Difference between revisions of "Molecule"

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[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
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A molecule is a group of two or more atoms linked together to form one unit. They are linked together by chemical bonds.  The four types of chemical bonds are covalent, ionic, hydrogen or van der Waals'.
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The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith. Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
  
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==Name==
 
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The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
  
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==Books of the Bible==
 
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===The Old Testament===
 
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{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
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|-
 
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!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
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|-
 
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!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
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!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
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|-
 
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|Genesis
 
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|Genesis
 
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|-
 
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|Exodus
 
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|Exodus
 
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|-
 
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|Leviticus
 
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|Leviticus
 
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|-
 
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|Numbers
 
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|Numbers
 
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|-
 
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|Deuteronomy
 
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|Deuteronomy
 
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|-
 
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|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
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|-
 
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|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
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|-
 
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|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
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|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
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|-
 
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|2nd Kings
 
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|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
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|-
 
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|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
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|-
 
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|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
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|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
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|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
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|}
 
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The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
  
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====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
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The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
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−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
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[[Category:Religion]]
 
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[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
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The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
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|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
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==Name==
 
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The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
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==Books of the Bible==
 
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===The Old Testament===
 
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{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
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|-
 
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!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
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|-
 
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!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
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!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
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|-
 
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|Genesis
 
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|Genesis
 
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|-
 
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|Exodus
 
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|Exodus
 
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|-
 
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|Leviticus
 
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|Leviticus
 
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|-
 
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|Numbers
 
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|Numbers
 
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|-
 
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|Deuteronomy
 
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|Deuteronomy
 
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|-
 
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|Joshua
 
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|Joshua
 
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|-
 
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|1st Samuel
 
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|Judges
 
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|-
 
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|2nd Samuel
 
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|Ruth
 
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|-
 
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|1st Kings
 
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|1st Samuel
 
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|-
 
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|2nd Kings
 
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|2nd Samuel
 
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|-
 
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|Isaiah
 
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|1st Kings
 
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|-
 
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|Jeremiah
 
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|2nd Kings
 
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|-
 
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|Ezekiel
 
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|1st Chronicles
 
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|-
 
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|The Minor Prophets
 
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|2nd Chronicles
 
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|-
 
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|Psalms
 
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|Ezra
 
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|-
 
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|Proverbs
 
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|Nehemiah
 
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|-
 
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|Job
 
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|Esther
 
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|-
 
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|Song of Songs
 
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|Job
 
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|-
 
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|Ruth
 
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|Psalms
 
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|-
 
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|Lamentations
 
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|Proverbs
 
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|-
 
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|Ecclesiastes
 
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|Ecclesiastes
 
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|-
 
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|Esther
 
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|Song of Solomon
 
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|-
 
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|Daniel
 
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|Isaiah
 
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|-
 
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|Ezra
 
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|Jeremiah
 
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|-
 
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|Chronicles
 
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|Lamentations
 
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|-
 
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|Jeremiah
 
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|Ezekiel
 
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|-
 
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|Ezekiel
 
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|Daniel
 
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|-
 
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|
 
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|The Minor Prophets
 
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|}
 
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The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
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====Torah====
 
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The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
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*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
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*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
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*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
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*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
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*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
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The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
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====Nevi'im====
 
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The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
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* [[Joshua]]
 
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* [[Judges]]
 
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* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
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* [[Books of Kings]]
 
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* [[Isaiah]]
 
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* [[Jeremiah]]
 
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* [[Ezekiel]]
 
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* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
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**[[Hosea]]
 
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** [[Joel]]
 
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** [[Amos]]
 
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** [[Obadiah]]
 
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** [[Jonah]]
 
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** [[Micah]]
 
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** [[Nahum]]
 
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** [[Habakkuk]]
 
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** [[Zephaniah]]
 
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** [[Haggai]]
 
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** [[Zechariah]]
 
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** [[Malachi]]
 
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====Ketuvim====
 
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The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
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* [[Psalms]]
 
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* [[Proverbs]]
 
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* [[Book of Job]]
 
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* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
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* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
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* [[Lamentations]]
 
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* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
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* [[Esther]]
 
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* [[Daniel]]
 
