Bible Basics

If the Bible is Hard to Read, It Might Not Be You

We break down why there are dozens of English Bible translations and why that variety does not mean the Bible keeps changing. We explain what translators actually do, where differences come from, and how to pick a Bible version that helps you read with confidence.  • the Bible’s original languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek  • why every English Bible is a translation  • how manuscript choices shape a translation before wording begins  • why most major translations come from teams of scholars  • word for word vs thought for thought as a spectrum, not a fight  • quick guide to KJV, NASB, ESV, NIV, and NLT  • why The Message is better as a companion than a primary Bible  • comparing John 3:16 across translations to see the difference  • why reading more than one translation can add clarity and texture  • why the front matter in your Bible is worth reading once  Try this today. Download a free app called UVersion, also known as the Bible app. Find any verse you’re curious about. Tap on it. At the bottom of the screen, you’ll see an option that says compare. Tap that. Start with the ESV and the NLT. And if you already have a translation you love, drop it in the comments. I’d love to know what you’re reading. SOURCES: * Ferrin, K. (2025.). James Scripture Journey: A 40-day Bible Study Through the Book of James. * Fee, G. D., & Strauss, M. L. (2022). How to Choose a Translation for All its Worth. Zondervan. * Fee, G. D., & Stuart, D. (2014). How to Read the Bible for all its Worth (4th ed.). Zondervan. * MacArthur, J. (Ed.). (2010). The MacArthur Study Bible: New International Version. Thomas Nelson. * Meade, J. D., & Gurry, P. J. (2022). Scribes and Scripture: The Amazing Story of How we Got the Bible. Crossway. * Wildsmith, T. (2022). Bible Translations for Everyone: A Guide to Choosing a Bible Version. Zondervan. RELATED EPISODES: Why if My Bible Different Than Yours? A Guide to Understanding Translations [https://youtu.be/YF_t32nHtv8?si=1lA-xgRe4Fl0WFG-] We'd love to hear from you - Click Here to Text Us a Message. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2180587/fan_mail/new] Have questions about what it means to follow Jesus? Whether you’re just starting your faith journey or exploring what the Bible teaches, we’d love to walk with you. God’s invitation is real, personal, and full of grace. 💬 Reach out to Jacqui at info@bible-basics.org 📖 Talk to a trusted Christian in your life 🏠 Or visit a Bible-believing church near you You are not alone. God’s Word is alive, and He is still drawing people to Himself today. Don’t hesitate to take the next step. Thank you for tuning in! Bible Basics is now streaming in video on Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@BibleBasicsPodcast].  Please subscribe now! Feel free to contact us at info@bible-basics.org [info@bible-basics.org]. We would love to hear from you! Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.

Who Decided What’s in the Bible?

We answer the question behind a lot of private doubt: who decided what belongs in the Bible and how those writings became one book. We explain why Christians say the canon was recognized over time across diverse churches rather than chosen by a single person.  • defining “canon” as the official collection of Scripture  • why recognition differs from selection and what Christians mean by authority  • how the Old Testament is already established before Jesus  • how New Testament writings begin circulating around 50 AD  • the three patterns that guide trust: consistency, apostolic connection, widespread use  • why early disagreement actually strengthens confidence in the final list  • how fourth-century confirmation reflects what communities already practice  Until then, keep reading, keep seeking, and keep growing in your faith. SOURCES: Barry, J. D., & Van Noord, R. (2016). Canon, timeline of formation of. In J. D. Barry et al. (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press. Bird, M. F. (2016). Seven Things I Wish Christians knew about the Bible. Zondervan. MacArthur, J. (Ed.). (2010). The MacArthur Study Bible: New International Version. Thomas Nelson. Raquel, S. T. (2016). Canon, Old Testament. In J. D. Barry et al. (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press. Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., & Harrison, R. K. (Eds.). (1995). Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Thomas Nelson. RELATED EPISODES: The Formation of the Biblical Canon: Inspired and Complete [https://youtu.be/6x755hX6g2M?si=DCMWM7MJHfsJcfec] We'd love to hear from you - Click Here to Text Us a Message. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2180587/fan_mail/new] Have questions about what it means to follow Jesus? Whether you’re just starting your faith journey or exploring what the Bible teaches, we’d love to walk with you. God’s invitation is real, personal, and full of grace. 💬 Reach out to Jacqui at info@bible-basics.org 📖 Talk to a trusted Christian in your life 🏠 Or visit a Bible-believing church near you You are not alone. God’s Word is alive, and He is still drawing people to Himself today. Don’t hesitate to take the next step. Thank you for tuning in! Bible Basics is now streaming in video on Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@BibleBasicsPodcast].  Please subscribe now! Feel free to contact us at info@bible-basics.org [info@bible-basics.org]. We would love to hear from you! Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.

Did God Write the Bible? Or Did People?

