THE

NEW YOU
SERIES
VOLUME III

The
Christian
Bible
For All Men in All Times
Rev. Ray Popham

The Christian Bible

For All Men in All Times

Ray Popham

The Christian Bible

For All Men in All Times
Copyright 2001 Ray Popham
First Printing 2001

All rights reserved

No part of this publication or accompanying audiovisual
material may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy,
recording, or any information or retrieval system, other than
for individual use, without the permission in writing from the
copyright holder and publisher.
Unless otherwise indicated, Biblical quotations are from the
King James Version Holy Bible
Published by
Ray Popham Ministries International
LifeVine Resources/Publishing
PO Box 6682 Aiken, SC 29804
(803) 649-1444

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1
THE BIBLE
Certainly any person with an appreciation for art would
agree that the Bible heads the list in great literary works of
art. Whether a historian or layman, agnostic or Christian,
young or aged, prince or pauper, we can all gain from
reading the Holy Scriptures, drawing from it either as simply
a book or as a guide for living. To many the Bible is simply a
great literary work or history book. But, to the Christian it is
a road map, compass, and divine guide for life. It is both
vital to the understanding of our faith and our daily walk in
that faith. Undoubtedly, the Bible has been around longer
than any known book and continues to sell more copies than
any other book in history, distributing tens of millions of
copies annually.
The word Bible comes from the Greek word biblea
meaning books. The phrase ta biblea, meaning the
books, is used in Daniel 9:2, and this usage for the Old
Testament, past on to the Christian church and extended its
meaning to include the New Testament.
About the
Thirteenth Century, by common usage, the term was
changed to the singular The Book, from which we now
have The Bible. There are many other names for the Bible
listed within its pages, and these include: the Scripture
(Mark 15:28), the Scriptures (Luke 24:27), the Holy
Scriptures (Romans 1:2), the Promises (Romans 9:4-5), the
Oracles of God (Hebrews 5:12), the Lively Oracle (Acts
7:38), the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms
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(Luke 24:25, 44), the Law of the Lord (Psalms 1:2), the Law
and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17), the Book of the Lord
(Isaiah 34:16), the Word of God (Mark 7:13), the Sword of
the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17), the Old and New Testament
(Luke 22:20), the Word of Christ (Colossians 3:16), the Word
of Life (Philippians 2:16), the Scripture of Truth (Daniel
10:21), the Word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15), and the Gospel
of Christ (Romans 1:16).
The whole Bible is a collection of 66 different books, written
over a 1600-year period, by over 40 different authors,
covering 60 generations of people. It was written from the
continents of Asia, Africa, and Europe. The authors were
kings, peasants, fishermen, prophets, philosophers,
statesmen, a general, a shepherd, a doctor, a tax collector,
and others. It contains 1,189 chapters, 31,214 verses,
773,746 words, and 3,566,480 letters. With simply a brief
synopsis of the Bible, one can see the great historical
events, literature, poetry, and inspiration contained within its
covers. The Bible covers a period from creation in 40003975 BC to Johns Revelation written in 95 A.D.
The central theme of the Bible is the message of Jesus
Christ. It is a generational history of Gods love for and
redemption of His people. It is His divine words of love,
direction, instruction, and admonition for mankind, in
particular those who become a part of His eternal family. It
is the message of a father to His children as well as a
message from the Creator to His creation. The scarlet thread
of redemption can be seen in every book.
Woven
throughout every story, parable, and miracle is the love of
God.
The Bible is divided into two main parts, the Old Testament
and the New Testament, together totaling 66 books. The
Old contains 39 books, and the New contains 27 books. The
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word Testament means, in Biblical use, a covenant;

dispensation; proof; evidence. We learn that the Old
Testament was a covenant God had with the Hebrew
people, and the New Testament is how God is dealing with
people after the birth, and resurrection of Christ, to include
fulfillment of the Old Testament haws and promises.
Each testament is further divided into five main divisions.
The Old Testament is divided into:

The Pentateuch, or five books of Moses

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and
Deuteronomy
Twelve historical books Joshua, Judges, Ruth,
First and Second Samuel, First and Second Kings,
First and Second Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah,
and Esther
Five poetic books Job, Psalms, Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon
Five books of the major Prophets Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekial, and Daniel
Twelve books of the minor prophets Hosea,
Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum,
Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and
Malachi.

