Stages of Biblical Writing

How it came to be The Bible is a book which covers over 2000 years of history. It begins with the calling of Abraham in the Old Testament and the New Testament presents Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection.

Oral Tradition The early Israelites passed down their sacred stories and experiences orally (word of mouth) from generation to generation. The stories became part of the culture and heritage of the people well before they were written down.

Written Tradition The Bible was then written by a number of authors over a thousand year period. A communities record of sacred history often became its most precious possession.

Edited Text The Bible has been changed over time. It has been written in different languages and edited and re-edited into many different editions. This is because new material has been added to existing texts at a later date.