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Catechesis

What is the Bible?

The Bible is a divine account of God's design for our salvation.
​It leads to the Incarnation of the Logos of God
​in the Person of Jesus Christ.

​The Bible is... 
"written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,​ and that believing you may have life in His name" ​
​(​John 20:31)
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The Story of the Bible



The overall story of the Bible is a series of crossroad decisions. It is the story of humanity constantly seizing autonomy in order to define good and evil in its own terms. It culminates with the arrival of Jesus, who takes a different path that opens up the way to a new creation.

Structure

​The Old Testament
(49 books)
Law

Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
History

Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1, 2, 3, 4 Kingdoms
1, 2 Chronicles
1, 2 Ezra
Nehemiah
Tobit
Judith
Esther
1, 2, 3 Maccabees
Wisdom

Psalms
Job
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Songs
Wisdom of Solomon
Wisdom of Sirach
Prophecy

Major prophets:
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Baruch
Lamentations
Epistle of Jeremiah
Ezekiel
Daniel
​
Minor prophets:
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
The New Testament
(27 books)
Gospels
​
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts

Acts
Epistles

​Romans

1, 2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1, 2 Thessalonians
1, 2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1, 2 Peter
1, 2, 3 John
​Jude
Revelation

​
Apocalypse

Jewish Bible vs. Christian Bible

The Bible is divided into sections based on content. The divisions differ among Jewish, Christian Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant Bibles. Here is a chart to help you compare and recognize them.
View Chart

Sources

Why do Orthodox Christians use the Septuagint?
"The Orthodox Church of today continues using the Greek version of the Old Testament known as the Septuagint (LXX). The Septuagint—referencing the seventy finest Jewish scholars, from all twelve Jewish tribes, who made the translation from the Hebrew into Greek—became the universally accepted version of the Old Testament since the time of its appearance some three centuries before the birth of Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ, together with His apostles and evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and also Peter and Paul, used this Greek version when quoting the Old Testament in their gospels and epistles. These inspired Old Testament books tell the story of God’s dealings with ancient Israel, from approximately 2000 BC until the time of Jesus."

​Excerpt from the The Orthodox Study Bible, Overview of the Books of the Bible.

Codex Sinaiticus

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Is the earliest known manuscript of the Christian Bible, compiled in the 4th century CE. It contains the Septuagint (LXX).
Learn More
VIew Manuscript

Did you Know?

The University of Michigan Papyrology Collection contains​​ the world's oldest existing manuscript of the letters of St. Paul. ​Thirty leaves of this manuscript, written in about 200 C.E., were found in Egypt and purchased by the University in 1931 and 1933.
View Manuscript
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Hebrews 1
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Bible Basics

Watch a four-parts series introduction to the study of the Bible held at St. Nicholas Church in Ann Arbor.
Watch

Sources

All the materials on this website are copyrighted by their respective authors.
​
Online Bible

About us

"Bible Smart" is a ministry of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church of Farmington Hills, Michigan. It is used as a platform of learning for the Bible Study as well as Church School classes.
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