A number of people have made outrageous claims, making lots of money, selling books claiming early Christianity believed in a different Bible from today. Many assume no one really knows what early Christians believed. But we do know, and quite well, by observing what scriptural books they referred to when they wrote their religious letters, commentaries, and treatises. This actually undercounts, because they might consider some books scripture that they never happened to mention. (For example, in your writing, how often do you mention the book of Philemon?) Nevertheless, this shows at a minimum some of what they accepted as scripture. Of course, writings with few pages usually refer to only a few New Testament books, as one would expect. Early Christians referred to every book of the New Testament. There were many other books out there, of Greek philosophy, paganism, and Gnostic works, but these were called “poisons”, and “foreign food” to avoid.

 Legend of the row colors

red = persecution of Christians

pink = strange teacher

green  = heresy

orange= schism

Blue = Bible manuscript

Christian writer, heretic, or Bible manuscript

< pages

Date A.D.

NT

Gos pels

Mt

Mk

Lk

Jn

Ac

Rm

1Cor

2Cor

Gal

Eph

Php

Col

1 Th

2 Th

1Tm

2Tm

Tt

Pm

Heb

Jms

1 Pt

2 Pt

1 Jn

2 Jn

3 Jn

Jude

Rev

Reference to other

books as authoritative

Nero and Domitian persecute Christians

50 & 95/96

Est 500K Christians. Christians were labeled atheists & killed for refusing to worship the emperor and pagan idols.

Clement of Rome (wrote 1 Clement)

16 ¼

96-98

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Papias, disciple of John + “Presbyters”

2+½ 

130-150

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?

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Ignatius disciple of John (shortest version)

13

c.100-117

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Trajan persecutes Christians

107

Answered Pliny the Younger’s letter. Christians are not to be sought after, but only killed if found.

Didache (=Teaching of the Twelve Apostles)

4 ¾

c.60-120

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Apology of Aristides (Greek version)

4

125,138-161

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Epistle of Barnabas

12 ½

c.70-130

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Hadrian persecutes Christians

118 & 134

Hadrian loved Greek culture. He persecuted both Jews & Christians. Jewish Bar Cochba revolt happened under him.

Bar Cochba persecutes Christians

135

Christians persecuted in Israel because Christians would not join Bar Cochba’s revolt.

p52 (=John Rylands) John 18:31-33; 18:37-38

117-138

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p104 Matthew 21:34-37,43,45(?)

100-105

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2 Clement (anonymous writer)

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120-140

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Gospel of Egyptians quote

p46 (=Chester Beatty II) 1,680 verses 70% Paul+Heb

100-150

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p87 handwriting identical to p46 Phm 13-15,24 25b

100-150

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Polycarp, disciple of John, to the Philippians

3 ½

100-155

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Epistle to Diognetus

5 ¼

c.130-200

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Apostolic fathers total – until 155 A.D.

67.5

-155

0

1

8

4

5

4

3

2

5

4

3

3

2

2

3

1

4

1

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0

2

3

6

3

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2

1

Shepherd of Hermas

46 ½

c.115-155

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Justin Martyr, philosopher and apologist

137

c.138-165

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Acts of Pontius Pilate

Evarestus' Martyrdom of Polycarp

5

c.169

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Dionysius of Corinth + Hegesippus

⅓+2½

170,170-180

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Gnostic heresies become widespread

c.170-

Gnostics all believed the Creator was evil/foolish. Rejecting the O.T., they mixed Greek paganism & parts of N.T..

more than 33

Tatian+The Diatessaron, Encratite later

18+86

c.172

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¼ 

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p66 (=Bodmer II) p14/15 92% of John 808½ verses

125-175

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p4+p64+p67 Lk1:58-59,etc. Mt 26:7-8,etc. 95 verses

c.150-175

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Athenagoras (apologist)

19 ½

177

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Christians of Vienna and Lugdunum (Lyons)

6 ½

177

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¾

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Persecution of Marcus Aurelius

162/166-80

Aurelius was a Stoic philosopher. Persecution, mainly in Gaul, ended with his death.

Claudius Apollinaris of Hierapolis + Rhodon

½ + ½

160-177/80

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Melito/ of Sardis + Theophilus of Caesarea

11+⅛

170-177/80

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Theophilus of Antioch (to Autolycus)

32

168-181/88

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Shepherd of Hermas

Ebionites & Clementina (Law, Father, Son)

266 ½

- 181 -

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Q

Q

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Ebionite books

Irenaeus of Lyons, disciple of Polycarp

284 ¾

182-188

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4G

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1/3 

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Hermas, X Gospel of Truth X others

p98  Revelation 1:13-2:1 9 verses

100-200

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p32 Titus 1:1-15; 2:3-8 21 verses

150-200

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Passion of the Scillitan Martyrs

¾

180-202

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Caius and the Muratorian Canon

3

190-217

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4G

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Wisdom of Solomon, some accept the Apocalypse of Peter

Sabellian heresy (Praxeas, Noetus,Callistus)

200-257-

Sabellians believed the Father, Son, & Spirit were one person. Also called Patripassians for “passion of the Father”.