The New Testament is divided into

The Four Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke, and
John
The historical book Acts
The fourteen Pauline Epistles Romans, First and
Second Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians,
Philippians, Colossians, First and Second
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Thessalonians, First and Second Timothy, Titus,
Philemon, and Hebrews
The seven general Epistles James, First and
Second Peter, First, Second, and Third John, and
Jude
The prophetic book Revelation.

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2
The Old Testament
The Old Testament was written in Hebrew except for the
Aramaic chapters of Jeremiah 10:11, Daniel 2:46 through
7:28, Ezra 4:8 through 6:18, 7:12-26, and two words in
Genesis 31:47. It covers the period from about 4000 BC to
400 BC. It is the story of Gods dealings with mankind and in
particular His chosen people, the Jews. It provides a
foundation and promise for a coming Messiah/Savior to
restore man in fellowship with God.
Genesis explains the creation of man and his fall in the
Garden of Eden. It takes the reader through the conflict of
Cain and Abel, Noah and the Flood, Building of Babel, and
the life and death of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah,
Jacob, and Joseph. It tells of Jacob and his covenants with
Laban and God, Joseph being sold into Egyptian slavery, his
imprisonment, and his rise to leadership. Authorship is
attributed to Moses.
Exodus tells of the birth and life of Moses, facing the
Egyptian Pharoah, the ten plagues, and the exodus of the
Hebrews out of Egypt. It provides detailed information on
the Red Sea crossing, the Mosaic Law, the Ark of the
Covenant, and the tabernacle. Authorship is attributed to
Moses.
Leviticus contains the laws of the offering, the
requirements and responsibilities of the priesthood, laws of
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the clean and unclean, and leprosy. It explains Aarons sin
offering, the feasts, the Year of Jubilee, vows and
redemption. Author is Moses.
Numbers elaborates on the Law, gives the genealogy of
the tribes, tells of the journey from Sinai to Paran, Balak and
Balaam, the numbering of Israel, and the journeys of the
Israelites. Author is Moses.
Deuteronomy contains the history of Israel by Moses, the
Ten Commandments, and divers laws and ordinances. It
records the song of Moses, Gods charge to Joshua, and the
death and burial of Moses. It is partly written by Moses and
unknown whom completed it.
Joshua writes of Rahab and the spies, the crossing of the
Jordan, the downfall of Jericho, death of Achan, the giants
defeated the standstill of the sun and moon, the kings
conquered by Joshua. It goes on to tell of the cities of
Judah, division of the land as inheritance of the Israelites,
cities given to the Levites, and the death and burial of
Joshua.
Judges tells of the judges of Israel including Deborah and
Borak delivering Israel, the story of Gideon, Abimelechs
conspiracy, the history of Samson, and fall of the
Benjamites. The author is unknown.
Ruth explains the story of Ruth and Boaz. Its authorship is
unknown.
The two Books of Samuel tell of Hannahs prayer and
dedication to God, the birth and life of Samuel, Eli and his
sons, the appointment of Saul as King, David and Goliath,
Jonathan and David, and Samuels prophecies and death. It
records, the battle of Gideon, how David became king, his
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great transgression, the birth of his son, Solomon, his son,

