A Spiritual Guide

There is a lot of confusion as to what or who to believe when concerning the Bible. I am here to explain to you how the Bible got started, why we have so many versions and to show you from Scripture as well as my studies (Bible School) what it all means and how you can know that you have the true Word of God.

The version I use on this site as well in my daily life is the King James Version, and the reason for this is that the King James Bible is the only translation Bible in the world that is closest to the original transcripts, it is very accurate and a good translation for serious study of God's Word. To learn more about why I choose the KJV please, Click Here.

The Origin of The Bible
The Versions of The Bible
The Unity of The Bible
The Books of The Bible - Old Testament
The Books of The Bible - New Testament

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The Bible is the written Word of God. He inspired the words in the Bible and used approximately 40 different men to write down His words. These men wrote over a period of 1500 years. The perfect agreement of these writers is one proof that they were all guided by a single author. That author was God.

Some of the writers wrote down exactly what God said, "Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day."- Jeremiah 36:2.

While others wrote what they experienced or what God revealed to them concerning the future, "Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;" Revelation 1:19.

However, all of the writers wrote under God's inspiration, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."- II Timothy 3:16-17. The Scriptures are to be used to teach doctrine, to reprove and correct from evil, and to teach righteousness. They will help you live right and equip you to work for God.

The Bible is divided into two major sections called the Old Testament and the New Testament. The word "testament" means covenant. A covenant is an agreement. The Old Testament records God's original covenant or agreement with man. The New Testament records the new covenant made by God through His Son, Jesus Christ. What was the subject of these two agreements? They both concerned restoring a sinful man to a right relationship with God.

God made a law that sin can only be forgiven through the shedding of blood, under God's agreement in the Old Testament, blood sacrifices of animals were made by man to obtain forgiveness for sin. This was a symbol of the blood sacrifice Jesus Christ would provide under the new agreement with God. Through the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, a final blood sacrifice for sin was made. "But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance." -Hebrews 9:11-15

The Bible was originally written in three languages. Most of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew except for parts of the books of Daniel and Nehemiah which were written in Aramaic. The New Testament was written in Greek.

None of the original manuscripts of the Bible are now in existence. Some good manuscripts exist which are copies of the original. Versions are translations of these copies of the original manuscripts. From early times men saw the necessity of translating the Bible so everyone could read it in their own language. No translation is exact because no two languages are exactly alike. Some words used in the Bible do not even exist in different languages. For example, there is a tribe of Indians in Ecuador, South America, called the Auca Indians. When missionaries first contacted them, these Indians did not know how to read or write. There were no words in their language for "writing" or "book." The Auca Indians did have a custom of carving identification marks on their property.

Since there were no words in their language for scriptures, writing, or book, when the Bible was translated for them it was called "God's Carving." This identified it as something belonging to God. This is just one example of the difficulties in translating the Bible into various languages.

There are many different versions of the Bible. The word "version" means a Bible written in a language different from those in which God's Word was originally written. There are two main types of versions of the Bible: Translations and paraphrases.
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TRANSLATION:
A translation is an effort to express what the Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic words actually say. It gives as nearly as possible a literal word by word translation. Extra words are inserted only when it is necessary in order for the reader to understand the meaning.

PARAPHRASE:
A paraphrase does not attempt to translate word for word. It translates thought by thought. A paraphrase is a restatement of the meaning of a passage. Paraphrase versions are easier to read and understand because they are written in modern vocabulary and grammar, but they are not an exact translation of God's Word.

When beginning to read a Bible the best one to get is a translation (King James Version) version rather than a paraphrase version, then you know you have the closest word for word translation from the true Word of God. There are several reasons for this:

FIRST: The King James Bible is the only translation Bible in the world that is closest to the original transcripts, it is very accurate and a good translation for serious study.

SECOND: There are more study tools available for the King James version. There are a large number of concordances, dictionaries, and commentaries written for the King James text.

THIRD: The King James Version is available in more languages than any other version, it is important to have a Bible in your native tongue because you think and understand it best in your own language.

If you do not have a King James version of the Bible write to the American Bible Society at P.O. Box 5601, Grand Central Station, New York, New York 10164, U.S.A.They have a complete listing of all the languages in which the King James Version of the Bible is available.

If you find the King James Version is not available in your language or have difficulty in obtaining a Bible, write to the United Bible Societies, Bible House, P.O. Box 755, Stuttgart l, Germany. They maintain a list of "Scriptures of the World" which identifies all the languages in the world in which at least one book of the Bible has been published. Write to Cambridge University Press, New York, New York, U.S.A. for further information.

