The Biblical Canon of
the Peshitta
The Peshitta -derived from the Syriac mappaqtâ pšîṭtâ (ܡܦܩܬܐ ܦܫܝܛܬܐ), literally meaning “simple version”- is a version of the Bible for churches in the Syriac tradition (a dialect of Eastern Aramaic) such as the Maronite Church, Syriac Catholic Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, and the Assyrian Church of the East. The Old Testament of the Peshitta was translated into Syriac from Hebrew some time in the 2nd century AD, while the New Testament of the Peshitta was translated from Greek in the early 5th century. The New Testament of the Peshitta originally excluded 2 Peter, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, and Revelation, but these five excluded books were eventually added in the Harklean Version in 616 A.D. by Thomas of Harqel.
Sources:
- Metzger, Bruce M. (1977). The Early Versions of the New Testament: Their Origin, Transmission and Limitations. Oxford University Press.
- Edmon L. Gallagher and John D. Meade. The Biblical Canon Lists from Early Christianity: Texts and Analysis. Oxford University Press. 2017
The Canon List of
the Peshitta:
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:
Peshitta N.T. Canon | 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 |
| Romans | Romans | Romans |
| 1 Corinthians | 1 Corinthians | 1 Corinthians |
| 2 Corinthians | 2 Corinthians | 2 Corinthians |
| Galatians | Galatians | Galatians |
| Ephesians | Ephesians | Ephesians |
Philippians | Philippians | Philippians |
Colossians | Colossians | Colossians |
| 1 Thessalonians | 1 Thessalonians | 1 Thessalonians |
| 2 Thessalonians | 2 Thessalonians | 2 Thessalonians |
| 1 Timothy | 1 Timothy | 1 Timothy |
| 2 Timothy | 2 Timothy | 2 Timothy |
| Titus | Titus | Titus |
| Philemon | Philemon | Philemon |
Hebrews | Hebrews | Hebrews |
| James | James | James |
| 1 Peter | 1 Peter | 1 Peter |
| 1 John | 2 Peter | 2 Peter |
| 2 Peter (added in 616 A.D.) | 1 John | 1 John |
| 2 John (added in 616 A.D.) | 2 John | 2 John |
| 3 John (added in 616 A.D.) | 3 John | 3 John |
| Jude (added in 616 A.D.) | Jude | Jude |
Revelation (added in 616 A.D.) | Revelation | Revelation |
The Old Testament Canon:
Peshitta O.T. Canon | 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 |
4 Kingdoms | 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 | Tobit | |
Judith | Judith | |
1 Maccabees | 1 Maccabees | |
2 Maccabees | 2 Maccabees | |
3 & 4 Maccabees | ||
Job | Job | Job |
Psalms | Psalms | Psalms |
Proverbs | Proverbs | Proverbs |
Ecclesiastes | Ecclesiastes | Ecclesiastes |
Canticle of Canticles | Canticle of Canticles | Song of Songs |
Wisdom of Solomon | Book of Wisdom | |
Wisdom of Jesus Sirach | Ecclesiasticus / Sirach | |
Isaiah | Isaiah | Isaiah |
Jeremiah | Jeremiah | Jeremiah |
| +Lamentatons? | 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 |