The Bible is made up of…

66 books
40 different  writers
Over a span of 1500 years
2 parts (Old and New Testament)

1 Author

The Bible is God's book not a man's book. The writers wrote the book under the inspiration of The Holy Spirit and by their own will. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of Go may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

The Old Testament scriptures were passed down from generation to generation. The fact they had been passed down with great care and consideration shows the Jews regarded the text as part of Scripture by virtue of their inherent relationship to the law.

After the death of the last prophet around 400 B.C. there was universal agreement among Jewish leaders that prophecy and inspiration ceased. The third century before Christ the pentateuch was translated into Greek as a scriptural document.

 In A.D. 367, Athanasius listed the 27 books of the New Testament.

The New Testament is made up of 27 books written by 9 writers. The New Testament is the most historically reliable document we have. The 27 books went through councils and needed to meet points of authenticity that needed to be agreed upon across the global church.

The first official declaration of our present bible came from theologian Athanasius (367). This was after the council of Nicaea, the council of Carthage, and other councils agreed upon the authenticity and authority of the scriptures.

It’s always important to remember that the Bible is the authoritative Word of God for all believers. The word of God is alive and active for believers, It can divide both soul and spirit,  joint and marrow. But it is also a trustworthy historical document. There are 5,366 New Testament manuscripts within 225 years of the actual events. Most portions of the New Testament were between 50-100 years. This means that there were people who could verify the events that were recorded.

Take in comparison Caesar's Gallic Wars, We only have 10 copies, and they were transcribed 1,000 years apart. Or Iliad by Homer with there being only 643 copies and a gap of 400 years. We could continue, But the New Testament is a historically reliable source.

He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’?Matthew 22:43

If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— John 10:35

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12:40

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ Matthew 4:4

You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me. John 5:39

But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way? Matthew 26:54

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16

A general survey of the New Testament covering the Gospels, the book of Acts, the Pauline Epistles and Hebrews, the General Epistles, and the book of Revelation. Special attention will be given to the key issues and teachings of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount with a focus on the sermon’s Beatitudes.

A general survey of the Old Testament that covers its three major sections (Tanakh) including the Law or the Pentateuch, the Prophets (both former and latter), and the Writings (including poetry, wisdom, and history). Special attention will be given to seeing Jesus in the Old Testament.

God-Breathed: The Undeniable Power and Reliability of Scripture
Josh McDowell

Understanding Scripture
 Wayne Grudem, Thomas Schreiner, C. John Collins