The Biblical Canon of
Cyril of Jerusalem

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (313-386 A.D.), was a Bishop of Jerusalem who left important writings documenting the instruction of catechumens and the order of the Liturgy in his day.  He wrote 24 catecheses, or instructions, the first of which is introductory while the next eighteen (2-19) address ‘those being enlightened’ (i.e. those who await baptism at Easter). Catecheses 20-24 are referred to as the Mystagogical Catacheses and address the newly baptized by explaining the meaning of the sacraments and outlining the liturgy. This series of catecheses provides ample information on the catechumenate and liturgy in use in Jerusalem at this time.

Catachesis 4 contains Cyril’s canon list.  Cyril does not use the word ‘canon’, but rather, makes use the term ‘acknowledged or accepted’ (homologoumena), a term which Origen and Eusebius had used to designate the undisputed books among the churches.  Cyril, however, includes the books of James, 2 Peter, 2-3 John, and Jude, which Eusebius had listed as “disputed books” (antilegomena).  Like Eusebius, though, Cyril does maintain three tiers of religious writings: the canonical books, the ‘books of second rank’ (which may also be read or cited in churches) and the heretical apocryphal books (Catechesis 4:36).  He uses three terms to describe these works: apocryphal writings (Cat. 4.33), doubtful writings (Cat. 4.33), and the phrase in ‘second rank’ with its instruction not to read in private anything that is not read publicly in the church (Cat. 4.36).  Cyril’s New Testament Canon is identical to the modern New Testament except that he did not include Revelation.  He also placed the seven Catholic Epistles immediately following Acts, moving the 14 Pauline Epistles to the back.  The only Deuterocanonical (Apocryphal) additions that Cyril included in his Old Testament canon was the Book of Baruch and the Deuterocanonical sections of Daniel.

Source:  

  • Edmon L. Gallagher and John D. Meade. The Biblical Canon Lists from Early Christianity:  Texts and Analysis.  Oxford University Press. 2017
  • Butler, Alban (1866) Vol. III, D. & J. Sadlier, & Company (1866). The Lives or the Fathers, Martyrs and Other Principal Saints’. J. Duffy.

The Canon List of
Cyril of Jerusalem:

Source Used:  Edmon L. Gallagher and John D. Meade. The Biblical Canon Lists from Early Christianity:  Texts and Analysis.  Oxford University Press. 2017

The New Testament Canon:

N.T. Canon of Cyril

Modern Catholic N.T. Canon

Modern Protestant N.T. Canon

Matthew

Matthew

Matthew

Mark

Mark

Mark

Luke 

Luke 

Luke 

John

John

John

Acts

Acts

Acts

James

Romans

Romans

Peter (both 1 & 2)

1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians

John (1, 2, & 3)

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Jude

Galatians

Galatians

Romans

Ephesians

Ephesians

1 Corinthians

Philippians

Philippians

2 Corinthians

Colossians

Colossians

Galatians

1 Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians

Ephesians

2 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians

Philippians

1 Timothy

1 Timothy

Colossians

2 Timothy

2 Timothy

1 Thessalonians

Titus

Titus

2 Thessalonians

Philemon

Philemon

1 Timothy

Hebrews

Hebrews

2 Timothy

James

James

Titus

1 Peter

1 Peter

Philemon

2 Peter

2 Peter

Hebrews

1 John

1 John

 

2 John

2 John

 

3 John

3 John

 

Jude

Jude

**Revelation not included**

Revelation

Revelation

The Old Testament Canon:

O.T. Canon of Cyril

Modern Catholic O.T. Canon

Modern Protestant O.T. Canon

Genesis

Genesis

Genesis

Exodus

Exodus

Exodus

Leviticus

Leviticus

Leviticus

Numbers

Numbers

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy

Joshua

Joshua

Joshua

Judges

Judges

Judges

Ruth

Ruth

Ruth

1 Kingdoms (Samuel)

1 Samuel

1 Samuel

2 Kingdoms (Samuel)

2 Samuel

2 Samuel

3 Kingdoms (1 Kings)

1 Kings

1 Kings

4 Kingdoms (2 Kings)

2 Kings

2 Kings

1 Paralipomenon

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles

2 Paralipomenon

2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

1 Esdras

1 Esdras (1 Ezra)

Ezra (1 Ezra)

2 Esdras

2 Esdras (2 Ezra)

Nehemiah (2 Ezra)

Esther

Esther

Esther

 

Tobit

 
 

Judith

 
 

1 Maccabees

 
 

2 Maccabees

 
   

Job

Job

Job

Psalms

Psalms

Psalms

Proverbs

Proverbs

Proverbs

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes

Canticle of Canticles

Canticle of Canticles

Song of Songs

 

Book of Wisdom

 
 

Ecclesiasticus / Sirach

 

Isaiah

Isaiah

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Jeremiah

Jeremiah

Lamentations

Lamentations

Lamentations

Baruch

Baruch

 

Ezechiel

Ezechiel

Ezekiel

Daniel + Susanna + Bel & the Dragon

Daniel

Daniel

Hosea

Hosea / Osee

Hosea

Joel

Joel

Joel

Amos

Amos

Amos

Obadiah

Obadiah

Obadiah

Jonah

Jonah

Jonah

Micah

Micah

Micah

Nahum

Nahum

Nahum

Habakkuk

Habakkuk

Habakkuk

Zephaniah

Zephaniah

Zephaniah

Hagai

Hagai

Hagai

Zecharias

Zecharias

Zechariah

Malachias

Malachias

Malachi