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.
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever
55-0806 §9
...ord like this, but it takes the Holy Spirit to interpret the Word. Don't you think so? See, we can pull back the pages, but it takes God, the Holy Spirit, to reveal it. The Bible is a mysterious, hidden book. And there's no need of trying to learn it by education; it doesn't come that way. The Bible plainly says... God said, "I have hid it from the eyes of the wise and prudent and will reveal it to babes such as will learn." The Bible is not a western book; it's a eastern book. And a few trips across the sea will l...
Divine Healing
54-1219M §18
...pirit takes that seed and sows it into our hearts, like that. Don't you believe that? And we become His children. So therefore, I've got to believe. If there's one word not inspired, then I couldn't trust the book. I couldn't believe it, because if this part is not inspired... Mr. Church said certain parts of the Bible is not inspired, like Mark 16 and so forth. Says it's not inspired. Why, I met his Methodist minister friends right in New Albany, and they disagreed with him by a hundred million miles. They said th...
Hebrews, Chapter 1
57-0821 §30
The oldest organized church in the world is the Catholic church; Luther second; then come Zwingli; after Zwingli come Calvin; and Calvin on to Anglican; Anglo-Saxons taking up, then the Anglican church; and King Henry VIII, when he protested and so forth, and on down to the Wesley Methodist; and Nazarenes; Pilgrim Holiness; and on down to the last is Pentecostal. All organized! And the Bible plainly teaches that the Catholic church is a ill-famed woman, and the Protestant churches and their organizations are her da...
Church Ages, part 1: Revelation Chapter 1
60-1204M §65
Now remember, this is the revelation, and whosoever heareth it, and don't keep the sayings of this book, his part will be taken from the book of life. Jesus is not revealing Hisself as three gods, but one God and three offices. Oh, it's going to get rich after awhile, when we get into those church ages, and see where they lost that. It caused a great split at the Nicene Council. Both of them went off on deep ends. And they've done the same thing in this last days again. Just like a Pre-Nicene Council again, 'cause...
Pride
55-0807A §7
And now, before we can open the book... We can open the pages that way, but there's only One who can unravel that Word, and that's the Holy Spirit; that's all. He was the one Who wrote it. Do you believe that? He did, He wrote the... Men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, wrote the Bible. And it was wrote by ... I'm sorry, I did know, but I don't know now, just how many writers of the Bible. I'm sorry I can't quote that now, because I got two different numbers in my mind. I'm afraid I'd be mixed on it....