Scripture engagement leads to knowing God—and lives changed forever. Now more than ever, Americans need to know God’s Word and the hope we have in its transformative message. The State of the Bible is a yearly, in-depth study, asking Americans their opinions and practices relating to the Bible, all made possible by generous supporters like you.
These Bible insights can provide critical information and give you direction for your Biblical ministry to help better serve the needs of people in your community.
Scripture via Phonograph
I came across a 1962 article about a finger-powered phonograph that played Scriptures in 40 languages. Does anyone still make this kind of device?- John, via e-mailIn the late 1950s, the American Bible Society devised the finger-fono, powered by the turn of one finger. The finger-fono produced sound through a diaphragm (an acoustic device) and a needle located in the…
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Speaking Face to Face
I’m reading Exodus 33.11 and Exodus 33.20, and there is a seeming contradiction. Can you spot it?—Boyd Kiel, via e-mailThe first of these verses reads, “And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend,” and the second, “Thou canst not see my face; for there shall no man see me, and live.” To…
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The Lord's Prayer. Different Translations?
In some translations, the Lord’s Prayer ends with the verse, “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” Why is this phrase not in all translations?—Patrick Bannerman, via e-mailYou are a close reader of Scripture! The phrase is a doxology. It was not included in the original prayer but was added to a later manuscript…
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Jesus Reads the Words of Isaiah
In Luke 4.16, 17, Jesus reads the words of Isaiah in the synagogue: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.” What were the rules governing readings in those days?—Will K., Clinton Township, Mich.The reading of the Parascha, or section from the Law, by another person would have preceded the reading of Isaiah by Jesus. There is no way of…
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Blessed are the Débonnaires
An obituary for Kurt Vonnegut said that he preferred the French “blessed are the débonnaires” to the English “blessed are the meek.” That sounds odd. Are these words equivalent?—Jane M., via e-mailIn a discussion of the French use of débonnaires, The Interpreter's Bible says that “a meek, little man is a title no one covets,” and that the French word…
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Cremation and the Bible?
What does Scripture say about cremation?—Ms. P. L. WidnerNo preferred method of burial is mentioned in Scripture. One traditional view of burial was influenced by a popular interpretation of statements about the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3.16, 6.19).Since the early 1960s, there has been growing interest in cremation in the United States due to…
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