Amazing Bible Facts
- Over 100 million copies of the Bible are sold each year.
- In 1631, a publishing company published a Bible. Only 9 of these Bibles, known as the “Sinners’ Bible” exist today.
- The word “bible” is from the Greek ta biblia, which means “the scrolls” or “the books.” The word is derived from the ancient city of Byblos, which was the official supplier of paper products to the ancient world.
- The full Bible has been translated into 532 languages. It has been partially translated into 2,883 languages.
- The Bible is not a single work but a collection of works from a wide variety of authors, such as shepherds, kings, farmers, priests, poets, scribes, and fisherman. Authors also include traitors, embezzlers, adulterers, murders, and auditors.
- The King James Bible contains 788,258 words, 31,102 verses, 1,189 chapters, and 66 books.
- The shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35, which states, “Jesus wept.”
- The longest book in the Bible is Psalm 119.
- The shortest book in the Bible is Psalm 117, with just 2 verses.
- The longest verse in the Bible is Esther 8:9.
- Nearly 8 in 10 Americans regard the bible as either the literal word of God or as inspired by God.
- The longest word in the Bible is “Mahershalalhashbaz (Isaiah 8:3).
- While it took over 1,000 years to write the Old Testament, the New Testament was written within a period of 50-75 years.
- John Wycliffe produced the first translation of the entire Bible from Latin Vulgate into English. However, after he died, the Catholic Church exhumed and burned his corpse as punishment for his translation work.
- William Tyndale produced first printed edited of the New Testament in English. He was later burned at the stake for his efforts.
- Adam’s name is from the Hebrew word a da ma, which means “the ground.”
- The first authorized Bible printed in English is the Great Bible of 1539. King Henry VIII of England declared that it should be read aloud during the church services in the Church of England.
- China is not only the largest producer of textiles and manufactured goods in the world; the country is also the largest producer of Bibles.
- The Geneva Bible is the first Bible to use numbered verses. It is also the Bible Shakespeare used and the one that the Pilgrims brought to America in 1620.
- The Bible is the most commonly stolen book in the world, most likely because it is so available in hotel rooms and places of worship.
- The King James Bible (1611) is said to be unrivalled in its accuracy and literary beauty. In addition to 54 scholars, Shakespeare mostly likely helped with the translation.
- Robert Aitken’s Bible (The King James Version without the Apocrypha) was the first English Bible printed in America.
- The Bible takes place across three continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe.
- The Bible doesn’t mention how many wise men visited Christ, only that they brought three types of gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh
- The Bible is the best-selling book in history, with total sales exceeding 5 billion copies.
- Jesus was not an only child. He had at least 4 brothers mentioned by name and at least 2 unnamed sisters.
- The word “Christ” is from the Greek khristos, meaning “the anointed,” which is the noun of the verbal adjective khriein, meaning, “to rub anoint.”
- There are 93 women who speak in the Bible, 49 of whom are named. They speak a total of 14,056 words, or about 1.1% of the Bible. There are a total of 188 named women in the Bible.
- Polish-born author Joseph Conrad learned English by reading pages of a Bible before he tore them out and rolled them into cigarettes.
- The Gutenberg Bible was the was the first book to be printed using movable metal type.
- In 2011, author Brendan Powell Smith published The Brick Bible, which contains recreations of Bible scenes—all with LEGO bricks. Sam’s Club promptly banned the book for objectionable images.
- The most expensive book in the world is the translation of Biblical psalms, “The Bay Psalm Book” which was sold for over $14 million. It is the first book printed America and was the Puritan’s attempt to make their translation of the Old Testament book.
- The world’s smallest bible can fit on the tip of a pen. Scientists etched the 1.2 million letters of the Old Testament on a tiny silicone disk, which they call the Nano Bible.”
- The world’s largest Bible weighs 1,094 pounds. Built by Louis Waynai in 1930, the book is 43.5 inches tall and a laid open width of 98 inches.
- The last word in the Bible is Amen.
