Additional Q&A written by the staff of Good Shepherd's can be reached through the drop-down links under "Questions" on the red navigation bar (top of each page). You are invited to submit a question to Good Shepherd's, and we will provide a Biblical answer. AskQuestion
Where did the Bible come from?
Why should I trust the Bible?
I've never read the Bible before. (Where is the best place to start?)
Where did the Bible come from?
The Bible (the Scriptures, the Word Of God) is a collection of 66 books, written over a period of about 1,550 years (roughly 1,450 BC – 100 AD), by many different men (prophets and apostles), living in several different countries. God guided these men as they wrote the Bible (God inspired them). 2 Peter 1:20-21 Galatians 1:11-12 Ephesians 3:3-5 2 Timothy 3:16
The Bible is The Word Of God, not the word of man. 1 Thessalonians 2:13
The Bible has 2 parts, The Old Testament and the New Testament. The 39 books comprising the Old Testament were written in Hebrew with a few parts in Aramaic. The 27 books comprising the New Testament were written in Greek. There are many English translations of the Bible. Some translations are more faithful to the original, while other translations are loose paraphrases that change some of the meaning. This website generally uses the New International Version (NIV) English translation.
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Why should I trust the Bible?
Hundreds of books are available giving overwhelming evidence and solid reasons to trust the Bible. Many Bible statements can be confirmed through history, archeology, anthropology, astronomy, and other fields. These "proofs" will never convince a skeptic to believe in God, although some skeptics have been led by this evidence to study the Bible and become believers in Christ Jesus.
The Bible is "self authenticating." God himself convinces us that the Bible is true as we hear the Bible message. Read the Bible and hear God speak to you through its pages. It is through the Gospel message in the Bible that God brings us to faith and strengthens our faith.
Romans 10:17 Romans 16:25-26
The Word Of God (the Bible) calls itself a "double-edged sword", "flawless", "a light for my path", "seed", "the sword of the Spirit", "the power of God", "fire", and "a hammer that breaks a rock." Hebrews 4:12 Psalm 12:6
Psalm 119:105 Luke 8:4-15 Ephesians 6:17
Romans 1:16-17 Jeremiah 23:29
Jesus said, "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4
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I've never read the Bible before. Where is the best place to start?
One recommendation would be to start by reading the first three chapters of Genesis, then read the entire books of Luke and Acts. The important thing is to start reading the Bible and continue to do so. Set aside a time each day for Bible reading, such as during lunch, when you first get up in the morning, or just before bed. To read the entire Bible in one year, daily readings are available at DailyReading.
Your Bible probably has an index listing the order of the 66 books in the Bible. The 39 Old Testament books are first. Genesis is the first Old Testament book, so it is also the first book in the Bible. Luke and Acts are the 3rd and 5th books of the New Testament. They are located about 1/5 of the way from the end of the Bible.
Genesis chapters 1-3 contain the historical account of creation and the fall into sin. Here is found the reason why there is pain and suffering, and why we need a Savior from sin who will restore creation to its original perfection. You'll see why we wear clothes, the origin of marriage, and why a week is 7 days long. Moses wrote the book of Genesis in about 1,450 BC.
Luke is the historical account of the 33-year earthly life of Jesus Christ. It was written by a physician named Luke in about 61-63 AD.
Acts is the historical account of the Christian church covering about 30-62 AD. It is a continuation of the book of Luke. Luke wrote Acts around 62-64 AD.
Many people, books, and websites may have told you conflicting stories about God and what the Bible says. Why not go to the source and read the Bible yourself? The Bible tells us everything we need to know about God and His great love for everyone. The central theme of the Bible is Jesus Christ. You can be like the 1st century Christians living in the city of Berea, who checked the Bible to see if what they were told about God was true. Acts 17:11
Good Shepherd's would be glad to give you a printed Bible as a gift. Just stop by our church and request one.
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