The word bible is derived from the Koine word βιβλια (an ancient Greek language prevalent in the period from 300 BC to 300 AD) and means books.
The Bible is a book made up of smaller books divided into two parts - the Old Testament and the New Testament.
The author of the Bible
The Bible was written over a period of about 1,500 years. The Old Testament was written approximately in the interval of 1400 BC to 400 BC It is written mostly in ancient Hebrew, with a few small parts of it written in Aramaic. The New Testament was written from about AD 45 to 95 AD. The language of the New Testament is Koine.
The Bible was written by about 40 men, different in age, education, profession and social status - kings, priests, fishermen, shepherds, farmers, civil servants, doctor, Pharisee, tax collector, general, scribe, etc.
Although written by so many different people, the contents of the Bible are inspired by God. The Bible itself reveals to us that it is inspired by God and the words in it are the words of God.
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."
2 Timothy 3:16-17
How did people write the books of the Bible?
"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation, for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:20-21
This text explains to us that men wrote the books of the Bible through the supernatural inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit of God (the Third Person of the Holy Trinity).
Written by the hands of many men, but inspired by God, the Bible has one author, and He is God Himself!
That is why it is unique and different from all other books.
The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians wrote:
"For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe."
1 Thessalonians 2:13
"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews 4:12
Only the divinely inspired (canonical) books in the Bible are considered the Word of God!
Biblical canon (Holy Scripture of the Old and New Testaments)
The collection of divinely inspired books, recognized already in the first centuries of Christianity by church councils, is called the Bible Canon, Holy Canon, Holy Scripture and includes 66 books - 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament.
The process of defining the biblical canon was begun by Jewish scholars and rabbis and later completed by the early Christian church towards the end of the fourth century.
After inspiring people to write the books of the Bible, God also guided people to recognize the divinely inspired books.
The canon of Jewish Scripture (Tanach) consists of 24 books.
The Old Testament canon of Christian Bibles includes all the books of the Hebrew Scriptures, but divided into smaller books - 39 in total, conventionally divided into four main sections.
The first section is the Pentateuch, which consists of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
The second section is called Historical Books and includes 12 writings: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, First Book of Samuel, Second Book of Samuel, First Book of Kings, Second Book of Kings, First Book of Chronicles, Second Book of Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther.
The third section is the poetic books (books of wisdom) and contains Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon.
The fourth section is called Prophetic Books and contains five major prophetic books (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel and Daniel) and 12 minor ones (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi).
The number of books in the Old Testament differs in Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant Bibles.
Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Bibles include non-canonical books in the Old Testament.
Only the canonical books are included in the Old Testament of the Protestant Bible.
Non-canonical books are not accepted as divinely inspired and are not part of the Holy Scriptures.
In the fourth century, church councils identified 27 books of the New Testament, which are conventionally divided into four sections.
The first section is the Gospels, which consists of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
The second section includes the historical book Acts of the Apostles.
The third section is the Epistles and it includes: The Epistle of the Apostle James, The First and Second Epistles of the Apostle Peter, The First, Second and Third Epistles of the Apostle John, The Epistle of Jude, 13 Epistles of the Apostle Paul (Epistle to the Romans, First and Second Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, First and Second Thessalonians, First and Second Timothy, Titus, and Philemon), and Hebrews.
The fourth section includes the prophetic book Revelation of John.
Each of the books in the Bible, with the exception of 5, are divided into chapters and verses. The five books that have only 1 chapter divided into verses each are: Obadiah, Epistle to Philemon, Second Council and Third Council Epistle of the Apostle John and Council Epistle of Jude.
Chapters were introduced into the Bible in 1238 by Cardinal Hugo de Caro. The verses were added in 1551 by Robertus Stephanus.
The unity of the Bible
The unity of the biblical content is also unique. Although it consists of 66 books of different genres (historical narratives, poetry, prophecy, etc.), written on three continents, in three different languages, over 1,500 years, by more than 40 men, the Bible is one whole from beginning to end and there are no contradictions in it.
The Bible is a progressive revelation given to men by God.
The Old Testament lays the foundation for the teachings and events found in the New Testament.
The New Testament can only be fully understood when viewed as the fulfillment of the prophecies, laws, sacrificial system, covenants, and promises in the Old Testament.
If we only had the New Testament, we would not know about the prophecies and promises given to the Israelites about the Messiah (Christ).
The New Testament presents the Messiah as recounting the life and redemptive work of Jesus Christ and how we are to respond to His gift of eternal life.
The Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles tell of many fulfilled prophecies that were recorded in the Old Testament hundreds, even thousands, of years before. In the birth, life, miracles, sufferings, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus we find the fulfillment of many Old Testament prophecies – e.g. the prophecies that Jesus is a descendant of Abraham, a descendant of David, born of a virgin, born in Bethlehem, a prophet, a high priest, anointed with the Holy Spirit, hated by the Jews, betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, tortured and pierced, judged with criminals, praying for his murderers, forsaken by God, not one of his bones was broken, buried in a rich man's grave, resurrected, ascended to heaven, and many more.
Jesus Christ said:
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."
Matthew 5:17-18
After His resurrection, Jesus Christ said to His disciples:
"These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me."
Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them:
"Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."
Luke 24:44 -47
Both testaments reveal to us the same God and His plan of salvation.
God is most holy! In His presence there is no sin.
"... Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory. " Isaiah 6:3
"... Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." Revelation 4:8
The Holy God created people in His image and likeness.
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them:
"Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." Genesis 1:27-28
But men did not persevere in the state of holiness and righteousness in which they were created. They sinned and God separated them from Himself because of sin.
