Welcome back to the pod! Have you ever wondered how the Bible was written, and how exactly it's structured? Listen to today's episode as we talk about those things, as well as unpacking why it matter to us spiritually.

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Today we continue our How Stuff Works series with a topic that’s both deeply theological and intensely practical: How the Bible Works. For Christians, the Bible is more than just a religious book—it’s the inspired Word of God. But where did it come from? How is it structured? And how do we read it in a way that transforms our lives?

These are big questions, and this summary explores three essential truths that come from our Bible Basics series:

The Bible didn’t fall from the sky, nor was it just a random collection of human wisdom. Scripture teaches that the Bible was inspired by the Holy Spirit.

“Inspired” literally means “God-breathed.” That means the words of the Bible carry the very breath of God, and He speaks to us through its pages.

Jesus affirmed the divine origin of the Old Testament scriptures. The human authors wrote using their own style and voice, but were guided by the Spirit of God.

Verbal plenary inspiration means that the very words (verbal) and all parts (plenary) of Scripture are inspired by God. Though the original manuscripts were written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, God has preserved His message through faithful transmission and translation.

Translation Types:

• Word-for-Word (Formal): ESV, NASB
• Thought-for-Thought (Dynamic): NIV, NLT

While only the original manuscripts are infallible, modern translations are trustworthy because of careful preservation, thousands of manuscripts, and the sovereignty of God.

The Bible is one book made up of 66 individual books, divided into two testaments:

Old Testament (39 Books): Written over 1,000 years and originally part of the Hebrew Bible, it includes:

• Law (Genesis–Deuteronomy)
• History (Joshua–Esther)
• Wisdom/Poetry (Job–Song of...