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* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
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* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
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[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
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===The New Testament===
 
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The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
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====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
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The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
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*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
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*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
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*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
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*[[Gospel of John]]
 
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*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
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====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
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These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
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*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
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*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
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*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
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*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
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*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
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*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
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*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
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*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
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*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
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*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
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*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
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−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
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*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
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*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
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====Revelation====
 
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The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
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==History of the Bible==
 
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[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
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The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
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The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
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Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
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===The Apocrypha===
 
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The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
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*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
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−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
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−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
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−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
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−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
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[[Category:Religion]]
 
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[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
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The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
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!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
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|-
 
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|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
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|-
 
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|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
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|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
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==Name==
 
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The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
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==Books of the Bible==
 
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===The Old Testament===
 
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{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
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|-
 
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!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
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|-
 
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!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
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!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
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|-
 
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|Genesis
 
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|Genesis
 
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|-
 
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|Exodus
 
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|Exodus
 
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|-
 
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|Leviticus
 
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|Leviticus
 
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|-
 
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|Numbers
 
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|Numbers
 
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|-
 
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|Deuteronomy
 
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|Deuteronomy
 
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|-
 
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|Joshua
 
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|Joshua
 
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|-
 
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|1st Samuel
 
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|Judges
 
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|-
 
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|2nd Samuel
 
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|Ruth
 
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|-
 
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|1st Kings
 
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|1st Samuel
 
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|-
 
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|2nd Kings
 
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|2nd Samuel
 
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|-
 
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|Isaiah
 
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|1st Kings
 
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|-
 
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|Jeremiah
 
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|2nd Kings
 
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|-
 
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|Ezekiel
 
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|1st Chronicles
 
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|-
 
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|The Minor Prophets
 
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|2nd Chronicles
 
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|-
 
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|Psalms
 
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|Ezra
 
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|-
 
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|Proverbs
 
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|Nehemiah
 
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|-
 
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|Job
 
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|Esther
 
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|-
 
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|Song of Songs
 
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|Job
 
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|-
 
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|Ruth
 
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|Psalms
 
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|-
 
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|Lamentations
 
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|Proverbs
 
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|-
 
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|Ecclesiastes
 
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|Ecclesiastes
 
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|-
 
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|Esther
 
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|Song of Solomon
 
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|-
 
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|Daniel
 
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|Isaiah
 
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|-
 
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|Ezra
 
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|Jeremiah
 
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|-
 
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|Chronicles
 
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|Lamentations
 
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|-
 
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|Jeremiah
 
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|Ezekiel
 
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|-
 
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|Ezekiel
 
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|Daniel
 
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|-
 
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|
 
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|The Minor Prophets
 
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|}
 
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The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
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====Torah====
 
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The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
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*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
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*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
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*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
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*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
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*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
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The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
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====Nevi'im====
 
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The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
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* [[Joshua]]
 
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* [[Judges]]
 
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* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
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* [[Books of Kings]]
 
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* [[Isaiah]]
 
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* [[Jeremiah]]
 
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* [[Ezekiel]]
 
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* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
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**[[Hosea]]
 
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** [[Joel]]
 
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** [[Amos]]
 
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** [[Obadiah]]
 
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** [[Jonah]]
 
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** [[Micah]]
 
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** [[Nahum]]
 
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** [[Habakkuk]]
 
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** [[Zephaniah]]
 
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** [[Haggai]]
 
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** [[Zechariah]]
 
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** [[Malachi]]
 
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====Ketuvim====
 
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The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
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* [[Psalms]]
 
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* [[Proverbs]]
 
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* [[Book of Job]]
 
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* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
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* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
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* [[Lamentations]]
 
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* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
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* [[Esther]]
 
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* [[Daniel]]
 
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* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
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* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
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[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
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===The New Testament===
 
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The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
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====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
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The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
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*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
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*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
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*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
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*[[Gospel of John]]
 
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*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
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====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
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These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
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*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
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*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
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*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
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*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
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*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
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*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
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*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
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*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
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*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
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*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
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*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
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−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
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*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
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*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
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====Revelation====
 
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The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
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==History of the Bible==
 
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[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
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The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
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The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
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Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
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===The Apocrypha===
 