We pull back the curtain on how the Bible comes to us through real human writers across centuries and cultures, without losing its claim to be God’s Word. We explain what “God-breathed” means, why the Bible still sounds deeply human, and how that should change the way we read. • the Bible written by many human authors across time and place  • the range of authors and genres shaping Scripture’s voice  • key New Testament writers like Luke, Paul, and John  • original languages including Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek  • how words were spoken, recorded, copied, and shared  • why Christians call Scripture God’s Word and “God-breathed”  • practical reading guidance: slow down and read in context  Until then, keep reading, keep seeking, and keep growing in your faith. Sources: * Aaron, D. (2012). Understanding your Bible in 15 Minutes a Day. Bethany House. * Dockery, D. S. (Ed.). (1992). Holman Bible Handbook. Holman Bible Publishers. * Got Questions Ministries. (2013). Got questions? Bible Questions Answered. Logos Bible Software. * Gromacki, R. G. (1974). New Testament Survey. Baker Academic. * MacArthur, J. (Ed.). (2011). The MacArthur study Bible (NIV). Thomas Nelson. * Sawyer, J. F. A. (2009). Authorship. In A Concise Dictionary of the Bible and its Reception (pp. 28–29). Westminster John Knox Press. We'd love to hear from you - Click Here to Text Us a Message. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2180587/fan_mail/new] Have questions about what it means to follow Jesus? Whether you’re just starting your faith journey or exploring what the Bible teaches, we’d love to walk with you. God’s invitation is real, personal, and full of grace. 💬 Reach out to Jacqui at info@bible-basics.org 📖 Talk to a trusted Christian in your life 🏠 Or visit a Bible-believing church near you You are not alone. God’s Word is alive, and He is still drawing people to Himself today. Don’t hesitate to take the next step. Thank you for tuning in! Bible Basics is now streaming in video on Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@BibleBasicsPodcast].  Please subscribe now! Feel free to contact us at info@bible-basics.org [info@bible-basics.org]. We would love to hear from you! Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.

If the Bible Has Ever Felt Overwhelming… Start Here.

We step back and trace the Bible as one unified story rather than 66 disconnected books. We walk through five key movements that make Scripture easier to read and help us see how God restores what was broken.  • why the Bible can feel overwhelming and how a single storyline brings clarity  • creation in Genesis and what it means to bear God’s image  • the fall in Genesis 3 as a trust breakdown that brings shame and separation  • God’s promise through Abraham and the blessing of the nations  • God’s covenant people and the promise of a king from David’s line  • redemption in Jesus as the fulfillment of the long-awaited promises  • restoration in Revelation as everything made new with God present again  Keep reading, keep seeking, and keep growing in your faith. We'd love to hear from you - Click Here to Text Us a Message. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2180587/fan_mail/new] Have questions about what it means to follow Jesus? Whether you’re just starting your faith journey or exploring what the Bible teaches, we’d love to walk with you. God’s invitation is real, personal, and full of grace. 💬 Reach out to Jacqui at info@bible-basics.org 📖 Talk to a trusted Christian in your life 🏠 Or visit a Bible-believing church near you You are not alone. God’s Word is alive, and He is still drawing people to Himself today. Don’t hesitate to take the next step. Thank you for tuning in! Bible Basics is now streaming in video on Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@BibleBasicsPodcast].  Please subscribe now! Feel free to contact us at info@bible-basics.org [info@bible-basics.org]. We would love to hear from you! Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.

Why You Can't Find Bible Verses — And How to Fix That Today

We tackle the awkward moment when someone calls out a Bible verse and you’re not sure where to turn, then we show a simple system that makes every reference findable. We break down the Bible’s layout, explain chapters and verses, and give you a short practice plan to build real confidence. • the Bible as a collection of 66 books and how the table of contents helps • Old Testament and New Testament basics and why organization matters • books grouped by genre rather than timeline • Bible references as an address: book, chapter, verse • how to read dashes and commas in references • why 1 John differs from John and how numbered books work • common book abbreviations and where to check them • chapters and verses added later as navigation tools, not inspired text So here's your practice for this week. Look up these four references: Genesis 1, 1, Psalm 23, 1, Matthew 1, 1, and again John 3, 16. Just practice finding them. Related Episodes: Navigation the Bible: Tips for Understanding Scripture References [https://youtu.be/Dzzhh9OH2ac?si=dgsCXw2NS3vq1_wM] Sources: Christopher R. Smith, “What They Don’t Tell You in Church: Chapters & Verses,” [https://ref.ly/res/LLS:BSMJULAUG09/2013-11-11T15:23:36Z/107639?len=103] Bible Study Magazine: July–August 2009, ed. John D. Barry (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2009), 46 [https://ref.ly/res/LLS%3ABSMJULAUG09/2013-11-11T15%3A23%3A36Z/107639?len=690]. John McRay, “Bible, Canon of The,” [https://ref.ly/res/LLS:42.110.32/2018-09-14T21:00:22Z/373954?len=81] in Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Baker Reference Library (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1996), 60 [https://ref.ly/res/LLS%3A42.110.32/2018-09-14T21%3A00%3A22Z/373954?len=81]. We'd love to hear from you - Click Here to Text Us a Message. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2180587/fan_mail/new] Have questions about what it means to follow Jesus? Whether you’re just starting your faith journey or exploring what the Bible teaches, we’d love to walk with you. God’s invitation is real, personal, and full of grace. 💬 Reach out to Jacqui at info@bible-basics.org 📖 Talk to a trusted Christian in your life 🏠 Or visit a Bible-believing church near you You are not alone. God’s Word is alive, and He is still drawing people to Himself today. Don’t hesitate to take the next step. Thank you for tuning in! Bible Basics is now streaming in video on Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@BibleBasicsPodcast].  Please subscribe now! Feel free to contact us at info@bible-basics.org [info@bible-basics.org]. We would love to hear from you! Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.