What’s The Difference Between Christian And Catholic Bibles? Discover the Key Differences Below

As one of the most widely-read and talked-about books in history, the Bible has taken on a number of forms over the centuries. For people who are new to Christianity or those who have only recently started exploring their faith, it can be tough to understand the differences between all the various versions of this beloved sacred text.

In particular, many people struggle to differentiate between Christian and Catholic Bibles. Although they share a lot of common ground, there are some important distinctions that set these two popular religious texts apart from each other.

If you’re curious about what separates the Christian and Catholic Bibles, then you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll take an in-depth look at some of the key differences between these two important holy books. From talking about translation issues to looking at which Old Testament and New Testament books are included (or excluded), you’ll come away with a clearer sense of how Christians and Catholics approach one of the world’s most iconic pieces of literature.

Intrigued? Let’s dive in and discover everything you need to know about the difference between Christian and Catholic Bibles!

Number of Books

Catholic Bible

The Catholic Bible consists of 73 books, which are divided into two main sections. The first section is the Old Testament and has 46 books that were written before Christ’s birth. These include Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Tobit, Judith, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Wisdom, Sirach (also called Ecclesiasticus), Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Baruch, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

The second section is the New Testament, with 27 books that were written after Christ’s birth. These include Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts of the Apostles, 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, and Revelation.

“For Catholics, the Bible encompasses both the Old and New Testaments along with additional texts known as the apocrypha.” -Rachel Nuwer

Protestant Bible

The Protestant Bible differs from the Catholic Bible in terms of the number of books. It consists of 66 books, which are also divided into two main sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament.

The first section, the Old Testament, has 39 books, including Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

The second section is the New Testament, with 27 books that were written after Christ’s birth. These include Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts of the Apostles, 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, and Revelation.

“The difference in content derives from a lack of consensus among Jewish scholars about what should be included in the canon of scripture.” -John Ortberg

Differences in Books

One of the major differences between the Catholic and Protestant Bibles is the inclusion of extra books in the Catholic version known as the Apocrypha. The apocryphal works consist of seven books not found in the Protestant Bible: Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Baruch, and 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees. Additionally, there are also additions to other books contained within the Catholic version.

These extra books were included in the Septuagint—the Greek translation of the Old Testament used by many early Christians—in addition to being part of the Latin Vulgate. However, during the Reformation, these books were removed from Protestant Bibles citing the lack of consensus among Jewish scholars about what should be included in the canon of scripture.

Although both the Catholic and Protestant Bibles contain the same New Testament writings, the difference appears in the number and content of the Old Testament books that each has chosen to include or exclude.

Content and Order

The Old Testament

The Christian Bible is divided into two sections, the Old Testament, which consists of 39 books, and the New Testament, made up of 27 writings. The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic over a span of hundreds of years. It contains books such as Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, which are known as the Pentateuch or Torah.

Other books include historical narratives like Joshua, Judges, and Kings, poetic literature such as Psalms and Proverbs, major prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, and minor prophets like Hosea, Joel, and Amos. All these books together represent God’s covenant relationship with Israel, telling their history from creation to the Babylonian exile.

The Catholic Old Testament includes all the books in the Protestant version plus additional texts that were not included in Jewish scriptures. These books, called the Apocrypha or Deuterocanonicals, include Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees.

The New Testament

The New Testament begins with the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These recount the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and his teachings to his disciples. Acts of the Apostles follows with an account of the early church, including the work of Peter and Paul.

The Letters, also called Epistles, make up most of the remainder of the New Testament. They were written by apostles such as Paul, Peter, James, John, and Jude to various churches and individuals, offering guidance on Christian living and combating false teachings. Finally, Revelation presents a vision of the end of the world and Christ’s ultimate triumph over evil.

The Catholic New Testament is identical to the Protestant version, although there are some differences in translation between various editions. Additionally, Catholics include a few books and passages that Protestants do not accept as canonical, usually referred to as the Anagignoskomena or “redoubtable.” These include the longer endings of Mark’s Gospel and John’s Gospel, along with Hebrews, 2 Peter, James, Jude, and Revelation.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” -John 3:16

Overall, while the content of both Christian and Catholic Bibles is very similar, with both containing the Old and New Testaments, the differences arise out of which specific books are included within those sections. While these discrepancies may seem minor, they can lead to significant theological disagreements and have been a point of division for centuries.

