Questions about the Bible
Simple answers for anyone who wants to know more about God, the Bible and Jesus. Each answer starts with the short version, and then the Bible speaks in its own words.
We write these answers from the Christian faith that churches share. The Bible verses are quoted word for word.
Choose a question
About the Bible
What is the Bible?
The Bible is God's Word to us. In it, God tells us who he is, how much he loves us, and how we can come home to him through his Son Jesus.
From the first page to the last, it tells one story: God made the world and everyone in it, we turned away from him, and he came after us with his love. We read the Bible to get to know God, and you can too.
If you have never read it, start with John. It tells the life of Jesus.
Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path.Psalm 119:105
Therefore Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.John 20:30-31
How do I find my way in the Bible?
The Bible has two main parts. The first part, called the Old Testament, was written before Jesus was born. It tells how God made the world and how he cared for his people Israel. The second part, called the New Testament, tells about Jesus and the first people who followed him.
Each part is made of books, and each book is divided into chapters and verses, small numbered pieces that make it easy to find a place. When you see John 3:16, it means the book of John, chapter 3, verse 16. You find every book on the Bible page.
Who wrote the Bible?
God gave us the Bible through people. He chose shepherds, kings, prophets and fishermen, people like Moses, King David and Paul, and his Spirit led them as they wrote down what he showed them.
That is why we call the Bible God's Word: people held the pen, but the message comes from God.
For no prophecy ever came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.2 Peter 1:21
When was the Bible written?
God gave us his Word little by little, over a very long time. The first parts were written long before Jesus was born, and the last ones by people who walked with Jesus and by those they taught.
Even though so many people wrote it over so many years, the Bible tells one story from beginning to end: the story of God and his love for us.
Which Bible does Bible Love use?
God's Word was first written in Hebrew and Greek, so to read it in English we need a translation. On Bible Love we use the World English Bible, a modern translation that is easy to read.
It is free for everyone, so you can read it, copy it and share it as much as you like. Open the Bible and start reading.
About Jesus
Who is Jesus?
Jesus is the Son of God, who came down to us and became a man. He was born in Bethlehem, healed the sick, taught people about God's love, and gave his life on the cross for us. On the third day he rose from the dead, and he is alive today.
Because of Jesus, anyone can come home to God and be forgiven. You can read everything he said on the Jesus page.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only born Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.John 3:16
Is Jesus God?
Yes. Jesus is God the Son, who became a man so he could live among us, die for us and rise again. He is not only a good teacher or a wise man. He is God who came close to us.
In the Bible, Jesus is called the Word. John writes about him like this, and when Thomas, one of his friends, saw Jesus alive after the cross, he said to him: My Lord and my God!
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.John 1:1
The Word became flesh and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the only born Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.John 1:14
Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”John 20:28
Was Jesus Jewish?
Yes. Jesus was born into a Jewish family in Bethlehem, grew up in the town of Nazareth, and prayed and taught in Jewish places of worship. His mother Mary, his disciples and the first Christians were Jewish too.
The Samaritan woman therefore said to him, “How is it that you, being a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)John 4:9
When was Jesus born?
Jesus was born in the little town of Bethlehem about 2,000 years ago, just as God had promised. The Bible does not tell us the exact day, but every Christmas we celebrate his birth, the night God became one of us.
You can read the Christmas story in Luke 2 and find Christmas in the Holy Calendar.
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,Matthew 2:1
Did Jesus really rise from the dead?
Yes. Jesus died on the cross and was buried, and on the third day God raised him to life. His friends found the grave empty, and many people saw him alive again. You can read it in John 20.
This is what we celebrate at Easter, and it is why we have hope: because Jesus lives, death is not the end.
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,1 Corinthians 15:3-4
What did Jesus say about love?
Jesus said the most important thing is to love God with all your heart, and to love other people as you love yourself.
He showed this love himself, all the way to the cross, and he asks us to love one another the same way.
Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”Matthew 22:37-40
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.John 13:34
Prayer and the Psalms
How do I pray?
Prayer is simply talking with God. You do not need special words or a special place. You can speak to him in your own words, anywhere, about anything, and he listens.
