Council of Carthage, 419 AD
Canon 24
ITEM, that besides the Canonical Scriptures nothing be read in church under the name of divine Scripture.
But the Canonical Scriptures are as follows:
Genesis.
Exodus.
Leviticus.
Numbers.
Deuteronomy.
Joshua the Son of Nun.
The Judges.
Ruth.
The Kings, iv. books.
The Chronicles, ii. books.
Job.
The Psalter.
The Five books of Solomon.
The Twelve Books of the Prophets.
Isaiah.
Jeremiah.
Ezechiel.
Daniel.
Tobit.
Judith.
Esther.
Ezra, ii. books.
Macchabees, ii. books.THE NEW TESTAMENT.
The Gospels, iv. books.
The Acts of the Apostles, i. book.
The Epistles of Paul, xiv.
The Epistles of Peter, the Apostle, ii.
The Epistles of John the Apostle, iii.
The Epistle of James the Apostle, i.
The Epistle of Jude the Apostle, i.
The Revelation of John, i. book.Let this be sent to our brother and fellow bishop [of Rome], Boniface, and to the other bishops of those parts, that they may confirm this canon, for these are the things which we have received from our fathers to be read in church.
Before this goes any further, I want to clarify my beliefs.
I believe that the Bible is the Word of God. I believe in the Trinity, and that salvation comes through faith in God the Son Jesus Christ. I believe I'm going to heaven based on this faith. It's really that simple.
I come from a Roman Catholic background, and it was because of my disallusion with the church that I became an agnostic for 15 years. I am now a Bible thumping, close-minded believer. My faith is unshakeable. I'm a Christian. I don't belong to a sect.
I have no idea who put the Bible together. I don't know much about the good folks mentioned that came after the writers of the Bible (the one I use, that is). And if I die today and I find I'm mistaken in all my beliefs- then so be it.