Absolams rebellion and death, Davids conquests, and the
establishment of Davids tabernacle. Part authorship is
given to Samuel and part possibly to Abiathar.
The two books of Kings record Solomons appointment as
king, his judgment of the two women, the building of
Solomons temple, Ahabs and Jezebels wicked reign, Elijah
fed by ravens, the fall of Elijahs mantle on Elisha, and the
death of Ahab and Jezebel. Its stories include Elisha
praying fire from heaven, Naaman cured of leprosy, Jezebel
being slain, the repair of the temple, Hezekiahs reign, and
the captivity of Babylon. Authorship is unknown.
There are two books of Chronicles and together they
chronicle the genealogy of Israel, families of the Levites,
Solomons strength and wealth, death of Solomon,
destruction of the temple, and the Jewish captivity in
Babylon. Authorship is given to Ezra.
The book of Ezra tells the story of Babylon, the
foundations of the temple being laid in Jerusalem, the temple
finished, feast of the Passover, Ezras prayer and confession
of sins, and the revival of the people. The author is Ezra.
Nehemiah explains the story of Nehemiahs fasting and
prayer, the rebuilding of Jerusalems walls, the work finished,
the Feast of Tabernacles, prayer of the Levites, restoration
of the land and law, the covenant, and the dedication of the
walls. Authorship is given to Nehemiah.
Esther tells of Esther being chosen as queen, Hamans
accusations and wicked plot to destroy the Jews, and being
hanged in his own galleys. It also tells of the Jews victory
over their enemies and how the Feast of Purin was
instituted. Author is unknown.
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The book of Job explains of Jobs riches and character, his
trials and patience, cursing the day of his birth, Gods
judgments, Gods correction, and the mighty works of God.
It details Jobs humility, prayer and restoration by God.
Author is unknown.
Psalms contains many songs written by King David, Moses
and others, which were sang in temple and tabernacle of
David. Authorship is ascribed to David.
The book of Proverbs teaches us of the benefits of
wisdom, exhortation to obedience, blessings of faith, error of
folly, moral virtues and vices. Solomon writes it as a middleaged man to his son.
The teachings in Ecclesiastes shows that all is vanity
without God, riches are worthless without use, Gods
providence, and the wise observations of an aged man.
Some say the author is Solomon, written as an old man,
others say unknown.
Song of Solomon tells the poetic love of the bride and
bridegroom, a lady and her lover, giving a prophetic picture
of the love of Christ and his church. It is told through the
eyes of a young lover. Solomon writes it as a young man.
The book of Isaiah consists of five prophetic discourses
directed to the Jews and Ephraimites through the vision of
Isaiah. It prophesies the coming of Christs kingdom,
judgments on Judah, fall of Assyria, overthrow of Tyre. It
includes Hezekiahs prayer and song of Thanksgiving. It is a
powerful prophetic promise of a coming redeemer/Messiah
and his love, passion, crucifixion, and glory. The prophet,
Isaiah, writes it.
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Jeremiah explains the judgments upon the Jews, Jeremiah

cries over the sins of the people, Gods covenant and
exhortation to repentance, and the rebuke of false prophets.
It depicts the conquests of Nebuchadnezzar, Jeremiahs
imprisonment, Jeremiahs prophecy of Jerusalems
destruction, the blinding and overthrow of King Zedekiah,
and the people of God being taken into Babylonian captivity.
The author is Jeremiah, the prophet.
Lamentations contains the cries of Jeremiah over the state
of the people, their sin, Jerusalem, Israel, and his own life. It
shares the great questions Jeremiah poses to God and the
understanding he receives. It is written by Jeremiah.
The book of Ezekiel tells of idol worship, vision of the coals
of fire, captivity of Zedekiah, Gods love for Jerusalem,
parables, prophecies, and promises of deliverance of the
Jews and restoration to their own land, victory of Israel over
Gog and Magog, a valley of dry bones resurrected, a vision
of new temple, city, and government under the glory of God.
Authorship is given to Ezekiel.
Daniel explains of Nebuchadnezzars dream and its
interpretation, the miraculous preservation and promotion of
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, a second dream of
Nebuchadnezzar interpreted and fulfilled, Belshazzars feast,
Daniels deliverance from the lions den, the seventy-weeks
prophecy, and the invasion of the Romans. The author is
Daniel.
The book of Hosea warns of the idolatry of the people,
desolation of Israel, Gods judgment against the people and
priests, Israels distress and captivity, prophecy of the
restoration of all the tribes, the abandonment of idolatry and
the glory of the latter days. Hosea writes it.
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Joel consists of the prophet exhorting the people to mourn
for their sins, the terribleness of Gods judgments, Zion being
comforted, the Spirit to be poured out on all flesh, and Gods
judgments against the enemies of the church. The author is
Joel.
The book of Amos contains the necessity of Gods
judgment, reproof of idolatry and oppression, Israels
hardness of heart, lamentation for Israel, judgments averted
by prayer of Amos, and promised restoration of the
tabernacle of David. Authorization is given to Amos.
Obadiah tells of the judgments pronounced on the
Edomites, their pride and injustice, and restoration and
future prosperity of the Jews. Written by Obadiah.
The book of Jonah explains of Jonahs call and
disobedience, casting into the sea, his prayer, deliverance
from the great fish, visits to Nineveh, preaching to the
Ninevites, their repentance, and his anger toward God. The
author is Jonah.
The following books are called the Minor Prophets: Micah,
Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and
Malachi. These Minor Prophets who wrote these books
bearing their names, told of current sins, warned of
judgment, and gave prophecies of the coming of the
Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Micah tells of Israel exhorted to mourn for idolatry, the
glory of the church, Christs birth and kingdom, triumph of
the church over her enemies.
Nahum explains of Gods goodness to his people,
victorious armies against Nineveh, and miserable ruin of the
city.
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Habakkuk tells of the appeal to God to his people, future

