Why Is Sirach Not in the Bible? Hidden Truth Revealed

Have you ever opened a Catholic Bible and discovered books you’d never seen before? It can feel a little surprising. You flip past Malachi, expecting to see Matthew, but instead, you find books like Tobit, Judith, and Sirach. This discovery often leads to a burning question for many Christians: Why is Sirach not in the Bible I grew up with?

It’s a fantastic question. In fact, it touches the very heart of our faith’s history. This isn’t a story about a secret conspiracy or a lost, hidden truth in the sensational sense. Instead, it’s a fascinating journey through language, tradition, and a pivotal moment in church history that shaped the very Bible we hold in our hands today. The reasons are deeply rooted in sincere faith and a desire to honor God’s Word.

So, let’s walk through this together. We will explore where this book of wisdom came from, why it was cherished for centuries, and how those crucial decisions were made during the Protestant Reformation.

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Key Takeaways for Understanding the Book of Sirach

For a quick overview, here are the most important points to remember about why Sirach is in some Bibles but not others:

• It’s Part of the Apocrypha: Sirach belongs to a collection of books that Protestants call the Apocrypha. Catholic and Orthodox Christians refer to them as the Deuterocanonical books.
• Greek vs. Hebrew: The book was included in the Septuagint. This was the Greek translation of the Old Testament scriptures. Early Christians widely used this version.
• Reformation Shift: Protestant Reformers, like Martin Luther, wanted the Old Testament to match the books in the Hebrew Bible. Since Sirach wasn’t in the standard Hebrew canon, they placed it in a separate section.
• Different Canons: Ultimately, Catholic and Orthodox traditions affirmed Sirach as inspired Scripture. However, most Protestant traditions did not, leading to the difference in Bibles today.
• Not Considered “Bad”: The Reformers did not think Sirach was a bad book. They actually saw it as valuable and beneficial for spiritual reading, just not on the same level as inspired Scripture.

Who Exactly Wrote the Book of Sirach?

First things first, let’s get to know the book itself. Sirach is a book of wisdom. It feels a lot like the book of Proverbs. In fact, it’s filled with practical and godly advice for daily life.

The author introduces himself in the text. He was a Jewish man named Jesus, son of Eleazar, son of Sirach. (This is why it’s sometimes called the Wisdom of Ben Sira). He was a wise teacher living in Jerusalem around 200-180 B.C. This was a challenging time for the Jewish people. Greek culture was becoming very influential, and he wanted to remind his people to stay faithful to God’s laws and traditions.

Think of him as a wise elder. He is passing down timeless truths about God and life to the next generation. His grandson later translated the work from Hebrew into Greek so more people could read it, which is how it became so widely available.

What Kind of Wisdom Is Actually Inside Sirach?

So what does the book talk about? It is packed with short, memorable sayings about almost every aspect of life. It’s incredibly practical. The author connects everyday choices directly to our walk with God. It feels grounded and real.

Here are just a few of the major themes you will find:

• True Friendship: The book gives beautiful advice on how to choose friends and the value of a loyal companion.
• Humility and Pride: Sirach constantly warns against the dangers of pride and encourages a humble heart before God and others.
• Family Life: It speaks about honoring your parents, raising children, and maintaining a peaceful home.
• Honesty and Integrity: There is a great deal of wisdom about being fair in business and keeping your word.
• Fear of the Lord: Just like Proverbs, Sirach teaches that true wisdom begins with a deep reverence and respect for God.

The book truly champions a life lived in reverence to God. It shows how our faith should impact our relationships, our work, and our character.

Why Was Sirach Included in Early Bibles in the First Place?

This is a really important piece of the puzzle. For the first Christians, their “Old Testament” was primarily a Greek translation called the Septuagint. This version was translated a few centuries before Jesus was born. It was the most common version of the Scriptures available during the time of the apostles.

Because the Septuagint was so widely used, it became the Old Testament of the early church. When the apostles quoted the Old Testament in their letters, they often used the Septuagint’s wording. This Greek version included Sirach and several other books not found in today’s Protestant Bibles.

For over 1,500 years, the vast majority of Christians had Bibles that contained these books. It wasn’t until much later that a serious debate began about them. So, for the early church and for centuries that followed, Sirach was simply part of the Bible they read and learned from.

So, What Caused the Big Change During the Protestant Reformation?

Everything shifted during the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s. This was a time of deep spiritual renewal. Leaders like Martin Luther wanted to get back to the core principles of the Christian faith. One of their guiding mottoes was Sola Scriptura, which means “Scripture Alone.”

This principle drove the Reformers to carefully examine the foundations of their faith. They wanted to be absolutely certain that the books they considered Scripture were the inspired Word of God. In this process, they turned their attention to the Old Testament.

