1. History of the Bible
“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.
Luke 24:44

2. Canon
In the Greek, a straight reed that could be used as a measuring rod or standard.
For religious scholars, a specific collection of sacred writings that provide a measuring rod or standard for a particular religious community.
Different canon for different beliefs.

3. Islam: Qur’an (The Koran)
Revealed to Muhammad by Gabriel
114 Sura or Chapters
Recounts many of the Bible stories but differs in detail.
Teaches other books (Bible, Torah, etc.) are sacred books and that all have been revealed by one God.

4. Judaism: The Hebrew or Jewish Tanakh
Essentially the same as our OT but does not include the NT
Includes the Torah (5 books of Moses)

5. Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
Believe in open canon (still getting word from God)
Includes our Bible, plus Book of Mormon and two other books given to Joseph Smith

6. Roman Catholic: Bible Includes same OT and NT as our Bible
Also includes Apocrypha
Ten Commandments are different

7. Catholic Version
2. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God, in vain.
Skips 2nd commandment, splits 10th into 2 to compensate
Protestant Version
2. Thou shalt not make unto me any graven image, or any likeness above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them nor serve them.

8. Jesus Read the Bible Jesus read the Hebrew Bible (our Old Testament)
The writers of the New Testament often quote the OT, but they were using a Greek version

9. Septuagint (LXX) Ancient Greek translation of the Jewish Scripture.
Translated by 70 scholars into Greek because the Jews living under Greek rule were losing their Hebrew.
Finished BC (around the time of Alexander the Great)

10. Formation of the NT
As Apostles wrote about Jesus, their words were collected in new books.
Many people were talking and writing about Jesus, Luke was worried (Lk 1:1-4)
AD 367 The “Easter Letter” was sent out by the Christian Bishop of Alexandria listing 27 books. The creation of the NT canon.

11. Hidden Bible
Roman Catholic Church would not allow common people to read the scripture.
Complete Bible first translated into English by John Wycliffe in There was no printing press, each copy was made by hand, so they were very expensive.
Johannes Gutenberg invents the printing press in 1455.

12. Protes-tant Reformation
Martin Luther wrote The 95 Theses in 1517, stating that the Bible should be accessible to everyone.
William Tyndale prints the first English NT in 1525.

13. The Apocrypha
The word simply means hidden, but often has a pejorative meaning (apocryphal)
Takes place between the OT and the NT
Includes 39 books such as Tobit, Judit, more of Esther, The Maccabees and others.
1546 The Council of Trent, the Catholic Church declares the Apocrypha to be scripture.
Purgatory is found in Apocrypha.

14. King James Version
The Puritans believe that the Bible of the Church of England (Anglican) is incorrect.
King James of Britain authorizes the official English Bible in 1611.
American Standard Version in 1901.
Today, NIV is most popular.

15. The Dead Sea Scrolls Discovered in Israel in 1947 near the Dead Sea
900 Documents including the Hebrew Bible in jars in 11 caves
Are the earliest found Bible manuscripts, from BC

16. God has been guiding and inspiring the creation of the Bible all throughout history
And He is guiding you to the Bible because He wants to reveal Himself to YOU!