References and Allusions to the Apocrypha in the New Testament

The following is a list of passages I’ve found in the Apocrypha which either refer directly to passages in the New Testament or allude to them.  There are lists aplenty on the internet but these are from my own reading of scripture, and the DC passages quoted here have no parallel to any in the Old Testament that I’m aware of; therefore one can’t sidestep them and say the DC writer copied from the Old Testament writer.  I’ve used the RSV Catholic edition which reflects the Greek text; the Latin text is slightly longer; consequently there are slight variations between the two in the numbering of verses.  This doesn’t have to mean that one is right and the other wrong, just that there are two textual traditions, as we find in the Hebrew and the LXX traditions.  In some cases here I have used the Douay Rheims Bible (DRB) where it was necessary to use the Latin tradition.

  • Matt 6:7 cf Sir 7:14 – repetitious prayer
  • Matt 6:19-21 cf Tob 4:9; – treasures in heaven
  • Matt 7:12 cf Tob 4:15 – the “Golden Rule”
  • Matt 12:27; Acts 19:13-14 cf Tob 8:2-3 – exorcism
  • Matt 13:43 cf Wisdom 3:7 – the righteous will shine
  • Matt 19:28; Luke 22:30 cf Wis 3:8 – the saints will rule
  • *Matt 22:23-33 cf Tob 3:7-17 – wife with seven husbands
  • Matt 25:36 cf Sir 7:35; Wis 3:10 (DRB) – charity and visitation
  • *Mat 27:42-43 cf Wisdom 2:12-20 – a reference to the crucifixion (Wis 14:7)
  • Mark 7:21; Luke 6:43-45 cf Sir 27:6 – out of the heart…
  • *Mark 9:44-46 (NKJV) cf Sir 7:17; Judith 16:17 (see also Isa 66:24) – fire and worms in hell
  • *Mark 11:25 cf Sir 28:2 – forgive to be forgiven
  • Luke 6:43-45; Mark 7:21 cf Sir 27:6 – out of the heart…
  • Luke 12:13-21 cf Sir 5:1; 11:18-19; 29:14 (DRB) – treasures in heaven
  • Luke 13:29 cf Bar 4:37 – the righteous will sit at God’s table
  • Luke 18:1-8 cf Sir 35:16-18 – perseverance in prayer  
  • Luke 22:30; Matt 19:28 cf Wis 3:8 – the saints will rule
  • *John 1:14 cf Baruch 3:36-38 (DRB) – incarnation of Christ
  • John 3:14-15 cf Wis 16:7 – the serpent in the wilderness, turning to the Saviour
  • John 6:51 cf Sir 24:21 – eating and drinking the body and blood of Jesus; eating God
  • John 9:6-8; Rev 3:18 cf Tob 11:8 – salve to anoint your eyes
  • John 14:15; 1 Jn 2:3, 3:22 cf Sir 2:19-21 (DRB) – if you love me, keep my commandments
  • John 17:3 cf Wis 15:3 – know God, know life
  • Acts 12:20-23 cf 2 Macc 9:1-12 – God’s killed two kings who defied him, with rotting flesh and worms
  • Rom 1:18-23 cf Wis 12:24-13:3 – exchanged the truth of God for a lie (Paul must have had this passage of Wisdom before him when writing)
  • Rom 1:18-23 cf Wis 13:1-9 – they exchanged the truth of God for a lie
  • Rom 2:10; 2 Tim 4:8; Jas 1:12; 1 Pet 5:4 cf Wis 5:16 – the saints will receive a crown
  • Rom 5:12 cf Wis 2:23-24 – death entered the world through one man
  • Rom 6:1, 15 cf Sir 5:5-6 – shall we continue in sin?
  • Rom 9:20-25 cf Wis 15:7-8 – has not the potter power over the clay?
  • 1 Cor 6:2 cf Wis 3:8 – the saints shall judge the world
  • 1 Cor 10:9-10 cf Judith 8:24-25 – do not put the Lord to the test
  • 1 Cor 10:19-21 cf Bar 4:7 – sacrificing to demons and not to God
  • Eph 2:1-3; Rom 5:12 cf Wis 2:24 – the prince of the power of the air
  • Eph 2:16; Col 1:20 cf Wis 14:7 – reconciliation and righteousness through the cross (“blessed is the wood by which righteousness comes”)
  • Phil 4:3 cf Sir 24:32 (DRB) – the book of life
  • Col 1:20; Eph 2:16 cf Wis 14:7 – reconciliation and righteousness through the cross
  • 2 Tim 4:8; James 1:12; 1 Pet 5:4; Rom 2:10 cf Wis 5:16 – the saints will receive a crown
  • Heb 11:35 cf 2 Macc 6:18-31 and 2 Macc 7:1-42 – submission to torture in order to gain resurrection
  • Heb 12:5-12 cf 2 Macc 6:12-17; Wis 3:5; 12:2 – the Lord disciplines those he loves
  • Heb 13:2 cf Tob ch 5 and 12 – entertaining angels unawares
  • Heb 13:17 cf Sir 7:29-31 – honour to your ministers and leaders
  • James 1:13-16 cf Sir 15:11-20 – don’t accuse the Lord of sin
  • James 1:19 cf Sir 5:11 – be quick to hear, slow to speak
  • James 2:1-4 cf Sir 11:2 – don’t a man judge by his appearance
  • James 3:1-12 cf Sir 5:13-6:1 – the tongue
  • James 3:13-17 cf Wis 6:22-23 – wisdom and envy
  • James 5:1-6; cf Sir 34:24-27 (DRB) – do not deprive the labourer of his hire
  • 1 Pet 1:6-7 cf Wis 3:5-6; Sir 2:5 – faith tested by fire
  • 1 Pet 2:19 cf Sir 2:4 – enduring pain in suffering
  • 1 Pet 4:17-18 cf Wis 12:20-22 – punishment begins in the household of God
  • 2 Pet 3:9 cf Wis 1:13 – God does not delight in the death of the wicked
  • 1 Jn 2:3; 3:22; Jn 14:15 cf Sir 2:19-21 (DRB) – they love God who keep his commandments
  • Jude 3 cf Sir 4:28 – contend for the faith
  • Rev 2:26-27; 3:21 cf Wis 3:8 – the saints shall rule
  • Rev 3:5; 13:8, 17:8; 20:12,15; 21:27; 22:19 cf Sir 24:32 (DRB) – the book of life
  • Rev 3:18 cf Tob 11:8 – eye salve
  • *Rev 8:2 cf Tob 12:15 – the seven angels before God
  • *Rev 8:3-4 cf Tob 12:12 – angels present to God the prayers of the saints
  • Rev 21:18-21 cf Tob 13:16 – the new Jerusalem built with precious stones