The Bible is God's Word written down by human authors whom the Holy Spirit inspired. That means God is the true author of the Bible, working through people He chose.
The Bible is not one book but a library of 73 books: 46 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.
- The Old Testament tells of creation, Abraham, Moses, kings like David, and the prophets. It prepares the way for Jesus.
- The New Testament tells about Jesus and the early Church. Its heart is the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. “Gospel” means “good news.”
God's Word comes to us through Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, the faith handed down from the apostles. The Church helps us understand them faithfully.
To find a passage, look for the book, the chapter and the verse. For example, John 3:16 means the Gospel of John, chapter 3, verse 16.
Saint Jerome, who translated the Bible long ago, said that not knowing the Scriptures means not knowing Christ. When we read the Bible, we get to know Jesus better.