deliverance through the promised Messiah, destruction of
Babylonian Empire, and prayer for Israel.
The book of Zephaniah tells of the sins of Judah, bringing
down severe judgments, and waiting for the restoration of
Israel.
Haggai contains the building of the temple urged, reward
of abundant harvest, mighty revolution by Christs kingdom
prophesied, and glory of latter house to surpass that of the
former.
Zechariah explains of the Redemption of Zion, the
promised Christ, temple and kingdom, the Branch, good
works required of the Jews, Gods defense of His church,
care of His people, and the coming of the Messiah.
The book of Malachi tells of the Divine displeasure of sin,
the coming of Christ and His ministry, John the Baptist,
judgments to attend the coming of the Messiah, and
separation between the righteous and wicked.
There is a silence of 400 years between the Old and New
Testaments.

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3
THE NEW TESTAMENT
The New Testament was written entirely in Greek, though
some of the words of Jesus and other speakers were
probably in Aramaic and had to be translated into Greek.
Taking about a half century to write, the first book, James,
was written about 47-48 A.D., and the last book, Revelation,
in 95 A.D. This Testament describes events encompassing
the entire First Century A.D. In particular it tells us of the life
and times of Jesus Christ and the birth of the New
Testament Church and its leadership under the first
apostles.
The books of St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John
are called the Four Gospels. They tell of the coming of the
Messiah/Christ, the birth, the life, the teachings, the
miracles, the death, the burial, and the resurrection of the
Christ, and the lives of the disciples.
The book of Acts consists of the first Pentecost after
Christs death and the acts that preceded it, the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit upon His people, the acts at Jerusalem and
in Judea and Samaria among the Jewish converts to
Christianity, the receiving of the Gentiles, the life of Paul,
and the establishment of the early church and its leaders.
The author is believed to be Luke, though we are never told.
The first nine books of the Pauline Epistles are Romans,
First and Second Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians,
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Philippians,
Colossians,
and
First
and
Second
Thessalonians. These books are letters written to the
churches exhorting, teaching, admonishing, rebuking, and
encouraging them in the faith and explaining the principles of
salvation and redemption. The Apostle Paul wrote these
books.
The two books of Timothy are letters written by Paul to
Timothy. These letters contained instruction of selecting
teachers, qualifications of a bishop, duties of deacons,
Timothys personal conduct and pastoral duties,
commendation of Timothys faith, exhortation to Christian
strength, and Pauls final admonitions before his impending
death. Second Timothy is the last letter written by Paul, who
later was killed because of his faith.
Titus was written by Paul to Titus giving him instructions on
ordaining overseers and leaders in the church, what and
how to reprove and admonish, to take care to keep himself a
good example, and to avoid foolish questions and shun
heretics.
The book of Philemon tells of the apostles appreciation for
the assistance, faith and love of Onesimus, a run away
servant of Philemon, and Pauls appeals for kindness from
Philemon to Onesimus upon his return to his master.
Hebrews consists of a demonstration of the superiority of
the gospel to all that the Jews esteemed in religion, Christs
priesthood, perfection of the blood and sacrifice of Christ, the
weakness of the law, sacrifices, worthy fruits of faith, and
divers admonitions for holy living. It is a book of faith and
faith principles. The author is Paul.
James tells of patience in enduring outward and
conquering inward temptations, exhortation to universal love
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and good works, sins to be avoided, and patience and joy in
afflictions. James, Jesus half brother, writes it.
The two books of Peter contains exhortation to holiness,
obedience, unity, and love, the duty of wives and husbands,
promises for believers, the description and rebuke of false
teachers, and the certainty of Christs coming and judgment.
Peter wrote these books.
The Apostle John wrote First, Second, and Third John. In
these books, John tells of sins infirmity, false teachers, and
Eternal life, along with his love for the flock of God.
The book of Jude exhorts Christians to hold fast the
profession of their faith. The author is Jude, Jesus half
brother.
The last book of the Bible is Revelation, also called the
Apocalypse. It is the Revelation of Jesus Christ to His
church as shown to John in a vision. It contains messages
to the seven churches of Asia, judgments, two martyred
witnesses, the new heaven and earth, and the coming of
Christ. It shares the final defeat of evil, the devil, and his
demons, and Gods eternal dwelling among His people. This
book of things to come is written by John to bless and
encourage believers and prophecy of end times.
The New Testament is what Christians use as a foundation
for their faith and the doctrines (teachings) that comprise
Christianity.
While each denomination may have
distinctions, all agree on the basic tenets of Christ and His
salvation.

