Key Differences Between the Catholic and Protestant Bibles: A Comprehensive Comparison

The Catholic Bible and the Protestant Bible have some key differences in terms of the number of books they contain. The Catholic Bible includes 73 books, while the Protestant Bible contains 66 books. This variance is primarily due to the inclusion of seven additional books in the Catholic Bible known as the Deuterocanonical books. These books were originally written in Greek and are not found in the Hebrew Bible.

In contrast, the Protestant Bible does not include the Deuterocanonical books, viewing them as apocryphal or not divinely inspired. The Protestant Reformers in the 16th century questioned the canonicity of these books, leading to their exclusion from the Protestant canon. This difference in the number of books is one of the most significant distinctions between the Catholic and Protestant Bibles.

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• The inclusion of the Deuterocanonical books in the Catholic Bible has led to differences in certain doctrines and practices between Catholicism and Protestantism. For example, beliefs about purgatory, praying for the dead, and the veneration of saints are influenced by the contents of these books.
• The Council of Trent, held in the 16th century in response to the Protestant Reformation, officially reaffirmed the canonicity of the Deuterocanonical books in the Catholic Bible. This decision solidified the differences in the biblical canons between Catholicism and Protestantism.
• Some Protestant denominations, such as the Anglican communion, include the Deuterocanonical books in a separate section known as the Apocrypha, recognizing their historical and literary value while not attributing them the same level of authority as the rest of the Bible. The Catholic Bible and the Protestant Bible have some key differences in terms of the number of books they contain. The Catholic Bible includes 73 books, while the Protestant Bible contains 66 books. This variance is primarily due to the inclusion of seven additional books in the Catholic Bible known as the Deuterocanonical books. These books were originally written in Greek and are not found in the Hebrew Bible.