About forty men were engaged in the writing of the Bible, during a period of about 1,600 years – that is, from 1500 B.C. to A.D. 100.
These men wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (2 Pet. 1:21). They wrote not in words of human wisdom, but in words divinely taught (1 Cor. 2:13).
The Bible contains 3,566,480 letters, 773,746 words, 31,102 verses, 1,189 chapters, and 66 books. The Old Testament contains 39 books; the New Testament, 27 books. In point of length, the average word of the Bible contains fewer than five letters. What a lesson for the fellow who has a mania for big words!
The word "Jehovah" occurs 6,855 times.
The word "Lord" occurs 1,853 times.
The word "and" occurs 46,277 times, and the word "reverend" but once (Ps. 111:9).
The book of Esther contains ten chapters, but neither the word "Lord" nor "God" is to be found in it.
The middle chapter and the shortest is Psalm 117. It contains only two verses.
The middle verse in the Bible is Psalm 118:8.
The middle book of the Old Testament is Proverbs.
The middle chapter of the Old Testament is Job 29.
The middle verse of the Old Testament is 2 Chronicles 10:15.
The shortest verse in the Old Testament is 1 Chronicles 1:25; the longest, Esther 8:9.
The middle book of the New Testament is Second Thessalonians.
The middle chapter in the New Testament is between Romans 13 and 14.
The middle verse in the New Testament is Acts 17:17.
The shortest verse in the New Testament, in English, is John 11:35; in Greek, I Thessalonians 5:16.
The longest verse in the Bible is Esther 8:9; it contains ninety words.
The longest word in the Bible is found in Isaiah 8:1.
All the letters of the Alphabet, except J, are in Ezra 7:21.
The nineteenth chapter of 2 Kings and the thirty-seventh chapter of Isaiah are nearly identical.
The Bible holds the distinction of being the first printed book; it was first reprinted in 1450.
The first Bible printed in this country was in the Indian language in 1663. This translation was made and published by John Eliot, the so-called "Apostle to the Indians." This is the earliest example of the whole Bible translated and printed in a new language for the purpose of evangelization.
The first English Bible printed in this country was in 1782.
The first translation of the Bible made in America was printed in 1808. It was the work of Charles Thomson.
The first translation of the New Testament published in America was printed in 1826 by Alexander Campbell. It first appeared under the title, "Sacred Writings;" later, "Living Oracles." It was largely a compilation of the works of Doddridge, Macknight, and George Campbell.
It is not generally known that Noah Webster, author of the famous "Webster's Dictionary" and the "Blue-Back Speller," made a translation of the Bible, which was published in 1833.
The King James Version of the Bible was first published in 1611.
The Revised Version of the whole Bible was issued in 1885.
The American Standard edition was published in 1901.
The Bible was divided into chapters by Cardinal Hugo in 1250.
The New Testament was divided into verses by Sir Robert Stephens in 1551.
The whole Bible, divided into chapters and verses, first appeared in 1560 in what is known as the "Geneva Bible." It was so called because it was prepared by the Reformers in Geneva. It is also called the "Breeches Bible," because Genesis 3:7 is translated: "They sewed fig leaves together and made themselves breeches."
The Bible is the most translated book in the world. It has been translated into more different languages and dialects than any other book that has been written.
The Bible continues to be the best seller in the world.
The Bible is the best book in the world.
It is the only book that reveals the origin, mission, and destiny of man.
