Inspired Bible :66 Book (protestant), 73 Books (catholic), or More (Orthodox traditions)?
1) Direct Answer
The inspired canon is the 66 books—Genesis to Revelation. Nothing to add and nothing to take away.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- The Bible says all Scripture is God-breathed and sufficient to thoroughly furnish the believer (2 Timothy 3:16–17). That speaks of a complete body of writings that fully equips.
- Jesus identified the Old Testament as “the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms” (Luke 24:44). He also marked its bounds “from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zacharias” (Luke 11:51), which covers the full Hebrew canon.
- The oracles of God were committed to the Jews (Romans 3:2). Jesus affirmed their Scriptures; He never placed other writings on equal footing.
- God then spoke in the Son and through those He sent (Hebrews 1:1–2; John 14:26; John 16:13). The New Testament came through apostles and their close associates, confirmed by God (Hebrews 2:3–4).
- We are told the faith was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). And the Word warns not to add to or take from what God has given (Deuteronomy 4:2; Proverbs 30:5–6; Revelation 22:18–19).
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- Jesus endorsed the recognized Scriptures of Israel; the apostles, led by the Holy Spirit, gave the New Testament. That forms a complete, Spirit-sealed witness.
- The extra books can be historical or moral in places, but they were not received by Jesus and the apostles as Scripture, nor do they carry the “It is written” authority in the New Testament.
- Since God warns against adding to His Word, we hold to the closed canon He vindicated: the 66 books.
Short reinforcement
You see, God keeps His Word pure. The Bible is complete—one Book, from Genesis to Revelation, perfectly in step, without the need of additions.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Questions and Answers
54-0515 §21
Now, the Bible says that... These are flat words, but I'll read them from the Bible. And you listen to your doctor, or so forth, say this, and I'm your brother teaching from the Scripture. The Bible called the Catholic church "a prostitute, a whore, w-h-o-r-e." And He called the Protestant churches that followed it, mothers ... or, they were harlots of this mother. And what connection it was, that the Catholic church organized the thing and made all people believe in the light they had then ... or, what they had th...
Revelation, Chapter 4c Throne of mercy and judgement
61-0108 §161
...ecause... They were ignorant, unlearned, Peter and John. But they had to take notice to them, they had been with Jesus. They done the things that He did. So, you see, every book in the Bible, every... the four books, the four gospels guard the Pentecostal blessing with every scripture to back up exactly what they said. And now the Acts of the apostles vindicate today with the four gospels that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do you love Him?
Influences
64-0215 §67
I want you to notice something else. God did not use books and theological terms to cleanse his servant; He used fire. He never used creeds to clean his servant; He took fire off the altar. And if God ever cleans a man today, it's got to be the Holy Ghost fire that cleanses a man---not reading a book, and doing this, or some other book by So-and-so. A certain great minister here in California said, the other day, he had the book of the year. I differ with him. The book of the year is the Bible, always been. The boo...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 1:E-11
Have you ever noticed how Satan hates two books of the Bible more than all others? Through liberal theologians and pseudo-scientists he is always attacking the Book of Genesis and the Book of Revelation. In both of these books we find Satan's origin, his awful ways and his destruction. That is why he attacks them. He hates to be exposed, and in those books he is exposed for exactly what he is. Jesus said about Satan, "He has no part in Me and I have no part in him." The devil would like to prove that different; but...
Hebrews, Chapter 1
57-0821 §9
Now, we're studying the book of the Hebrews. It's been... Oh, it's one of the most deepest, richest books of the Bible. I tell you, it's a book that really will... If God permits, and we just get down into this, I believe we will find golden nuggets till we will just shout the praises of God [unclear words]. And now, I... The book of Hebrews, really what it is, it's supposing to be written by Saint Paul, the greatest Bible expositor, I guess, the world's ever had outside of our Lord Jesus Christ. And Paul was a sep...