ABS Executive Vice President Julia Oliver hands out water bottles with invitations to Bible Talk Tuesday at the 59th Street subway entrance. (Photo by Drew Segawa.) Is celebrating Christmas with a tree and gift exchanging considered wrong? Because it says somewhere in the Bible we are not to celebrate… Read More
Was William Shakespeare utilized in the writing of the King James Bible? — Nancy Tyndall The King James Bible was the work of 50-odd scholars grouped in six teams, two from Westminster, two from Cambridge and two from Oxford. The text of the Bible was divided into six sections… Read More
If a person who never served the Lord during his or her lifetime asks forgiveness of sins on their deathbed, will they go to heaven? — Eva H. Wheeler The obvious example from Scripture that sheds light on your question is the thief on the cross. When he asked… Read More
Did Job live before or after the flood in Noah's day? — Deborah Malgwi It is not possible to ascribe a precise historical date to the events narrated in the book of Genesis, including the flood described in chapters 7 and 8, or to the life of Job and… Read More
What Scripture passages would you recommend to someone with anger issues — someone who cannot control his temper? — Monty, by e-mail Reading the following Scripture passages prayerfully and meditating upon them, perhaps even memorizing them, may prove helpful to someone with anger and temper issues: Psalm 37.7-9; Psalm… Read More
What does the apostle Paul mean in Galatians 3.13 when he says that “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree,” and why does he quote from Deuteronomy 21.23?… Read More
Is it true that the King James Bible was published on May 2, 1611? — R.M., by telephone The King James Bible was certainly published in 1611, but the exact date of its release remains unknown. Since 1557, all new books published in England had to be registered with… Read More
Is there any internal Scriptural evidence that the Gospel of John was written later than the Synoptic Gospels? — Robert Randle, by e-mail I would call your attention to two things that point to a later date for John's Gospel. First, there are three passages in John's Gospel that allude… Read More
Is it true that ABS printed a special Pony Express Bible? How many Bibles did ABS distribute by 1860? — Kathie Kurth, by e-mail In 1861, American Bible Society made a grant of 300 Bibles “to Messrs. Major and Russell … for distribution among their men.” The recipient of the… Read More
I am doing some research on Bible translations, and I was wondering when publishers started printing “red letter” edition Bibles (Bibles with Jesus's words in red letters). Do you know when and where (and even why) this practice began? — The Rev. Peter Nafzger, Hugo, Minn., by e-mail According… Read More
