Question: The Wisdom of Sirach

Question: The Wisdom of Sirach

I've been reading The Wisdom of Sirach in my New Orthodox Study Bible with great interest and was surprised that I couldn't find it in the King James version. It appears it is not a widely accepted Protestant book; is that correct? Why is this? :confused:

I have currently joined a new church and will of course, ask my Pastor, but I am curious to hear different viewpoints.

Thanks!
 
It was included in the early English Bible Versions starting in the mid to late 1300's and was also included in the first releases of the Authorized King James Version Bible of 1611. However, it was later removed as part of the Puritanical 'church' canonizing the Books as they currently are presented in subsequent King James Version editions.

The 'Wisdom of Sirach' or 'The Book of Ecclesiasticus' as it is also called, is included in the Edgar Goodspeed version of The "Apocrypha". It can make good supplemental reading for advanced Bible students, but according to 'the church', should not be read as part of "the inspired word of God". If you can find - "The Apocrypha" by Edgar Goodspeed, from 'Vintage Books Publishing Company' - ISBN 0-679-72452-4, you can read in the preface as to the history of the elimination of several original Books of the Bible and why this was done. Good luck in your studies...

Amazon.com: The Apocrypha (9780679724520): Edgar J. Goodspeed, Moses Hadas: Books
 
Well, isn't THAT interesting! Thank you for the clear explanation and the suggestion for the Apocrypha. I am, indeed, very interested in finding out why this was done...
 
Back
Top