I want to take a moment to address a claim that critics have made for years—that there are “lost books” of the Bible, that men manipulated Scripture for political gain, and that some important teachings were deliberately removed. Even the Book of Mormon, in 1 Nephi 13:28, claims that “plain and precious things” were taken from the Bible. But is that true? Were some books left out? Were parts of God’s Word lost?
Now, it is true that the Bible references other writings. Numbers 21:14 mentions the Book of the Wars of the Lord. Joshua 10:13 and 2 Samuel 1:18 refer to the Book of Jasher. 1 Kings 11:41 speaks of the Book of the Acts of Solomon. There are mentions of the Book of Nathan the Prophet, the Book of Gad the Seer, the Book of Shemaiah the Prophet, and others. Some look at these references and jump to the conclusion that these books should have been included in the Bible. But before making that assumption, let’s consider a few things.
Could These Writings Be Part of Existing Books?
First, it’s entirely possible that some of these writings were incorporated into the books we already have in Scripture. The Old Testament books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles record the acts of the kings and the prophets, so some of these references may point to material that has already been preserved within the inspired text.
Second, some of these writings could have been historical records, important for reference but never intended to be part of the inspired Word of God. The Bible is a spiritual book, not just a history book. While the Bible does contain history, not every historical document was meant to be part of Scripture.
How Were the Books of the Bible Chosen?
The books that became part of the Bible were not selected randomly, nor were they chosen through some corrupt political process. God’s people, guided by His Spirit, collected and preserved the writings of recognized prophets and apostles. The Old Testament books were accepted as inspired because they came from men whom God had directly chosen—Moses, David, the prophets. The New Testament writings were accepted because they came from Jesus’ apostles or their close associates, men who had been inspired by the Holy Spirit.
What About Other Writings Mentioned in the New Testament?
The New Testament also refers to writings outside of the Bible. In 2 Timothy 3:8, Paul mentions two Egyptian magicians who opposed Moses, but their names are not found in Exodus. Instead, they appear in Jewish writings like the Targum of Jonathan and the Babylonian Talmud. Does that mean these writings are inspired? No. It simply means they recorded a historical fact correctly.
Paul also quotes from Epimenides, a Greek poet, in Titus 1:12. Just because Paul references his words doesn’t make Epimenides inspired. It simply means he said something true.
In Jude 14-15, we find a quote from the Book of 1 Enoch. Does that mean 1 Enoch should be part of the Bible? No. Jude simply acknowledges that this book contained a statement that happened to be true.
One key detail is that none of these extra-biblical writings are ever called Scripture. In 2 Timothy 3:16, Paul says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” The Greek word for “Scripture” (graphe) refers specifically to the Holy Writings. None of these other books were ever referred to as graphe, meaning that the early Christians did not consider them inspired.
Do We Have Everything We Need?
Despite the claims of critics, we can be confident that the Bible is complete. 2 Peter 1:3 tells me that “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.” That means God has not left anything out. Everything I need to live a faithful life and prepare for eternity is in the 66 books of the Bible.
Now, there are other books that may be historically valuable. They can help me understand the culture and events of biblical times, but they are not inspired Scripture. The books in the Bible were carefully preserved, and what we have today is exactly what God intended us to have.
What Should I Do With This Knowledge?
Instead of worrying about “lost books,” I need to focus on the ones God has preserved for me. I need to study His Word, apply it to my life, and share it with others.
God’s Word is complete. The question is, am I reading it? Am I applying it? Because what I have in the Bible is not just ancient text—it is the living, powerful Word of God. It is everything I need to know Him, follow Him, and prepare for eternity.
Now, the question is, what am I doing with it?
