The Bible

Home / Topics / Religion / The Bible
The Bible
BY: HISTORY.COM EDITORS

UPDATED: APRIL 23, 2019 | ORIGINAL:
JANUARY 19, 2018
copy page link
TETRA IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES
Table of Contents
1. Old Testament
2. Hezekiah
3. Septuagint
4. New Testament
5. The Gospels
6. Book of Revelation
7. Biblical Canon
8. Gnostic Gospels
9. King James Bible
10. Sources
The Bible is the holy scripture of the

Christian religion, purporting to tell the
history of the Earth from its earliest creation
to the spread of Christianity in the .rst
century A.D. Both the Old Testament and
the New Testament have undergone
changes over the centuries, including the
the publication of the King James Bible in
1611 and the addition of several books that
were discovered later.
Old Testament
The Old Testament is the .rst section of the Bible,
covering the creation of Earth through Noah and
the ;ood, Moses and more, .nishing with the
Jews being expelled to Babylon.
The Bible’s Old Testament is very similar to the

Hebrew Bible, which has origins in the ancient
religion of Judaism. The exact beginnings of the
Jewish religion are unknown, but the .rst known
mention of Israel is an Egyptian inscription from
the 13th century B.C.
The earliest known mention of the Jewish god

Yahweh is in an inscription relating to the King of
Moab in the 9th century B.C. It is speculated that
Yahweh was possibly adapted from the mountain
god Yhw in ancient Seir or Edom.
REJECTED BOOKS OF THE BIBLE

AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM
9:35

    
Hezekiah
It was during the reign of Hezekiah of Judah in the
8th century B.C. that historians believe what
would become the Old Testament began to take
form, the result of royal scribes recording royal
history and heroic legends.
During the reign of Josiah in the 6th century B.C.,

the books of Deuteronomy and Judges were
compiled and added. The .nal form of the 9:35
Hebrew Bible developed over the next 200 years
when Judah was swallowed up by the expanding
Persian Empire.
Septuagint
Following conquest by Alexander the Great, the
Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek in the 3rd
century B.C.
Known as the Septuagint, this Greek translation

was initiated at the request of King Ptolemy of
Egypt to be included in the library of Alexandria.
The Septuagint was the version of the Bible used
by early Christians in Rome.
HISTORY Vault: Jesus: His

Life
CLICK HERE
The Book of Daniel was written during this period

and included in the Septuagint at the last
moment, though the text itself claims to have
been written sometime around 586 B.C.
New Testament
The New Testament tells the story of the life of
Jesus and the early days of Christianity, most
notably Paul’s e[orts to spread Jesus’ teaching. It
collects 27 books, all originally written in Greek.
The sections of the New Testament concerning

Jesus are called the Gospels and were written
about 40 years after the earliest written Christian
materials, the letters of Paul, known as the
Epistles.
Paul’s letters were distributed by churches

sometime around 50 A.D., possibly just before
Paul’s death. Scribes copied the letters and kept
them in circulation. As circulation continued, the
letters were collected into books.
Some in the church, inspired by Paul, began to

write and circulate their own letters, and so
historians believe that some books of the New
Testament attributed to Paul were in fact written
by disciples and imitators.
As Paul’s words were circulated, an oral tradition

began in churches telling stories about Jesus,
including teachings and accounts of post-
resurrection appearances. Sections of the New
Testament attributed to Paul talk about Jesus with
a .rsthand feeling, but Paul never knew Jesus
except in visions he had, and the Gospels were
not yet written at the time of Paul’s letters.
The Gospels
The oral traditions within the church formed the
substance of the Gospels, the earliest book of
which is Mark, written around 70 A.D., 40 years
after the death of Jesus.
It is theorized there may have been an original

document of sayings by Jesus known as the Q
source, which was adapted into the narratives of
the Gospels. All four Gospels were published
anonymously, but historians believe that the
books were given the name of Jesus’ disciples to
provide direct links to Jesus to lend them greater
authority.
Matthew and Luke were next in the chronology.

