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.
Hebrews, Chapter 2, part 1
57-0825M §12
...d now that, Paul, upon this experience, and writing these letters, most of them, from jail, he had compared the Old and New Testament. Now remember, the last writer of this Bible, by inspiration, God came down and told him, "If any man shall add anything to It or take anything away from It, the same will be taken out of the part of the Book of Life, for him." So we'd be daresn't to add one thing to It. Oh, It must stay as It is, mustn't be anything added to It. And we must contend for everything that's in It. I don...
The Trial
64-0621 §13
...ou see," said, "a lot of people fanatically believe that chapter." He said, "But we learned---better scholars in school---that Mark 16, from the 9th verse on, is not really inspired." He said, "Why, Mr. Reedhead." He said, "What part is inspired, then?" He said, "Maybe the rest of it isn't inspired. All the Koran is inspired. What kind of a book are you reading, called the Bible?" He said, "I made in my heart I was coming to talk to you. I was going to talk to you." There you are. If this is not inspired, then what...
The Queen of Sheba
60-0401E §1
...will miss heaven if they'll do what's written in the Scriptures. Dr. Lamsa has in thirty years worked on a translation that is direct from the original, and now there is a Bible published which is his translation. When I spoke to him yesterday, he said to me, "I would like to meet Brother Branham because I have heard so much of him." To my surprise he told me a few things that I've asked him to tell you himself, tonight, about the Word and about visions. This morning Dr. Lamsa, Brother Branham, and a few of us had...
The stature of a perfect man
62-1014M §154
I've got what they call "The Facts of our Faith," the highest Catholic book that can be bought. And it says in there, "If there is a Catholic on a ticket that's running against a Protestant, if a Catholic votes for the Protestant they are excommunicated from the fellowship of the Catholic church." Right! And if there's two Catholics running for the same office, they shall pick out the Catholic that's more loyal to the mother church and vote for them. See how that deceit? What they're trying to do? Give money away t...
Faith
61-0813 §21
Now, to this young lady (she's here somewhere) and to another Catholic lady that came by, I'd like to say these words just before I turn the service to our pastor, see. It's this. Now, the Catholic church was one time like this church. If you'll go back and read the Bible, which ... we believe and do know that the Catholic church was the first church. That is true. But it got away from its teaching. This was the teaching of the Catholic church. But you see, they got six hundred and something another books the popes...