pinkvoy

Growing up Evangelical, I had an NIV bible and so it did NOT have the Catholic Apocrypha, so have you read it and do you recommend it?

* 1 Esdras (Vulgate 3 Esdras)
* 2 Esdras (Vulgate 4 Esdras)
* Tobit
* Judith
* Rest of Esther (Vulgate Esther 10:4-16:24)
* Wisdom
* Ecclesiasticus (also known as Sirach)
* Baruch and the Epistle of Jeremy (all part of Vulgate Baruch)
* Song of the Three Children (Vulgate Daniel 3:24-90)
* Story of Susanna (Vulgate Daniel 13)
* The Idol Bel and the Dragon (Vulgate Daniel 14)
* Prayer of Manasses
* 1 Maccabees
* 2 Maccabees

Joan of Bark

You need a third poll option:

No, but I would like to when I find the time.

Roger Pearse

Yes I have read it.

No it is not interesting.

Kapyong

Read entire?
No.

Fun reading?
not really,
but somewhat interesting.


K.

spin

The apocryphal books hold all sorts of interest to those who do history and analysis of religious thought. Outside these fields one would need a good reason to struggle through them.

* 1 Esdras (Vulgate 3 Esdras)
An interesting Greek translation of the precursor to our book of Ezra

* 2 Esdras (Vulgate 4 Esdras)
An apocalyptic work

* Tobit
Great novella with an angel and a demon and a nice plot mechanism

* Judith
Good yarn of how one woman could save the Jews

* Rest of Esther (Vulgate Esther 10:4-16:24)
* Wisdom
A later collection of wisdom than either Proverbs of the following.

* Ecclesiasticus (also known as Sirach)
Another wisdom collection which also contains information about various trades (including the scribe) as well as a potted history of Israel.

* Baruch and the Epistle of Jeremy (all part of Vulgate Baruch)
* Song of the Three Children (Vulgate Daniel 3:24-90)
* Story of Susanna (Vulgate Daniel 13)
* The Idol Bel and the Dragon (Vulgate Daniel 14)
Exotic additions to an already exotic book. (Susanna is related in logic to Esther -- good Jewess in bad situation.)

* Prayer of Manasses
A repentant Manasses (for a change)

* 1 Maccabees
A Hasmonean propagandistic history from the Hellenistic crisis to the time of John Hyrcanus

* 2 Maccabees
A religious history of the lead up to and the first part of the Hellenistic crisis excluding the death of Judas Maccabaeus.


spin

pinkvoy

Not scholar.
Is Tobit fun reading like Jonah and David and Goliath, Noah and his ark, Samson and Deliah?

Not fun: Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Numbers, most of OT

spin

I'd say so. The first section 1:1-3:6 isn't so important, so get through it as best you can, then read from 3:7.

I'd also give Judith a nod, but you'd have to get through ten chapters before it really hots up.


spin

Splarnst

When I was a Catholic, yes.

But it was neither fun nor entertaining. I was disappointed the poll didn't match the title.