# Festal Letter 39 (the canon of Scripture), Greek passage

- Author: [Athanasius of Alexandria](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/athanasius/)
- Latin title: *Epistula festalis 39*
- Date: 367 (Easter letter) (probable)
- Source: J.-P. Migne, ed., Patrologiae cursus completus, Series Graeca 26 (Paris: Migne, 1857), cols. 1436-1440, reprinting the Benedictine edition of B. de Montfaucon (Paris, 1698)

- Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator
- Editions and translations: Louis-Théophile Lefort, ed., S. Athanase: Lettres festales et pastorales en copte, CSCO 150-151 (Louvain, 1955)
- Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-festalis-39/
- Passages: 1

## Festal Letter 39 1

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-festalis-39/1/#p-1
- Source: PG 26 26
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: In his Easter letter of 367 Athanasius lists the twenty-two books of the Old Testament and the twenty-seven of the New as the canon, names other books to be read by catechumens, and rejects the apocrypha as heretical inventions.

### Greek text

᾿Αλλʼ ἐπειδὴ περὶ μὲν τῶν αἱρετικῶν ἐμνήσθημεν ὡς νεκρῶν, περὶ δὲ ἡμῶν ὡς ἐχόντων πρὸς σωτηρίαν τὰς θείας Γραφάς" καὶ φοβοῦμαι μήπως, ὡς ἔγραψε Κορινθίοις Παῦλος, ὀλίγοι τῶν ἀκεραίων ἀπὸ «ἧς ἀπλότητος καὶ τῆς ἁἀγνότητος πλανηθῶσιν ἀπὸ τῆς πανουργίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ λοιπὸν ἐντυγχάνειν ἑτέροις ἄρξωνται τοῖς λεγομένοις ἀποκρύφοις, ἀπατώμενοι τῇ ὁμωνυμίᾳ τῶν ἀληθινῶν βιβλίωνʼ παρακαλῶ ἀνέχεσθαι, εἰ περὶ ὧν ἐπίστασθε, περὶ τούτων κἀγὼ μνημονεύων γράφω, διά τε τὴν ἀνάγκην καὶ τὸ χρήσιμον τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Μέλλων δὲ τούτων μνημονεύειν, χρήσομαι πρὸς σύστασιν τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ τόλμης τῷ τόπῳ τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ Λουκᾶ, λέγων παὶ αὐτός" Ἐπειδήπερ τινὲς ἐπεχείρησαν ἀνατάξασθαι ἑαυτοῖς τὰ λεγόμενα ἀπόκρυφα, καὶ ἐπιμῖξαι ταῦτα τῇ θεοπνεύστῳ Γραφῇ, πεῤὶ ἧς ἐπληροφορήθημεν, καθὼς παρέδοσαν τοῖς πατράσιν οἱ ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς αὐτόπται καὶ ὑπηρέται γενόμενοι τοῦ Λόγουʼ ἔδοξε κἀμοὶ, προτραπέντι παρὰ γνησίων ἀδελφῶν, καὶ μαθόντι ἄνωθεν, ἑξῆς ἐκθέσθαι τὰ κανονιζόμενα καὶ παραδοθέντα, πιστευθέντα τε θεῖα εἶναι βιβλία" ἵνα ἕκαστος, εἰ μὲν ἠπατήθη, καταγνῷ τῶν πλανησάντων " ὁ δὲ καθαρὸς διαμείνας χαίρῃ πάλιν ὑπομιμνη. Ἔστι τοίνυν τῆς μὲν Παλαιᾶς Διαθήκης βιβλία ἀριθμῷ τὰ πάντα εἰκοσιδύοʼ τοσαῦτα γὰρ, ὡς ἤκουσα, καὶ τὰ στοιχεῖα τὰ παρ' Ἑβραίοις εἶναι παραδέδοται τῇ δὲ τάξει καὶ κῷ ὀνόματί ἐστιν ἕκαστον οὕτωτʼ Πρῶτον Γένεσις, εἶτα Ἔξοδος, εἴτα Λευϊτικὸν, καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο ᾿Αριθμοὶ, καὶ λοιπὸν τὸ Δευτερονόμιονʼ ἑξῆς δὲ τούτοις ἐστὶν Ἰησοῦς ὁ τοῦ Νανῇ, καὶ θείας Γραφὰς χρὴ πιστεύεινʼ καὶ Κριταί' καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο ἡ Ῥούθ' καὶ πάλιν ἑξῆς Βασιλειῶν “τέσσαρα βιβλία" καὶ τούτων τὸ μὲν πρῶτον καὶ δεύτερον εἰς ἕν βιβλίον ἀριθμεῖται" τὸ δὲ «οἶτον καὶ τέταρτον ὁμοίως εἰς ἕνʼ μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα Παραλειπομένων αʼ καὶ β΄, ὁμοίως εἰς ἕν βιβλίον ἀριθμούμεναεἶτα “Ἔσδρας αʼ καὶ 8ʼ, ὁμοίως εἰς ἕν" μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα βίβλος Ψαλμῶν, καὶ ἑξῆς Παροιμίαι" εἶτα Ἐκκλησιαστὴς, καὶ Ασμα ἀσμάτων: πρὸς πούτοις ἐστὶ καὶ Ἰὼβ, καὶ λοιπὸν Προφῆται" οἱ μὲν Ἱερεμίας, καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ Βαροὺχ, Θρῆνοι, Ἐπιστολὴ. καὶ μετʼ αὐτὸν Ἰεζεκιὴλ καὶ Δανιήλʼ ἄχρι τούτων τὰ τῆς Παλαιᾶς Διαθήκης ἴσταταε, Τὰ δὲ τῆς Καινῆς πάλιν οὐχ ὀχνητέον εἰπεῖν' ἔστι γὰρ ταῦτα' Εὐαγγέλια τέσσαρα, κατὰ Ματθαῖον, κατὰ Μάρκον, κατὰ Λουκᾶν, κατὰ Ἰωάννην: εἶτα μετὰ ταῦτα Πράξεις ἀποστόλων, καὶ ἐπιστολαὶ Καθολικαὶ χαλούμεναι τῶν ἀποστόλων ἑπτά" οὕτως μὲν, Ἰακώβου α', Πέτρου δὲ β΄, εἴτα Ἰωάννου γ', καὶ μετὰ ταύτας Ἰούδα α'" πρὸς τούτοις Παύλου ἀποστόλου εἰσὶν ἐπιστολαὶ δεκατέσσαρες, τῇ τάξει γραφόμεναι οὕτως" πρώτη πρὸς Ῥωμαίους" εἶτα πρὸς Κορινθίους δύοʼ καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα πρὸς Γαλάτας" καὶ ἑξῆς πρὸς Ἐφεσίους" εἶτα πρὸς Φιλιππησίους, καὶ πρὸς Κολασσαεῖς: καὶ μετὰ ταύτας πρὸς Θεσσαλονικεῖς δύο" καὶ ἡ πρὸς Ἑβραίους" καὶ εὐθὺς «ρὸς μὲν Τιμόθεον δύο" πρὸς δὲ Τίτον μία' καὶ τελευταία ἡ πρὸς Φιλήμονα' καὶ πάλιν Ἰωάννου ᾿ΑποΤαῦτα πηγαὶ τοῦ σωτηρίου, ὥστε τὸν διψῶντα κὧν ἐν τούτοις ἐμφορεῖσθαι λογίων " ἐν τούτοις μόνοις τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας διδασκαλεῖον εὐαγγελίζεται. Μηδεὶς τούτοις ἐπιβαλλέτω, μηδὲ τούτων ἀφαιρείσθω τι. Περὶ δὲ τούτων ὁ Κύριος Σαδδουκαίους μὲν ἐδυσώπει, λέγων" « Πλανᾶσθε μὴ εἰδότες τὰς Γραφάς "» «οἷς δὲ Ἰουδαίοις παρήνει" ε Ἐρευνᾶτε τὰς Γραφὰς, ὅτι αὐταί εἰσιν αἱ μαρτυροῦσαι περὶ ἐμοῦ. » Ἀλλʼ ἕνεκά γε πλείονος ἀκριβείας προστίθημι δὴ «οὔτο γράφων ἀναγκαίως, ὡς ὅτι ἔστι καὶ ἕτερα τούτων ἔξωθεν, οὐ κανονιζόμενα μὲν. πωμένα δὲ παρὰ τῶν Πατέρων ἀναγινώσκεσθαι τοῖς ἄρτι προσερχομένοις καὶ βουλομένοις κατηχεῖσθαι τὸν τῆς εὐσεθείας λόγον" Σοφία Σολομῶντος, καὶ Σοφία Σιρὰχ, καὶ Ἐσθὴρ, καὶ Ἰουδὶθ, καὶ Τωβίας, καὶ διδαχὴ καλουμένη τῶν ᾿Αποστόλων καὶ ὁ Ποιμήν. Καὶ ὅμως, ἀγαπητοὶ, κἀκείνων χανονιζομένων, καὶ τούτων ἀναγινωσχομένων, οὐδαμοῦ τῶν ἀποκρύφων μνήμη" ἀλλὰ αἱρετικῶν ἐστιν ἐπίνοια, γραφόντων μὲν ὅτε θέλουσιν αὐτὰ, χαριζομένων δὲ καὶ προστιθέντων αὐτοῖς χρόνους, ἵνʼ, ὡς παλαιὰ προφέροντες, πρόφασιν ἔχωσιν ἀπατᾷν ἐκ τούτου τοὺς ἀκεραίους.

