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The Definitive Count: How Many Books Are Truly In The Bible? (73 Vs. 66 Explained)

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For centuries, the Bible has served as the foundational text for billions of people worldwide, yet a surprising and persistent question continues to spark debate: how many books does it actually contain? As of today, December 19, 2025, the answer remains complex, depending entirely on which Christian tradition you follow, with the primary difference hinging on a historic theological split that occurred during the Protestant Reformation. This article will definitively break down the book count for the major Christian Bibles, list the specific texts that cause the division, and explain the crucial historical context that created two distinct canons. The simple, yet often confusing, reality is that the number of books in the Bible is either 66 or 73, with some Eastern Orthodox traditions recognizing even more. This disparity is not due to a recent discovery or translation error, but rather a centuries-old disagreement over the contents of the Old Testament. Understanding this difference requires a deep dive into the concept of the "Biblical Canon," which is the official list of books accepted as genuinely inspired Scripture.

The Definitive Book Count: Catholic vs. Protestant

The most significant and widely recognized difference in the number of books in the Bible occurs between the Catholic and Protestant traditions. Both agree entirely on the second section, the New Testament, but they diverge sharply on the contents of the Old Testament.

The Protestant Bible: 66 Books

The Protestant Bible, used by most Evangelical and non-denominational churches, contains a total of 66 books.
  • Old Testament (Hebrew Canon): 39 Books
  • New Testament (Christian Canon): 27 Books
  • Total: 66 Books
This canon follows the traditional Jewish canon (known as the Palestinian Canon or the Masoretic Text), which was established by the Jewish rabbinic tradition after the time of Christ.

The Catholic Bible: 73 Books

The Catholic Bible, used by the Roman Catholic Church, contains a total of 73 books.
  • Old Testament (Alexandrian Canon): 46 Books
  • New Testament (Christian Canon): 27 Books
  • Total: 73 Books
The Catholic Church includes the same 39 books as the Protestant Old Testament, plus seven additional books and some extra passages within two other books. These seven texts are known as the Deuterocanonical Books.

The 7 Books That Separate the Canons (The Deuterocanonicals)

The difference of seven books is the sole reason for the 66 vs. 73 count. These texts are accepted as divinely inspired Scripture by the Catholic Church, but they are categorized as "Apocrypha" by Protestants, meaning they are considered useful for historical context or moral reading but not authoritative for doctrine.

List of the Deuterocanonical Books (Catholic Canon)

These seven books are an essential part of the Catholic Old Testament.
  1. Tobit: A narrative about a righteous Israelite named Tobit, his son Tobias, and the archangel Raphael.
  2. Judith: The story of a brave Jewish widow who saves her people by assassinating the Assyrian general Holofernes.
  3. 1 Maccabees: A historical account of the Maccabean Revolt against the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire.
  4. 2 Maccabees: A different historical and theological perspective on the same revolt, notably containing the earliest clear references to resurrection of the dead and prayer for the deceased.
  5. Wisdom (or Wisdom of Solomon): A book of wisdom literature, focusing on the nature of wisdom, justice, and the fate of the wicked.
  6. Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus): Another book of ethical teachings and practical advice, written by Jesus ben Sira.
  7. Baruch: A prophetic book attributed to Baruch, the scribe of the prophet Jeremiah.
In addition to these seven books, the Catholic canon includes two extended sections within existing books that are not found in the Protestant version:
  • Additions to the Book of Esther: Extra chapters and prayers.
  • Additions to the Book of Daniel: Including the Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Holy Children, the story of Susanna, and the story of Bel and the Dragon.

Historical Context: Why Do the Counts Differ?

To understand why these seven books were included in one tradition and excluded in another, one must look back at the origins of the Christian Bible and the historical events that shaped the canon. The core of the issue lies in the two major Old Testament canons in use during the time of Jesus and the early Church: the Palestinian Canon and the Alexandrian Canon.

The Role of the Septuagint (LXX)

The Alexandrian Canon, which is the basis for the Catholic Old Testament, is rooted in the Septuagint (LXX). The Septuagint was the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, widely used by Greek-speaking Jews and, crucially, by the early Christian community, including the Apostles. This Septuagint translation contained the Deuterocanonical books. For centuries, this was the accepted Old Testament for the Christian Church. The New Testament writers frequently quoted from the Septuagint, lending it significant authority.

The Protestant Reformation and the Palestinian Canon

The shift occurred in the 16th century during the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther and other reformers, seeking to return to the earliest sources, argued that only the books found in the original Hebrew Bible (the Palestinian Canon, which did not include the Deuterocanonicals) should be considered Scripture. * Luther's Stance: Luther moved the seven Deuterocanonical books into a separate section he called the "Apocrypha," stating they were "profitable and good to read, but not to be considered equal to the Holy Scriptures." Subsequent Protestant editions eventually removed them entirely from the main body of the Bible.

The Catholic Response: The Council of Trent

In response to the Protestant challenge, the Catholic Church formally reaffirmed its traditional canon. In 1546, the Council of Trent officially declared the 73-book list (including the Deuterocanonicals) as the authoritative and complete canon of the Catholic faith. This solidified the two distinct book counts that exist today.

Beyond 66 and 73: The Orthodox Canons

While the 66 and 73 counts dominate Western Christianity, it is important for topical authority to note that other Christian traditions have even larger Bibles, further demonstrating the historical complexity of the canon.

The Eastern Orthodox Bible: Up to 76 Books

The Eastern Orthodox Church generally accepts the 73 books of the Catholic canon, but often includes a few additional texts, bringing their total to around 76 books. These extra books can include:
  • 3 Maccabees
  • 4 Maccabees (sometimes included in an appendix)
  • 1 Esdras (or 3 Esdras)
  • The Prayer of Manasseh

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church: Up to 81 Books

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church possesses the largest and most extensive canon of all, sometimes counting up to 81 books. This includes all the Deuterocanonicals, plus unique texts such as the Book of Enoch and the Book of Jubilees, which are held in high regard and considered canonical Scripture. In conclusion, when someone asks "How many books are in the Bible?", the most accurate and up-to-date answer is that it depends on the tradition. The number is either 66 (Protestant) or 73 (Catholic), with the difference rooted in the historical acceptance or rejection of the seven Deuterocanonical books—a complex and fascinating detail of biblical history.
The Definitive Count: How Many Books Are Truly in the Bible? (73 vs. 66 Explained)
cuantos libros tiene la biblia
cuantos libros tiene la biblia

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