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The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
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*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
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−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
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−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
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−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
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−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
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[[Category:Religion]]
 
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[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
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The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
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!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
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|-
 
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|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
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|-
 
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|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
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|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
−
|-
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
−
|-
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Chronicles
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|-
 
−
|
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|}
 
−
The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
−
 
−
====Torah====
 
−
The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
−
*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
−
*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
−
*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
−
*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
−
*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
−
 
−
The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
−
 
−
====Nevi'im====
 
−
The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
−
* [[Joshua]]
 
−
* [[Judges]]
 
−
* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
−
* [[Books of Kings]]
 
−
* [[Isaiah]]
 
−
* [[Jeremiah]]
 
−
* [[Ezekiel]]
 
−
* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
−
**[[Hosea]]
 
−
** [[Joel]]
 
−
** [[Amos]]
 
−
** [[Obadiah]]
 
−
** [[Jonah]]
 
−
** [[Micah]]
 
−
** [[Nahum]]
 
−
** [[Habakkuk]]
 
−
** [[Zephaniah]]
 
−
** [[Haggai]]
 
−
** [[Zechariah]]
 
−
** [[Malachi]]
 
−
 
−
====Ketuvim====
 
−
The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
−
* [[Psalms]]
 
−
* [[Proverbs]]
 
−
* [[Book of Job]]
 
−
* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
−
* [[Lamentations]]
 
−
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
−
* [[Esther]]
 
−
* [[Daniel]]
 
−
* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
−
* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
−
 
−
[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
−
 
−
===The New Testament===
 
−
The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
−
 
−
====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
−
The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
−
*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
−
*[[Gospel of John]]
 
−
*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
−
 
−
====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
−
These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
−
 
−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
−
 
−
====Revelation====
 
−
The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
−
 
−
==History of the Bible==
 
−
[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
−
The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
−
 
−
The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
−
 
−
Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
−
 
−
===The Apocrypha===
 
−
The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
−
*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
−
 
−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
−
 
−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
−
 
−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
−
[[Category:Religion]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
−
The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
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==Name==
 
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The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
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==Books of the Bible==
 
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===The Old Testament===
 
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{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
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|-
 
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!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
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|-
 
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!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
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!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
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|-
 
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|Genesis
 
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|Genesis
 
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|-
 
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|Exodus
 
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|Exodus
 
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|-
 
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|Leviticus
 
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|Leviticus
 
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|-
 
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|Numbers
 
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|Numbers
 
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|-
 
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|Deuteronomy
 
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|Deuteronomy
 
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|-
 
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|Joshua
 
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|Joshua
 
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|-
 
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|1st Samuel
 
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|Judges
 
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|-
 
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|2nd Samuel
 
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|Ruth
 
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|-
 
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|1st Kings
 
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|1st Samuel
 
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|-
 
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|2nd Kings
 
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|2nd Samuel
 
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|-
 
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|Isaiah
 
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|1st Kings
 
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|-
 
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|Jeremiah
 
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|2nd Kings
 
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|-
 
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|Ezekiel
 
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|1st Chronicles
 
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|-
 
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|The Minor Prophets
 
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|2nd Chronicles
 
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|-
 
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|Psalms
 
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|Ezra
 
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|-
 
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|Proverbs
 
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|Nehemiah
 
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|-
 
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|Job
 
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|Esther
 
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|-
 
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|Song of Songs
 
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|Job
 
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|-
 
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|Ruth
 
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|Psalms
 
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|-
 
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|Lamentations
 
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|Proverbs
 
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|-
 
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|Ecclesiastes
 
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|Ecclesiastes
 
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|-
 
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|Esther
 
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|Song of Solomon
 
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|-
 
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|Daniel
 
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|Isaiah
 
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|-
 
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|Ezra
 
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|Jeremiah
 
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|-
 
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|Chronicles
 
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|Lamentations
 
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|-
 
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|Jeremiah
 
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|Ezekiel
 
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|-
 
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|Ezekiel
 
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|Daniel
 
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|-
 
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|
 
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|The Minor Prophets
 
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|}
 
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The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
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====Torah====
 
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The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
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*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
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*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
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*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
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*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
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*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
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The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
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====Nevi'im====
 