Since the covenant made with the first man as the representative of the human race did not apply to him alone, but also to his posterity, all men descended from him by natural birth sinned in him and fell with him into that first transgression.
".Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Romans 5:12
"As it is written:
"There is none righteous, no, not one."
"There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God."
"They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable, there is none that doeth good, no, not one."
"Their throat is an open sepulchre, with their tongues they have used deceit, the poison of asps is under their lips."
Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness."
"Their feet are swift to shed blood."
"Destruction and misery are in their ways."
"And the way of peace have they not known."
"There is no fear of God before their eyes."
Romans 3:10-18
"But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear."
Isaiah 59:2
Sin is any disobedience or transgression of any law of God, given as a guiding rule for rational creatures.
"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law." 1 John 3:4
Sinfulness proceeds only from creatures, not from God, who, being all holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the source of sin or condone it in any way.
"Let no man say when he is tempted:"I am tempted of God", for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man, but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin, and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." James 1:13-15
God is righteous. He hates and is angry with sin and sinners.
"God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.” Psalms 7:11
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness. " Romans 1:18
"For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness:, neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight, thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing, the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man." Psalms 5:4-6
“ The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth." Psalms 11:5
"The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth." Psalms 34:16

God is just and must judge and punish sin and sinners.
“... His work is perfect, for all his ways are judgment, a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” Deuteronomy 32:4
“ The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.” Proverbs 21:12
“For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:29
"For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment, and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly, and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly, and delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked, (for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds), the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished." 2 Peter 2:4-9
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23
God is merciful and according to His will has chosen sinners to bring to Himself through forgiveness, which they receive only through faith in the atoning sacrifice of God's Son, whom God sent to Earth and punished Him in their place for their sins.
"... But thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not."
Nehemiah 9:17
"But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth."2 Thessalonians 2:13
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all... Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him, he hath put him to grief.." Isaiah 53:5-6, 10
" Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." Romans 4:25
The sinful person is reconciled with the Holy God, justified and saved from His wrath, judgment and eternal punishment only by God's grace through faith in His Son - the Lord Jesus Christ - the Only Mediator between God and man.
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved),... for by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast."
Ephesians 2:4-5,8-9
"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe, for there is no difference, for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."
Romans 3:20-26
"And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation, to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
2 Corinthians 5:18-21
"To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." Acts 10:43
"In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins... For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell, and, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself, by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight."
Colossians 1:14, 19 -22
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Romans 5:1
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12
God calls people to repentance and turning away from their sins
Both John the Baptist and Jesus Christ began their ministries with a call to repentance:
" In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying:
"Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 3:1-2
"Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying:
"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." Mark 1:14-15
After the ascension of Christ, the apostles preached:
"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, and he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you." Acts 3:19-20
"And the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men every where to repent, because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." Acts 17:30-31
God has given authority to His Son to judge all
The Lord Jesus Christ said:
“For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself, and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."
John 5:22-29
"He that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
John 3:18
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."
John 3:36
Jesus Christ declared:
"... For if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins."
John 8:24
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
Hebrews 9:28
“And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”
1 Thessalonians 1:10
The New Testament ends with the prophetic book Revelation of John, in which are recorded prophecies about the return of the Son of God to judge the unbelieving world, to save those who believe in Him and to establish His eternal kingdom.
Why did God give us the Bible?
"The human race has been given two books by the Creator. In one, He has shown His greatness, and in the other, His will. The first is the visible world, which He created so that man, beholding the majesty, beauty, and harmony of His works, might recognize His omnipotence. The second is the book of the Holy Scriptures. In it is set forth God's purpose for our salvation."
Mikhail Lomonosov – scientist, encyclopedist and writer
Although the insight from nature and the works of creation and providence so reveal the goodness, wisdom, and power of God that there is no excuse left for men, yet they are not sufficient to give us that knowledge of God and His will, which is necessary for our salvation.
God gave us the Bible to teach us first of all what we should believe about God and what God requires of us. It is God's revelation to us - it reveals to us what God is, who the persons in the Trinity are, what His decrees are and how they are carried out. In the Bible, God reveals to us not only Himself, but also His will for us and His plan for our salvation through faith in the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In his gospel, the apostle John, a student and eyewitness to the miracles, sufferings, death, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ, writes:
"And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book, but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name."
John 20:30-31
Not only the gospel of John, but the entire Bible was written so that we would believe in the Son of God and by believing, receive salvation.
“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."
2 Timothy 3:15
"Jesus Christ, Whom having not seen, ye love, in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls."
1 Peter 1:8-9
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved, for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Romans 10:9-10
"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls."
James 1:21
In both testaments we find everything we need to know about eternal life and how to live godly lives.
“To the physical person, the Bible can be the most boring book in the world. To the Christian it is the book of life, the manual of the soul, the textbook of salvation, the most precious thing in the whole universe.”
Martin Lloyd-Jones
The Bible is not a book to be read once. It is a book for daily study and application in life.
"Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it."
Luke 11:28
"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."
James 1:22
Jesus preached:
"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock, and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand, and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."
Matthew 7:24-27
The indestructibility of the Bible
Because of its claims to be the Word of God, the Bible has repeatedly been subjected to attempts to destroy it. It has withstood and outlived all those who have attacked it, and continues to this day to be the most published and most widely distributed book in the world.
The Apostle Peter wrote in his first epistle:
"For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away, but the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you."
1 Peter 1:24,25
The Lord Jesus Christ said:
"Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away."
Mark 13:31
The biblical quotes used are from:
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