* Bible Trivia

Even if you’ve read the Bible,

you may not know how and where it was created,

how long it truly is

or even how many different versions there are.

Let’s spend a few moments exploring some mind-blowing facts about this ancient text. a

* 21 Significant Facts About the Bible

The Bible has a rich 2,000-year history that has been instrumental in shaping Western civilization and the lives of billions of people around the globe. Explore Bible facts, including scientific facts, that are endlessly fascinating.

* Fun Facts About the Bible Book

Let’s start with some fun and maybe starnge facts about the Bible.

* It’s the Most Stolen Book

SLIDE 1 TEXT: It’s the Most Stolen Book

Ironically, although one of the Ten Commandments says, “thou shalt not steal,”

the Bible is the most stolen book in the world.

Bibles are regularly taken from:

hotels,
hospitals,
bookstores,
and other locations.

* It’s the Bestselling Book in the World

SLIDE 2 TEXT: It’s the Bestselling Book in the World

The Bible is the most-read book in the world.

Around 100 million copies are sold or donated annually.

Approximately 20 million copies are sold each year in the U.S. alone.

* The Oldest Bible Dates to the 4th Century

SLIDE 3 TEXT: The Oldest Bible Dates Back to the 4th Century

One of the earliest versions of the Bible can be found in the Vatican Library and dates back to the 4th century.

This parchment Bible includes the Old Testament and New Testament.

If you are curious to check the Codex Vaticanus out, you can find it digitized and online.

* Authorship Facts About the Bible

The subject of authorship and the writing of the Bible is enough for a Bible-sized book in and of itself.

Let’s explore how the Bible was written and by whom.

The Text Was Written Over the Course of 1,500 Years

SLIDE 4 TEXT: The Text Was Written Over the Course of 1,500 Years

While there is some debate, most biblical scholars agree that it took about 1,500 years to write the Bible.

While Genesis is the first book in the Bible, many experts believe that the Book of Job was written first.

The last book that was written and added to the Bible was the Book of Revelation.

It is estimated to have been written around 96 A.D.

The Number of Books in the Bible Varies

While all Bibles have 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament, there are additional books that are accepted in the different branches of Christendom.

The Protestant Bible has 66 books

The Catholic Bible has 73 books

The Orthodox Church does not have a universally approved biblical canon. Orthodox Bibles can have between 79-86 books

The simple explanation for this is that Martin Luther, who started the Lutheran church which served as the foundation for Protestantism, removed seven books from the Bible. This includes several books from the highly debated Apocrypha, which means “of doubted authority.”

The Bible Was Written in Three Languages Across Three Continents

While the Bible has about 40 authors who wrote different sections, it was also authored on three continents.

The Bible was written in Asia, Europe and Africa and in three different languages: Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek.

The Old Testament was primarily written in Hebrew while the New Testament was written in Greek, the language of scholarship at the time.

Aramaic was the common “international language” of the time and most likely the language that Jesus spoke in real life.

There Was a Gap Between Old and New Testament Writing

The writing of God’s words took time, and there was quite a large gap between the writing of the Old and New Testaments. In fact, it was about 400 years before the New Testament writings took place after the completion of the Old Testament. These years are known as the “silent years.”

Compelling Content Facts

In addition to the fascinating authorship of the Bible, there are numerous facts about the content itself that merit further examination.

The Bible Is Over 600,000 Words Long

On average, the Bible is over 600,000 words long.

However, different translations or versions of the Bible are even longer.

In fact, the King James Bible (KJV) is 783,137 words.

Each version and translation is a variation of this word count because sometimes translations take more words to get the message across.

The Bible is Over 1,000 Chapters Long

Additionally, the Bible has an astounding 1,189 chapters, with 929 in the Old Testament and 260 in the New Testament.

Of these chapters, both the longest and shortest chapters are in Psalms.

Psalms 117 comes in as the shortest Bible chapter, while Psalms 119 is the longest, with 150 chapters.

Jesus Is Never Described in Detail

While churches and iconography worldwide depict images of Jesus, the Bible never truly describes what he looks like.

There are hints to his features found in some books of the Bible, but a full description is lacking.

The only Bible verse that gives any indication of Jesus’s appearance is Isaiah 53:2, where it says that:

“There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing physical to attract us to him. ” -- NLT.

How many of you love singing?

* There are 185 Songs in the Bible

SLIDE 5 TEXT: There are 185 Songs in the Bible

In addition to epic battles and the parting of the sea, you can also find a decent collection of songs within the pages of the Bible,

185 songs to be exact.

These include chants,

hymns

and dirges [/dəːdʒ/] – which are laments for the dead.

The majority of these songs are in Psalms,

which is partly why it is the longest book.

Do you know what the word Psalm means?

The word “psalm” comes from the Greek psalmos, meaning “song sung on a harp.”