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Translation And Paraphrase Versions Of The Bible

Listed here is the famous verse from John 3:16 to illustrate the difference between the different versions of the Bible and to show you how they can be confusing to someone new to reading. It also illustrates how words are taken away, leaving the reader unknown to key phrases.

King James Version: For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

New King James Version: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Revised Standard Version: For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

New Living Bible: For God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son so that anyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

New American Standard Bible: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

New English Bible: God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, that everyone who has faith in Him may not die but have eternal life.

Amplified Version: For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He (even) gave up His only-begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish-come to destruction, be lost-but have eternal (everlasting) life.

Phillips: For God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him should not be lost, but should have eternal life.

Wurst: For in such a manner did God love the world, insomuch that His Son, the uniquely begotten One, He gave, in order that everyone who places his trust in Him may not perish but may be having life eternal.

Moffat: For God loved the world so dearly that He gave up His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life instead of perishing.

New International Version: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

The Message: This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.

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THE UNITY OF THE BIBLE
When we speak of the unity of the Bible, we mean two things:

ONE: THE BIBLE IS UNITED IN CONTENT:
Even though the Bible was written by many writers over many years, there are no contradictions. One author does not contradict any of the others. The Bible includes discussion of hundreds of controversial subjects. (A controversial subject is one that creates different opinions when mentioned). Yet the writers of the Bible spoke on such subjects with harmony from the first book of Genesis through the last book of Revelation. This was possible because there was really only one author: God. The writers only recorded the message under His direction and inspiration. For this reason, the content of the Bible is united.

TWO: THE BIBLE IS UNITED IN THEME:
Some people think the Bible is a collection of 66 separate books on different subjects. They do not realize that the Bible is united by a major theme. From beginning to end, the Bible reveals God's special purpose which is summarized in the book of Ephesians: "Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself; That in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him; In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will."- Ephesians 1:9-11

The Bible reveals the mystery of God’s plan which is the unifying theme of the Bible. It is the revelation of Jesus Christ as the Savior of sinful mankind. Jesus explained how the Old Testament centered on Him: "And He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you, that all hings must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms concerning me." - Luke 24:44. With this introduction Jesus then opened their understanding to the Scriptures "Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures," -Luke 24:45

What was the key Jesus gave them to understanding the Scriptures? The fact that its major theme focused on Him: "And (Jesus) said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things." -Luke 24:46-48

The Old and New Testaments both tell the story of Jesus. The Old Testament prepares us for its happening and the New Testament tells how it happened. This unites the Bible in one major theme. The people who looked forward to Jesus under the Old Testament were saved from their sins through faith in God's promise. Everyone who looks back to it as having been fulfilled in Jesus Christ is saved in the same way: Through faith that it happened just as God promised.

THE DIVERSITY OF THE BIBLE
When we speak of the "diversity" of the Bible we mean that the Bible has variety. It records different ways in which God dealt with people and the different ways in which they responded to Him. The Bible is written in different moods. Some portions express joy while others reflect sorrow. The Bible includes different types of writing. It contains history, poetry, prophecy, letters, adventure, parables, miracles, and love stories. Because of its variety, the Bible has been further divided into major groups of books.
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OLD TESTAMENT DIVISIONS
The books of the Old Testament are divided into four major groups: Law, history, poetry and prophecy.

THE BOOKS OF THE LAW:
There are five books of law. The names of these books are: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, & Deuteronomy. These books record the creation of man and the world by God and the early history of man. They tell how God raised up the nation of Israel as a people through which He could reveal Himself to the nations of the world. These books record the laws of God. The best known parts are the Ten Commandments, Exodus 20:3-17, the greatest of all commandments is, "And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."- Deuteronomy 6:5. The second greatest commandment is, "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD." (Leviticus 19:18).

THE BOOKS OF HISTORY:
There are 12 books of history in the Old Testament. The names of the books of history are: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I and II Samuel, I and II Kings, I and II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, & Esther. These books cover a thousand year history of God's people, Israel. Naturally they do not tell everything that happened, but they record the major events and show the results of both following and ignoring God's law.

THE BOOKS OF POETRY:
There are five books of poetry. The names of the books of poetry are: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, ^ Song of Solomon. These books are the worship books of God's people, Israel. They still are used in worship by believers today.