Persecution of Septimus Severus

202

Est. 2M Christians. Although a Christian helped him through an illness, he didn’t repeal existing laws against them.

Serapion of Antioch (against Marcion)

⅓

200-210

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X Gospel of Peter

Minucius Felix + Apollonius of Ephesus

25+1

c.210

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Clement of Alexandria

424

193-217/220

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¼  

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Preaching of Peter,

Hermas, Gospel of the Egyptians, Gospel of the Hebrews, Tradition of Matthias, Greek philosophers

p75 Lk 3:18-22; etc. Jn 1:1-11:45,etc. 1,166 verses

175-225

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p45 (=Chester Beatty I) Gospels+Acts 833 verses

200-225

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p30 1Th 4:12-13,16-17 etc. 2Th 1:1-2 etc. 25 verses

ca.225

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Tertullian (joined Montanist church)

928

198-220

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combined Gal 3:15 & 4:3

Asterius Urbanus (against Montanists)

2 ¾

c.232

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Hippolytus, pupil of Irenaeus (undisputed)

218

222-235/6

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X Gosp. of the Egyptians,

X others, X Gospel of Thomas

Maximin Thrax persecutes Christians

235-238

First empire-wide persecution, but only of clergy. Persecution stopped when his soldiers assassinated him.

Theodotus, probably Montanist

7 ¾

ca.240

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Peter’s Preaching

Instructions of Commodianus & Julius Africanus

25

232-245,240

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Origen (heterodox teacher)

742

225-254

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Hermas-disputed

Acts of Paul inferior to John’s gospel, 12 Patriarchs

Severe persecution by Decius and Gallus

250-251-3

1st Christian schism. Could Christians who sacrificed but repented ever be restored, or doomed forever (Novatian)?

Novatian (his schism lasted over 200 years)

38 ½

250/254-257

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Treatise Against Novatian

6 ½

254-256

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Treatise on Rebaptism

11

c.250-258

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X Preaching of Paul

Cyprian of Carthage (against Novatian)

250¾ 

c.246-258

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Roman church leaders (ltr 2,29,30)

1+4¾

250-251

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Moyses, et al. to Cyprian (letter 25)

2 ½

250

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½

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Cornelius to Cyprian (letters 45,47)

1 ¼

c.246-256

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Firmilian of Caesarea to Cyprian (74)

7 ¼

254-257

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Seventh Council of Carthage (85 bishops)

7 ¼

258

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Valerian persecutes Christians

257-260

Tolerant at first, but then 2nd most severe persecution. Stopped when captured by Persian Shapur II.

Theognostus of Alexandria (Origenist)

½

260

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Gregory Thaumaturgus (undisputed works)

28 ½

240-265

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½

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Dionysius of Alexandria (Origenist)

39 ½

246-265

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*

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Dionysius of Rome, Malchion & Pierius

1+3

259-275

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Aurelian Persecution

270

At first tolerant, Aurelian died soon after he decided to persecute Christians.

Anatolius of Alexandria (mathematician)

7 ½

270-280

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p47 (=Chester Beatty III) 31% of Rev. Rev 9:10, etc.

c.250-300

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Theonas of Alexandria Letter to Lucianus

3

282-300

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½

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p72 + p38+0162+0171+0220+0232 191 + 70 verses

ca.300

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Adamantius Dialog on the True Faith

42

c.300

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Sinaitic Old Syriac (most of the 4 gospels)

3/4th century

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-

-

-

Arnobius Against the Heathen (undisputed)

126½

297-303

-

-

-

-

-

A

-

-

A

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Victorinus of Petau, Austria (OT comment’r)

18 ½

martyr 304

W

4G

W

W

W

W

W

W

W

-

-

W

W

W

-

W

W

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

Most severe persecution by Diocletian

284,303-05

Est 5M Christians. Most severe persecution. Destroyed churches & scriptures. Killed Christians for not sacrificing.

Phileas of Thmuis, Egypt + Pamphilus

2½+2¾

-307, -309

-

-

-

-

W

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

Q

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

½

-

-

-

-

-

Peter of Alexandria (undisputed)

8 ½

285-311

-

-

J

-

-

W

½

½

-

A

-

Q

W

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Q

-

-

-

-

-

Methodius (corrected Origen’s followers)

79 ½

260-311/12

I

W

J

½

Q

Q

-

S

W

S

W

W

½

W

W

-

Q

-

-

-

A

-

A

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

Council of Neocaesarea (Basil and others)

1 1/3

c.315

-

-

-

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Theophilus’ Martyrdom of Habib the Deacon

5 ½

events c.315

-

-

S

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Athanasius Against the Heathen, Incarnation

56

c.318

-

W

J

J

J

J

Q

W

W

W

-

W

W

Q

-

-

-

-

-

-

J

-

J

-

-

-

-

-

-

Hermas-edifying

Licinius persecutes Christians in the east

315-323

At least one of Licinius’ motives was hatred of Constantine.

Lactantius, tutor of Constantine’s son

305 ½

c.303-320/5

W

-

A

A

Q

W

A

A

-

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

A

-

-

A

½