SLIDE 6 IMAGE: David playing harp to sheep: https://bit.ly/3vl8TtH

Most of the psalms were authored by King David, who often played the harp.

The Shortest Verse in the Bible is 2 Words

Most Bible verses are known for being pretty long, especially when you are trying to memorize them; however, John 11:35

KJV ³⁵ Jesus wept. WEB ³⁵ Jesus wept.
(KJV) is only two words:

“Jesus wept.”

This verse references the tale in the Gospel of John where Jesus grieved for Lazarus, whom He then famously resurrected from the dead.

Milestones in Bible Translations

The Bible in its entirety has been translated into 704 languages and at least some portion has been translated into over 3,000 languages.

Additionally, there are numerous versions of the Bible.

~~With so many versions and translations, things were bound to get lost in translation at some point.~~

The Geneva Bible Was the First to Be Printed on a Printing Press

Produced in 1557 in Geneva, Switzerland, the Geneva Bible was the first version of the Bible to be translated from both Hebrew and Greek, as well as the first to be printed on a printing press.

At the time, Queen Mary I of England was persecuting Protestants, even having them burned at the stake.

In response, many Protestant leaders like John Calvin fled to Geneva.

The Geneva Bible was very influential in the 16th century and was one of the books taken to America on the Mayflower in 1620.

The Geneva Bible Was the First to Have Verses

The Geneva Bible was also the first to include verses, commentary, footnotes, and cross-references.

King James VI of Scotland disliked these additions, calling them “seditious.”

He particularly disliked that this translation and notes directly challenged authority, including the divine right of kings to rule over men.

He banned the printing of the Geneva Bible in 1611.

The same King James would go on to become the namesake of the King James Bible, as he commissioned that translation.

There Is a Rare Sinner’s Bible With a Typo

The Bible famously states, “thou shall not commit adultery.”

However, an ill-fated typo in 1631 said just the opposite.

The “sinner’s Bible” (NOT the Satanic Bible published by Anton LaVey) actually states:

SLIDE 7 IMAGE: Sinner’s Bible error: https://bit.ly/3PF3lSS

“thou shalt commit adultery.”

Unsurprisingly, this rare Bible only has a handful of remaining copies floating around (13 verified copies) due to this unbiblical commandment.

The “She Bible” Includes a Surprising Typo

The “She Bible” refers to an infamous typo found in a 1611 edition of the King James Bible.

The typo is found in the Book of Ruth 3:15

KJV ¹⁵ Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city. WEB ¹⁵ He said, “Bring the mantle that is on you, and hold it.” She held it; and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her; then he went into the city.
, which reads:

“She went into the city.”

This verse refers to God, so it is essentially describing God as a woman.

Only a small handful of “She Bibles” remain.

Scientific Facts About the Bible

The Bible and, more specifically, the church have historically not always agreed with science, often leading to controversy.

However, the Bible in fact supports several scientific facts that were not discovered until many centuries later.

The Earth Is Round

While it can be translated differently depending on how you look at it, a passage in the Bible does describe the world as round or sphere.

This passage can be found in Isaiah 40:22

KJV ²² It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: WEB ²² It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in,

“He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers.” – NIV

This book dates back to about the 8th century.

While it has been acknowledged that the Earth is round since the time of the Ancient Greeks, the topic continued to be debated for many centuries.

The Earth Is in Space

Another fun scientific fact found in the Bible is the reference to space.

This is found in Job 26:7

KJV ⁷ He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing. WEB ⁷ He stretches out the north over empty space, and hangs the earth on nothing.
, which dates back to approximately the 6th century B.C.:

“He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing.” – NIV

At the time of this writing and for centuries afterward, many didn’t believe in a free-floating Earth.

In fact, the Bible also supports that the Earth revolves around the sun, which was not discovered until millennia (centuries) later.

Blood Is the Source of Life

With modern science, you know that blood is needed for life.

However, this was not common knowledge in biblical times.

In Leviticus 17:11

KJV ¹¹ For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. WEB ¹¹ For the life of the flesh is in the blood. I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life.
, it is noted that,

“For the life of a creature is in the blood.” – NIV

There Is a Hydrologic (WATER) Cycle

There are two verses within the Bible many scholars say relate to the hydrologic cycle before this was an understood concept.

Written in about the 8th century, Amos discusses the ocean going into other lands and bodies of water.

In Amos 9:6 it says,

“He calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land.” – NIV

Another verse that reflects this cycle is Ecclesiastes 1:7

KJV ⁷ All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. WEB ⁷ All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.
:

“All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.” – KJV

Air Has Weight

The fact that air actually has weight is a relatively new discovery, accredited to Evangelista Torricelli in 1644.

However, the Bible discussed the weight of air in Job 28:25, where it says that:

SLIDE 8 VERSE: “...[God] gave to the wind its weight and apportioned the waters by measure.” – Job 28:25, ESV.

“...[God] gave to the wind its weight and apportioned the waters by measure.” – ESV