Jesus taught us to pray to God as our Father, and he gave us a prayer we can pray together with him, the Lord's Prayer.
But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.Matthew 6:6
What is the Lord's Prayer?
The Lord's Prayer is the prayer Jesus taught his friends when they asked him how to pray. We pray it all over the world, in every language, and you can pray it with us.
He said to them, “When you pray, say, ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”Luke 11:2-4
What are the Psalms?
The Psalms are songs and prayers to God, right in the middle of the Bible. God's people have prayed them in joy, in fear and in sorrow, and we still pray them today.
When you do not know what to say to God yourself, a Psalm can give you the words. Start with Psalm 23 or the Psalm for today.
What does Psalm 23 mean?
Psalm 23 says that God takes care of us the way a good shepherd takes care of his sheep. He leads us, gives us what we need and stays with us even in the darkest times, so we do not need to be afraid.
It is a comfort to read when life is hard, or when someone you love has died.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall lack nothing.Psalm 23:1
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.Psalm 23:4
What is Psalm 91 about?
Psalm 91 is a prayer of trust. It says that God is a safe place, like a shelter in a storm, for everyone who comes to him.
You can pray it when you are afraid or need God to keep you safe.
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.”Psalm 91:1-2
When life is hard
What does the Bible say when I am worried or afraid?
God knows what you are carrying. The Bible invites you to tell him your worries in prayer, and he promises his peace in return.
Jesus says to everyone who is tired and weighed down: come to me.
In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.Philippians 4:6-7
“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”Matthew 11:28-30
What does the Bible say when someone has died?
Grief is real, and God does not ask you to hide it. He is close to those whose hearts are broken, and Jesus promised comfort to those who mourn.
Because Jesus rose from the dead, we have hope that death is not the end.
The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.Psalm 34:18
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies. Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”John 11:25-26
Can God forgive me?
Yes. No matter what you have done, God is ready to forgive you. When we are honest with him about what we have done wrong, he forgives us and makes us clean, because Jesus has already paid for it.
And because we are forgiven, Jesus asks us to forgive others too.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.1 John 1:9
Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions.Mark 11:25
Where should I start reading the Bible?
Start with John, the book that tells the life of Jesus. Read a little each day. One chapter is enough.
When you need comfort, read a Psalm. On Bible Love, Daily Devotion and today's Bible reading also give you a short passage for every day.
Words you will meet in the Bible
What does Gospel mean?
Gospel means good news: the good news that God loves us and sent Jesus to save us. The four books about the life of Jesus, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, are called the Gospels.
What does Testament mean?
Testament means a promise, the promise God makes with his people. The Old Testament tells of God's promises before Jesus came, and the New Testament tells of the new promise God made through Jesus.
Why is LORD sometimes written in capital letters?
When you see LORD in capital letters, it stands for God's own name, the name he told Moses when he spoke to him. It is written this way out of respect for his holy name. You can see it in Psalm 23.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall lack nothing.Psalm 23:1
What does Christ mean?
Christ is not Jesus' last name. It means the Chosen One, the King God promised to send to save his people. When we say Jesus Christ, we say that Jesus is that King.
What does Savior mean?
A savior is someone who rescues. Jesus is called the Savior because he rescues us from sin and death and brings us back to God. This is how the angel told the shepherds when Jesus was born.
For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.Luke 2:11
What is sin?
Sin is everything that turns us away from God: the wrong things we do, say and think, and the good we leave undone. Everyone has sinned, and that is why we all need Jesus.
for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;Romans 3:23
What is grace?
Grace is God's love and kindness that we have not earned. We cannot work our way to God. He comes to us and gives us forgiveness and new life as a gift.
for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast.Ephesians 2:8-9
What is faith?
Faith is trusting God: believing what he says and leaning on him, even when we cannot see everything. Faith can begin small, and God helps it grow.
Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.Hebrews 11:1
Who is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is God himself, with us and in us. He comforts us, helps us understand God's Word and gives us strength to live as Jesus taught.
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you.John 14:26
What does Amen mean?
Amen means so be it, or it is true. We say it at the end of a prayer to agree with all our heart.