BIBLE - INFORMATION

The Bible’s two major sections are the Old Testament and the New Testament. (What’s so new about the New Testament?)

The Old Testament has… 39 books 929 chapters 23,214 verses 593,493 words Longest book: Psalms Shortest book: Obadiah (3rd shortest book in the Bible)

The New Testament has… 27 books 260 chapters 7,959 verses 181,253 words Longest book: Acts Shortest book in the Bible: 3 John (fewest number of words / 2 John has more words, but one fewer verses.) 5 history books (Acts and the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) 21 letters (epistles) 1 book of prophecy (Revelation)

The nine sub-sections of the Bible

The Bible’s books are arranged by TYPE, rather than chronologically.

1. Books of Moses and the Law The Pentateuch: Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy	2. History books about God’s chosen people, Israel Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther	3. Wisdom books Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon	4. Prophets' books beginning with the most major five first Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi	5. Gospels Jesus Life and the way of salvation Matthew Mark Luke John
6. History of the early church Acts of the Apostles About Acts	7. Paul’s letters Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews		8. Other letters James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude	9. Apocalypse Revelation

Learn about each of the 66 books (description and background)…

OLD TESTAMENT: Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1 & 2 Samuel 1 & 2 Kings 1 & 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi

NEW TESTAMENT: Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 & 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Revelation

Fun facts

Last word in the Bible:	Amen (Rev. 22:21)
Longest word (and name):	Mahershalalhashbaz (Isaiah 8:1)
Shortest verse:	John 11:35 (2 words: “Jesus wept”)
Longest verse:	Esther 8:9
Shortest book (number of words):	3 John
Longest book:	Psalms (150 chapters)
Middle books:	Micah and Nahum
Chapters:	1,189
Longest chapter:	Psalm 119 (176 verses)
Shortest chapter (number of words):	Psalm 117
Number of times the word “God” appears:	3,358 (It appears in every book except Esther and Song of Solomon.)
Number of times the word “Lord” appears:	7,736
Number of different authors:	Over 40
Number of languages the Bible has been translated into:	More than 1,200 (as of 2001)
Number of new Bibles distributed (sold or given away) in	About 168,000 per day (as of 2001)

DATE OF BIRTH OF JESUS

 Chronology of Jesus and Anno Domini

The Nativity by Caravaggio, 1609. The angel’s parchment reads “Gloria in Excelsis Deo (Luke 2:14)”.

The nativity accounts in the New Testament gospels of Matthew and Luke do not mention a date or time of year for the birth of Jesus. In Western Christianity, it has been traditionally celebrated on December 25 as Christmas (in the liturgical season of Christmastide), a date that can be traced as early as the year 330 among Roman Christians. Before then in Eastern Christianity, Jesus' birth was generally celebrated on January 6/7 (late at night on January 6) as part of the feast of Theophany,also known as Epiphany, which commemorated not only Jesus' birth but also his baptism by John in the Jordan River and possibly additional events in his life. Some scholars have speculated that the date of the celebration was moved in an attempt to replace the Roman festival of Saturnalia. Some scholars note that Luke's descriptions of shepherds' activities at the time of Jesus' birth suggest a spring or summer date. The theory that December 25 was the birthdate of Jesus is earliest noted in a fragment of the Chronographiai of Sextus Julius Africanus in the year 221.

The Gospel of Matthew places Jesus' birth under the reign of Herod the Great, who died in 4 BC. The author of Matthew also recorded that Herod had all the male children in Bethlehem two years old and younger executed, based on a prophecy relayed to him by the magi that a new King of the Jews had been born in the town. The order's instruction of "two and under", along with the inference that it took Herod time to realize that the magi were not about to deliver the child to him, implies a birth no later than 6-4 BC. The Gospel of Luke dates the birth ten years after Herod's death during the census of Quirinius, described by the historian Josephus.

ABOUT -JESUS

The Nativity of Jesus, or simply The Nativity, refers to the accounts of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth in the Gospels and in various apocryphal texts.
The New Testament provides two accounts of the birth of Jesus: one in the Gospel of Matthew and the other in the Gospel of Luke, while other early nativity accounts, namely Justin Martyr's and that of the Protoevangelium of James, appear to harmonize them. The birth narratives of Matthew and Luke have some elements in common. They both relate that Jesus of Nazareth was the child of Mary, who was betrothed to Joseph, a descendant of the Biblical King David. The narratives also present the conception, preceded by an angelic annunciation, not as the result of marital relations, but of the power of the Holy Spirit  (Virgin birth of Jesus). Meanwhile, the Gospel of John is silent on the nativity, as is the Gospel of Mark which most textual critics consider the earliest of the canonical gospels. Some scholars see the Gospel accounts of the nativity as different, conflicting narratives  while others defend the historicity of the birth narratives, noting the distinct perspectives of the Evangelists. The remembrance and re-enactment of the Nativity in the Christian celebration of Christmas signifies their belief that Jesus is the "Christ" or Messiah promised by the Old Testament and the Incarnation of the Logos or second person of the Trinity. The main religious celebration among members of the Catholic Church and other Christian groups is the Church service at midnight on Christmas Eve or on the morning of Christmas Day. During the forty days leading up to Christmas, the Eastern Orthodox Church practices the Nativity Fast, while the majority of Christian congregations (including the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, many Mainline churches, and Baptists) begin observing the liturgical season of Advent four Sundays before Christmas—both are seen as times of spiritual cleansing, recollection and renewal to prepare for the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

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