The big decision came down to this: the Protestant Reformers decided that their Old Testament should contain the same books as the Hebrew Bible recognized by the Jewish people. This Hebrew canon did not include Sirach, Tobit, Judith, or the other books they would soon label the “Apocrypha.” They reasoned that if the Jewish authorities had not preserved these books in Hebrew, they should not be considered canonical.

Did the Reformers Think These Books Were Bad?

This is a common misunderstanding. Martin Luther did not believe Sirach was a harmful book. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He had great respect for it.

In his German translation of the Bible, he moved these books into a separate section between the Old and New Testaments. He gave them the title “Apocrypha.” Then he added this famous note: “These are books that are not considered equal to the Holy Scriptures, but are useful and good to read.”

So, the original intent wasn’t to completely remove them. It was to give them a different status. For a long time, Protestant Bibles, including the original 1611 King James Version, contained the Apocrypha. It was only later that printers and publishers began leaving the section out entirely, mostly to save on printing costs and make Bibles smaller.

How Did the Catholic Church Respond to This Change?

The Catholic Church saw this move by the Reformers as a break from historic Christian tradition. In response, they convened a major meeting called the Council of Trent (1545-1563). During this council, the Church leaders officially reaffirmed what they believed had been the consistent teaching of the Church for centuries.

They declared that these books were indeed inspired Scripture. To distinguish them, they called them “Deuterocanonical,” which means “second canon.” This term doesn’t mean they are less important. It simply acknowledges that their place in the canon was debated by some for a time.

This council solidified the official Catholic Bible. As a result, it formally established the key difference we still see today between the Catholic and Protestant Old Testaments.

Are There Any Doctrinal Issues in Sirach That Protestants Disagree With?

For some Protestant theologians, the debate goes beyond history and language. They point to a few verses in the Apocrypha that they believe conflict with key Protestant doctrines. Specifically, they worry about the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith alone.

A verse in Sirach is often highlighted as an example.

“For almsgiving atones for sins.” (Sirach 3:30)

From a Protestant perspective, this verse can sound alarming. It seems to suggest that our good works—like giving to the poor—can “atone” for our sins. This appears to contradict the belief that only Jesus’s sacrifice can atone for sin.

However, a Catholic reading would see this differently. They would argue that such verses do not replace faith in Christ. Instead, they show that a true, living faith will naturally result in acts of love and charity. These actions cooperate with God’s grace. So, for them, it’s not a contradiction but a fuller picture of how faith and works are connected.

What Have We Discovered About Sirach More Recently?

Here is where the story gets even more interesting. One of the main arguments of the Reformers was that Sirach and other such books were not written in Hebrew. Therefore, they couldn’t be part of the original Old Testament. For centuries, this was a widely accepted fact.

But then, we made some incredible archaeological discoveries.

In the late 1800s, ancient Hebrew fragments of the Book of Sirach were found in a synagogue in Cairo, Egypt. Later, more scrolls containing parts of Sirach in its original Hebrew were discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls. You can learn more about these amazing discoveries and the other ancient texts found alongside them on the official Dead Sea Scrolls website.

These discoveries proved that Sirach was, in fact, originally a Hebrew book. The Reformers did not have this information. It adds a fascinating layer to the historical debate, showing us that our understanding of the past is always growing.

So, Should Christians Read Sirach Today?

After learning all this, you might be wondering if you should pick up Sirach and read it. That is a personal decision, but I would absolutely encourage it.

Even if you don’t consider it to be inspired Scripture on the same level as Genesis or Isaiah, it remains an incredibly valuable book.

• It contains immense wisdom. The advice in Sirach on friendship, family, humility, and fearing God is timeless and beautiful.
• It provides historical context. Reading Sirach gives you a powerful glimpse into the Jewish world between the Old and New Testaments. It helps you understand the culture and mindset of the people during the time leading up to Jesus’s ministry.
• It was part of the Christian heritage. For most of church history, our brothers and sisters in Christ read this book and were blessed by it.

Remember Martin Luther’s advice. He said it was “useful and good to read.” You don’t have to change your view on the biblical canon to appreciate the wisdom God preserved in this ancient text. Approach it with an open heart and see what you can learn.

A Story of Faith, Not Conspiracy

The story of why Sirach is not in every Bible is not about a hidden agenda. It’s a story of sincere believers seeking to honor God based on the best knowledge they had. It’s a story of different traditions—one based on the Hebrew text and another on the Greek Septuagint.

Ultimately, whether you read a Bible with 66 books or 73, what unites us as Christians is our shared faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The history of the Bible is complex, but it shows how God has faithfully preserved His message of salvation for us through the centuries. And that is truly a hidden truth worth celebrating.

Frequently Asked Questions – Why Is Sirach Not in the Bible