The Old Testament is different because the Roman Catholic Church added the extra books (Protestant apocrypha) at the fourth sitting of the Council of Trent. The original New Testament was gathered by the Jews and the Septuagint Version was used by Jesus and his apostles.

-- Perdo M. (spikey@sfnoise.com), January 21, 2004

Answers

The 73 books of Sacred Sripture have been part of the one and only Canon of Scripture from the moment it was first finalized, at the Council of Carthage, at the end of the 4th century - LONG before Trent. Trent merely reaffirmed the canon as it already existed - exactly as Carthage had defined it. Nothing was ever added or removed. The Protestant Old Testament is different because the founder of Protestantism ripped out seven books of Holy Scripture he didn't care for; and if had his way, the Protestant New Testament would also be different, as it was his intention to rip out a few books there also. Fortunately his followers wouldn't hear of that, so the New Testament was protected from mutilation.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), January 21, 2004.