Are there lost books of the Bible?
Quick answer
The Bible mentions a few books (Book of Jashar, Annals of the Kings of Israel/Judah) that were known to the original writers and used as sources but were not themselves Scripture. They were historical records, not lost canonical books.
Some references like "the Book of Jashar" (Joshua 10:13; 2 Samuel 1:18) are simply citations to a known collection — not "missing" Scripture.
Other claims of "lost books" — Gospel of Judas, Gnostic texts — are not lost at all; we have them and the church rightly judged them sub-Christian.
The Bible we have is the Bible God preserved. There are no lost canonical books; the canon is what God intended.
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Original BibleDawn answer · reviewed 2026-06. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.