Why is the Book of Enoch not in most Bibles?

# Why is the Book of Enoch not in most Bibles?

Quick summary

The Book of Enoch, especially 1 Enoch, is an ancient Jewish apocalyptic work that was influential in some Second Temple Jewish and early Christian contexts. It is not in most Bibles because it was not received as canonical by most Jewish and Christian traditions.

Why it is famous

1 Enoch expands traditions about Enoch, angels, watchers, judgment, heavenly journeys, and the end of the age. Fragments among the Dead Sea Scrolls show that parts of the Enochic tradition circulated in antiquity.

Connection with the New Testament

The letter of Jude appears to quote or echo Enochic material. This shows that the tradition was known and valued by some early Christians, but citation does not automatically prove full canonical status.

Canonical reception

Most Jewish, Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant canons do not include 1 Enoch. The Ethiopian Orthodox tradition is the major exception, preserving it as part of its broader biblical canon.

How to read it

Read Enoch as an important ancient apocalyptic text. It helps illuminate the world of Second Temple Judaism and early Christianity, but its canonical status depends on the tradition using it.

Read also

• Were books really removed from the Bible?
• What is the biblical canon?
• What is the difference between apocrypha, deuterocanonical, and pseudepigrapha?
• What are biblical apocrypha?

Sources and recommended reading

• Britannica Biblical Literature
• Bible Odyssey
• Dead Sea Scrolls

Editorial note: this article is written in an informational, non-confessional tone. Where traditions disagree, the page should describe differences of reception, use, and canon without presenting one tradition as the universal default.