Reading the actual Apocrypha: The prayer of Manasses (Manasseh)

So, I’ve never read the Apocrypha, other than the prayer of Manasses.  (Which is quite beautiful). 

So, I thought to myself, “Maybe I should read these books”. 

“But”, my Protestant interloper may say, “you’ve read Judith and the Books of Maccabees”. 

1)    Yes I have (Book of Judith-Deuterocanonical Book of The Bible (Douay Rheims))

2)    But see, the Church correctly holds those as inspired

Because Catholics actually have a way to define that these books are scripture. 

But, the Apocrypha, the actual Apocrypha, I think is good and useful to read, so long as it doesn’t contradict canonical scripture (i.e., the Gnostic “gospels”).

And, even if it does, the learned reader will probably be fine. 

So, with that, let’s get started.

(Prayer of Manasses)

According to the notes in my Bible,

“The prayer of Manasses is an apocryphal writing, which purports to give the prayer referred to in 2 Chronicles 13:13, 18-19.  Its original is in Greek.  While not included in the canon of scripture by the Council of Trent, the prayer of Manasses appeared in the vulgate, and the 1610 Douay and is used in the office of readings in the Roman rite in the Roman Breviary.  It is a canticle of the English daily office”. 

Reading it, though, one does not get the feeling that it is Manasses.  Partially because the author never says it is (at least not in the text). 

It is a beautiful prayer of repentance, but, not again, it doesn’t say it’s actually from Manasses. 

With that in mind, consider the following, “for I have sinned above the numbers of the sands of the sea.  My transgressions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to behold and see the height of heaven, for the multitude of mine iniquities (v. 8).

And in verses 12-13, “Wherefore, I humbly beseech thee, forgive me, and destroy me not with mine iniquities.  Be not angry with me for ever, by reserving evil for me: neither condemn me into the lower parts of the earth.  For thou are God, even the God of them that repent,

And in me, thou wilt shew all thy goodness: for thou wilt save me, that am unworthy according to the great mercy.”

I mean, I could see why someone could say this feels “biblical”, because, to some extent it does.  But, the Church did not accept it as canonical (for whatever reason).  And like I said, it is good and useful to read, and with that, I will leave you with the doxology in v. 14, “Therefore I will praise thee for ever all the days of my life: for all the powers of the heavens do praise thee, and thine is the glory for ever and ever.  Amen. 

*King James Version of the Bible used, which, in the US, has no copyright.  However, the explanatory notes, do. 

Copyright 2020

Walsingham Publishing,

Acton, Massachusetts, United States of America

By the way, given that this prayer is used in some context of the Byzantine Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Great Compline (Actual Apocrypha in the Liturgy), I thought it might be a good idea to explain why I am Catholic instead of Eastern Orthodox.  Check that out, here: (Why I am not Eastern Orthodox, about to be beardless, and more)