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The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
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* [[Joshua]]
 
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* [[Judges]]
 
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* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
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* [[Books of Kings]]
 
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* [[Isaiah]]
 
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* [[Jeremiah]]
 
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* [[Ezekiel]]
 
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* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
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**[[Hosea]]
 
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** [[Joel]]
 
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** [[Amos]]
 
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** [[Obadiah]]
 
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** [[Jonah]]
 
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** [[Micah]]
 
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** [[Nahum]]
 
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** [[Habakkuk]]
 
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** [[Zephaniah]]
 
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** [[Haggai]]
 
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** [[Zechariah]]
 
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** [[Malachi]]
 
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====Ketuvim====
 
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The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
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* [[Psalms]]
 
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* [[Proverbs]]
 
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* [[Book of Job]]
 
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* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
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* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
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* [[Lamentations]]
 
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* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
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* [[Esther]]
 
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* [[Daniel]]
 
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* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
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* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
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[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
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===The New Testament===
 
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The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
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====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
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The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
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*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
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*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
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*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
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*[[Gospel of John]]
 
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*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
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====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
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These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
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*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
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*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
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*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
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*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
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*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
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*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
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*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
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*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
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*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
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*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
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*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
−
*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
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−
====[[General Epistles]]====
 
−
*[[Epistle of James]]
 
−
*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
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*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
−
*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
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*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
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====Revelation====
 
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The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
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==History of the Bible==
 
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[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
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The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
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The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
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Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
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===The Apocrypha===
 
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The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
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*[[1 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[2 Esdras]]
 
−
*[[Book of Tobit]]
 
−
*[[Book of Judith]]
 
−
*[[Book of Wisdom]]
 
−
*[[Ecclesiasticus]], also known as Sirach
 
−
*[[Book of Baruch]]
 
−
*[[Epistle of Jeremy]]
 
−
*[[The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children]]
 
−
*[[Story of Susanna]]
 
−
*[[Bel and the Dragon]]
 
−
*[[Prayer of Manasseh]]
 
−
*[[1 Maccabees]]
 
−
*[[2 Maccabees]]
 
−
*Plus additions to the Book of Esther
 
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−
Between 90-95 A.D. the Jewish [[Council of Jemnia]] revised the canon of the Old Testament, ensuring that the books involved conformed to the Torah, were written in the Hebrew language, written in Palestine, and written before 400 B.C.  As a result, the Apocrypha was removed from the canon. [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html]
 
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−
===New Testament history===
 
−
The New Testament was largely completed by A.D. 60.  The oldest fragment of which there is a reliable date is the John Rylands Fragment (P52)[http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data1/dg/text/fragment.htm] of the ''Gospel of John'', dating from 117-138 A.D., just decades from when the Gospel was first written.  The time span between the writing of the New Testament and the oldest surviving fragments are well under two hundred years.  By comparison, Greek classics such as Herodotus, Plato, Euripedes, and Homer have a time span well over a thousand years each between the date of the oldest known fragment of writing and the time period they were first written.
 
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−
==References==
 
−
*Unger, Merril F. ''Unger's Bible Dictionary'', Moody Press, Chicago, IL (1966).
 
−
*Halley, Henry H. ''Halley's Bible Handbook'', Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (1965).
 
−
*Wilson, Robert D. ''A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament'', Sunday School Times, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (1926).
 
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−
==External links==
 
−
===Bible societies ===
 
−
*[http://www.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.biblesociety.org/ United Bible Society]
 
−
*[http://www.ibs.org/ The International Bible Society (New York/Colorado Springs)]
 
−
*[http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer World Bible Translation Center]
 
−
*[http://www.wycliffe.org/home.htm Wycliffe Bible Translators]
 
−
 
−
===Online, internet, and downloadable Bibles===
 
−
====Hebrew====
 
−
* [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0.htm Hebrew-English Bible] ([[Jewish Publication Society of America|JPS]] 1917 translation; includes Hebrew audio)
 
−
* [http://tanakhml2.alacartejava.net/cocoon/tanakhml/d13.php2xml?sfr=1&prq=1&pnt=tru&acc=tru&dia=tru&enc=heb XML Hebrew-English (KJV) Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Hebrew_OT/ Old Testament in Hebrew]
 
−
 
−
====Latin====
 
−
* [http://www.LatinVulgate.com/ Latin Vulgate] — Latin Vulgate with parallel Douay-Rheims and King James English translations
 
−
* [http://www.sacredbible.org/ SacredBible.org] — Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/Vulgate/ Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405 A.D.)]
 
