A selection of books called the “Apocrypha” was published in the original 1611 King James Bible.   Positioned between the Old and New Testament  (containing genealogies and maps)  For 274 years the apocrypha was part of the King James Version being removed in 1885 A.D. The Catholic Church called a portion of these books deuterocanonical-books.  The word Apocrypha  means “hidden” Dating back to before 70 A.D. Fragments of the Dead Sea scrolls contained parts of the apocrypha books in Hebrew including Sirach and Tobit.
Many claim the apocrypha should of never have been included with other claiming the apocrypha should of never been removed.
Reason for not being included in the first place , was the raising doubt about its validity and believing it was not God inspired  ( Tobit chapter 6 verses 5-8 a reference about magic seems inconsistent with the rest of the Bible.)
It being removed a little more than 100 years ago after being part of the Bible for nearly 2,000 years. Some say it was removed because of not being found in the original Hebrew manuscripts.   With others claiming it wasn’t removed by the Church but by printers to cut costs in distributing Bibles in the United States.     Both side use the same verses that warn against adding or subtracting from the Bible.

1 The brethren the Iewes that bee at Ierusalem, and in the lande of Iudea, wish vnto the brethren the Iewes that are throughout Egypt, health and peace.

2 God be gracious vnto you, and remember his Couenant that hee made with Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, his faithfull seruants:

3 And giue you all an heart to serue him, and to doe his will, with a good courage, and a willing minde:

4 And open your hearts in his law and commandements, & send you peace:

5 And heare your prayers, and be at one with you, and neuer forsake you in time of trouble.

6 And now wee be here praying for you.

7 What time as Demetrius reigned, in the hundred threescore and ninth yeere, wee the Iewes wrote vnto you, in the extremitie of trouble, that came vpon vs in those yeeres, from the time that Iason and his company reuolted from the holy land, and kingdome,

8 And burnt the porch, and shed innocent blood. Then we prayed vnto the Lord, and were heard: we offered also sacrifices, and fine flowre, and lighted the lampes, and set forth the loaues.

9 And now see that ye keepe the feast of Tabernacles in the moneth Casleu.

10 In the hundreth, fourescore, and eight yeere, the people that were at Ierusalem, and in Iudea, and the counsel, and Iudas, sent greeting and health vnto Aristobulus, king Ptolomeus master, who was of the stock of the anointed priests, and to the Iewes that were in Egypt.

11 Insomuch as God hath deliuered vs from great perils, wee thanke him highly, as hauing bin in battell against a king.

12 For he cast them out that fought within the holy citie.

13 For when the leader was come into Persia, and the armie with him that seemed inuincible, they were slaine in the temple of Nanea, by the deceit of Naneas priests.

14 For Antiochus, as though hee would marrie her, came into the place, and his friends that were with him, to receiue money in name of a dowrie.

15 Which when the priests of Nanea had set forth, and he was entred with a small company into the compasse of the temple, they shut the temple assoone as Antiochus was come in.

16 And opening a priuie doore of the roofe, they threw stones like thunderbolts, and stroke downe the captaine, hewed them in pieces, smote off their heads, and cast them to those that were without.

17 Blessed be our God in all things, who hath deliuered vp the vngodly.

18 Therefore whereas we are nowe purposed to keep the purification of the Temple vpon the fiue & twentieth day of the moneth Casleu, we thought it necessary to certifie you thereof, that ye also might keepe it, as the feast of the tabernacles, and of the fire which was giuen vs when Neemias offered sacrifice, after that he had builded the Temple, and the Altar.

19 For when our fathers were led into Persia, the Priests that were then deuout, took the fire of the Altar priuily, & hid it in a hollow place of a pit without water, where they kept it sure, so that the place was vnknowen to all men.

20 Now after many yeeres, when it pleased God, Neemias being sent from the king of Persia, did send of the posteritie of those Priests that had hid it, to the fire: but when they tolde vs they found no fire, but thicke water,

21 Then cōmanded he them to draw it vp, and to bring it: and when the sacrifices were laid on, Neemias cōmanded the Priests to sprinkle þe wood, and the things laid thereupon with þe water.