Both used Mark as a reference, but Matthew is
considered to have another separate source,
known as the M source, as it contains some
di[erent material from Mark. Both books also
stress the proof of Jesus’ divinity more than Mark
did.
The Book of John, written around 100 A.D., was

the .nal of the four and has a reputation for
hostility to Jesus’ Jewish contemporaries.
All four books cover the life of Jesus with many

similarities, but sometimes contradictions in their
portrayals. Each is considered to have its own
political and religious agenda linked to
authorship.
For instance, the books of Matthew and Luke

present di[erent accounts of Jesus’ birth, and all
contradict each other about the resurrection.
Explore 10 Biblical Sites: Photos
These tantalizing archaeological .nds may—

or may not—o[er material evidence of
ancient locations, characters and stories
written about in the Bible.
Read more
The Bible Says Jesus Was Real. What

Other Proof Exists?
Some argue that Jesus wasn’t an actual man,

but within a few decades of his lifetime, he
was mentioned by Jewish and Roman
historians.
Read more
Why the King James Bible of 1611

Remains the Most Popular
Translation in History
Not only was it the .rst ‘people’s Bible,’ but

its poetic cadences and vivid imagery have
had an enduring in;uence on Western
culture.
Read more
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the .nal book of the
Bible, an example of apocalyptic literature that
predicts a .nal celestial war through prophecy.
Authorship is ascribed to John, but little else is
known about the writer.
According to the text, it was written around 95

A.D. on an island o[ the coast of Turkey. Some
scholars believe it is less a prophecy and more a
response to the Roman destruction of the Great
Temple and Jerusalem.
This text is still used by Evangelical Christians to

interpret current events in expectation of the End
Times, and elements of it .nd frequent use in
popular entertainment.
Biblical Canon
Surviving documents from the 4th century show
that di[erent councils within the church released
lists to guide how various Christian texts should
be treated.
The earliest known attempt to create a canon in

the same respect as the New Testament was in
2nd century Rome by Marcion, a Turkish
businessman and church leader.
Marcion’s work focused on the Gospel of Luke

and the letters of Paul. Disapproving of the e[ort,
the Roman church expelled Marcion.
Second-century Syrian writer Tatian attempted to

create a canon by weaving the four gospels
together as the Diatessaron.
The Muratorian Canon, which is believed to date

to 200 A.D., is the earliest compilation of
canonical texts resembling the New Testament.
It was not until the 5th century that all the

di[erent Christian churches came to a basic
agreement on Biblical canon. The books that
eventually were considered canon re;ect the
times they were embraced as much the times of
the events they portray.
During the Protestant Reformation in the 16th

century, books not originally written in Hebrew
but Greek, such as Judith and Maccabees, were
excluded from the Old Testament. These are
known the Apocrypha and are still included in the
Catholic Bible.
Gnostic Gospels
Additional Biblical texts have been discovered,
such as the Gospel of Mary, which was part of the
larger Berlin Gnostic Codex found in Egypt in
1896.
Fifty further unused Biblical texts were discovered

in Nag Hammadi in Egypt in 1945, known as the
Gnostic Gospels.
Among the Gnostic Gospels were the Gospel of

Thomas—which purports to be previously hidden
sayings by Jesus presented in collaboration with
his twin brother—and The Gospel of Philip, which
implies a marriage between Jesus and Mary
Magdalene. The original texts are believed to date
back to around 120 A.D.
The Book of Judas was found in Egypt in the

1970s. Dated to around 280 A.D., it is believed by
some to contain secret conversations between
Jesus and his betrayer Judas.
These have never become part of the oecial

Biblical canon, but stem from the same traditions
and can be read as alternative views of the same
stories and lessons. These texts are taken as
indications of the diversity of early Christianity.
King James Bible

The King James Bible is possibly the most widely-
known edition of the Bible, though in England it is
known as the “Authorized Version.”
First printed in 1611, this edition of the Bible was

commissioned in 1604 by King James I after
feeling political pressure from Puritans and
Calvinists demanding church reform and calling
for a complete restructuring of church hierarchy.
In response, James called for a conference at

Hampton Court Palace, during which it was
suggested to him that there should be a new
translation of the Bible since versions
commissioned by earlier monarchs were felt to be
corrupt.
King James eventually agreed and decreed the

new translation should speak in contemporary
language, using common, recognizable terms.
James’ purpose was to unite the warring religious
factions through a uniform holy text.
This version of the Bible was not altered for 250

years and is credited as one of the biggest
in;uences on the English language, alongside the
works of Shakespeare. The King James Bible
introduced a multitude of words and phrases now
common in the English language, including “eye
for an eye,” “bottomless pit,” “two-edged sword,”
“God forbid,” “scapegoat” and “turned the world
upside down,” among many others.
Sources
The Oxford Illustrated History of the Bible. John
Rogerson, ed.
The Book: A History of the Bible. Christopher De
Hamel.
New Testament History and Literature. Dale B.
Martin.
The Gnostic Gospels. Elaine Pagels.
From Jesus To Christ. Frontline.
BY: HISTORY.COM EDITORS
HISTORY.com works with a wide range of

