Answer · confidence: partial
Which other early church book lists exist, and how do they differ?
Research question: Which other early church lists of accepted writings (2nd to 4th century) survive, and how do their included and excluded books compare with the Muratorian fragment's list?
The records show that Eusebius's list is the closest comparison: like the Muratorian Canon, it includes the four Gospels, Acts, a Pauline letter collection and 1 John, and it treats the Apocalypse of Peter and the Shepherd of Hermas as disputed 3. Unlike Eusebius, the Muratorian Canon includes a second Johannine epistle and Jude, omits Hebrews and 1 Peter, and accepts Revelation 5. Other Eastern lists of this period tended to have 26 books by omitting Revelation, and Athanasius's 367 letter was the first to give the familiar 27-book New Testament 67. The Bodleian papyrus, a Greek stichometric list dated to the fourth or fifth century, is the oldest surviving list of its kind 2, and Hahneman's study compares fifteen early church catalogues, though the sources do not name them or report their contents 84. The newest fact, the 2025 Bodleian abstract, is about a year old as of October 2026, and the Nicephorus list (about A.D. 850) falls outside the period asked about 10.
Checked 2026-10-22. Only documented and supported facts are used.
Dig deeper on this questionSources
[1] supported
Early Christian canon lists shared a consistent core of the Pentateuch, Prophets, Psalms, four Gospels, and 13 or 14 letters of Paul, but no two lists were exactly the same in content or order.
"These canon lists have a consistent core: Pentateuch, Prophets, Psalms, 4 Gospels, 13/14 Letters of Paul. But the edges are fuzzy, and no two canon lists in the early centuries are exactly the same in list or order."The Biblical Canon Lists from Early Christianity: Text and Analysis by Edmon L. Gallagher
[2] supported
The Bodleian papyrus is the oldest surviving stichometric list of biblical books written in Greek.
"its importance lies in the fact that it is the oldest surviving stichometric list of biblical books which is written in Greek"A List of the Books of the Old and New Testament with Stichometrical Annotations (Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Gr. th. g. 7 [P]) (2025)
[3] supported
The Muratorian Canon resembles Eusebius in including the four Gospels, Acts, a Pauline letter collection and 1 John, and in treating the Apocalypse of Peter and the Shepherd of Hermas as disputed or spurious.
"Like Eusebius, the Muratorian Canon includes four Gospels, Acts, a Pauline letter collection and 1 John in its list of canonical texts and presents the Apocalypse of Peter and the Shepherd of Hermas as disputed or spurious."Critical Reflections on the Role of the Canon in New Testament Scholarship (2024)
[4] supported
The Bodleian list's information can be compared with other similar stichometric lists written in both Latin and Greek, though the abstract does not name them or report their contents.
"The information that the papyrus provides can be compared with other similar lists written in Latin and Greek."A List of the Books of the Old and New Testament with Stichometrical Annotations (Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Gr. th. g. 7 [P]) (2025)
[5] supported
Unlike Eusebius, the Muratorian Canon includes a second Johannine epistle and Jude, omits Hebrews and 1 Peter, and accepts Revelation, giving a New Testament of twenty-three books with no Catholic Epistles collection.
"Unlike Eusebius, this list includes a second Johannine epistle together with Jude, omits Hebrews and 1 Peter and accepts the Book of Revelation. This is a New Testament in twenty-three books, with no trace of the Catholic Epistles collection."Critical Reflections on the Role of the Canon in New Testament Scholarship (2024)
[6] supported
Athanasius in his 39th Festal Letter of 367 was the first to list the New Testament in its familiar twenty-seven book form.
"the first to list a New Testament in its familiar twenty-seven book form was Athanasius in his 39th Festal Letter of 367."Critical Reflections on the Role of the Canon in New Testament Scholarship (2024)
[7] supported
Other Eastern lists of this period tend to have 26 books, omitting Revelation, while Western authors Jerome, Augustine and Rufinus followed Athanasius's twenty-seven book list.
"Other Eastern lists of this period tend to list 26 books, omitting Revelation, but Athanasius’ lead was followed in the West by Jerome (c. 395), Augustine (c. 397) and Rufinus (c. 404)."Critical Reflections on the Role of the Canon in New Testament Scholarship (2024)
[8] supported
Hahneman's book includes a comparative study of fifteen early church catalogues, which is the part that would address how other lists compare with the Muratorian Fragment.
"Chapter 4 is a comparative study of fifteen catalogues..."The Muratorian Fragment and the Development of the Canon (review) (1995)
[9] supported
The stichometry of Nicephorus is one surviving list in which a disputed book is placed between Sirach and Esther.
"in the stichometry of Nicephorus between Sirach and Esther"The Septuagint as Christian scripture, page 186
[10] supported
The Stichometry of Nicephorus, a Greek list of scripture books, is dated to about A.D. 850, which is much later than the 2nd to 4th century period the question asks about.
"But on the Greek side, the Stichometry of Nicephorus, a list of books of scripture giving the"A history of early Christian literature., page 350
[11] supported
Hahneman argues that the Chester Beatty Papyrus 46 did not contain a closed collection of Pauline letters, because it almost certainly did not include the Pastorals.
"He shows that the Chester Beatty Papyrus 46 did not comprise a closed collection of the Paulines, because it almost certainly did not include the Pastorals."The Muratorian Fragment and the Development of the Canon (review) (1995)
[12] supported
The Stichometry of Nicephorus places a disputed book among the disputed writings rather than among the accepted ones.
"the Stichometry of Nicephorus (ca. A.D. 850) puts it with the disputed"A history of early Christian literature., page 350
[13] supported
One disputed prayer is mentioned only in the stichometry of Nicephorus, where it is listed among the Old Testament Apocrypha.
"Otherwise, it is only mentioned in the stichometry of Nicephorus among the Old Testament Apocrypha"The Septuagint as Christian scripture, page 186
[14] supported
The Stichometry of Nicephorus is one of the canon lists that assigns a book to the category of disputed or rejected writings, which is how it is cited in this source.
"The canon list known as the Stichometry of Nicephorus (ca. A.D. 850) lists it among"A history of early Christian literature., page 350