Translation and Interpretation

Catholic Bible

The Catholic Bible, also known as the Holy Bible, consists of two main parts – Old Testament and New Testament. The Old Testament comprises 46 books whereas the New Testament contains 27 books. Besides this, some versions of the Catholic Bible may also include a few books which are not present in Protestant Bibles; these books are commonly referred to as “Deutero-Canonical” or “Apocryphal” books.

In terms of Biblical translation, the Catholic Church relies on Latin Vulgate translated by St. Jerome over 1,500 years ago. While other translations such as King James Version (KJV), New International Version (NIV) and more were published later, none could replace the importance of the Latin Vulgate in its accuracy and consistency with Church teachings.

Protestant Bible

Protestant Bible includes only 39 books in Old Testament and the same 27 in New Testament that can be found in the Catholic Bible. In contrast to the Catholic Bible, Protestant Bibles do not have any Deutero-canonical or Apocryphal books except for one addition to Esther and three additions to Daniel. This is because Protestants considered these additional books as theological fallacies.

In the Medieval period, most of Europe read the Bible in Latin until Martin Luther publicly objected to several Roman Catholic practices in 1517. Martin Luther translated the seven Deuterocanonical Catholic Old Testament texts into German during his life. After that, various Protestant sects used various ways to interpret the text like literal historical interpretation, spiritual applications interpretation etc., but without too many varying interpretations on doctrine itself.

Key Differences in Interpretation

Some people believe that there are significant difference in interpretation of the Catholic and Protestant Bibles. One fundamental distinction is how they treat Communion, considered as a sacrament among Catholics while not necessarily so for many Protestants.

“There’s also the theological tradition that interprets the Bible to say that the bread and wine used during mass literally become the body and blood of Christ.” – By Rev. Billy David Dickson

Another one of the main differences between Catholic and Protestant Bibles lies in their Biblical canon. As previously mentioned, there are certain Deutero-canonical or Apocryphal books present only in the Catholic Bible which are missing from most modern versions of the Protestant Bible. While these texts have always been accepted by the Catholic Church as part of sacred scripture, they were rejected by Martin Luther as having lesser authority than other parts of the Old Testament.

While there remains some debate about whether apocryphal texts should be seen as authoritative holy Scripture, it’s important either way to understand what distinctions exist between them. Another point of differentiation between Catholicism and different types of protestant traditions has sometimes been the emphasis placed on things like saints or religious rituals such as Confession or the Rosary. Yet despite these textual and ritual discrepancies between Protestants and Catholics, both Christian families share a great deal more in common than traditionalists within each group might admit. To sum up, although there may be some variations between the two Bibles, both contain the Gospel of Jesus Christ and provide instruction for living a virtuous life that brings us closer to God.

Use in Worship

Catholic Mass

The Catholic Mass is one of the most important aspects of the faith. It’s a ritualistic ceremony that takes place every Sunday, or sometimes daily depending on the church and school schedules. The service involves multiple components, including singing, readings from the Bible, and prayers. During Catholic Mass, the priest presides over the Eucharist, where bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Catholics believe this to be an act of transubstantiation – turning the physical elements of bread and wine into a spiritual embodiment of Christ himself.

A distinct feature of the Catholic Mass service is its use of sacred vestments. In addition to plain robes, priests may wear ornate chasubles in elaborate designs, imbued with rich colors. These special garments often feature depictions of saints, holy cross imagery, and other religious iconography.

The use of statues throughout the chapel is also significant. Unlike many Protestant churches, they depict revered figures such as Mary, Joseph, Peter, and Saints. Catholics venerate these statues through prayer and devotion; Canon law designates only respectful acts towards living people as true worship, but engaging in practices that give honor to something else as Saint that is not God could be considered idolatry – which strictly opposes the first commandment.