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4
HOW IT CAME TO BE
Though the Bible we enjoy reading today in our own
language is both convenient and a blessing, it endured a
long process of evolution. The deliberate and careful
process of its translations and modernization provides us
with a confidence that the Bible we read in the 21st century is
in fact the same authoritative and inspired word of God as
penned by the original writers. We know it is accurate as
printed today and translated into our language.
There are about 1700 original handwritten Hebrew
manuscripts of the Old Testament today and about 4,000
original handwritten Greek manuscripts of the New
Testament. Manuscripts are the handwritten copies of the
original writing. Studies of this show that its translations
have been kept accurate throughout thousands of years.
The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 have
confirmed the accuracy of our Old Testament by comparing
it to ancient Old Testament transcripts found there. These
scrolls were placed into clay jars and put in caves around the
Dead Sea about 68 to 100 A. D.
After years of study by scientists and theologians (people
who study God and His Word), we can be confident that our
Bible is genuine, reliable, and accurate. Our Bible is more
authentic than any writing in history by comparison. Even of
those who dispute its accuracy, they only question about 1%
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of the entire Bible experts who have studied the manuscripts
of the Bible agree that any variations found do not change
the context, grammar, or meaning nor affect a single
Christian belief. We can believe the Bible and accept it as
the clear, accurate Word of God to His people.
Men like Moses, Job, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Matthew,
Mark, Luke, John, Peter, and Paul authored the original
writings. They themselves penned the words or had men
with them whom they dictated things to, under the inspiration
of God, and these men wrote the words. Then throughout
history Jewish Scholars were responsible and labored
continuously to preserve the integrity of original manuscripts.
These men were called of God and had full-time ministry
jobs and were called scribes. They copied each word,
punctuation and mark exactly as it was written in the original.
One copy done by hand would take many years. If they
made one mistake, the entire copy was discarded. Their
copies were checked and rechecked by the priests and other
scribes over them. Since diligent scribes were concerned
with every jot and tittle (the dot of an I or the cross of a t)
and were checked and rechecked by others, we have very
accurate copies even though they were done by hand.
The scribes produced the first full copies of the original
writings called the Massoretic Text. The Dead Sea Scrolls
discovered at Qumran confirmed its accuracy. Translations
soon became necessary and the first of these were in Greek,
and is known as the Septuagint. It was written in the Third
Century, and later Jerome made a translation known as the
Vulgate in the Fourth Century.
The English Bible and its development provides a very
difficult study for man, with the earliest translations to
English dating back to the time of Caedmon in the Seventh
Century. This first English translation was not written, but
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rather in song and recitation. Caedmons discovery is best

