The Bible--Facts

The Holy Bible contains 66 books written by 40 different authors over approximately 1,500 years. The King James Bible contains 1,189 chapters, 31,101 verses, 783,137 words, and 3,566,480 letters. The Bible was the first book printed by Johannes Gutenburg, the inventor of the modern printing press in 1455-57. The Old Testament was divided into verses in 1448 and the New Testament was divided into verses in 1551. The longest book in the Bible is Psalms. The shortest book is 3 John. The longest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 119 and the shortest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 117. The Bible is the best selling book in the world, with the total number of Bibles sold or given away each day estimated at 168,000 (Wycliffe International). A recent survey by Barna Research Group revealed that nearly 92% of American households own at least one Bible.

Bible Verses
Bible verses allow the story and facts of the Bible to be separated into practical tools for study and application. They allow the reader or teacher to isolate the meaning stated by the authors. This, in turn, facilitates translation and understanding of the subject matter. For example, Genesis 1:3 states: "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." The next verse, Genesis 1:4, follows: "And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness." A Bible verse usually contains a single sentence. Sometimes a verse contains two or more sentences. The longest verse in the Bible is Esther 8:9 (78 words in the King James). The middle verse in the Bible is Psalm 118:8: "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man." Using Bible verses has become a popular and effective way to apply God's will to practical living. As snippets of God's Word, Bible verses form the basis of church sermons, Bible studies, and reference tools in teaching.

Bible Verses--The Power

Bible verses clearly communicate the message of God throughout the Bible. While liberal scholars and New Age proponents increasingly dispute the literal meaning of the Bible (and even God's existence), the verses of the Bible are clear and concise expressions of God's enduring truth. A powerful example of this type of verse is the way to salvation through John 3:16: "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." Another solid truth is the importance of persevering as expressed in James 1:12: "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." A final declaration of the power of scripture is found at Hebrews 4:12: "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Bible verses challenge people to make the right choices and think about their actions. Bible verses are God's gift of communication for His people to understand and follow. Bible verses inspire us, comfort us, and convict us. Bible verses reveal God's love and bring everlasting hope.