What Christians Believe About The Bible

The Bible is a sacred and holy book for Christians. It calls itself 'God's Word' - as though God is speaking, but through written rather than spoken words.

The Bible is divided into two main parts:

Each part is divided into books - a bit like a library. Each book has chapters and verses, so that particular stories and sentences can be easily found.

Christians believe that the Bible can teach them, help them and guide them, and so they read it at home and in church.

The Bible is

• still a world bestseller
• as relevant today as it was when it was written
• an instruction manual for living the Christian life
• written as a guidebook to what God is like

The Bible has

• been read by more people than any other book
• been translated into more languages than any other book
• survived many attempts to destroy it
• been criticised and ridiculed more than any other book - and yet is still read by millions

The Bible was

• written over a period of 1,500 years
• written by more than 40 different people from all walks of life
• written in different places, at different times and in three different languages

The Bible says of itself:

"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and make us realise what is wrong in our lives." (The Bible, 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 16)

"No prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet's own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God."
(The Bible, 2 Peter chapter 1 verses 20 - 21)