Scripture in the Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Bible
What Bible do Orthodox Christians use? Learn how many books are in the Orthodox Bible, why the Septuagint matters, and how the Eastern Orthodox canon compares with Catholic and Protestant Bibles.
The Short Answer
The Eastern Orthodox Bible contains 76 books — 49 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. The Old Testament follows the Greek Septuagint, the translation used by the Apostles and quoted throughout the New Testament, which is why it includes books such as Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, and the Maccabees that Protestant Bibles omit.
Orthodox vs. Catholic vs. Protestant Canon
| Tradition | OT | NT | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Orthodox | 49 (Septuagint-based) | 27 | Includes Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, 1–3 Maccabees, and Psalm 151. |
| Roman Catholic | 46 | 27 | Includes most of the same books, but not 3 Maccabees, 1 Esdras, or Psalm 151. |
| Protestant | 39 (Masoretic-based) | 27 | Omits the deuterocanonical books entirely, following the Hebrew canon. |
Books of the Orthodox Bible
Old Testament — 49 books
The Law (Pentateuch) — 5
- Genesis
- Exodus
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Deuteronomy
History — 16
- Joshua
- Judges
- Ruth
- 1 Kingdoms (1 Samuel)
- 2 Kingdoms (2 Samuel)
- 3 Kingdoms (1 Kings)
- 4 Kingdoms (2 Kings)
- 1 Chronicles
- 2 Chronicles
- 1 Esdras
- 2 Esdras (Ezra–Nehemiah)
- Tobit
- Judith
- Esther (with additions)
- 1 Maccabees
- 2 Maccabees
Wisdom — 8
- Job
- Psalms (with Psalm 151)
- Proverbs
- Ecclesiastes
- Song of Songs
- Wisdom of Solomon
- Wisdom of Sirach
- 3 Maccabees
Prophets — 20
- Hosea
- Amos
- Micah
- Joel
- Obadiah
- Jonah
- Nahum
- Habakkuk
- Zephaniah
- Haggai
- Zechariah
- Malachi
- Isaiah
- Jeremiah
- Baruch
- Lamentations
- Epistle of Jeremiah
- Ezekiel
- Daniel (with additions)
- Susanna / Bel and the Dragon
New Testament — 27 books
Gospels — 4
- Matthew
- Mark
- Luke
- John
History — 1
- Acts of the Apostles
Epistles — 21
- Romans
- 1 Corinthians
- 2 Corinthians
- Galatians
- Ephesians
- Philippians
- Colossians
- 1 Thessalonians
- 2 Thessalonians
- 1 Timothy
- 2 Timothy
- Titus
- Philemon
- Hebrews
- James
- 1 Peter
- 2 Peter
- 1 John
- 2 John
- 3 John
- Jude
Prophecy — 1
- Revelation (Apocalypse)
Why the Septuagint?
The Septuagint (often abbreviated LXX) is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures completed in Alexandria in the centuries before Christ. It was the Bible the Apostles preached from: the majority of Old Testament quotations in the New Testament follow its wording rather than the later Hebrew Masoretic Text. The Church Fathers wrote their commentaries from it, and the hymns and readings of Orthodox worship are woven from its language. The Orthodox Church did not choose the Septuagint after the fact — she simply kept reading the text she had always used.
How Orthodox Christians Read Scripture
In the Orthodox Church, Scripture is not read in isolation. Each day of the year has an appointed Epistle and Gospel reading set by the lectionary and tied to the liturgical calendar, the fasts, and the commemoration of the saints. The most natural Orthodox Bible reading plan is simply to follow the readings the Church herself appoints for each day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Bible do Orthodox Christians use?
Orthodox Christians read an Old Testament translated from the Greek Septuagint rather than the Hebrew Masoretic Text, together with the standard 27-book New Testament. In English-speaking parishes the Orthodox Study Bible (NKJV New Testament with a Septuagint-based Old Testament) is the most widely used single volume, while liturgical readings are proclaimed from a Gospel Book, an Epistle Book (Apostolos), and the Psalter.
How many books are in the Orthodox Bible?
The Eastern Orthodox Bible contains 76 books: 49 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. Book counts vary slightly between Orthodox Churches because some local traditions number or include a few texts differently — for example 4 Maccabees appears as an appendix in the Greek tradition rather than as a canonical book.
Why do Orthodox Christians use the Septuagint?
The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures made before the time of Christ. It was the Bible of the Apostles: most Old Testament quotations in the New Testament follow its wording, and the Church Fathers and the liturgical services were written using it. The Orthodox Church therefore received it as the Church's Old Testament text.
What is the difference between the Orthodox Bible and the Catholic Bible?
Both include deuterocanonical books that Protestant Bibles omit, but the Orthodox Old Testament is longer. It adds 1 Esdras, 3 Maccabees, Psalm 151, and (in the Greek tradition) 4 Maccabees as an appendix, and it follows the Septuagint text rather than the Latin Vulgate tradition. The New Testament is identical — 27 books in both.
What are the deuterocanonical books?
Deuterocanonical ("second canon") books are Old Testament writings preserved in the Septuagint: Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Wisdom of Sirach, Baruch, the Epistle of Jeremiah, 1–3 Maccabees, 1 Esdras, additions to Esther and Daniel, and Psalm 151. Orthodox Christians read them in church and treat them as Scripture, sometimes calling them the anagignoskomena — "those worthy to be read."
Which English translation should an Orthodox Christian read?
The Orthodox Study Bible is the most common single-volume choice. Many also use the New King James Version, the Revised Standard Version, or a dedicated Septuagint translation such as the New English Translation of the Septuagint. Ask your parish priest which text your parish uses for services so your personal reading matches what you hear in church.
How is Scripture read in Orthodox worship?
Scripture is appointed by the Church's lectionary rather than chosen freely. Each day has an assigned Epistle and Gospel reading tied to the liturgical calendar, and the Psalter is read through regularly. This is why Orthodox Bible reading is usually organized around the daily readings of the Church year.
Read the Scriptures day by day
The Daily Chapel gives you today's appointed readings, the saint of the day, and the fast — then test what you've learned with the daily quiz.