“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” (Isaiah 40:8)

The Bible we read today did not appear all at once, and it was not written by a single person at a single time.

It was written over many centuries by many people who lived in different places and times, and they all wrote under the direction of God’s Spirit.

The process of putting together all these writings into one book took many years and involved much care and prayer.

This collection of books, which we call the Bible, is made up of the Old Testament and the New Testament.

It is trusted by Christians all over the world as the written Word of God.

The Old Testament: The First Writings

The Old Testament was mostly written in Hebrew, with a few parts in Aramaic, and it was written over a period of about 1,000 years.

It begins with the first five books, known as the Torah or the Law, which were written by Moses and are called Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

These books were considered very holy by the people of Israel, and they were copied by hand with great care to make sure they were accurate.

Later, other books were added, including the writings of the prophets, the historical books like Kings and Chronicles, and the wisdom books like Psalms and Proverbs.

By the time of Jesus, the books of the Old Testament were already well-known and read in the synagogues.

Jesus Himself read from them and said,

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17)

The New Testament: The Story of Jesus and the Early Church

The New Testament was written in Greek, and it was written during the first century, after the death and resurrection of Jesus.

The first parts written were letters by the Apostle Paul, sent to churches and individuals to teach them and correct them.

Then came the four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—which tell the story of Jesus’ life, His death, and His rising from the dead.

The Book of Acts tells about the early Christian church and how the message of Jesus spread across the Roman world.

Other letters were written by apostles like Peter, James, John, and others.

The final book of the New Testament is Revelation, which shows the final victory of God.

These writings were read in the churches and were accepted as true and from God.

Which Books Were Accepted and Why

Not all writings from that time were included in the Bible, and there were many other books and letters that were not accepted as part of the Bible.

The early church leaders looked for certain things to know which books were from God.

They looked for books that were written by apostles or people close to them, and they looked for teachings that agreed with the message of Jesus.

They also paid attention to which books were already being read and accepted by many churches across different places.

By the year 367 AD, a church leader named Athanasius listed all 27 books of the New Testament, and these are the same books we have today.

The Role of the Church in Keeping the Bible

The early church made great efforts to copy the Bible and pass it down to the next generation.

People who copied the Bible by hand were very careful, and they believed that they were handling the very words of God.

For many centuries, the Bible was copied on scrolls and later on paper called parchment.

The invention of the printing press in the 1400s helped to make the Bible more available to people.

Even today, churches work to teach the Bible and translate it into many languages so more people can read it.

The Bible Today and Why It Still Matters

The Bible has been passed down through many years and many hands, but God has kept it safe and unchanged in its message.

It still speaks to people today and shows them who God is and what He has done. As it is written,

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16)

Reading the Bible helps people to know God’s story and to live in a way that pleases Him.

This book, though written long ago, is still alive and powerful in the hearts of all who read it.