Who Wrote the Book of Enoch? What We Know
The Book of Enoch was not written by the Enoch of Genesis. Learn who wrote it, why it is not in the Bible, and how to read it wisely.
The Book of Enoch was not written by the Enoch of Genesis. The Enoch who “walked with God” (Genesis 5:21-24) lived long before the Flood, but the book that carries his name was written by unknown Jewish authors centuries later, most of it between roughly 300 BC and 100 BC, with some sections possibly later. It is a collection, not one book by one hand. It survives in full only in Ge’ez, the classical language of Ethiopia, which is why it is often called 1 Enoch or the Ethiopian Enoch. It is not Scripture. It has never been part of the Protestant or Catholic canon, though the Ethiopian Orthodox Church treats it as canonical. Jude 1:14-15 does quote a line from it, which is the main reason Christians ask about it.
Who actually wrote the Book of Enoch?
We do not know the names of the authors. The book claims Enoch as its speaker, a common ancient practice called pseudepigraphy, where a later writer attributes his work to a revered figure from the distant past. That was not seen as forgery in the modern sense so much as a way of saying, “This is the tradition of Enoch.”
The book is a library of separate works:
- The Book of the Watchers (chapters 1-36), the oldest section, tells of angels who fell, married women, and fathered giants (compare Genesis 6:1-4).
- The Similitudes or Parables (chapters 37-71), which speaks of a “Son of Man” figure.
- The Astronomical Book (chapters 72-82), about the calendar and the stars.
- The Dream Visions (chapters 83-90), including a history of Israel pictured as animals.
- The Epistle of Enoch (chapters 91-108), with warnings to the wicked and promises to the righteous.
Because the sections differ in style, vocabulary, and theology, scholars are confident several authors wrote them over a span of perhaps two hundred years. The oldest surviving copies are among the Dead Sea Scrolls, found at Qumran, which confirms the book was known in Jewish circles before the time of Christ.
Is the Book of Enoch in the Bible?
No. It is not in the Hebrew Bible, the Protestant Old Testament, or the Catholic Old Testament. The Catholic canon includes books such as Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, and Sirach (sometimes called the Apocrypha or deuterocanonical books), but not Enoch. The Orthodox churches vary, and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church alone receives 1 Enoch as Scripture.
The reason is not that the book was banned by a council in a single dramatic moment. Rather, it simply was not received as authoritative by the Jewish community that preserved the Hebrew Scriptures, and the early church followed that judgment. By the time the canon questions were settled, Enoch was recognized as a valuable ancient document but not as the Word of God.
That does not mean it is worthless. It is a window into what some Jewish believers were thinking and hoping in the centuries between the Old and New Testaments. It helps explain the imagery of angels, demons, and judgment that shows up in the New Testament. But it is not the standard by which doctrine is measured.
Why does Jude quote the Book of Enoch?
Jude 1:14-15 reads:
Enoch, the seventh from Adam, also prophesied about them: “Behold, the Lord is coming with myriads of His holy ones to execute judgment on everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of every ungodly act of wickedness and every harsh word spoken against Him by ungodly sinners.” — Jude 1:14-15 (BSB)
That is a close quotation of 1 Enoch 1:9. Jude, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, uses a true statement from a non-canonical book to make his point. This is not unusual. Paul quotes pagan poets in Acts 17:28 and Titus 1:12. Quoting a source does not make the source inspired. It means the quoted line is true, and Jude, as an apostle, was led by God to include it.
So the quotation tells us the Book of Enoch existed and was known, and that at least one line in it is accurate. It does not tell us the whole book is Scripture. The Bereans were praised for examining even apostolic preaching against the Scriptures (Acts 17:11), and we should do the same with any book.
Is it a sin to read the Book of Enoch?
The Bible never commands us to read it, and it never forbids us to read it. Reading a book is not a sin. What matters is what you do with it.
Two dangers are worth naming. The first is treating Enoch as Scripture, building doctrine on it, or letting it correct the Bible. The second is the opposite error of assuming everything outside the canon is demonic. Many old Christian writings are useful for history and background.
A good practice is to read it as you would read any ancient Jewish document: with interest, with caution, and with the Bible open beside it. Ask what it reveals about the hopes and fears of its time. Ask where it agrees with Scripture and where it departs. Where it contradicts the Bible, the Bible wins. Second Timothy 3:16-17 says:
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work. — 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (BSB)
That is the standard. Enoch is not in that category, but it can still be read with profit as long as it stays in its place.
What about the Book of Jasher and the Book of Sirach?
Readers often ask about these next.
The Book of Jasher is mentioned twice in the Old Testament (Joshua 10:13; 2 Samuel 1:18) as a source the biblical writers used. That original book is lost. A medieval Hebrew work with the same name exists, but it is not the book Scripture refers to. It is not canonical.
The Book of Sirach, also called Ecclesiasticus or the Wisdom of Ben Sira, was written by a Jewish teacher named Jesus ben Sira around 180 BC. Unlike Enoch, it is included in the Catholic and Orthodox Old Testaments, though not in the Protestant canon. It is a wisdom book with much practical instruction, and it is quoted in some early Christian writings. Protestants read it as helpful but not authoritative.
How should you read the Book of Enoch?
Read it as background, not as a foundation. It can deepen your understanding of the world Jesus entered, where talk of angels, fallen powers, and final judgment was common. It can also show you why the New Testament writers did not need to explain every reference to their first readers.
But keep your anchor in the sixty-six books of the Bible. Pray before you read anything that claims to speak for God. Test it against Scripture. Talk it over with a pastor or a mature believer who knows the Bible well. The Enoch of Genesis is remembered for one thing: he walked with God. That is the example worth following, and it is found in the Bible itself.
If reading about judgment and the end of the age stirs up fear or despair, do not carry it alone. Speak with a pastor or trusted believer in person. If you are in crisis, help is available right now: in the United States and Canada call or text 988; in the United Kingdom and Ireland call Samaritans on 116 123; in Australia call Lifeline on 13 11 14; anywhere else visit findahelpline.com or call your local emergency number.
Common questions
Did Enoch from Genesis write the Book of Enoch?
No. The Enoch of Genesis lived before the Flood, but the Book of Enoch was written by unknown Jewish authors centuries later, mostly between 300 BC and 100 BC. The book uses his name as a literary device, not as a claim of actual authorship.
Is the Book of Enoch inspired by God?
No. It is not part of the Protestant, Catholic, or most Orthodox canons. Only the Ethiopian Orthodox Church treats it as Scripture. Jude quotes one line from it, but quoting a source does not make the whole source inspired.
Can Christians read the Book of Enoch?
Yes, reading it is not a sin. Read it as ancient background, not as Scripture, and test everything against the Bible. If anything in it contradicts Scripture, the Bible is the authority.
Why is the Book of Enoch not in the Bible?
It was not received as authoritative by the Jewish community that preserved the Hebrew Scriptures, and the early church followed that judgment. It was known and valued as an ancient document, but it was not placed among the books recognized as God’s Word.