The Bible’s text

Who decided which books are in the Bible?

The New Testament has 27 books, but no list of them came down from Jesus or the apostles. How did these books, and not others, become the Bible?

1The question

How did the 27 books of the New Testament come together, and who decided?

2What Christians believe

Christians believe the church did not create the canon but recognised it. Over time churches came to agree on the books that came from the apostles or their close companions, taught the faith handed down, and were widely read in worship. They see the Holy Spirit guiding this process.

Christians note that the four Gospels and most of Paul’s letters were accepted very early, by the second century. Later councils, such as those at Hippo (393) and Carthage (397), confirmed lists that churches already used.

3What the texts say

How the New Testament speaks of scripture

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2 Timothy 3:16 · KJVRead in context →
As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
2 Peter 3:16 · KJVRead in context →

Books the Bible mentions but does not contain

And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
Joshua 10:13 · KJVRead in context →
And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
Jude 1:14 · KJVRead in context →
I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
1 Corinthians 5:9 · KJVRead in context →

4What scholars say

Bruce M. Metzger (The Canon of the New Testament, 1987) describes a long process. The core books were widely used by about 200, but several, including Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, Jude and Revelation, were disputed for centuries. The church historian Eusebius, writing in the early fourth century, still lists some of them as “disputed”.

The first list that matches today’s 27 books exactly is in a letter of Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, in 367. Lee Martin McDonald (The Biblical Canon, 2007) stresses that even after this, churches did not all agree, and they still do not: Protestant Bibles have 66 books, Catholic Bibles 73, and the Ethiopian Orthodox Bible more than 80.

Scholars agree that the canon took shape gradually over about three centuries, and that no list was given by Jesus or the apostles.

5The Islamic perspective

Muslims contrast this with the Qur’an, which was recited by the Prophet ﷺ himself, memorised and written in his lifetime, and gathered into one standard copy within about twenty years of his death. There was never a debate over which chapters belong in it. The Qur’an describes itself as a book beyond doubt, protected by God:

This is the Scripture whereof there is no doubt, a guidance unto those who ward off (evil).
Qur’an 2:2 · PickthallRead in context →
Lo! We, even We, reveal the Reminder, and lo! We verily are its Guardian.
Qur’an 15:9 · PickthallRead in context →

Muslims believe God gave the Torah to Moses and the Gospel to Jesus. What they question is whether the books gathered by churches over three centuries are the same as the revelation Jesus received.

6Objections and responses

“The councils only confirmed what churches already used. Nobody invented the canon.”

Response: That is fair for the core books. But churches disagreed for centuries over several books, and they still disagree over the Old Testament books found in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles. A scripture whose contents believers still dispute is different from one whose contents have never been in question.

“The Qur’an also went through a collection process under Abu Bakr and Uthman.”

Response: It did, and Muslims do not hide it. But the collection happened within a generation, from material written and memorised while the Prophet ﷺ was alive, with his companions still living to check it. There was no dispute over which chapters belonged.

7Conclusion

Both sides agree that the New Testament canon took shape over several centuries and that churches still use different Bibles. Christians see God guiding the church to recognise the right books. Muslims see a human process of selection that makes the Qur’an, gathered within a generation, stand apart.

Look up which books are in a Catholic Bible and a Protestant Bible, and ask who decided the difference.

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