22 When this was done, and the time came that the Sun shone which afore was hid in the cloude, there was a great fire kindled, so that euery man marueiled.

23 And the Priests made a prayer whilest the sacrifice was consuming, I say both the Priests, and all the rest, Ionathan beginning, and the rest answering thereunto, as Neemias did.

24 And the prayer was after this maner, O Lord, Lord God, Creatour of all things, who art fearefull, and strong, and righteous, and mercifull, and the onely, and gracious king,

25 The onely giuer of all things, the onely iust, almightie & euerlasting, thou that deliuerest Israel from al trouble, & didst choose the fathers, & sanctifie them:

26 Receiue the sacrifice for thy whole people Israel, and preserue thine owne portion, and sanctifie it.

27 Gather those together that are scattered frō vs, deliuer them that serue among the heathen, looke vpon them that are despised & abhorred, and let the heathen know that thou art our God.

28 Punish them that oppresse vs, and with pride doe vs wrong.

29 Plant thy people againe in thy holy place, as Moises hath spoken.

30 And the Priests sung psalmes of thankesgiuing.

31 Now when the sacrifice was consumed, Neemias commanded the water that was left, to bee powred on the great stones.

32 When this was done, there was kindled a flame: but it was consumed by the light that shined from the Altar.

33 So when this matter was knowen, it was told the king of Persia, that in the place, where the Priests that were led away, had hid the fire, there appeared water, and that Neemias had purified the sacrifices therewith.

34 Then the king inclosing the place, made it holy after he had tried þe matter.

35 And the king tooke many gifts, and bestowed thereof, on those whom he would gratifie.

36 And Neemias called this thing Naphthar, which is as much to say as a cleansing: but many men call it Nephi.

 

 

 

1 The Jews in Jerusalem and in the land of Judea send greetings to their brethren, the Jews in Egypt, and wish them true peace!

2 May God bless you and remember his covenant with his faithful servants, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

3 May he give to all of you a heart to worship him and to do his will readily and generously.

4 May he open your heart to his law and his commandments and grant you peace.

5 May he hear your prayers, and be reconciled to you, and never forsake you in time of adversity.

6 Even now we are praying for you here.

7 In the reign of Demetrius, the year one hundred and sixty-nine, we Jews wrote to you during the trouble and violence that overtook us in those years after Jason and his followers had revolted against the holy land and the kingdom,

8 setting fire to the gatehouse and shedding innocent blood. But we prayed to the Lord, and our prayer was heard; we offered sacrifices and fine flour; we lighted the lamps and set out the loaves of bread.

9 We are now reminding you to celebrate the feast of Booths in the month of Chislev.

10 Dated in the year one hundred and eighty-eight. The people of Jerusalem and Judea, the senate, and Judas send greetings and good wishes to Aristobulus, counselor of King Ptolemy and member of the family of the anointed priests, and to the Jews in Egypt.

11 Since we have been saved by God from grave dangers, we give him great thanks for having fought on our side against the king;

12 it was he who drove out those who fought against the holy city.

13 When their leader arrived in Persia with his seemingly irresistible army, they were cut to pieces in the temple of the goddess Nanea through a deceitful stratagem employed by Nanea's priests.

14 On the pretext of marrying the goddess, Antiochus with his Friends had come to the place to get its great treasures by way of dowry.

15 When the priests of the Nanaeon had displayed the treasures, Antiochus with a few attendants came to the temple precincts. As soon as he entered the temple, the priests locked the doors.

16 Then they opened a hidden trapdoor in the ceiling, hurled stones at the leader and his companions and struck them down. They dismembered the bodies, cut off their heads and tossed them to the people outside.

17 Forever blessed be our God, who has thus punished the wicked!

18 We shall be celebrating the purification of the temple on the twenty-fifth day of the month Chislev, so we thought it right to inform you, that you too may celebrate the feast of Booths and of the fire that appeared when Nehemiah, the rebuilder of the temple and the altar, offered sacrifices.

19 When our fathers were being exiled to Persia, devout priests of the time took some of the fire from the altar and hid it secretly in the hollow of a dry cistern, making sure that the place would be unknown to anyone.

