Footnote
b The bishop of Alexandria wrote a letter each year to the congregations under his supervision to inform them about the date of “Easter”. In his 39th such Paschal letter, written A.D. 367, A·tha·naʹsi·us gave a list of the books of the “Old and New Testament”. That portion of his letter, translated from the Greek, reads:
“The books of the New Testament there is no hesitation about saying again, for they are these: Four gospels according to Matthew, according to Mark, according to Luke and according to John; and next after these Acts of the Apostles and seven so-called general letters of the apostles as follows: One of James, two of Peter, then three of John and after these one of Jude. In addition to these there are fourteen letters of Paul the apostle, written thus in order: The first one to the Romans, then two to the Corinthians, and next after these to the Galatians and thereafter to the Ephesians, then to the Philippians and to the Colossians and two to the Thessalonians and the one to the Hebrews; and then two to Timothy, but one to Titus. And one final one to Philemon; and again of John a Revelation.”
This is the first example of the catalogue of the books of the Christian Greek Scriptures as we have them today. This published list, known as “The Canon of A·tha·naʹsi·us”, preceded thus by 30 years the list published by the Council or Synod of Carthage, Africa, in 397 (A.D.).