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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.]]

[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Holy Bible, opened to the Book of Isaiah.]]

{{Bible}}

{{Bible}}

The '''Bible''' is unique in the literature of the world.<ref>See [[Historical-critical method (Higher criticism)]], in particular the findings of the following supportive sources of literary criticism:

The '''Bible''' is a collection of the most logical books and letters ever written. It includes the most beautiful book ever written, the [[Gospel of Luke]], and the most profound book ever written, the [[Gospel of John]]. [[Biblical scientific foreknowledge]] has anticipated or guided nearly every great human achievement.

*The Bible’s message is both ‘divine’ and ‘human’.<br/>—[http://www.saintjohnsabbey.org/liturgy-answers/bibles-message-both-divine-and-human/ St. John's Abbey: ''The Bible’s message is both ‘divine’ and ‘human’.'' Friday, January 17th, 2014, Benedictine Father Michael Kwatera, a monk of St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, MN.]

*The more conservative theologians who employ the historical-critical method believe that the Scriptures are more than the writings of mortal men.<br/>—[http://www.wlsessays.net/files/BeckerHistorical.pdf The Historical-Critical Method of Bible Interpretation, By Siegbert W. Becker], page 4.

*Unique among all the world's literature, the Bible is really God's word in human language.<br/>—[http://bibleasliterature.wordpress.com/lesson-1/ The Bible as Literature: The Bible ~ A Literary Work and an Artistic Presentation of Human Experience].</ref> It is the most ancient document of the community of the people of God, witnessing to the revelation of the one God, a personal God, one being of three Persons, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, who loves what he has created, the original cause of all existence, creator of the universe and all that it contains both visible and invisible, who has acted and continues to act in history, who has made one of his creations, the whole human race, to be above the physical animal nature of the body and be like himself with dominion over the whole earth and all its creatures, who has called the human creature, male and female, to a personal relationship with him as a whole community of love and goodness and mercy in his image as his living temple and to give evidence of his reality and to acknowledge him; it testifies to the rebellion and fall of the human race, to the reality of sin and its effects, to the facts of evil and of righteousness, and to the reality of invisible beings, of those who have rebelled against God and of those who serve him; it contains the witness of his own community to the rest of the world that the Word of this one God became one with us as a sinless flesh-and-blood man whose act of complete self-sacrifice made perfect reparation for the offense of the whole of the human community in solidarity with each human being to save us from the merited ruin which is going to come on the whole rebellious, resistant, fallen human community occupied with its own selfishness, that his name is Jesus, that he established his Church as the temple of his Holy Spirit to testify to him and make disciples of the whole world, of those who are willing to come to him; and it testifies that he has called all humanity to partake in a share of his own divinity, in selfless goodness, mercy and love, in eternal, everlasting life, that death is not final, and that there will be a physical resurrection of the dead at the end of time, with the total condemnation of the wicked who have chosen to reject both him and the gift of communion with him, and the total salvation from ruin and the gift of communion with him of those who have not resisted him and his way of living and acting and whom he has made holy by his own power alone. No other book is like it. The community of believers testifies that it is inspired by God. Its chief value is as a stable resource for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the leader of the community (each "''man of God''") may be fully equipped for every good work. [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2timothy%203:16-17&version=KJV 2 Timothy 3:16-17]

Shorter than you might think, the Bible consists of two parts: 27 short books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the [[Christian]] [[faith]], and 39 books recognized by both Christianity and Judaism, known as the [[Old Testament]].<ref>Christianity adds a few additional books to the Jewish [[Old Testament]]. See [[Biblical Canon]].</ref> The New Testament was originally written in [[Greek]] and the Old Testament in [[Hebrew]]; both have been translated into more than 2000 languages.

 

Shorter than you might think, the Bible consists of two parts: 27 short books and letters of the [[New Testament]] of the [[Christian]] [[faith]], and 39 Hebrew and Aramaic books recognized by both Christianity and Judaism, which are included among the collection of writings known as the [[Old Testament]].<ref>Christianity adds a few additional books to the Jewish [[Old Testament]]. See [[Biblical Canon]].</ref> The text of the Old Testament was originally written in [[Hebrew]] and [[Aramaic]], and was later translated and expanded in [[Greek]] by rabbinical scholars in the [[Septuagint]] Bible of the Greek-speaking Jews which was the Bible of the apostles; but the [[New Testament]] itself was originally written in Greek and was soon afterward added to the Septuagint, making the Greek Bible of the ancient Christian church. Both Testaments have been translated into more than 2000 languages.

The Bible is the biggest-selling book in history, a testament to its timeless and compelling message.<ref>The Bible continues to be the best-selling book ever. Americans alone buy 25 million Bibles a year, according to Publisher's Weekly. Bible sales are now reaching $609 million a year, with specialty Bibles available for myriad "niche" audiences, from motorcycle riders to campers, brides and archaeologists. "Immerse," a water-resistant Bible for troops overseas, is now available from publisher Bardin & Marsee. [http://www.washtimes.com/national/20070529-111815-7952r.htm Polls: Most believe Bible as God's word] - Jennifer Harper, ''The Washington Times'' - May 30, 2007] </ref>  In addition, the Bible has had an immense, positive influence on literature, culture, and history.   

The Bible is the biggest-selling book in history, a testament to its timeless and compelling message.<ref>The Bible continues to be the best-selling book ever. Americans alone buy 25 million Bibles a year, according to Publisher's Weekly. Bible sales are now reaching $609 million a year, with specialty Bibles available for myriad "niche" audiences, from motorcycle riders to campers, brides and archaeologists. "Immerse," a water-resistant Bible for troops overseas, is now available from publisher Bardin & Marsee. [http://www.washtimes.com/national/20070529-111815-7952r.htm Polls: Most believe Bible as God's word] - Jennifer Harper, ''The Washington Times'' - May 30, 2007] </ref>  In addition, the Bible has had an immense, positive influence on literature, culture, and history.