why Bibles Differ – Canon and History
• Part 7 – Which Bible Should I Read?

Why Bibles Differ – Canon and History

One of the most common questions people ask when exploring the Bible is: Why do some Bibles have different books? The answer lies in the history of how the Bible was formed and transmitted, especially in the early centuries of the Church.

While all Christian traditions agree on the core content of the Bible—especially the New Testament—there are some differences in the Old Testament canon, based on the particular textual traditions and liturgical practices that shaped the churches of the East and the West.

The Old Testament and the Septuagint

Before the time of Christ, Jewish communities in the Greek-speaking world translated their Scriptures into Greek. This translation, known as the Septuagint (LXX), included not only the books found in the later standardized Hebrew canon, but also several additional writings—books like Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, Tobit, Judith, and 1 & 2 Maccabees.

The early Church, which spread rapidly throughout the Greek-speaking world, adopted the Septuagint as its primary version of the Old Testament. This is the version most frequently quoted by the New Testament authors themselves. As a result, the Septuagint-based canon became the standard in both Eastern and Western Christianity.

Later, in the first centuries after Christ, most Jewish communities narrowed their canon to what is now called the Masoretic Text, a more limited Hebrew version. While this text became authoritative in most of Judaism, the Church continued to use the fuller canon received through the Septuagint.

Until the 20th century, Western (Roman) Catholic versions of the Old Testament were translated primarily from the Latin Vulgate, rather than from the Septuagint or the Masoretic Text. The Vulgate itself was based on a combination of sources, including the Septuagint, a pre-Masoretic Hebrew text, and the Old Latin versions. In 1943, Pope Pius XII issued the encyclical Divino Afflante Spiritu, which directed that translations of the Holy Scriptures should henceforth be made not from the Latin, but from the original language texts. As a result, modern Western Catholic translations began using the Masoretic Text as the base for the Old Testament—yet often still incorporate and compare it with the Septuagint, recognizing its historical and theological importance.

Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Canons

By the fourth century, the Church had largely settled on the canon of Scripture used in worship and teaching, including the fuller Septuagint tradition of the Old Testament. This canon was reaffirmed at later councils—both in the East and in the West.

During the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, Reformers chose to align the Old Testament with the shorter Masoretic Text, removing the so-called “Deuterocanonical” books from their Bibles. These are the books still present in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles but absent from most Protestant editions.

The Catholic Bible includes 46 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books, for a total of 73.
The Orthodox Bible includes a similar core, but may include up to 49 Old Testament books, depending on the particular tradition. Most Eastern Catholic Churches have the same biblical texts as their corresponding Orthodox Churches.
The Protestant Bible typically includes 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books, for a total of 66.

Though the number of books may differ, all Christian traditions affirm the New Testament in its entirety. These variations in the Old Testament canon do not affect the core of the Christian faith, as the Church has always given primacy to the Gospels, followed by the rest of the New Testament, and then the Old Testament writings as a whole.

“The sacred and inspired Scriptures are sufficient to declare the truth.”
—St. Athanasius

One Faith, One Story

The differences in the biblical canon do not divide the core of the Christian faith. All Christians revere the Bible as the Word of God and look to it for guidance, truth, and salvation.

The Church, in both East and West, continues to read the Scriptures as a unified story of God's love—from creation, to the covenant with Israel, to the fulfillment in Jesus Christ and the life of the Church.

The different canons reflect historical developments, linguistic contexts, and liturgical needs—but they do not change the essential message of salvation. The Bible remains, in every tradition, a gift from the Holy Spirit and a treasure of the Church.

“Continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
—2 Timothy 3:14–15

Part 7 – Which Bible Should I Read? →

Explore All Sections

• Part 1 – What Is the Bible?
• Part 2 – The Structure of the Bible
• Part 3 – Inspiration and How to Read the Bible
• Part 4 – Tradition and the Role of the Church
• Part 5 – The Bible in the Life of the Church
• Part 6 – Why Bibles Differ – Canon and History
• Part 7 – Which Bible Should I Read?

The Bible is not only studied—it is lived. In the Church, East and West, the Scriptures are woven into every part of Christian life: in the liturgy, in personal prayer, in the formation of conscience, and in the proclamation of the Gospel.

The Church does not treat the Bible as a book of the past. Rather, it is read, sung, prayed, and preached every day, as the living Word of God that nourishes the people of God in every generation.

“To get the full flavor of an herb, it must be pressed between the fingers. So it is with the Scriptures: the more frequently we are in them, the more the flavor, the better the taste.”
—St. John Chrysostom

Proclaimed in the Liturgy

In every liturgical celebration—especially the Divine Liturgy (or Mass)—the Scriptures are at the center. The Church reads from the Old and New Testaments, not merely to inform, but to allow Christ to speak directly to His people. Each and every liturgical service - such as Vespers, Matins and the Hours of the Day - contain texts woven from the Scriptures.

The Eastern Churches follow an annual lectionary centered on the liturgical calendar, with Gospel readings appointed for each Sunday and feast. Old Testament readings are featured at Vespers, especially on major feasts. The Western Church follows a three-year lectionary cycle, offering a broad and rich reading of the entire Bible over time.

Whether East or West, the purpose is the same: to allow the faithful to hear the full story of salvation, in harmony with the seasons of the Church’s life.

Sung and Prayed in the Services

In the Church's daily services—Vespers, Matins, the Hours, and more—the Psalms and other Scripture passages are constantly present. In the East, the Psalter is often read in full every week. In the West, the Liturgy of the Hours draws heavily from Scripture, especially the Psalms, Canticles, and Readings.

When we pray with the Bible, we are not simply reading about God; we are speaking to God with His own words. The words of the prophets, the songs of the psalmist, and the parables of Christ become our own prayer.

Forming the Heart and Mind

The Bible also shapes Christian thought and daily life. Through regular reading and reflection, believers grow in knowledge, love, and trust in God. The Church encourages everyone—clergy and laity alike—to be familiar with Scripture and to allow it to form their conscience and decisions.

Fathers and mothers, teachers and preachers, monks and laypeople alike have drawn strength from Scripture to guide their lives. In the East and West alike, the saints are living examples of what happens when Scripture is not only read, but obeyed.

“The Holy Scriptures lead us to all that is good and away from evil. They train us in piety and discipline, and give peace to the soul.”
—St. Basil the Great

A Shared Word

Though the Church includes many cultures, languages, and traditions, all are united around the one Word of God. Whether it is chanted in Greek, read in Latin, proclaimed in English, or whispered in silence, the Bible speaks with the same divine voice to all the faithful.

It is through the life of the Church that the Scriptures continue to be not only a text, but a living presence. In every liturgy, every prayer, and every heart turned to God, the Word continues to be spoken.

“So shall My word be that goes out from My mouth: it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
—Isaiah 55:11

Next: Part 6 – Why Bibles Differ – Canon and History →

Explore All Sections

• Part 1 – What Is the Bible?
• Part 2 – The Structure of the Bible
• Part 3 – Inspiration and How to Read the Bible
• Part 4 – Tradition and the Role of the Church
• Part 5 – The Bible in the Life of the Church
• Part 6 – Why Bibles Differ – Canon and History
• Part 7 – Which Bible Should I Read?