The first known list of exactly the 27 books of today's New Testament, with the words 'let no one add to these, nor take anything away'. Order: Gospels, Acts, Catholic Epistles, Paul (Hebrews after 2 Thessalonians), Revelation. The Didache and the Shepherd of Hermas may be read to catechumens but are not canonical. The letter shaped Egyptian practice but did not settle the question elsewhere.
Dating
Easter letter for 367; firmly dated. The Greek list survives in canonical collections; further Coptic fragments were found in the 20th century.Read the list(opens in a new tab)Athanasius, Epistula festalis 39.18
The 27 books
27 acceptedActs
Paul
Hebrews
General letters
Revelation
- Accepted
- Disputed
- Rejected
- Not mentioned
Notes on the books
- Hebrews (accepted): Listed among Paul's 14 letters, after 2 Thessalonians.
- Revelation (accepted): Included, in contrast to Cyril of Jerusalem and Laodicea.