The Old Testament (The Law, History, & Prophets)
The Old Testament was written over a span of more than a thousand years by kings, prophets, and scholars. Written primarily in Hebrew (with sections in Aramaic), these 39 books record the creation of the world, God’s covenant with Israel, and the prophecies foretelling a coming Savior. Through preserved scrolls passed down meticulously through generations, the scriptures kept the hope of a Redeemer alive.
The New Testament: God’s Promise Fulfilled
The New Testament consists of 27 books written in Koine Greek during the first century AD. It begins with the four Gospels—matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—recounting the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The remaining books detail the explosive growth of the early Church through letters (epistles) written by apostles like Paul, offering practical wisdom and spiritual instruction for following Him in daily life.
How Did We Get the Bible?
The Bible did not fall from the sky all at once; it was inspired by God through human authors over 1,500 years. Through careful copyist traditions, historical verification, and the guidance of the early Church councils, these sacred writings were compiled into the single unified Book we hold today—God’s living Word written for us.
A Brief History of the Scriptures
- 1500–400 BC (The Hebrew Scriptures): The 39 books of the Old Testament were written in Hebrew (and Aramaic) on parchment and papyrus scrolls, preserved carefully by Jewish scribes.
- 250 BC (The Septuagint): The Hebrew Scriptures were translated into Greek (the LXX or Septuagint) in Alexandria, Egypt, making the scriptures accessible across the Mediterranean world.
- 45–95 AD (The New Testament): Apostles and early eyewitnesses wrote the 27 New Testament books in Greek to instruct and encourage early Christian churches.
- 382–405 AD (The Latin Vulgate): Saint Jerome translated the entire Bible into Latin, which became the standard text of the Western Church for over a thousand years.
- 1382 AD (Wycliffe’s Bible): John Wycliffe produced the very first complete translation of the Bible into English from the Latin Vulgate.
- 1526 AD (Tyndale’s New Testament): William Tyndale translated the New Testament directly from original Greek into English, paving the way for modern English translations.
- 1611 AD (The King James Version): Commissioned by King James I of England, scholars translated the Bible into classic English, becoming one of the most influential books in human history.