Now, if you’re Catholic, you get a bonus. Think of it as the "director’s cut" of the Bible. Catholics count 73 books. They have a few extra ones tucked into the Old Testament, like Tobit, Judith, and Maccabees.
Why the difference? It’s a long story involving ancient scrolls, a Greek translation called the Septuagint, and a whole lot of arguing. Basically, the Catholics and Orthodox churches kept some books that the Protestants later decided to remove during the Reformation. It’s like the Bible had a downsizing phase.
And the Orthodox? Don’t Even Get Me Started
The Eastern Orthodox Church looks at the Catholic Bible and says, "Hold my incense." They have 78 to 81 books depending on the specific tradition. Seriously. They add even more, like 1 Esdras and 3 Maccabees. It’s a biblical buffet.
Then you have the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Oh boy. They go absolutely wild. Their Bible has 81 to 84 books. They include books like Enoch and Jubilees, which are basically biblical fan-fiction that somehow made the cut. I envy their dedication.
