The Apochrypha and Section 91--by Lisa Tait

The Apochrypha (a Greek word meaning “hidden things”) is applied to a group of writings whose position in the biblical canon has been disputed. In other words, people have been unsure whether they ought to be included in the Bible. Here are some facts about the Apochrypha to help you understand what it is and why Joseph Smith would have asked about it when he was working on his own translation of the Bible.

• There are about fifteen books or parts of books generally considered to comprise the Apochrypha. They date from 250 B.C. to 100 A.D.
• Many early Christian writers quoted from the Apochrypha and considered them scriptural.
• They were not originally found in the Hebrew scriptures (that is, the Old Testament) but were included in the Greek Septuagint (the version of the OT written for Greek-speaking Jews in Egypt).
• The Septuagint, which included the Apochrypha, was adopted as the scripture of the early Christian Church. They were included in the Latin Vulgate Bible and are still considered scriptural by the Roman Catholic Church and included in their Bible.
• During the Protestant Reformation, leaders of that movement rejected the Apochrypha, and that position has prevailed in Protestant Christianity ever since.
• From a modern perspective, it is clear that the Apochrypha contain much valuable insight into the history and culture of the world that produced the Old Testament. “The books of the Apochrypha have something in common with what came before them and with what followed them: they therefore act as a link between the Old and New Testaments and so help us to understand both” (1007).

Source: The Oxford Study Bible (Oxford University Press, 1992).

Joseph Smith came from the Protestant tradition, but he also knew from his own experience that there is more “scripture” to be had than what is found in the King James Version of the Bible. This prompted him to ask the Lord whether he should work through the books in the Apochrypha as part of his translation process. The answer is found in Section 91 of the Doctrine and Covenants.