Bible

The Bible is a collection of sacred scriptures in Judaism and Christianity.

The Bible is a collection of sacred scriptures in Judaism and Christianity. It is not a single book but a library of texts written over many centuries in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, with different canons across religious traditions. The Christian Bible is typically divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament, while the Hebrew Bible corresponds to the scriptures known to Christians as the Old Testament.

Text and canon

The Bible’s contents vary by tradition. Protestant Bibles typically include 66 books, while Catholic and Orthodox canons include additional books or parts of books.

Jewish and Christian use

In Judaism, the Bible refers to the Hebrew scriptures; in Christianity, it includes the Old Testament and the New Testament. The two traditions share much of the same material but organize and canonize it differently.

Language and composition

Biblical texts were composed over many centuries and in several languages, chiefly Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Scholars generally identify multiple authors, editors, and stages of redaction.

Historical and cultural influence

The Bible has had major influence on religion, literature, ethics, art, and law, especially in the West. It is also one of the most widely translated and distributed books in history.