Family Devo: “LOST” BOOKS OF THE BIBLE?


Please read the text and briefly discuss it together. Some discussion-starter questions are provided. Then read the closing text as a guide to your family prayer and finish by praying together and singing a hymn.

When people talk about the “lost books of the Bible,” they usually mean one of two things. One of them is what we call the Apocrypha, which is a list of books kind of like Bible books but not actual Bible books that are included in some Bibles. These books were written in the time between the Old and New Testaments. They were part of the Greek Old Testament, a translation of the Hebrew version, called the Septuagint, which many early Christians used. The word “Apocrypha” means “hidden away” in Greek, which makes sense because they were kept separate and apart from the Holy Spirit-inspired Scriptures from ancient times.

The Apocrypha includes books like Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, Baruch, 1 and 2 Maccabees, 3 and 4 Maccabees, 1 Esdras, the Prayer of Manasseh, Psalm 151, and the Odes. These books are different kinds of stories and teachings. Some tell history, like how the Jewish people fought against the pagan Greek Seleucid rulers, while others give advice on how to live a good life or are prayers and songs used in ancient worship. They help us understand what life was like for Jewish people before Jesus was born.

We don't consider these books part of the official Bible because the ancient Jewish people didn't include them, and we inherited the Old Testament from them. But reading them can still be helpful. They teach us about the history and culture of Jewish people back then, which helps us understand the Bible's New Testament better. Even though they're not considered sacred scripture, they can still teach us a lot about history, offer spiritual thoughts, and give us a fuller picture of our faith's history. Plan to read them someday, but read all 66 books of the Bible first.

Discuss:

• What does apocrypha mean in Greek and why?

• What can the apocryphal books offer us if we choose to read them?

• Why should we all read all 66 books of the Bible before we read the Apocrypha?

This week, we learned a little about the Apocrypha, which some call hidden books of the Bible, even though they were never really hidden. Let’s pray together and ask the Lord to bless us all with growing knowledge and discernment of the truth and ask His blessings on the coming New Year. 

—JLP


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