What is the definition of Apocrypha?
Q: What is the definition of Apocrypha?
A: The word Apocrypha comes from Ancient Greek ἀπόκρυφα (apokrypha) and means "those that were hidden". It is generally applied to writings that were not part of the canon.
Q: Why are these texts not included in the canon?
A: These texts might have only been known to few people, or they may have been left out because their content does not fit well into that of the other books of the Bible. Some of them may also have been written at a later date, which would explain why they were excluded from the canon.
Q: How did the Authorized King James Version refer to these books?
A: The Authorized King James Version referred to these books as ‘Apocrypha’ and separated them from other parts of the Bible due to 2 Esdras 14:46, which states that only wise people should be given access to them.
Q: How do Roman Catholic Bibles refer to these books?
A: Roman Catholic Bibles refer to these books as deuterocanonical, meaning they belong to a second list or canon of literary works accepted as representing a field. This second list consists of books first written in Greek rather than Hebrew like those on the first list.
Q: What does it mean for something to be deuterocanonical?
A: Deuterocanonical refers specifically to religious texts belonging to a second list or canon accepted as representing a field. This second list consists mainly of works written in Greek rather than Hebrew like those on the first list.
Q: What does 'canon' mean in this context?
A: In this context, 'canon' simply refers an official list of literary works accepted as representing a field.
