Editing 1 Esdras (section)

{{Short description|Septuagint Book of Ezra}}
{{For|the conflicting numbering of this book and other books called "Esdras"|Esdras}}
{{Tanakh OT |deutero}}
'''1 Esdras''' ({{langx|grc|Ἔσδρας Αʹ}}), also '''Esdras A''', '''Greek Esdras''', '''Greek Ezra''', or '''3 Esdras''', is the ancient Greek [[Septuagint]] version of the biblical [[Book of Ezra]] in use within the [[Early Christianity|early church]] and among many modern Christians with varying degrees of [[Biblical canon|canonicity]]. 1 Esdras is substantially similar to the [[Masoretic Text|standard Hebrew version]] of [[Ezra–Nehemiah]], with the passages specific to the career of [[Nehemiah]] removed or re-attributed to Ezra, and some additional material.

As part of the Septuagint translation, it is now regarded as [[biblical canon|canonical]] in the churches of the [[Eastern Christianity|East]], but [[Biblical apocrypha|apocryphal]] in the [[Western Christianity|West]]; either presented in a separate section or excluded altogether.<ref>For example, it is listed among the Apocrypha in Article VI of the [[Thirty-Nine Articles]] of the [[Church of England]]. Read [http://www.episcopalian.org/pbs1928/articles/AnglicanTeaching/042.htm Article VI at episcopalian.org] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928122338/http://www.episcopalian.org/pbs1928/articles/AnglicanTeaching/042.htm |date=2007-09-28 }}</ref> 1 Esdras is found in [[Origen]]'s ''[[Hexapla]]''. The  Greek [[Septuagint]], the  [[Vetus Latina|Old Latin bible]] and related bible versions include both Esdras Αʹ (English title: 1 Esdras) and Esdras Βʹ ([[Ezra–Nehemiah]]) as separate books.

There is scope for considerable confusion with references to 1 Esdras. The name refers primarily to translations of the original Greek 'Esdras A'.<ref name="Bogaert">{{Cite journal|volume=110|pages=5–26|last=Bogaert|first=Pierre-Maurice|title=Les livres d'Esdras et leur numérotation dans l'histoire du canon de la Bible latin|journal=Revue Bénédictine|date=2000|issue=1–2|doi=10.1484/J.RB.5.100750}}</ref> The [[Septuagint]] calls it Esdras A, and the [[Vetus Latina]] calls it 1 Esdras, while the [[Vulgate]] calls it 3 Esdras. It was considered apocryphal by Jerome.<ref name="tertullian.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/jerome_preface_ezra.htm|title=St. Jerome, The Prologue on the Book of Ezra: English translation}}</ref>