The Bible is distinctive because it claims to be God’s word given to man kind. II Timothy 3:16 “ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”.

A. Originally written in two languages. Hebrew and Greek. B. 40 different men. C. Over 1600 years. D. Since 1947, over 9 billion copies have been distributed. E. The Bible has been translated into 800 different languages.

The Bible was slowly written. Ancient writers used different materials. Stone, clay, wood, animal skins, and later papyrus. The books of the Bible were written on scrolls. Some scrolls were 30 feet long. The N.T. was written on Vellum.

The Lord spoke directly to people in the Patriarchal Age. God spoke to Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Joseph. * Moses authored the first five books of the O.T. around 1500 B.C.

We have over 5, 000 manuscripts of the N.T. 1. Pliny the Younger 7 2. Caesar Plato 7 4. Aristotle Euripedes 18

The Old Testament was assembled around 400 B.C The New Testament around 96 A.D. N.T. books were read in assemblies. I Thess. 5:27, Col. 4:16 * In the 4 th century a Roman, Jerome, wrote the Latin Vulgate. (the Bible in Latin).

1. In the 1380’s John Wycliffe produced the first known English translation of Bible manuscripts. 2. Johann Gutenberg invented the printing press in the 1450’s. 3. In 1496 John Colet translated the Greek N.T into English. 4. William Tyndale has the distinction of producing the first English Bible. 5. In 1611 the King James Bible was finished..

1833 Noah Webster Bible 1846 Illuminated Bible 1885 English Revised Version 1901 American Standard Version 1971 New American Standard Version 1973 New International Version 1982 New King James Version 2002 English Standard Version

Discovered in Probably put there by the “Essenes”. 70 A.D. Fragments of all most every O.T. book was found. Two texts of Isaiah. One was as complete as missing only a few words. The other is missing chapters * Most scrolls are in Amman, Jordan.

1. The word “Canon” comes from a Greek word meaning “measuring rod”. 2. “Canonizing” is recognizing and collecting those writings that are inspired by God. 3. The scriptures were not divinely inspired because they were “Canonized”. They were inspired by God when they were written.

1. Means hidden or secret. 2. Not really accepted by the Catholic Church until the 16 th century. 3. Never accepted or talked of by Jesus or His apostles. 4. Never accepted by ancient Jewish writers that wrote about Christ and Christianity. 5. Contains historical and geographical errors. 6. Events are out of chronological order.