### English translation (Claude)

But since we have mentioned the heretics as dead, and ourselves as having the divine Scriptures for salvation, and since I fear that, as Paul wrote to the Corinthians, some few of the simple may be led astray from their simplicity and purity by the craftiness of men, and may then begin to read other books, the so-called apocrypha, deceived by their sharing the names of the true books, I beg you to bear with me if I too write, by way of reminder, about things you already know, because of the need and the benefit of the Church. In mentioning them, I shall use, to commend my boldness, the pattern of the evangelist Luke, and say myself too: Since some have undertaken to set in order for themselves the so-called apocrypha and to mix them with the divinely inspired Scripture, of which we have been fully assured, as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word handed it down to the fathers, it seemed good to me also, urged by genuine brothers and having learned from the beginning, to set out in order the books that are canonized and handed down and believed to be divine; so that anyone who has been deceived may condemn those who led him astray, and he who has remained pure may rejoice at being reminded again.

There are, then, of the Old Testament, twenty-two books in number in all; for so many, as I have heard, are the letters among the Hebrews, according to tradition. In order and by name each is as follows: first Genesis, then Exodus, then Leviticus, and after that Numbers, and then Deuteronomy; next after these is Joshua son of Nun, … and Judges; and after this Ruth; and again next, four books of Kingdoms, and of these the first and second are counted as one book, and the third and fourth likewise as one; after these, First and Second Chronicles, likewise counted as one book; then First and Second Ezra, likewise as one; after these the book of Psalms, and next Proverbs; then Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs; besides these there is also Job, and then the Prophets: … Jeremiah and with him Baruch, Lamentations, the Letter; and after him Ezekiel and Daniel. Thus far stand the books of the Old Testament.

Those of the New, again, one must not hesitate to name. They are these: four Gospels, according to Matthew, according to Mark, according to Luke, according to John; then, after these, the Acts of the Apostles and the seven letters of the apostles called catholic, namely: one of James, two of Peter, then three of John, and after these one of Jude; besides these there are fourteen letters of the apostle Paul, written in this order: first to the Romans; then two to the Corinthians; and after these to the Galatians; and next to the Ephesians; then to the Philippians and to the Colossians; and after these two to the Thessalonians; and that to the Hebrews; and next two to Timothy, one to Titus, and last the one to Philemon; and again the Apocalypse of John.

These are the springs of salvation, so that one who thirsts may be filled with the oracles in them; in these alone the school of godliness is proclaimed. Let no one add to these or take anything away from them. Concerning these the Lord put the Sadducees to shame, saying, "You are in error, not knowing the Scriptures," and exhorted the Jews, "Search the Scriptures, for it is they that bear witness to me."

But for the sake of greater exactness I add this too, writing of necessity: that there are also other books besides these, not canonized, but appointed by the Fathers to be read by those who are just coming forward and wish to be instructed in the word of godliness: the Wisdom of Solomon, the Wisdom of Sirach, Esther, Judith, Tobit, the so-called Teaching of the Apostles, and the Shepherd. And yet, beloved, while those are canonized and these are read, there is nowhere any mention of the apocrypha; rather, they are an invention of heretics, who write them when they wish, granting and adding dates to them, so that, bringing them forward as ancient, they may have a pretext for deceiving the simple.

### Scripture references

- 2 Cor 11:3: allusion, high confidence
- Luke 1:1: quotation, high confidence
- Luke 1:2: quotation, high confidence
- Luke 1:3: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 22:29: quotation, high confidence
- John 5:39: quotation, high confidence
- Deut 4:2: allusion, medium confidence
- Rev 22:18: allusion, medium confidence

### Extrabiblical texts

- Bar 1:1 (Baruch): allusion, medium confidence
- Ep Jer 1 (Letter of Jeremiah): allusion, medium confidence
- Wis 1:1 (Wisdom of Solomon): allusion, medium confidence
- Sir 1:1 (Sirach): allusion, medium confidence
- Jdt 1:1 (Judith): allusion, medium confidence
- Tob 1:1 (Tobit): allusion, medium confidence
- Did. 1.1 (Didache): allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- This is the Greek part of the 39th Festal Letter (for Easter 367), preserved by Balsamon; it is the earliest list of exactly the twenty-seven books of the New Testament. Text from the Archive.org OCR of Migne PG 26; OCR slips are corrected by logged corrections. Two lines are lost in the scan: after "Joshua son of Nun" a misplaced fragment ("and one must believe the divine Scriptures") stands where nothing belongs and is not translated, and before "Jeremiah" the words naming the Twelve Prophets (counted as one book) and Isaiah are missing (marked …). Athanasius's Old Testament includes Baruch, Lamentations, and the Letter of Jeremiah with Jeremiah, omits Esther from the canon (it is among the books to be read), and his "First and Second Ezra" are Ezra and Nehemiah. "The Teaching of the Apostles" is the Didache; "the Shepherd" is Hermas. 2 Cor 11:3; Luke 1:1–3; Matt 22:29; John 5:39; Deut 4:2 and Rev 22:18–19 ("add … take away"). Compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, Ep. fest. 39 1 (PG 26 26; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/athanasius-epistula-festalis-39/1).