Sorts books into four groups: recognised (homologoumena): four gospels, Acts, Paul, 1 John, 1 Peter, and Revelation 'if it seems proper'; disputed but known to most (antilegomena): James, Jude, 2 Peter, 2-3 John; spurious (notha): Acts of Paul, Hermas, Apocalypse of Peter, Barnabas, Didache, and again Revelation 'if it seems proper', and Gospel of the Hebrews; heretical: gospels of Peter, Thomas, Matthias, Acts of Andrew and John. Eusebius' categories are mapped as: acknowledged (homologoumena) to accepted, disputed (antilegomena) to disputed, spurious (notha) and heretical to rejected.
Dating
The Church History went through several editions; the final one is c. 324-325. Book 3 may date from an earlier edition (c. 311-313).Read the list(opens in a new tab)Eusebius, HE 3.25.1-7 (cf. 3.3.5, 3.39)
The 27 books
21 accepted · 6 disputedActs
Paul
Hebrews
General letters
Revelation
- Accepted
- Disputed
- Rejected
- Not mentioned
Notes on the books
- Hebrews (accepted): Covered by 'the epistles of Paul'. At HE 3.3.5 Eusebius counts 14 letters but notes that the Roman church disputes Hebrews as not Paul's.
- James (disputed): Antilegomena: 'disputed, yet known to most'.
- 2 Peter (disputed): Antilegomena.
- 2 John (disputed): Antilegomena ('whether they belong to the evangelist or another of the same name').
- 3 John (disputed): Antilegomena.
- Jude (disputed): Antilegomena.
- Revelation (disputed): Listed conditionally in both the recognised and the spurious groups ('if it seems proper'); Eusebius himself leaned against it. Encoded as disputed.