The
New Testament apocrypha are a number of writings by
early Christians that give accounts of
Jesus and his teachings, the nature of
God, or the teachings of his
apostles and of their lives. Some of these writings have been cited as
scripture by early Christians, but since the fifth century a widespread consensus has emerged limiting the New Testament to the
27 books of the modern canon. Thus Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant churches generally do not view these New Testament apocrypha as part of the Bible.