Most people today who identify as Christians own a Bible. That’s something we often take for granted—but it hasn’t always been this way.
In the first century, believers did not possess a complete, bound Bible as we know it today. The Hebrew Scriptures existed, but they were preserved primarily in scrolls housed in synagogues or the temple. Early Christians relied on oral teaching, eyewitness accounts, and eventually individual letters—what we might think of as “books”—circulating among congregations. The Christian faith grew and spread long before a compiled New Testament ever existed.
Fast forward a couple of centuries, and we begin to see more formal collections of Scripture. However, these were largely in Latin. For the average person who did not understand Latin, the Bible remained inaccessible—something heard, but not personally explored.
The invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century changed everything. For the first time, the Bible could be reproduced on a larger scale. Still, owning one required significant wealth. More importantly, making Scripture available to the common person introduced a profound shift: individuals could now read and interpret the Word of God for themselves. This challenged the authority structures that had long controlled access to religious teaching.
As history progressed, especially into the 18th and 19th centuries, we see an explosion of religious movements and renewed interest in Scripture—particularly concerning end-times expectations. During that period, there were only a handful of English Bible translations available.
Today, the situation is dramatically different. There are now hundreds of English Bible translations—over 400. Access is no longer the issue.
So here is the real question:
Have you actually read the Bible?
Not just portions. Not just selected verses. Not just what someone else has chosen to show you—but have you engaged with it yourself?
For many, the answer is no.
It’s easy to rely on structured teachings, curated readings, or brief excerpts—sometimes just a phrase or two from a larger passage—used to support an already established idea. But building an entire system of belief on isolated fragments of Scripture is not a reliable path to truth.
The Bible is not a simple, linear book. It is a collection of writings—history, poetry, prophecy, letters—each with context, depth, and intention. While it may not always be practical to read it straight through from cover to cover, it does require thoughtful, personal engagement.
Consider this approach:
Read the same chapter in multiple translations.
Take the first chapter of the Gospel of John, for example. Read it in several different versions. Compare the wording. Ask questions. What is being said? What is being emphasized? What is John trying to communicate about Jesus?
John was one of the closest eyewitnesses. His perspective matters.
So ask yourself again:
Have you done this?
And if not—why not?
If truth matters to you, then it’s worth the effort to seek it out—not secondhand, but firsthand.