−
 
−
====English====
 
−
* [http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html AudioBible] — Audio version of the King James Version.
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Blue Letter Bible] — On-line interactive reference library continuously updated from the teachings and commentaries of selected pastors and teachers who hold to the conservative, historical Christian faith.
 
−
* [http://www.e-sword.net E-sword] — Downloadable Bible in many different versions, for [[MS Windows]].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/ASB/ American Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/ English Standard Version] from Good News/Crossway (the publisher).
 
−
* [http://www.verselink.org/ King James Version with dictionary].
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/english/KJV/ King James Version].
 
−
* [http://www.newlivingtranslation.com New Living Translation]
 
−
* [http://bible.oremus.org/ New Revised Standard Version].
 
−
* [http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm New World Translation] of the Holy Scriptures.
 
−
* [http://www.europepourchrist.org/biblesite/WEB/ World English Bible].
 
−
* [http://scriptures.lds.org/ LDS King James Version] with audio, extensive commentary and cross-references.
 
−
* [http://www.dynamicbible.com/ King James Version built using AJAX technologies], with Strongs and Greek Morphological Codes by Robinson.
 
−
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/index.htm#index The Hypertext Bible] with side-by-side translations in English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew at the [[Internet Sacred Text Archive]]
 
−
* [http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway at GospelCom.net] text search in any one of many translations.
 
−
* [http://www.thebricktestament.com/index.html The Brick Testament] — Bible stories as told by LEGO(tm)
 
−
* [http://www.biblereadthrough.com/ Bible Read-Through] — read through the Bible in a year aid.
 
−
* [http://www.TheFreeBible.com/ TheFreeBible.com] Bible software downloads
 
−
* [http://www.scripture4all.org/ Interlinear (word-by-word) translation of the Christian Bible] Hebrew and Koine Greek
 
−
* [http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/aramaic_nt_resources.htm Aramaic New Testament resources]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/en/versions.php Over 40 versions of the Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/Bibletranslationsandstudies.html Eastern and Western Armenian Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.bible9.com/ Online Bible (King James Version & Old Testament)]
 
−
* [http://www.spcm.org/LSG_FR/ Bible — Louis Segond de 1910]
 
−
* [http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_spanish Spanish Bible] PDT version
 
−
* [http://www.latinvulgate.com/christverse.aspx Complete Sayings of Christ]
 
−
* [http://bible.crosswalk.com/ParallelBible/ Crosswalk.com Parallel Bible]
 
−
* [http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#verse Blue Letter Bible]
 
−
 
−
====Turkish====
 
−
* [http://www.incil.info Turkish Bible] (Turkish Old and New Testament)
 
−
 
−
====Others====
 
−
* [http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q2_bible_english.html Bible Timeline]
 
−
* [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Torah_880.htm?OVRAW=Torah&OVKEY=torah&OVMTC=standard My Jewish Learning.com]
 
−
* [http://search.americanbible.org/ American Bible Society] to search NASB, KJV, CEV, ASV and others.
 
−
* [http://etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html University of Virginia Library] for word proximity searches on the KJV bible.
 
−
* [http://www.1enormousidea.com/Default.aspx?tabid=42 Many translations in English, verse by verse]
 
−
* [http://www.bible-marathi.com Nava Karar] NT Translation from Greek to Marathi 2005 and Greek-Marathi wordbook by [[R H Kelkar]]
 
−
* [http://bible.palconit.com The Bible Collection] Collection of Sacred Books for Different Religions
 
−
* [http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html Gender-neutral Bible translations].
 
−
* [http://www.evangelicalbible.com/why.htm Word-for-Word vs.Thought-for-Thought translation] This article outlines the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent translation philosopy, with supporting examples.
 
