Receiving a Bible

You can purchase a Bible at virtually any bookstore. Generally you will find them in the "Religion" section. You may also receive a free copy of the New Testament from The Gideons International in Canada. Also, thanks to the Internet, you can easily access the Bible online in any language! At this website, you may also look up individual verses, search for words and various topics.

The Bible is still by far the Best Seller of all time. It is estimated that over one hundred million copies are printed each year. As of the year 2007, approximately 7.5 billion Bibles have been distributed throughout world - with the vast majority still available for use! And these figures do not include the various digital versions of the Bible being used today by millions on computers, Blackberries-and now iPhones.

Currently, the complete Bible has been published in over 450 languages. The New Testament alone has been published in nearly 1,400 languages, with the Gospel of Mark in over 2,370 languages. Although these figures represent less than half of the languages and dialects presently in use in the world, they nonetheless "include the primary vehicles of communication of well over 90% of the world's population"

What kind of Bible should I get?

There are several different English translations of the Bible. If you ask in any Christian bookstore they should be able to assist you in choosing a translation that best suits your needs. There are many excellent study Bibles, Bibles that can help you understand the context of what you are reading.

Most of the verses you see on the Bus Stop Bible Study panels are quoted from the New Living Translation. The publishers note, "The goal of any Bible translation is to convey the meaning of the ancient Hebrew and Greek texts as accurately as possible to the modern reader. The New Living Translation is based on the most recent scholarship in the theory of translation. The challenge for the translators was to create a text that would make the same impact in the life of modern readers that the original text had for the original readers. In the New Living Translation, this is accomplished by translating entire thoughts (rather than just words) into natural, everyday English. The end result is a translation that is easy to read and understand and that accurately communicates the meaning of the original text."

Where do I start reading?
One normally starts reading a book at the beginning. The Bible is different from virtually all other books though, it actually comprises a number of books and letters. It is split into two distinct parts, the Old Testament and the New Testament. We recommend that you start your journey by reading the four Gospels, the first four books of the New Testament. The word Gospel actually means "good news".

Remember, the Bible is the inspired Word of God. Pray to God for understanding before you start reading. Let him speak to you through it.

Where did the Bible come from?
That is a longer story than we have room to cover here. If you are interested in finding out more on this subject, we recommend A Book to Die For by William McRae, published by Clements Publishing. It is a fascinating and easy to read book.