The music played during the Catholic Mass is carefully selected to fit the liturgical season and theme. The hymns are sung in Latin or vernacular languages and must conform to approved lyrics by Vatican office for liturgy. This music helps guide the mood and emotions of the congregation at different points throughout the service; for example, more solemn hymns might play during the Collects (where petitions are usually offered), while light-hearted ones are typical after confessions when celebrating Christ’s Mercy after absolution

Protestant Church Services

Unlike Catholic Mass, Protestant church services are less formalized and more individualistic in nature. Worshippers typically don’t dress up like they usually do for mass or require special religious outfits. The services have a mix of elements inspired by Catholic rituals but usually with no set formula: some churches might involve mostly singing of hymns known as congregational responses; others can feature sermon preached by the clergyman (priest/pastor), where elected members from the congregation join together to read Bible passages, or all of these things combined.

The worship music heard at a Protestant service is different too. Churches’ musical styles range widely according to denomination—some skew classical or hymn-like in style, while others are contemporary styles featuring rock bands or choirs taking inspiration from modern television/film soundtracks.Regardless the style it still aims to hold similarity in how Catholics see their music functions:worshiping God,engaging believers into deep praise, respect towards him holiness and making them aware of their own inequity through reflection on sermons.

Generally speaking, Protestant churchgoers lean heavily on the authority of the Christian Bible itself, rather than relying purely on an appointed clerical hierarchy. Since there are so many denominations within Protestantism, each has its interpretation of specific scripture section/s which create shared doctrinal statements that define core beliefs. Thus being said, the same principle applies when studying the Scripture by personal efforts as developing biblical study habits either alone, with other believers or guidance under expert tutelage following healthy exegetics methods will effectively help anyone understand god’s word better.

Both Catholic and Protestant church services bring people together to honor their faith and renew their spirit, regardless of their differences.

Significance and Authority

The Bible is considered the most significant text in Christianity, serving as a foundation of faith for both Catholics and Protestants. However, there are some differences between the Christian and Catholic Bibles concerning their significance and authority.

Catholic View

In the Catholic Church, the Bible holds extreme importance, alongside the tradition, teachings, and practices of the church passed down through the generations. The Catholic Bible consists of 73 books, including seven additional books called Deuterocanonical or Apocrypha books that are not found in the Protestant Bible. These books include Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees.

“The Church has always venerated the Scriptures as she venerates the Lord’s Body.” -Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church asserts that both Scripture and Sacred Tradition originated from Jesus Christ and hold equal ranks and thus maintain an authoritative stand on religious matters. Therefore, while reading the Bible, the interpretation given by the church must be applied to resolve any possible errors.

Protestant View

Unlike the Catholic Church, the Bible solely serves as the highest authority in the Protestant denomination. While they also consider traditions and beliefs valuable, the Bible remains supreme. The Protestant Bible includes 66 books and omits the aforementioned seven Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal books present in the Roman Catholic version.

“We account the scriptures of God to be the most sublime philosophy.”- John Calvin

Protestants believe the Bible presents itself as clear writing without the need for an external interpretative source like the Catholic Church. Instead, every believer can study and interpret the Scriptures independently under the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Thus, Protestants believe that a true interpretation of scripture comes from within each individual reader.

Implications for Believers

The differences between Catholicism and Protestantism have significant implications for believers’ interpretation of Scripture. The Catholic view holds the tradition to be equal with Bible authority, giving Church leaders more influence in guiding followers. In contrast, the Protestant ideology places greater emphasis on individual readings, which can lead to independent but varied interpretations.

“Each believer should evaluate his/her own beliefs about the bible’s authority.” -Gerald Bray

This leads to differences in religious understandings and practices between Catholics and Protestants. For instance, Catholics practice prayers aimed at saints- a practice not recognized by most Protestant churches. Similarly, Catholics use images of holy figures and sacraments like confession or communion as means of seeking divine intervention.

On the other hand, Protestants consider such rituals unnecessary, prayer is focused directly towards God, and Jesus Christ serves as the only mediator between God and humans. As a result, the different views impact faith practices, teachings, and even modes of worship between Catholic and Protestant denominations.

While both share profound reverence for the Bible as the fundamental basis of their Christian faith, there are some slight variations concerning it. These distinct interpretations between Catholics and Protestants are tied to various theological differences, traditions, and practices. Therefore, every believer should seek understanding and appreciate these dissimilarities to establish tolerance and love for one another regardless of any particular denomination.

Frequently Asked Questions