Apocrypha

Apocrypha is a term used for writings whose status as part of the official scriptural canon is disputed or regarded as non-canonical by particular religious communities. The word derives from the Greek apokryphos, meaning hidden or obscure.

In Christian contexts, apocrypha usually refers to a set of Jewish writings from the Second Temple period that appear in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles but not in the Hebrew Bible. These books are often called deuterocanonical by those traditions, indicating a secondary level of canonical authority. Protestant traditions typically exclude them from the canon, though they may be included in a separate section labeled Apocrypha in some editions.

Commonly cited deuterocanonical texts include Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Baruch, 1 and 2 Maccabees, as well as additions to Esther and Daniel. The exact list varies among Catholic and Orthodox canons, and some Orthodox canons include additional works such as 3 Maccabees or Psalm 151.

In scholarly usage, apocrypha can also refer more broadly to ancient writings of uncertain authorship or authenticity, sometimes overlapping with what is called pseudepigrapha. This broader sense encompasses various gospels, acts, and apocalyptic works that circulated in antiquity but were not accepted into the canonical scriptures of most Christian communities.

Today, the term’s usage depends on tradition: some Bibles present the apocrypha as a separate, non-canonical collection, while others note their canonical status as deuterocanonical in certain churches but not in others.