The Catholic Bible — History, Canon, and Douay-Rheims Tradition
An overview of how the Catholic Church received, preserved, and proclaims Sacred Scripture, with a 73-book table of contents.
Read the Douay-Rheims BibleWhat Catholics Mean by “The Bible”
The Catholic Church receives Sacred Scripture as the inspired Word of God and recognizes a canon of 46 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books. The Old Testament includes the seven deuterocanonical books and the traditional Greek additions to Esther and Daniel.
How the Canon Was Affirmed
The Catholic canon was received through the worship and teaching life of the Church and solemnly listed at the Council of Trent in 1546. The Vulgate served Western Christianity for centuries, while Catholic translations also draw from Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek sources.
Douay-Rheims in English Catholic Life
The New Testament appeared at Reims in 1582 and the Old Testament at Douay in 1609–1610. Bishop Richard Challoner’s eighteenth-century revisions shaped the form most often read today.
Deuterocanonical Books and Additions
- Tobit (Tobias)
- Judith
- Wisdom
- Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)
- Baruch
- 1 Machabees
- 2 Machabees
- Esther — Additions
- Daniel — Additions
Interactive 73-Book Table of Contents
Use the Douay-Rheims reader to navigate the full Catholic canon, including traditional names such as Josue, Paralipomenon, Ecclesiasticus, Machabees, and Apocalypse.
Open the Catholic Bible Reader