writers and editors to create accurate and
informative content. All articles are regularly
reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com
team. Articles with the “HISTORY.com
Editors” byline have been written or edited
by the HISTORY.com editors, including
Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan, Matt Mullen
and Christian Zapata.
Citation Information
Article Title The Bible
Author History.com Editors
Website Name HISTORY
URL https://www.history.com/topics/religion/bible
Date Accessed December 12, 2023
Publisher A&E Television Networks
Last Updated April 23, 2019
Original Published Date January 19, 2018
Fact Check
We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see
something that doesn't look right, click here to contact
us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to
ensure it is complete and accurate.
PRINT PAGE
Sign up for Inside History

Get HISTORY’s most fascinating stories
delivered to your inbox three times a
week.
Email Address
SIGN UP
By submitting your information, you agree

to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E
Networks. You can opt out at any time.
You must be 16 years or older and a
resident of the United States.
More details: Privacy Notice | Terms of

Use | Contact Us
More on this Topic | Religion
Who Wrote the Bible?
Scholars have investigated the issue for

centuries, but many questions persist.
Read more
The Shroud of Turin: 7 Intriguing

Facts
The controversial shroud that is claimed to

have once covered the body of Jesus .rst
appeared in the 1350s and is now available
for online viewing.
Read more
What Language Did Jesus Speak?
While historians and scholars debate many

aspects of Jesus’ life, most agree on what
language he mainly spoke.
Read more
Why Thomas JeTerson Rewrote the

Bible Without Jesus’ Miracles and
Resurrection
The third president had a secret: his

carefully edited version of the New
Testament.
Read more
Why the King James Bible of 1611

Remains the Most Popular
Translation in History
Not only was it the .rst ‘people’s Bible,’ but

its poetic cadences and vivid imagery have
had an enduring in;uence on Western
culture.
Read more
Explore 10 Biblical Sites: Photos
These tantalizing archaeological .nds may—

or may not—o[er material evidence of
ancient locations, characters and stories
written about in the Bible.
Read more
SEE MORE
A+E
Networks
Contact Us Copyright Policy Privacy Policy Terms of Use
Ad Choices Accessibility Support
© 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

The Bible

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Bible

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Bible

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Home / Topics / Religion / The Bible

BY: HISTORY.COM EDITORS

copy page link

TETRA IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES

9. King James Bible

The Bible is the holy scripture of the

The Bible’s Old Testament is very similar to the

The earliest known mention of the Jewish god

REJECTED BOOKS OF THE BIBLE

During the reign of Josiah in the 6th century B.C.,

Known as the Septuagint, this Greek translation

HISTORY Vault: Jesus: His

The Book of Daniel was written during this period

The sections of the New Testament concerning

Paul’s letters were distributed by churches

Some in the church, inspired by Paul, began to

As Paul’s words were circulated, an oral tradition

It is theorized there may have been an original

Matthew and Luke were next in the chronology.

The Book of John, written around 100 A.D., was

All four books cover the life of Jesus with many

For instance, the books of Matthew and Luke

Explore 10 Biblical Sites: Photos

These tantalizing archaeological .nds may—

The Bible Says Jesus Was Real. What

Some argue that Jesus wasn’t an actual man,

Why the King James Bible of 1611

Not only was it the .rst ‘people’s Bible,’ but

According to the text, it was written around 95

This text is still used by Evangelical Christians to

The earliest known attempt to create a canon in

Marcion’s work focused on the Gospel of Luke

Second-century Syrian writer Tatian attempted to

The Muratorian Canon, which is believed to date

It was not until the 5th century that all the

During the Protestant Reformation in the 16th

Fifty further unused Biblical texts were discovered

Among the Gnostic Gospels were the Gospel of

The Book of Judas was found in Egypt in the

These have never become part of the oecial

King James Bible

First printed in 1611, this edition of the Bible was

In response, James called for a conference at

King James eventually agreed and decreed the

This version of the Bible was not altered for 250

BY: HISTORY.COM EDITORS

HISTORY.com works with a wide range of

Author History.com Editors

Website Name HISTORY

Date Accessed December 12, 2023

Publisher A&E Television Networks

Last Updated April 23, 2019

Original Published Date January 19, 2018

Sign up for Inside History

By submitting your information, you agree

More details: Privacy Notice | Terms of

More on this Topic | Religion

Who Wrote the Bible?

Scholars have investigated the issue for

The Shroud of Turin: 7 Intriguing