described by Venerable Bede, the greatest British scholar in
the first half of the Eighth Century, who was unequaled for
nearly five hundred years in Britain in knowledge of the
Scriptures.
Bede wrote that Caedmon, sang first of the creation
of the world and the beginning of man kind, and all
the story of Genesis, that is the first book of Moses,
and again of the Exodus of the people of Israel from
the Land of Egypt, and of the entrance into the
Promised Land, and of many other tales of holy writand of Christs incarnation, and of His passion, and of
His ascent into Heaven, and of the coming of the Holy
Ghost, and the teaching of the apostles, and of the
day of future torment, and of the sweetness of the
heavenly Kingdom he wrote many a lay; and also he
wrought many others concerning divine benefits and
judgements.
Following Caedmon, after his death about 680 A.D., is
Cynewulfs time in which the famous Christian epic The
Christ, showing a remarkable knowledge of the life of Christ,
and the most beautiful gem of all literary composition of this
period the exquisite The Dream of the Road were
composed.
About 950 AD, an interlinear translation written in AngloSaxon was added to the Latin Lindisfarne Gospels, written
about 700 AD
Some time around 1000 AD, Aelfric, an English scholar,
produced sermons in the West Saxon tongue, wrote
commentaries on certain books of the Bible, and composed
a condensed version of the first seven books of the Old
Testament. This ended the Anglo-Saxon translations, due to
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the Norman Conquest in 1066 A.D., causing the common
language to become French for the next two hundred years
in Britain. In the Fourteenth Century, English won its way
back to use, and by the Fifteenth Century, French had
almost disappeared.
Then in 1380 AD, the first entire translation of the
Scriptures into English came with The Wycliffe Bible. Credit
for this translation is given to John Wycliffe, though it is not
certain if he composed it. Wycliffe endured much resistance,
ridicule, and persecution for his undertaking. Despite great
persecution and imprisonment, Wycliffe was able to produce
a translation of the Bible that was both entire and in the
language of the people. The Wycliffe Bible remained the
only Bible in English for over a century.
In 1456 AD, the first printed Bible to roll off of a printing
press, The Gutenberg Bible appeared. Until this time only
hand written manuscripts and copies were used. And in
1525, appeared the famous Tyndale Bible, which brought us
to the widely used King James Version of the Bible.
On January 14, 1604, the Hampton Court conference
convened and a motion was made by Dr. john Reynolds,
that a new translation of the Bible be under taken. Even
though a majority was against it, King James liked the idea
and ordered it to be done. Some fifty-four of the greatest
Bible scholars in Great Britain were brought together and
divided into six groups. Three groups were given the task of
working on the translation of the Old Testament, and the
other three to work on the New Testament and in 1607 the
work began. Work was completed in 1610, and the King
James Version, or Authorized Version, appeared in 1611,
bearing the title The Holy Bible, Conteyning the Old
Testament and the New; Newly Translated out of the
Original tongues, with the former translations diligently
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compared and revised, by His majestys special

commandment.
Appointed to be read in churches.
Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings
most excellent Majestie. Anno Dom. 1611
Since the invention of printing, many millions of Bibles
have been printed and sold. Over 30,000,000 Bibles are now
distributed annually. It has been translated into 1,086
languages and dialects, with new translations being made
every year, and has 12 editions alone for the blind.
In some printings of the Bible, there is the addition of the
Apocrypha, a group of spurious books that were rejected
from the present canon of Scriptures. First added after 300
A.D., the Laodicean Council rejected them in 363 A.D. as not
being inspired. They first appeared in the Vatican Version of
the Fourteenth Century, and at the Council of Trent in 1546
A.D. Catholics accepted six of the books Wisdom of
Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Tobit, Judith, and First and Second
Maccabees, as being inspired. They were then added to
Catholic modern versions. The Westminster Confession in
1643 states that:
The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of
divine inspiration, are not part of the Canon of
Scripture, and therefore are of no authority in the
church of God, or to be any otherwise approved or
made use of than other human writing.
The Anglican Church in its Thirty-Nine Articles takes a
position of mediation by saying:
The church doth read (the apocryphal books) for
example of life and instruction of manners: but yet
doth it not apply then to confess any doctrine.
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Today, there are thousands of translations of the Bible in
different languages throughout the world. But, there are still
thousands who have no Bible written in their language.
While we may have several Bibles around our home, many
of which we never read, many in the world do not have even
one Bible. Many ministries work day and night trying to learn
dialects and form written languages among the unreached in
order that they might compile a Bible that can be read and
understood by that people group. Wycliffe Bible translators
are the most prominent in this type of ministry.
We have many translations of the Bible in the English
language. The King James Version, New King James
Version, American Standard Version, and New International
Version are among the most accurate and most reliable
translations available to Christians today.