THE BOOKS OF PROPHECY:
The books of prophecy are the Old Testament are divided into two groups which are called Major and Minor prophetical books. This does not mean the Major Prophets are more important than the Minor Prophets. The title is simply used because the Major Prophets are longer books than the Minor Prophets. There are 17 books of prophecy in the Old Testament. The names of the the Major Prophet books are: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, & Daniel. The names of the Minor Prophet books are: Hosea, Nahum, Joel, Habakkuk, Amos, Zephaniah, Obadiah, Haggai, Jonah, Zechariah, Micah, & Malachi. These books are prophetic messages from God to His people about future events. Many of the prophecies have already been fulfilled, but some remain to be fulfilled in the future.
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NEW TESTAMENT DIVISIONS
The New Testament has also been divided into four groups: Gospels, History, Letters, and Prophecy.

THE GOSPELS:
There are four books in the Gospels. The names of these books are: Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John. These books tell about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Their purpose is to teach you that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." -John 20:31.

THE BOOK OF HISTORY:
There is one book of history in the New Testament, the book of Acts. This book tells how the church began and fulfilled Christ's commission to spread the Gospel throughout the world.

THE EPISTLES (LETTERS):
There are 21 epistles also known as letters in the New Testament. The names of these letters are: Romans, Titus, I and II Corinthians, Philemon, Galatians, Hebrews, Ephesians, James, Philippians, I and II Peter, Colossians, I, II, and III John, I and II Thessalonians ,Jude, & I and II Timothy. The letters are addressed to all believers. and their purpose is to guide them in living and help them do what Jesus commanded.

PROPHECY:
Revelation is the only book of prophecy in the New Testament. It tells of the final victory of Jesus and His people. Its purpose is to encourage you to keep living as a Christian should live until the end of time. Its message is summarized in Revelation 2:10, "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."
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Here is a summary of each of the 66 books of the Bible which make up the major divisions of the Old and New Testaments. It provides an introduction to the content of both testaments. 

THE OLD TESTAMENT BOOKS (39 Books)

THE BOOKS OF LAW:
Genesis: Records the beginning of the universe, man, the Sabbath, marriage, sin, sacrifice, nations, and government and key men of God like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.

Exodus: Details how Israel became a nation with Moses as leader. Israel is delivered from bondage in Egypt and travels to Mt. Sinai where the law of God is given.

Leviticus: This book was a manual of worship for Israel. It provides instruction to the religious leaders and explains how a sinful people can approach a righteous God. It relates to the coming of Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

Numbers: Records Israel's 40 years of wandering in the wilderness which was a result of disobedience to God. The title of the book is from two numberings (population censuses) taken during the long journey.

Deuteronomy: Records the final days of Moses' life and reviews the laws given in Exodus and Leviticus.

THE BOOKS OF HISTORY:
Joshua: Details how Joshua, the successor of Moses, led the people of Israel into the Promised Land of Canaan. It records the military campaigns and the division of the land among the people.

Judges: Israel turned away from God after Joshua's death. This book records the sad story of their repeated sins and the judges God raised up to deliver them from enemy forces.

Ruth: The story of Ruth, a woman of the Gentile nation of Moab, who chose to serve the God of Israel. She became the great grandmother of David.

I Samuel: This book centers on three persons: Samuel who was the last of the judges of Israel; Saul, the first king of Israel; and David who succeeded Saul as king.

II Samuel: The glorious 40 year reign of King David is recorded in this book.

I Kings: King Solomon's reign and the kings of the divided kingdom through the reigns of Ahab in the north and Jehoshaphat in the south are the subjects of this book.

II Kings: The final decline of Israel and Judah is recalled in this book. God's people fell into deep sin.

I Chronicles: The reign of David and preparations for building the temple are recorded here. The time of this book is the same as II Samuel.

II Chronicles: This book continues Israel's history through Solomon's reign with focus on the southern kingdom. It closes with the decree of Cyrus which permitted the return of the people from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Ezra: The return of the Jews from Babylonian captivity is detailed.

Nehemiah: The rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls under the direction of Nehemiah is recalled by this book. The project was begun about 14 years after Ezra's return with the people.

Esther: God's deliverance of the Jews through Esther and Mordecai is the subject of this book.
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THE BOOKS OF POETRY:
Job: This book is the story of Job, a man who lived around the time of Abraham. The theme is the question of why righteous men suffer.

Psalms: The prayer and praise book of the Bible.

Proverbs: Divine wisdom for practical problems of everyday life.

Ecclesiastes: A discussion of the futility of life apart from God.

Song Of Solomon: The romance of Solomon and his Shulamite bride. The story represents God's love for Israel and of Christ for the church.

THE BOOKS OF PROPHECY: Several of these books were written during a period when the nation of Israel was divided into two separate kingdoms: Israel and Judah.

Isaiah: Warns of coming judgment against Judah because of their sin against God.

Jeremiah: Written during the later decline and fall of Judah. Told of the coming judgment and urged surrender to Nebuchadnezzar.