−
 
−
===Commentaries and analysis===
 
−
* [http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay.aspx?categoryID=411&rsid=478 Biblical History], The Jewish History Resource Center — Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
 
−
* [http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=63255 Judaica Press Translation] — online Jewish translation of the Tanakh.
 
−
* [http://www.angdatingdaan.org/biblicaltopics/bib_bible_1.htm Reading and Understanding the Bible].
 
−
* [http://en.bibleinfo.com/ Source for Bible Answers].
 
−
* [http://www.amazingfacts.org/school/af_logon.asp Amazing Facts Bible Studies].
 
−
* [http://www.iishj.org/images/Bible.pdf Learning Bible Today] — a historical approach the Bible.
 
−
* [http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/gill/ John Gill's Exposition of the Bible] — verse by verse commentary.
 
−
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.i.html/ Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible] — unabridged.
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Topical References]
 
−
*[http://www.verselink.org/ Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedia]
 
−
 
−
===Wikis===
 
−
* [http://bible.tmtm.com BibleWiki]
 
−
* [http://wikible.org Wikible]
 
−
 
−
==References==
 
−
<references/>
 
−
 
−
[[Category:Bible]]
 
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[[Category:Religion]]
 
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[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]
 
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The '''Bible''', or the '''Holy Scriptures''', is the collection of texts sacred to [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], and consists of two parts: the thirty-nine books of the Jewish faith known as the '''Tanakh''', or the [[Old Testament]]; and the twenty-seven books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the Christian faith.  Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has been translated in more than two thousand languages worldwide, and it remains the most-widely distributed book in history; in terms of sales it has gone beyond calculation.  The influence and impact the Bible has had on literature, culture, and history is enormous as well.
 
−
 
−
==Name==
 
−
The word "Bible" had its origins in the Greek word ''biblos'', meaning ''book''.  The ancient Phoenician seaport of [[Byblos]] was so-named as a result of the trade and manufacture of papyrus and writing-related material, and the growth of Christianity by the 2nd century, A.D. led to an outpouring of the Scriptures on papyrus scrolls, so much so that during this time the early Christians began calling them by the Latin term ''la Biblia'', "the Books". (Unger, pg 144)
 
−
 
−
==Books of the Bible==
 
−
===The Old Testament===
 
−
{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
 
−
|-
 
−
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Old Testament layout
 
−
|-
 
−
!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Jewish
 
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!align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Christian
 
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|-
 
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|Genesis
 
−
|Genesis
 
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|-
 
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|Exodus
 
−
|Exodus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|Leviticus
 
−
|-
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|Numbers
 
−
|-
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|Deuteronomy
 
−
|-
 
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|Joshua
 
−
|Joshua
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|Judges
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|-
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|1st Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|2nd Samuel
 
−
|-
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|1st Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Jeremiah
 
−
|2nd Kings
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezekiel
 
−
|1st Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|The Minor Prophets
 
−
|2nd Chronicles
 
−
|-
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|Ezra
 
−
|-
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|Nehemiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Job
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|-
 
−
|Song of Songs
 
−
|Job
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ruth
 
−
|Psalms
 
−
|-
 
−
|Lamentations
 
−
|Proverbs
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|Ecclesiastes
 
−
|-
 
−
|Esther
 
−
|Song of Solomon
 
−
|-
 
−
|Daniel
 
−
|Isaiah
 
−
|-
 
−
|Ezra
 
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|Jeremiah
 
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|-
 
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|Chronicles
 
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|Lamentations
 
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|-
 
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|Jeremiah
 
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|Ezekiel
 
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|-
 
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|Ezekiel
 
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|Daniel
 
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|-
 
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|
 
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|The Minor Prophets
 
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|}
 
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The [[Old Testament]], also called the [[Hebrew Bible]] or Tanakh, consists of thirty-nine books. The books themselves were originally written in [[Hebrew]], and later on in the [[Aramaic]] language of Palestine; the Greek language version written after the conquest of [[Alexander the Great]] is known as the [[Septuagint]].  [[Melito]], a bishop of [[Sardis]] in [[Lydia]] (in what is now [[Turkey]]), is said to have coined the phrase ''Old Testament'' about A.D. 170.  The Old Testament is divided in three parts (hence, "Tanakh") within the Jewish community: the [[Torah]] ("Law"), or [[Pentateuch]], the five books of [[Moses]]; [[Nevi'im]] ("Prophets"), and [[Ketuvim]] ("Writings,” or [[Hagiographa]]). Here the arrangment of the books differs somewhat from the Old Testament as used by Christians, however the actual writing of each book remains the same.
 
