Six short parts. Start anywhere.

Behind the text

Short pages to help you understand what you read. Each one answers a question.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And light unto my path.Psalm 119:105, American Standard Version

Part I

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Four short pages. Read them once, and every chapter page will make sense.

Part II

The Bible

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Part IV

History

More than 2,100 years, from the first Greek translation to the Dead Sea Scrolls.

  1. 200s B.C.

    According to the Letter of Aristeas, the Torah is translated into Greek in Alexandria, Egypt. This translation is called the Septuagint.

  2. About A.D. 1008

    The Leningrad Codex is copied. It is the oldest complete Hebrew Bible in one book. Open Scroll’s Hebrew follows it.

  3. 1551

    Robert Estienne prints a Greek New Testament with verse numbers.

  4. 1611

    The King James Version is first printed.

  5. 1901

    The American Standard Version is printed.

  6. 1947

    The first Dead Sea Scrolls are found in caves near Qumran.

A few dates from the full history. Sources are listed on that page.

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Part V

Bible lands

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