Lamentations: Jeremiah's lament (expression of sorrow) over the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon.

Ezekiel: Warns first of Jerusalem's impending fall and then foretells its future restoration.

Daniel: The prophet Daniel was captured during the early siege of Judah and taken to Babylon. This book provides historic and prophetic teaching which is important in understanding Bible prophecy.

Hosea: Theme of this book is Israel's unfaithfulness, their punishment, and restoration by God.

Joel: Tells of the plagues which foreshadowed future judgment.

Amos: During a period of material prosperity but moral decay, Amos warned Israel and surrounding nations of God's future judgment on their sin.

Obadiah: God's judgment against Edom, an evil nation located south of the Dead Sea.
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Jonah: The story of the prophet Jonah who preached repentance in Ninevah, capitol of the Assyrian empire. The book reveals God's love and plan of repentance for the Gentiles.

Micah: Another prophecy against Israel's sin. Foretells the birthplace of Jesus 700 years before the event happened.

Nahum: Tells of the impending destruction of Ninevah which had been spared some 150 years earlier through Jonah's preaching.

Habakkuk: Reveals God's plan to punish a sinful nation by an even more sinful one. Teaches that "the just shall live by faith."

Zephaniah: Judgment and restoration of Judah.

Haggai: Urges the Jews to rebuild the temple after a 15 year delay due to enemy resistance.

Zechariah: Further urging to complete the temple and renew spiritual commitment. Foretells Christ's first and second comings.

Malachi: Warns against spiritual shallowness and foretells the coming of John the Baptist and Jesus.
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NEW TESTAMENT BOOKS (27 Books)

THE GOSPELS: The four books known as the Gospels record the birth, life, ministry, teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The approach of each book differs:

Matthew: Emphasizes Jesus Christ as King and was directed especially to the Jews.

Mark: Emphasizes Jesus Christ as the Servant of God and was directed especially to the Romans.

Luke: Presents Jesus Christ as the "Son of Man," the perfect man and Savior of imperfect men.

John: Presents Jesus in His position as the Son of God.

THE BOOK OF HISTORY:
Acts: The one history book of the New Testament records the early growth of Christianity from the time of Christ's return to Heaven through Paul's imprisonment in Rome. The book covers about 33 years and emphasizes the work of the Holy Spirit.

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THE EPISTILES (LETTERS):
Romans: A presentation of the Gospel which stresses salvation by faith alone.

I Corinthians: Written to correct errors of Christian conduct in the local church.

II Corinthians: Speaks of the true ministry of the Gospel, stewardship, and Paul's apostolic authority.

Galatians: Deals with the error of mixing law and faith. The theme is justification by faith alone.

Ephesians: Encourages believers regarding their position in Christ.

Philippians: Emphasizes the joy of Christian unity.

Colossians: Deals with the error of "Gnosticism," a false teaching which denied Jesus was truly Son of God and Son of Man. The book also emphasizes Jesus as head of the Church.

I Thessalonians: Counsel in Christian living and emphasis on the return of Jesus.

II Thessalonians: Further instruction on the Lord's return and how knowledge of this should affect everyday life.

I Timothy: Stresses sound doctrine, orderly church government, and principles to guide the church in the years to come.

II Timothy: Describes the true servant of Jesus Christ. It also warns of the apostasy (spiritual decline) which had already started. It presents the Word of God as the remedy to correct all error.

Titus: Paul's letter to a young minister named Titus who was serving God on the island of Crete. Doctrine and a Godly life are stressed.

Philemon: Paul's intercession for a runaway slave of a wealthy Colossian Christian. It illustrates the intercession of Jesus on the behalf of believers who were once slaves to sin.

Hebrews: Explains the superiority of Christianity over Judaism. Presents Jesus as the Great High Priest and the mediator between God and man.

James: Teaches that true faith is evidenced by works, although salvation is by faith alone.

I Peter: A letter of comfort and encouragement to believers, especially those suffering spiritual attacks from outside the church through unbelievers.

II Peter: A warning against spiritual attacks from within. For example, false teachers who had already "crept" into the Church.

I John: Written to combat Gnosticism which denied Christ's position as Son of God and Son of Man. The book emphasizes fellowship and love among believers and assures true believers of eternal life.

II John: Warns against any compromise with doctrinal error and emphasizes that the truth must be guarded in love.

III John: Warns of the sin of refusing fellowship with those who are true believers.

Jude: Another warning against apostasy and false doctrine. The theme is similar to that of II Peter.

THE BOOK OF PROPHECY:

Revelation: This prophetic book tells of the final events of world history. It tells of the things which were, are, and which will be in the future plan of God (Revelation 4:22).

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