BibleTexts.com

The Bible Lesson and the Bible Lesson Study Aid

by Robert Nguyen Cramer

The original Hebrew (Old Testament), Aramaic (Daniel only), and Greek (New Testament) texts are what actually constitute "the Bible." All versions of the Bible -- whether in Latin, English, Chinese, or Hindi; whether produced in 384 A.D., in 1611 A.D., or in 1996 A.D. -- are merely translations indirectly derived from many generations of handcopies of those original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts.

The BibleTexts.com Bible Commentary provides verse-by-verse textual corrections that are based upon the most current knowledge of those original Hebrew and Greek texts. Those corrections usually are relevant only to the KJV, because most modern versions such as the NRSV and the TEV were translated from Hebrew and Greek texts that are much more consistent with "the original texts" than those Hebrew and Greek texts from which the 1611 KJV was translated. In the KJV most of the substantive errors are due to the faulty Hebrew and Greek texts from which the KJV was translated. (See S&H 139:15.)

The published writings of Mary Baker Eddy (MBE), including the Church Manual, do not specify which Bible version should be read in church services in Churches of Christ, Scientist. In her day the KJV was the primary version used in the Christian Science Quarterly (CSQ) and in church services, but the Revised Version was used in place of the KJV for an entire year (1890) and occasionally used in the Golden Text until 1914, and the RV, Noyes', Rotherham's, Wilson's, and Young's translations were also occasionally used in other parts of the CSQ Bible Lesson until 1898.

In the Study Aid's KJV texts, strike-through words are those that were not in the original Hebrew (OT), Aramaic (Daniel only), or Greek (NT) texts of the Bible. [Bold-type bracketed words] are additions or corrections to enable the KJV text to better conform to what today's scholars believe to have been the original text, as published in the United Bible Society's definitive Hebrew Old Testament (Biblica Hebraica Stuttsgartensia) and Greek New Testament, 4th Revised Edition). [Regular-type bracketed words] are those words that are italized in the printed edition of the KJV. They are words that were added by the KJV translators without any corresponding Hebrew or Greek words.

Christian Science Reading Rooms (CSRR)

American Bible Society (or by phone 800-322-4253)

Barnes & Nobles

Borders Book

Phone order (800-456-4851)

Bible book reviews

Bible Lesson history & use of other Bible versions

Bible resources in Christian Science Reading Rooms up to 1910

History of KJV & Textus Receptus

Topical index on Bible issues

Many online Bible versions, in many languages

CSRR

Barnes & Nobles

Borders Book

Phone order (800-456-4851)

S&H book review

S&H online

CSRR

Online order

Phone order (800-456-4851)

The role of the Bible Lesson Study Aid - The BibleTexts.com Bible Lesson Study Aid (see http:/www.bibletexts.com/bl.htm) is intended as a resource for the study of the Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson, which is published by the Christian Science Publishing Society. The Bible verses used in the Bible Lesson Study Aid correspond with those in the current week's Bible Lesson. The English language edition of the Christian Science Quarterly is designed to be used with the KJV (Cambridge edition) of the Bible; whereas, the texts on the Bible Lesson Study Aid page are from the KJV, the NRSV and the TEV (also known as the Good News Bible). Commentary and cross-references are also provided to help launch an even more in-depth study of the Bible Lesson.

Choice of Bibles - There often are substantial differences between the wording of the KJV and modern translations. In comparison with the KJV, the NRSV generally should be considered as more accurately representing the wording of the original texts, and the TEV generally should be considered as more accurately reflecting the originally intended meaning of original texts. (The New American Bible is also recommended as another translation that is very faithful to the original wording, and the Revised English Bible is another translation that is very faithful to the originally intended meaning. For more details, see "Recommended Bible Study Books and Resources" at http://www.bibletexts.com/reviews/index.htm.)

Bible citation title bars - On each Bible citation's title bar are links to many additional Bible research resources, including:

• Bible Lesson - (online authorized edition of the Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson)
• BL Q&A (Bible Lesson questions)
• Bibles online (online editions of many Bible versions)
• S&H online (online authorized edition of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures [S&H])
• Bible terms (an index of many online Bible research tools)
• Strong's S&H (Hebrew and Greek words used or referenced in S&H, along with their Hebrew and Greek definitions and S&H references)
• Strong's Heb(online Hebrew dictionary keyed to Strong's numbers)
• Strong's Gr (online Greek dictionary keyed to Strong's numbers)

Footnotes - The footnotes are comprised of excerpts from the BibleTexts.com Bible Commentary. They include textual commentary, exegesis, cross references, and links to other resources relevant to the Bible Lesson citations.

S&H title bars - On each S&H title bar are links to many additional Bible research resources, including:

• S&H (online authorized edition of S&H)
• i-99, 100-199, 200-299, 300-399, 400-499, 500-600 (Bible quotations, paraphrases, and allusions used in S&H, plus historical references)
• S&H People - (Bible people and places referenced in S&H)
• S&H Phrases (Bible words and phrases used in S&H)
• S&H Heb/Gk (Hebrew and Greek words used or referenced in S&H, along with their Hebrew and Greek definitions and S&H references)
• Bible Lesson - (online authorized edition of the Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson)

BibleTexts.com background - To explore responses to some questions about the background of BibleTexts.com, click here .