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CHAPTERs AND VERSES

1.     The Bible was written in the same form we write today.

a.     Sentences

b.     Paragraphs

c.     Topic areas

2.     The chapter and verse divisions were an addition by men.

a.     Jews divided OT into 54 “sections” – one section read each week

b.     The present New Testament verses were introduced by Robert Stephens first in his Greco-Latin Testament published in 1551 A.D., and then later Stephens published the Latin Vulgate of 1555, the first whole Bible divided into the present verses.

3.     The purpose was to assist in locating a particular statement. For many years there were several different chapter and verse divisions.

4.     There is also a danger to these divisions.

a.     We often stop reading at the end of a chapter or a verse.

b.     We often miss the meaning or import of a passage because we stop before we should.

Statistics

Except where stated, the following apply to the King James Version of the Bible in its modern Protestant form, i.e. including the New Testament but none of the deuterocanonical books. The number of words can vary depending upon aspects such as whether the Hebrew Alphabet in Psalm 119 or the superscriptions listed in some of the Psalms and New Testament are included.

Chapters

Verses

Chapter Divisions

1.     2 Timothy 3:14-4:2

 

3:16

4:2

Doctrine

Doctrine

Reproof

Reprove

Correction

Rebuke

Instruction

Exhort

2.     Hebrews 11:39 – 12:2

a.     Chapter 11 – lists the great heroes of faith

b.     Chapter 12 – “a great cloud of witnesses”

3.     Acts 4:32 – 5:5

a.     Chapter 4 sounds like the ideal of “communism”

b.     Chapter 5 shows the weakness of this “utopia”

Verse Divisions

1.     Ephesians 2:8-10

a.     Many quote verses 8 – 9   saved by grace, not of works

b.     Fail to quote verse 10        workmanship, good works

2.     Ecclesiastes 9:5-6

a.     The dead know not anything – 5

b.     No reward, no portion with anything “under the sun” – 6

3.     Galatians 3:26-27

a.     We are children of God by faith – 26

b.     We are baptized into Christ – 27

4.     Ephesians 5:21-23

a.     We often begin at verse 22 – submit, husband is head

b.     We fail to connect verse 21 – submit to one another

 


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