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====Torah====
 
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The Five books of Moses, in their Hebrew and English names:
 
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*Bereisheet ("in the beginning"), or [[Genesis]]
 
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*Shemot (“names”), or [[Exodus]]
 
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*Vayikra (“and God called”), or [[Leviticus]]
 
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*Bemidbar (“in the Wilderness”), or [[Numbers]]
 
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*Devarim (“words”), or [[Deuteronomy]]
 
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The first eleven chapters of ''Genesis'' provide the account of the [[Creation]], the history of God's early relationship with humanity, and the [[Deluge]] of [[Noah]]. The remaining thirty-nine chapters detail the account of God's covenant with the early Hebrew nation, led by the patriarchs [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]] (or Israel), and one of Jacob's children, [[Joseph]]. It tells the beginnings of God's chosen people, of how God commanded Abraham to leave his family and home to settle in the land of [[Canaan]], and how the Children of Israel later moved to Egypt.  The remainder of the Torah, begining with ''Exodus'', tells the story of the great Hebrew leader [[Moses]], and of the Hebrews through their sojurn and slavery in Egypt, their escape from bondage, and their wanderings in the desert until they finaly enter the Promised Land.
 
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====Nevi'im====
 
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The [[Nevi'im]] is the story of the rise toward, and ultimately reaching, the Hebrew monarchy; the sad period of anarchy and revolt leading to the division into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; and the prophets who judged the kings of both in God's name. It ends with the conquest of both kingdoms and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
 
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* [[Joshua]]
 
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* [[Judges]]
 
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* [[Books of Samuel]]
 
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* [[Books of Kings]]
 
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* [[Isaiah]]
 
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* [[Jeremiah]]
 
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* [[Ezekiel]]
 
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* [[The Minor Prophets]], considered a single book in the Nevi'im, and 12 individual books in the Christian Bible:
 
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**[[Hosea]]
 
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** [[Joel]]
 
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** [[Amos]]
 
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** [[Obadiah]]
 
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** [[Jonah]]
 
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** [[Micah]]
 
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** [[Nahum]]
 
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** [[Habakkuk]]
 
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** [[Zephaniah]]
 
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** [[Haggai]]
 
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** [[Zechariah]]
 
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** [[Malachi]]
 
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====Ketuvim====
 
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The [[Ketuvim]], or "Writings," contain lyrical poetry, philosophical reflections on life, and the writings of the prophets and other Jewish leaders during the exile in Babylon.
 
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* [[Psalms]]
 
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* [[Proverbs]]
 
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* [[Book of Job]]
 
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* [[Song of Songs]], also called [[Song of Solomon]] in the Christian Bible.
 
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* [[Book of Ruth]]
 
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* [[Lamentations]]
 
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* [[Ecclesiastes]]
 
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* [[Esther]]
 
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* [[Daniel]]
 
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* [[Ezra]], divided into the two books of Ezra and [[Nehemiah]] in the Christian Bible.
 
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* [[Books of Chronicles]]
 
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[[David]] has been named as the author of the ''Psalms''; [[Solomon]] is believed to have written ''Song of Songs'' in his youth, the ''Proverbs'' in his prime, and ''Ecclesiastes'' during his old age.  The prophet [[Jeremiah]] is thought to have written the aptly-named ''Lamentations'' at the beginning of the exile in Babylon. The ''Book of Ruth'' is the only biblical book that centers entirely on a non-Jew, a Moabite who married a Jew and became an ancestor of both David and Jesus Christ. ''Esther'' is unique as it is the only book in the Bible not to mention God.  Moses is considered to be the author of ''Job''.
 
