For over two hundred years, some of the books of the Bible have been removed from the holy Bible. These include the Apocalypse of Paul, the Book of Enoch, the Gospel of the Egyptians, and the Letter of Peter to Philip. Getting a better understanding of these lost books of the Bible can help you discover more about the Bible and the way God speaks to us.
Old testament
Most people are aware that some of the Old Testament books are not part of the Bible. While some of these texts are interesting and helpful, they are not considered Scripture.
There is a debate about whether or not these books are canonical. Some believe that the apocryphal books were added later in the translation process. Others think that they were excluded from the original Hebrew Bible. Whether or not they were removed from the New Testament, or the Greek version, is not clear. Regardless of the origin, they are referred to as “Apocrypha”.
Some of the best-known apocryphal books are the Letter of Jeremiah, the Psalm 151, the Song of Songs, the Book of Proverbs, the book of Ecclesiastes, and the book of Wisdom. Many of the Apocrypha books are included in the table of lessons in the King James Bible.
Apocrypha
The Apocrypha books have been removed from the Bible in recent years. This is due to several factors. One of these is the financial constraints involved in printing them. Another is the lack of Hebrew manuscripts available. Yet another is that the books don’t fit in the canonical list.
Some Protestants have made use of the Apocrypha, however. They believe that some of the books were inspired by God. However, this doesn’t prove that the books are authentic. Rather, it’s just a way for them to fill in gaps in the canon.
Historically, the Apocrypha were not included in any canonical lists until the fourth century. Many people think they were added during the translation of the Old Testament from Hebrew to Greek.
Book of Enoch
The Book of Enoch is a pseudepigraphal Jewish text that was written in the second or third century BC. It was first written in Aramaic. But the book was also written in Hebrew. This text is now found in several Dead Sea Scrolls. Some people argue that it should not be included in the Bible.
In the book of Enoch, there are several mentions of the apocalypse. The apocalypse is the event in which God brings judgment upon the world. Many will be destroyed in a great flood. Those who led the world astray will be bound in chains, and placed in an assembly place for their demise.
Letter of Peter to Philip
The Letter of Peter to Philip is one of the most brilliant works in Gnostic literature. It is a rudimentary yet powerful depiction of post-resurrection revelatory dialogue between Jesus and his disciples.
In the first part of the text, we see an interesting relationship between Peter and Paul. Peter was known for his preaching of the gospel to non-Jews. As a result, the church in Antioch was launched as a launching pad for Gentile evangelism.
At the same time, the letter of Peter to Philip explains a requiem and an enlightenment. However, the frame story of the letter is more important than the content.
Apocalypse of Paul
Apocalypse of Paul was an important text in early Christian thought. It was translated into many languages and is now part of the New Testament apocrypha. However, the orthodox church has rejected it. Hence, it is not considered canonical.
The Apocalypse of Paul is a fictionalized account of the visionary experience of Apostle Paul. He said he saw God battling for the good of his people. He was also told of an alternative hope of life after death.
The Apocalypse was written in Greek and Syriac, and was translated into Latin, Coptic, and Ethipic. Among these translations, the most important was the Latin.
Gospel of the Egyptians
One of the earliest Christian gospels, The Gospel of the Egyptians, was discovered in a Coptic manuscript in Egypt. It has been cited by many church fathers. However, it is considered too late in history to have been written by eyewitnesses. Rather, it has been compiled from quotations from other sources.
This manuscript is one of 52 papyrus manuscripts that were found in Nag Hammadi, Egypt in 1945. These texts have been dated to the second to fourth centuries AD.
Although the document has been translated and transcribed, its authenticity remains a mystery. Scholars are divided on the dating and interpretation of the text. Some claim that it was written as early as 120-150 CE, while others argue that it cannot have been written later than that.
