Illuminating the History of the Bible

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Scenes from Rembrandt’s “The Apostle Paul.” Public domain

Paul and First-Century Letter Writing


Understanding his context reveals the Apostle Paul as one of the great letter writers of his age.

E. Randolph Richards

March 5, 2024

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The ESV Bible app open to Genesis 1:1. Photo by Jenny Smith

How Digital Apps Are Changing How We Read the Bible


Digital Bibles shape what we see—and don’t see—in the text and require us to be mindful of their power and peril.

John Dyer

February 6, 2024

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Drawing of Christ preaching by Rembrandt. Illustration by Peter Gurry. Image source

Putting the New Papyrus of Jesus’ Sayings in Context


While exciting and important, much about a recently published, headline-grabbing fragment is not unique.

Ian N. Mills

January 9, 2024

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Our 2023 speaking engagements included talks at TGC23. Image source

Our Year in Review


As the year closes, we take look back at our work in 2023 and cast a glimpse ahead to 2024.

Peter J. Gurry and John D. Meade

December 19, 2023

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A colorized photo shows the marginal edits of the King James translators that gave us the now familiar text of the Bible’s opening verse. Photo © Bodleian Libraries

A Newly Digitized Bible Reveals the Origins of the King James Version


A one-of-a-kind Bible used by the King James translators offers a rare glimpse of their textual decisions.

Timothy Berg

December 8, 2023

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Jesus raises Jairus’s daughter in Luke 8 in a 13th c. Peshitta manuscript. Vat. sir. 559 (f. 73v)

The Bible in the Language of Jesus


The Syriac Peshitta is an early Bible translation that is key to textual criticism and offers insights into the teaching of Jesus.

Philip M. Forness

October 3, 2023

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Peter Paul Rubens’s painting of Christ and the Woman of Samaria at the Well

Peter Paul Rubens’s painting “Christ and the Woman of Samaria at the Well.” Source

The Bible of the Woman at the Well


The Samaritan Pentateuch offers a fascinating chapter in the Bible’s history and sheds light on Jesus’ ministry.

Bradley J. Marsh Jr.

September 22, 2023

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Drawing of Jesus teaching in the synagogue by Gustave Doré (1832–1883). Illustration by Peter Gurry.

What’s the Big Deal about a New Papyrus with Sayings of Jesus?


A second-century date for a new Greek fragment with gospel material makes it unique among papyri.

Michael W. Holmes

September 13, 2023

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Illustration by David Fassett

How Was the Divine Name Translated in the Reformation? Part 4


Translators have wrestled with the divine name for centuries. Some have used it only to reverse course later.

Andrew Case

September 5, 2023

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The most famous location of an Essene community was near the Dead Sea.

What We Know about the People behind the Dead Sea Scrolls


History, archeology, and the scrolls themselves reveal a fascinating picture of a unique Jewish community.

Anthony Ferguson

August 8, 2023

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The Text & Canon Institute illuminates the history of the Bible through church resources, research, and mentoring.

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