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5
FOR ALL MEN IN ALL TIMES
With much to be learned from and studied in the Bible, one
is almost continuously a Bible student. Dake writes in his
profound book Gods Plan for Man,
It is the outstanding book among millions of books. It
is in a class by itself. Other books can be classified
as to their subject matter, message, and style. But
this is not so with the Bible. It does not fit into any
human classification of books. Its unique origin, its
message, and its wonderful structure all prove its
superiority.
And this superiority explains why men have valued the
Bible and its contents for so long. Here are a few quotes
form various prominent men in regards to the Bible.
It is impossible to rightly govern the world without
God and the Bible." George Washington
I have always said that a studious perusal of the
sacred volume will make better citizens, better
fathers, and better husbands. Thomas Jefferson
I have known ninety-five of the worlds great men in
my time, and of these eighty-seven were followers of
the Bible. W.E. Gladstone
22

THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE

______________________________________________

The Bible is more than a book; it is a living being

with an action, a power which invades everything that
oppresses its extension." Napoleon
What can I do in respect to the next world without
my Bible? No philosopher offers anything that meets,
and, much less, relieves my case. - John Bacon
The Bible is the book of faith, and a book of
doctrine, and a book of morals, and a book of religion,
of special revelation from God; but it is also a Book
which teaches man his responsibility, his own dignity,
and his equality with his fellowman. Daniel Webster
Millions of people today are searching for a reliable
voice of authority. The Word of God is the only real
authority we have- Dr. Billy Graham
We, the undersigned, students of the Natural
Sciences, desire to express our sincere regret that
researches into scientific truth are perverted by some
in our own times into occasion for casting doubt upon
the truth and authenticity of the Holy Scriptures. We
conceive that it is impossible for the Word of God
written in the book of Nature and Gods Word written
in the Holy Scriptures, to contradict one
anotherPhysical Science is not complete, but is
only in a condition of progress. signed by 800
scientists of Great Britain, recorded in Bodelian
Library, Oxford, England.
In light of comments such as these, it is no wonder the Bible
has been around for so long, and will remain for so much
longer. The Bible, certainly is a book for all men, in all times.

23

Other Books in the NEW YOU Series

The New You- Volume 1
The Christian Life- New You Volume 2
The Christian Bible- New You Volume 3
The Christian Truths- New You Volume 4
The Christian Home- New You Volume 5
The Christian Church- New You Volume 6
The Christian Witness- New You Volume 7

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ray Popham is the President and Apostolic Overseer
of Called to All Nations Ministries, a multifaceted,
apostolic network he and his wife, Teresa founded in
1995. He is also the President of Ray Popham
Ministries International/L.I.F.E.
Brother Ray has a global vision and is an
international
preacher,
teacher,
and
speaker
ministering in over 15 nations. He is recognized in the
body of Christ as having an apostolic anointing and
serves as a friend, mentor, and pastor to ministers,
leaders, and ministries around the world. He is the
author of several books and training manuals designed
to equip and empower the Body of Christ.
The Pophams have a vision to reach, touch and
empower the globe in their generation. They do this
through personal ministry and as leaders of Called to
All Nations. The CTAN ministry includes World Prayer,
a World Ministry Training Institute, and International
Ministerial Fellowship, and World Missions outreaches.
The Pophams have two children, Bethany Nicole and
Scott Tyler.

Ray Popham Ministries International/

LifeVine Resources is led by Ray and Teresa
Popham. The vision is to affect the world in our
generation through evangelistic outreach, inspirational
teaching, Christian relationship and apostolic
empowerment. The Pophams travel the U.S. and
internationally teaching, leading, and strengthening
people. The ministry offers a host of books, manuals,
and audio materials related to Leadership, Inspiration,
Faith, and Empowerment (L.I.F.E.).

Called to All Nations Ministries, Inc. is

affecting the nations of the world in the 21st Century as
an apostolic family of partners, churches, ministries,
and ministers. CTANs vision is to unify and empower
the church for reconciliation and harvest through the
ministries of Exaltation, Edification, Equipping, and
Evangelism. Ministries include World Missions, a
World Ministry Training Institute, a World Prayer
Network, and an International Ministerial Fellowship.
Headquartered in Aiken, South Carolina, under the
apostolic leadership of Rev. Ray Popham, CTAN is
poised to Reconcile the Globe with the Gospel in the
21st Century.

For more information on ministry or other

materials contact:
PO Box 6682, Aiken, SC 29804
Or call (803) 649-1444
Or visit www.raypopham.com