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===The New Testament===
 
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The [[New Testament]] is a collection of twenty-seven books and letters, written by the early Christian community, and written primarily in [[Greek]]. The emphasis of the New Testament is the life, teachings, and gift of salvation from the central figure of the whole work, Jesus of Nazareth.  These books are grouped into the following:
 
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====[[Gospels|The Gospels]]====
 
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The ''Gospels'' contain the history of Jesus.  The ''Acts of the Apostles'' are a continuence of the Gospels, documenting the history of the early church, beginning immediately following Jesus' death and resurrection.
 
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*[[Gospel of Matthew]]
 
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*[[Gospel of Mark]]
 
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*[[Gospel of Luke]]
 
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*[[Gospel of John]]
 
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*[[Acts of the Apostles]]
 
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====[[Pauline Epistles]]====
 
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These are letters written to the Christian community by the Apostle Paul.
 
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*[[Epistle to the Romans]]
 
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*[[First Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
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*[[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]
 
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*[[Epistle to the Galatians]]
 
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*[[Epistle to the Philippians]]
 
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*[[Epistle to Philemon]]
 
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*[[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
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*[[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians]]
 
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*[[Epistle to the Ephesians]]
 
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*[[Epistle to the Colossians]]
 
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*[[First Epistle to Timothy]]
 
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*[[Second Epistle to Timothy]]
 
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*[[Epistle to Titus]]
 
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*[[Epistle to the Hebrews]]
 
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====[[General Epistles]]====
 
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*[[Epistle of James]]
 
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*[[First Epistle of Peter]]
 
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*[[Second Epistle of Peter]]
 
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*[[First Epistle of John]]
 
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*[[Second Epistle of John]]
 
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*[[Third Epistle of John]]
 
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*[[Epistle of Jude]]
 
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====Revelation====
 
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The [[Book of Revelation]] is the last work in the New Testament as well as the whole Bible, written close to A.D. 100 by the [[Apostle John]] during his exile on the Greek island of [[Patmos]]. Revelation is concerned with the condition of the [[Seven Churches of Asia]] before going deeply into a description of the last days prior to the beginning of the [[Millennial Age]].
 
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==History of the Bible==
 
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[[Image:Gutenburg1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Printers copy of a page from a Gutenburg Bible, printed in Germany about 1469.]]
 
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The oldest books of the Bible are certainly the five books of the Torah and ''Job''.  In ''1st Kings'' 6:1, Solomon is stated to have begun building the Temple "''in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt''".  It had been established by scholars and historians that Solomon had begun building the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, or 961 B.C., making the [[date of the Exodus]] under Moses to have been 1441 B.C.  During the following forty years Moses wrote the Torah and ''Job'', completing them before his death at [[Mt. Nebo]] about 1400 B.C.  According to Biblical scholar and historian Robert D. Wilson the Torah as it stands dates from the time of Moses, the five books constitute one continuous work, and was written by a single individual, Moses himself (Wilson, pg 11).
 
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The remaining books of the Old Testament were written at various times since the death of Moses, with ''Malachi'', the last Old Testament book, being written about 455 B.C.  During this period each of the books was written and re-written on parchment or papyrus, with the editors taking great care in their work; a single Biblical book hand-written today can take weeks to complete.  The older scrolls were disposed of by burial or systematic destruction when worn from normal usage; as a result, the oldest surviving examples of Biblical manuscripts are those which have been carefully preserved either by direct actions of people (such as monasteries), or by removal from forces of decay.  Currently, the oldest surviving manuscripts are those found within the caves of Qumran in 1948 and known as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], dating between 250 B.C. to A.D. 70; the complete ''Isaiah'' scroll of this collection dates to 150 B.C.
 
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Around 200 B.C. the Septuagint, a Greek-language version of the Old Testament, was completed.  This was due to the Hellenization of large areas of the Middle East after the conquest of Alexander the Great, making Greek the de-facto language for everyday communications and business.  The Septuagint marks the first time in history that the Bible was translated into a foreign language.
 
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===The Apocrypha===
 
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The [[Apocrypha]] was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ.  The term itself comes from the Greek word ''apokruphos'' ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church due to historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies; the teaching of doctrines which contradict inspired Scripture; and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic (Unger, pg. 70). The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, among others, include the Apocrypha in their versions of the Bible, considering them to be canonical.  The following are the books which are most frequently referred to by the title ''Apocrypha'':
 
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*[[1 Esdras]]
 
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