20 Many years later, when it so pleased God, Nehemiah, commissioned by the king of Persia, sent the descendants of the priests who had hidden the fire to look for it.

21 When they informed us that they could not find any fire, but only muddy water, he ordered them to scoop some out and bring it. After the material for the sacrifices had been prepared, Nehemiah ordered the priests to sprinkle with the water the wood and what lay on it.

22 When this was done and in time the sun, which had been clouded over, began to shine, a great fire blazed up, so that everyone marveled.

23 While the sacrifice was being burned, the priests recited a prayer, and all present joined in with them, Jonathan leading and the rest responding with Nehemiah.

24 The prayer was as follows: "Lord, Lord God, creator of all things, awesome and strong, just and merciful, the only king and benefactor,

25 who alone are gracious, just, almighty, and eternal, Israel's savior from all evil, who chose our forefathers and sanctified them:

26 accept this sacrifice on behalf of all your people Israel and guard and sanctify your heritage.

27 Gather together our scattered people, free those who are the slaves of the Gentiles, look kindly on those who are despised and detested, and let the Gentiles know that you are our God.

28 Punish those who tyrannize over us and arrogantly mistreat us.

29 Plant your people in your holy place, as Moses promised."

30 Then the priests began to sing hymns.

31 After the sacrifice was burned, Nehemiah ordered the rest of the liquid to be poured upon large stones.

32 As soon as this was done, a flame blazed up, but its light was lost in the brilliance cast from a light on the altar.

33 When the event became known and the king of the Persians was told that, in the very place where the exiled priests had hidden the fire, a liquid was found with which Nehemiah and his people had burned the sacrifices,

34 the king, after verifying the fact, fenced the place off and declared it sacred.

35 To those on whom the king wished to bestow favors he distributed the large revenues he received there.

36 Nehemiah and his companions called the liquid nephthar, meaning purification, but most people named it naphtha.

 

 

I. Wrote the Jews of Egypt a letter (1:1-2:18)

          A. Letter number one (1:1-9)
          B. Letter number Two (1:10-2:18)

II The Epitomist's Preface (2:19-32)

III The High Priesthood Decline (3:1-4:50)

          A. The Episode of Heliodorus (3:1-40)
          B. Simon's Plot Against Onias (4:1-6)
          C. The High Priest Jason introdices Hellenisin (4:7-20)
          D. In Jerusalem Jason receives Antiochus (4:21-22)
          E. High Pries Menelaus (4:23-50)

IV The Imposition of Hellenism and Antiochus Epiphanes (5:1-7:42)

 A. Jerusael Ravages by Antiochus (5:1-14)
 B. Temple is Despoiled by Antiochus (5:15-23)
 C. Apollonius Attachs Jerusalem (5:23-26)
 D. In the Desert Judas Maccabeus (5:27)
 E. Antiochus imposes Hellenian (6:1-11)
 F. The Epitomist's Evaluation (6:12-17)
 G. The Martydom of Eleazer (6:18-31)
 H. The Mother and her seven sons Martyrdom (7:1-42)

V. Under Judas Maccabeus the Triumph of Judaism (8:1-10:9)

A. Organizes Resistance to the Presection by Judas (8:1-7)
 B. Nicanor and Gorgias defeated by Judas (8:8-29 , 34-36)
 C. Other Victories by Judas (8:30-33)
 D. The Death of the Persecutor (9:1-29) E. Temple purified by Judas (10:1-9)

VI. Judas's subsequent struggles (10:10-15:39)

 A. Ptolemy Macron's suicide (10:10-13)
 B. Judas fights in Idumea (10:14-23)
 C. Judas defeats Timothy (10:24-38)
 D. At Beth-zur victory over Lysias (11:1-15 12:1)
 E. The Letters (11:16-38)
 F. The Battles with Neighboring People. (12:2-45)
 G. In Judah Lysias' Second Campaign (13:1-26)
 H. The Accession of Demetrius I Soter (14:1-2)
 I. Alcimus' Hostility (14:3-11)
 J. Nicanor and Judas (14:12-36)
 K. Razis's Death (14:37-46)
 L. Nicanor's Defeat (15:1-37)
 M. Epitomist's Epilogue (15:37-39)