Bible
the book, in comparison with which other literary productions are not worthy to be dignified with the name of books; or, if they be called books, it then becomes the Book of books. The idea just expressed is founded on the etymology derived originally from the Christian Greeks, but now rooted in the languages of all the nations of Christendom. The first to use the term biblia in this sense is said to have been Chrysostom, who flourished in the 5th century. The word scripture or scriptures, = writing, ng, from the Latin scriptura scripturæ = writings, conveys the analogous idea that the Scriptures are alone worthy of being called writings.
This use of the word came originally from the Latin fathers, but it has been adopted not merely by the English, but by the other Christian nations of Europe.
The Church of Rome does not differ from the several Protestant denominations respecting the Divine authority of the books which the latter accept as canonical; it combines, however, with them the Apocrypha and Church traditions, regarding faith and morals, which Protestants reject.
Articles of faith and symbolical books do not always express the real belief of all who nominally assent to them; and scattered through the several churches are a very large number of persons who hold that the Bible contains a revelation from God, instead of being of itself the Word of God; while a small number deny the Scriptures all special inspiration, and deal with them as freely as they would with the Mohammedan Koran, the Hindu Vedas, etc.
The Bible consists of 66 books, constituting an organic whole. In the Authorized English Version the Bible is divided into the Old and New Testaments, the former containing 39, and the latter 27 books.
The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew, except Jer. x: 11; Ezra iv: 8 to vi: 18; vii: 12 to 26; and Dan. ii: from middle of verse 4 to vii: 28, which are East Aramæan (Chaldee).
The New Testament was originally written in Greek, with the exception, perhaps, of St. Matthew's Gospel, which the Christian fathers, Papias, Irenæus, Pantænus, Origen, Jerome, etc., state to have been published originally in Aramæan.
The order of the books in the Hebrew Bible is different from that which obtains in the English Scriptures, which, BIBLE in this respect, follow the Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate. The Jews divided the Old Testament primarily into three portions, called the Law, the Prophets, and the Kethubim, or, in Greek, the Hagiographa. The following list exhibits the order and classification of the books in the Hebrew Bible: (a) I. Torah, the Law: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
II. Nebiim, the Prophets: (1) The former prophets: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings. (2) The later prophets: a) The great prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel. (b) The small or minor prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zeph aniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.
III. Kethubim books; in Greek Hagiographa = holy writings: (1) Truth: P Psalms, Proverbs. (2) The five rolls: Job, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Chronicles. = A convenient classification for modern use divides the Old Testament books into three classes: (1) The Historical Books: Genesis-Ezra. (1) The Poetical Books: Job-Song of Solomon. (3) The Prophetical Books: Isaiah-Malachi, A similar division for the New Testament is into: (1) Historical Books: Matthew-The Acts of the Apostles, (2) Epistles: Romans Jude. (3) The Prophetical Book: Revelation.
The Old Testament is said to have been collected and arranged by Ezra between 458 and 450 B. C. The Apocrypha are considered inspired writings by the Roman Catholics, but not by the Jews and Protestants.
OLD TESTAMENT Genesis contains the history of the world Exodus.
Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Job Joshua Judges Ruth I and II Samuel I and II Kings.
I and II Chronicles B. C. from 4004-1635 1635-1490 1490-1451 about 1520 from 1451-1420 1425-1120 1322-1312 1171-1017 1015-562 1004-536 Book of Psalms (chiefly by David) 1063-1015 Proverbs, written.
Song of Solomon.
Ecclesiastes Jonah Joel Hosea Amos Isaiah Micah Nahum Zephaniah Jeremiah.
Lamentations Habakkuk Daniel Ezekiel. about 1000-700 about 1014 about 977 about 862 about 800 about 785-725 about 787 about 760-698 about 750-710 about 713 713 about 630 about about 538 about 626 from from Obadiah Ezra Esther Haggai Zechariah Nehemiah Malachi BIBLE CHRISTIANS about 587 B. C. about 536-456 BIBLE SOCIETY ciety for the Propagation of the Gospel, established in 1701; the Society in Scotabout 521- 495 land for Propagating Christian Knowlabout 520 about about 520-518 446-434 .. about 397 NEW TESTAMENT GOSPELS by Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.
Acts of the Apostles.
A. D. and 33-65 .5 в. c.-33 EPISTLES-I and II of Paul to Thessalonians 1st Corinthians To Galatians 2d Corinthians Romans Of James. 1st of Peter about To Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Hebrews, Philemon Titus, and 1st to Timothy. 2d of Peter Of Jude 1st, 2d, and 3d of John Revelation 54 58 59 60 edge, incorporated in 1709; the Society at Halle, founded in 1712; the Society for Promoting Religious Knowledge Among the Poor, established in 1750; and, finally, the Society for the Support and Encouragement of Sunday-Schools, established in 1785. Two societies mado it their primary aim, viz.: The Bible Society for Soldiers and Sailors, established in 1780, and the French Bible Society, commenced in London in 1792, its 60 object being the circulating of the Scrip- 60 tures in France. With all that was done 60 by these organizations, however, Bibles 64 were both costly and difficult to obtain.
It was to cheapen the cost and in- 65 66 66 96 The most ancient copy of the Hebrew Scriptures existed at Toledo, called the Codex of Hillel; it was of very early date, probably of the 4th century after Christ; some say about 60 years before Christ. The copy of Ben Asher, of Jerusalem, was made about 1100. crease the production that a great bible 66 society came into existence in 1803, un- 90 der the name of "The Society for Promoting a More Extensive Circulation of the Scriptures Both at Home and Abroad." In Ma March, 1804, it was more formally constituted at a meeting held in the London Tavern, Bishopsgate, its too lengthened designation being condensed to the British and Foreign Bible Society. Its rise to power was rapid.
On March 28, 1809, an auxiliary Bible society was established at Reading, and many similar auxiliaries or branches soon followed in other places.
The reputed oldest copy of the Old and New Testament in Greek, is that in the Vatican, in Rome, which was written in the 4th or 5th century.