The 66 books of the Bible were not arbitrarily selected by a council. The canon was recognized — not created — through a careful process guided by apostolic authority, consistency with prior Scripture, universal church acceptance, and the internal witness of the Holy Spirit. The books that make up our Bible earned their place through centuries of faithful use and rigorous examination.
Key Question
How were the books of the Bible chosen?
2 Timothy 3:16-17
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
2 Peter 1:20-21
“Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
“The canon wasn't decided by a vote at a council. The early church recognized which books were already functioning as Scripture — books that had apostolic authority, were consistent with known truth, and had been accepted by the universal church from the beginning.”
“The idea that the canon was imposed by Constantine at the Council of Nicaea is a popular myth with no historical basis. The books of the New Testament were recognized as authoritative long before any council met to discuss them.”