Open your Bible. What do you see? A story to dive into? Or a spiritual version of the encyclopedia? Most modern editions of the Bible have a dizzying array of references, words in red, numbers. Not surprisingly, many of us find it difficult to read the Bible and still enjoy it.
At its core, the Bible is a story
This is not a collection of chapters and verses — they were added later.
Have you ever wondered what it means to read the Bible as it was meant to be read? What if we could read Paul’s epistles as letters, as real correspondence? What if we were captured by the dramatic storytelling of the gospels? Or if our imaginations were carried away by the poetry of the Old Testament?
What if we could read and enjoy the Bible as originally intended?
We all know what makes storytelling exciting. A truly great book is one that you can read for hours on end without even noticing how time flies. But let’s face it, most of us don’t feel it when we read the Bible. It seems as if we are reading a handbook. And the Bible is essentially a story. So why then do we see it differently?
Form is important
For hundreds of years, scholars and publishers have performed «cosmetic surgeries» on Bibles. First, the text was divided into chapters. The numbering of poems appeared in 1551. Study notes were added soon. The text was highlighted in red at the beginning of the 20th century. But it didn’t end there. Our digital age has brought new ways to segment Scripture, thereby making long Bible reading even more difficult.
These additions were made on purpose. Many of them are useful and help you quickly find the information you need in the Bible. But what is lost in this whole process? The sacred art of reading, when you are not distracted and interested, and perhaps you even enjoy reading.
In 2003, a small group of people decided to rediscover the Bible without modern changes. For several years, the group members studied the principles of modern Bible design. They immersed themselves in a study of the original literary forms and construction of the Bible. And we asked ourselves the question: What is the best way to present this in the new edition?
The answer was «Books of the Bible»
The Books of the Bible are a fresh yet ancient way of presenting Scripture. It removes centuries of accumulated extra formatting so you can read and enjoy the Bible. No chapters and verse numbering. No notes to study. No cross-references or headers and footers. No words highlighted in red.
Form is important. If the Word of God is presented in its original literary form, your perception can change.
This is the Bible for those who want to immerse themselves in the story.
It’s not just about what was removed …
The Bible Books has eliminated as many distractions as possible. But it was not only the deletion that took place. The Books of the Bible revive what we consider to be a more authentic representation of the text so that you can experience each book the way its authors wanted it to be.
⇒ Natural text segmentation
The Bible books have their own inherent structure, whether it is a series of Pauline letters or Jesus’ five sermons as the organizational center of the Gospel of Matthew. Traditional Bibles with chapters and verses cannot outline the outline of each book the way the Books of the Bible do.
⇒ New sequence of books
The sequence of the books did not receive much attention until the Bible began to be printed in one book about five centuries ago. The problem is that with traditional book order, it is difficult to follow the story. In the Books of the Bible, the books are arranged in such an order that it is easier to follow the unfolding of events.
⇒ Invitation to read a book
In most research Bibles, the book’s introduction focuses on simple basic things — who wrote what, and when. This is definitely useful information. But we believe that the biblical context is not limited to knowing a few facts and figures. Books of the Bible offer introductions that prepare you for deeper reading. These invitations tell the story behind the story, revealing the context of the book you’ll be reading.
⇒ The text is in one column
How many novels or fiction are there in two columns? Answer: not much. The format of the book should facilitate clear, simple and interesting reading. And that is exactly what is suggested in the «Books of the Bible.»
⇒ Suitable translation
Translation is important. Modern Russian translation is designed to help you read. Its purpose is to provide the same Bible reading experience today that the early readers of Scripture had in their own language. This translation is striking in its careful balance of accuracy, artistic beauty and ease of reading.
A Bible like no other
“Books of the Bible” were created with special care to bring you closer to the text of the original Scripture, so that you can forget about everything, traveling through its pages, and find yourself in God’s story. Rediscover the sacred art of reading and enjoying the Bible.
