The apocryphal books are religious writings that are not included in the official canon of the Jewish or Christian , but which have historical, theological or literary value. The term "apocryphal" means "hidden" or "secret" in Greek. Here is an overview of some of the best-known apocryphal books:
1. The Old Testament Apocrypha
These books are included in the Septuagint and the Latin , but not in the . They are sometimes called "deuterocanonical" in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions.
Tobit: The story of a young man guided by the angel Raphael on a quest to recover a family fortune and cure his father of blindness.
Judith: The story of a Jewish widow who saves her people by seducing and beheading the Assyrian general Holofernes.
1 and 2 Maccabees: Accounts of the Jewish revolts against the Seleucids and the story of Judas Maccabeus.
Wisdom of Solomon: A wisdom book dealing with justice and the immortality of the soul.
Ecclesiasticus (Sirach): A collection of practical advice and reflections on life and faith.
Baruch: A book attributed to Baruch, Jeremiah's scribe, containing prayers and exhortations to repentance.
2. The New Testament Apocrypha
These writings are associated with Christian traditions but are not included in the canonical New Testament.
Gospel of Thomas: A collection of 114 sayings attributed to Jesus, often regarded as Gnostic.
Gospel of Philip: A Gnostic text that explores sacred mysteries and the relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene.
Acts of Peter: An account of the miracles and martyrdom of the apostle Peter.
Apocalypse of Peter: A description of the apostle Peter's visions of heaven and hell.
Gospel of Mary (Magdalene): A Gnostic text attributed to Mary Magdalene, offering esoteric teachings of Jesus.
The apocryphal books, although they are not included in the official biblical canon, can sometimes contribute to the understanding of religious history and theological traditions. However, their accounts, especially those of the New Testament, often belong to the realm of the imagination and cannot be considered on the same level as the canonical texts of Scripture. Studying them makes it possible to distinguish these texts, rejected by the Church of the first centuries, from those found in our present-day Bibles.