Interesting Bible Facts
02.02.22
Every word of God is pure. He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him. (Proverbs 30:5)
We are embarking on a journey through the Bible, the Word of God. But before we do, it is important to reiterate some things that have been stressed throughout the many years of this column.
This author takes the position that the Bible is the Word of God. It doesn’t merely contain the Word of God, nor does it at random times become the Word of God.
Rather, it is totally trustworthy, for it claims for itself that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable…” (2 Timothy 3:16). It is the Word of God. It is inspired (God-breathed) in its totality, and in every word. Thus we can trust it. We can know it. We learn it, love it, and obey it to our eternal blessing.
Now, let us consider some interesting facts about this wonderful and unique Book of books.
The Bible was written by some 40 people over some 1600 years (from approximately 1500 BC to 100 AD).
The first English translation of the Bible was begun by John Wycliffe and finished by John Purvey in 1388.
The Bible was first divided into chapters in 1228. The Old Testament was first divided into verses in 1448, and the New Testament in 1551.
The first Bible to have both chapter and verse divisions was the Geneva Bible in 1560.
There are approximately 31,000 verses in the Word of God.
The middle verses in the Bible are Psalm 103:1, 2— Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
The middle verse in the OT is 2 Chronicles 20:17— Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.
The middle verse in the NT is Acts 17:17— Therefore he [Paul] reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout people, and in the market daily with them that met with him.
The longest verse in the Bible is found in Esther (8:9), a part of the letter the King of Persia wrote to the Jewish people in his effort to save them from their destruction by wicked Haman.
Most people know that the shortest verse in the Bible is a sad one, “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35). The shortest verse in the OT is 1 Chronicles 1:25— “Eber, Peleg, Reu,” found in the midst of the genealogy from Adam to Noah.
As for the chapters, there are 1889 in total, the OT containing 929 and the NT 260. Both the longest chapter [119] and the shortest [117] are found in the Psalms, the latter also being the middle chapter in the Bible— O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise Him all ye peoples. For His merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of the LORD endures forever. Praise ye the LORD.
Next time we will begin to look at the first five books of the Bible, the Law. Hopefully you will go along on this journey as we see what our gracious God has provided for us.