apocrypha book selection page

Click To Read	Book Name	Overview	Date(s)
1 Esdras	1 Esdras	Traces portions of Israel’s history from 621 BC to 444 BC	621 BC - 444 BC
2 Esdras	2 Esdras	Consisting of seven visions revealed to the seer Salathiel-Ezra	Written around AD 100.
Tobit	Tobit	Tobit, a pious Jew exiled to Nineveh in Assyria The Book of Tobit, a work of fiction, was quite popular amongst Jews and early Christians. It’s a story of love and legend by the Jewish Dispersion in Egypt. It was composed in the 3rd century BC and has been based upon two renowned Egyptian tales. The objective of this book was supposed to teach valuable lessons, and at precisely the same time, correct a number of those then current superstitions. It includes the angel Raphael prominently.	8th century BC
Judith	Judith	Jewish widow, Judith, who uses her beauty and charm to trick and kill an Assyrian general who has besieged her city, Bethulia.	Latter half of this 2nd century BC
Additions to Esther	Additions to Esther 10	This work, composed about 100 BC, is made up of various developments to the Biblical book of Esther. The improvements have been added for detail and to compensate for a few of the spiritual deficiencies of this canonical book. The additional verses significantly improve the apocalyptic nature of the narrative and deliver excellent symbolic comprehension to it, radically enhancing its connection to God. It’s replete with dragons and graphics readily reminiscent of the most significant renters and personages involved with the last day war between Satan and Christ. The symbolism that attracts the Book of Esther is a vital prophecy.	100 BC
Wisdom	Wisdom of Solomon	In most respects, this is among the most precious books of the whole Apocrypha. It had been composed by a Jew of the Dispersion roughly 65 BC. It’s similar to the Wisdom Books of the Old Testament. It had been written primarily to fight the materialistic tendencies of the canonical book of Ecclesiastes. Filled with magnificent architecture and replete with God’s solid and spiritual nature, this book is also occasionally known as the wisdom of Solomon’.	Written 65 BC
Ecclesiasticus	Ecclesiasticus (Sirach)	This book, composed about 180 BC, comprises proverbs and pragmatic observations of existence two centuries before the arrival of Christ. The job closely looks like the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament. It represents one of the most precious records of ancient Rabbinical thought. It had been translated into Greek in 132 BC with a grandson of the writer (Jesus ben Sira).	180 BC
1 Baruch	1 Baruch	The more significant part of the book was composed of the 1st century AD below the assumed name of Baruch, the personal secretary of Jeremiah. The 6th chapter is referred to as the Epistle of Jeremiah. Both novels have a set of exhortations, encouragements, and sharp rebukes.	1st century AD
Letter of Jeremiah	Letter of Jeremiah	The Letter of Jeremiah, also called the Epistle of Jeremy, is one of the books of the Apocrypha. It is often included as chapter 6 of the book of Baruch, although it does occasionally stand alone in some versions. Apocryphal books are those that are not generally considered inspired. The word apocrypha means “things hidden away.” These books were never included in the Hebrew canon, were never accepted as canonical by Jesus or the apostles, and were never accepted as Scripture by early Jewish writers. Many of these books also contain historical, geographical, or chronological errors. They are classified as “deuterocanonical,” or part of the “secondary” canon by some denominations. The earliest manuscripts of the Letter of Jeremiah are in Greek, including one found among the scrolls of Qumran. However, most scholars believe the original may have been composed in Hebrew or Aramaic. It is generally thought to have been written between 307 and 317 B.C. The fact that much of the material appears to be dependent on some biblical passages in Isaiah lends support to the later date. Although the document is called the Letter of Jeremiah, it is neither a letter, nor is it from Jeremiah. The date of writing places it nearly 300 years after Jeremiah’s call to prophesy. The text is largely made up of denouncements of idolatry. It begins with a warning to the exiles of the idolatry they would see in Babylon, which is followed by a series of colorful descriptions about how ineffectual and helpless idols are. It concludes with a final warning and exhortation to avoid idolatry. Like all apocryphal books, this one cannot be considered the inspired Word of God. However, this does not mean that it is a bad book; much of the material in the book is both true and helpful. It may have good advice, even godly advice, but it cannot be considered inerrant.	written between 307 and 317 B.C.
Prayer of Azariah	The Prayer of Azariah	The Prayer of Azariah is an expansion on Daniel 3 at the point where Daniel’s three friends refuse to bow down to the golden image of Nebuchadnezzar and are thrown into the fiery furnace. The three friends are most commonly known as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, names they were given in Babylon. However, their Hebrew names were Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Thus, Azariah is Abednego, one of the three who was thrown into the fiery furnace. The Prayer of Azariah is inserted between Daniel 3:23 and 24 and records words supposedly spoken by Azariah while he and his two friends are in the fiery furnace.	586 BC
Susanna	Susanna	Susanna also called Susanna and the Elders, is a narrative included in the Book of Daniel (as chapter 13) by the Catholic Church, Oriental Orthodox Churches and Eastern Orthodox Churches. It is one of the additions to Daniel, placed in the Apocrypha by Protestants, with Anabaptists, Lutherans, Anglicans and Methodists regarding it as non-canonical but useful for purposes of edification.	composed 200–100 B.C.
Bel and the Dragon	Bel and the Dragon	Composed about 100 BC, this narrative shows Daniel’s wisdom in exposing the falsehood of idolatry and the people who promote it. The book also shows the existence of Babylon as a dragon god. Info concerning this idol is available from no other source. However, it’s very relevant in light of dragon prophecies relative to the very last days, scattered through the scriptures.	100 BC
Prayer of Manasseh	The Prayer of Manasseh	The Prayer of Manasseh is a short, penitential prayer attributed to king Manasseh of Judah. The majority of scholars believe that the Prayer of Manasseh was written in Greek in the second or first century BC.	Written second or first century BC.
1st Maccabees	First Maccabees	First Maccabees, written by a Jew in Palestine throughout the latter portion of the 2nd century BC, is possibly the most significant historical source on the interval from 175 to 135 BC. It shows deep penetration into the root causes of the Maccabean rebellion and details the revolution itself goes down into the passing of Simon at 135 BC. This book is vital to both Jews and Christians. It provides detailed advice relative to Antiochus Epiphanes and his desecration of the Jerusalem Temple, an activity which Jesus said could be replicated at the time of this finish. The book also includes an abundance of details relative to the Holy feast of Hanukkah (which overlooks the re-dedication of this Temple Antiochus debased). That info is available from no other source, Jewish or otherwise, annd without it, there could be no Hannukah party.	175 to 135 BC
2nd Maccabees	Second Maccabees	Contrary to the First Book of the Maccabees, this job is a mix of fiction and history. It appears to be less valuable than the original. It’s an abridgment of a far more extensive career in life in the time of its writing at the latter portion of their 2nd century BC. It introduces information regarding the period leading up to the rebellion of the Maccabees beneath Mattathias at Modern and follows it down to 161 BC.	161 BC