The Complete Apocrypha (Annotated)

The complete Apocrypha in one volume. The etymology of the word comes from the Greek, which is comprised of two roots, "apo" (away) and "krypetein" (conceal), which translates to "hidden," meaning "hidden writings."While these writings were ultimately omitted from Hebrew canonization. Nonetheless, these writings have been valued by many people throughout the ages and have been later canonized by some churches. A couple of the books have even been found among the Dead Sea scrolls, indicating that they were held in high regard by many of the Jewish communities around the latter part of the first century. Martin Luther, while omitting them from the main text, stated the apocryphal books were "good to read" and included them in a separate section. The Apocrypha includes the books: 1st Esdras, 2nd Esdras, Tobit, Judith, the rest of Esther, the Wisdom of Solomon (also known as the Book of Wisdom), Ecclesiasticus (also known as Sirach), Baruch (with the epistle of Jeremiah), Azariah (also known as the Song of the Three Holy Children), The History of Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, the Prayer of Manasseh, 1st Maccabees, and 2nd Maccabees. Regardless of your theological outlook, you are sure to enjoy these often missed treasures!