What is the Holy Bible?
What each of the denominations do agree on is the fact that The Holy Bible
(Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth) is our manual on how to live a righteous life. The Holy Bible is a collection of 66 books and letters written by many people who were inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. These books tell us how we can be saved from sin and the evil of this world and how to live a life that is truly worth living, no matter what your circumstances may be. Although the Holy Bible contains rules of conduct, it is not just a rule book. It reveals God’s heart—a Father’s heart, full of love and compassion. We have at hand in the Bible god’s own words counseling us, warning us, comforting us and strengthening us. Through this treasury of wisdom God guides us, in wondrous detail so that we may live as He would have us to live.
The Holy Bible consists of two main sections: the Old Testament (including Psalms and Proverbs) and the New Testament (Matthew through Revelation).
About the Old Testament
The Old Testament is a collection of 39 books. It records God’s interaction with mankind before He sent His son to redeem us, while recording prophesy predicting that coming. The books in the Old Testament are grouped into 5 categories:
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The Pentateuch
The name means “Five Books”, and this group is made up of the following books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The group is sometimes called the “Law of Moses” or the “Torah”, a Hebrew word referring to God’s Law or teachings.
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The Historical Books
This group is made up of following books: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1st& 2nd Samuel, 1st& 2nd Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther. Together, the Pentateuch and the Historical books tell the history of Israel two times. The books of Genesis through 2nd Kings tell the history the first time. While the books of 1st Chronicles through Nehemiah tell it the second time from a somewhat different point of view.
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The Poetic Books
This group is sometimes called the “Wisdom Books” and contains Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs. Lamentations is also one of the poetic books, but in English bibles it follows Jeremiah, because Jeremiah tells it the 2nd time from a somewhat different point of view.
4. The Major Prophets
Are the longer books that contain the message of the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel
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The Minor Prophets
Are the shorter books that contain the messages of the prophets Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Johan, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi.
About the New Testament
The New Testament is a collection of 27 books and letters. It tells us of God’s Son and Anointed One, Jesus Christ, and the wonderful salvation that He purchased for us. The books of the New Testament are grouped into 4 categories:
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The Gospel and Acts
This group contains the four Gospels which are Mathew, Mark, Luke and John. The term “gospel” means “good news” and these four Gospels tell the good news about Jesus Christ. The group also contains the book of Acts which tells how the good news spread in the years after Jesus died and was raised from death.
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Letters of Paul
This group is made up of Romans, 1st& 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1st& 2nd Thessalonians, 1st& 2nd Timothy, Titus and Philemon. These letters have traditionally been called the “Epistles” and each one is named for the group or person it was addressed too.
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Other Letters
This group contains letters written by people other than Paul. It contains Hebrews, James, 1st, 2nd& 3rd John and Jude. The letter to the Hebrews doesn’t give its author’s name, but each of the letters is named for the person who wrote it.
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Revelation
This book of Revelation is quite different from the other New Testament books, because it is a book of visions and prophecies.
Translations of the Bible
The books of the Bible were written originally in Hebrew and Greek (with a few sections in Aramaic). Translations make it possible for us to read and understand the Bible for ourselves. The Old Testament, originally written in Hebrew, was translated into Greek long before the time of Jesus. As the Christian movement grew, both Old and New Testaments were translated into other languages like Coptic, Syriac, Ethiopic, and Armenian. Because of the Roman Empire’s influence, a Latin translation (called the Vulgate) became the most widely used version of Bible for the next thousand years. The King James Version Bible (KJV) was authorized by King James I and is sometimes referred to as the “Authorized Version”. It was translated by the Church of England and was first published in 1611. Several versions of the King James Bible (KJV) were produced in 1611,1629, 1638, 1762, and 1769. The 1769 edition is most commonly cited as the King James Version (KJV).
When studying the bible, it is always best to compare your translated version to the King James. The translation you review may not line up with the King James version thus it is best to ensure whatever verse you use, that it does.
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