The “Gospel of Barnabas” is not included in the Bible because it does not align with the criteria that early church leaders used to determine the canon of Scripture. The Bible’s canon was established through a careful process based on factors such as apostolic authorship, widespread acceptance, consistency with other Scripture, and theological soundness.

The canonical Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) were widely recognized by the early Christian community as authentic and authoritative accounts of Jesus’ life and teachings. These Gospels were written by or closely linked to the apostles—those who had firsthand experiences with Jesus—and they present a consistent theological message that aligns with the rest of the New Testament.

The “Gospel of Barnabas,” on the other hand, appears much later in history, and its content contradicts key aspects of Christian doctrine as described in the established Gospels and other New Testament writings. Because of these differences, it has not been considered a trustworthy or divinely inspired text by the majority of Christian traditions.

The process of forming the biblical canon was guided by the belief that the Holy Spirit was leading the early church to recognize which writings were truly inspired and authoritative for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, as suggested in 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”