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The Center of the Bible
What is the shortest chapter in the Bible? Answer - Psalms 117
What is the longest chapter in the Bible? Answer - Psalms 119
Which chapter is in the center of the Bible? Answer - Psalms 118
Fact: There are 594 chapters before Psalms 118
Fact: There are 594 chapters after Psalms 118
Add these numbers up and you get 1188
What is the center verse in the Bible? Answer - Psalms 118:8
Does this verse say something significant about God's perfect will for our lives?
The next time someone says they would like to find God's perfect will for their lives and that they want to be in the center of His will, just send them to the center of His Word!
Psalms 118:8 (NKJV) "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."
Now isn't that odd how this worked out, or was God in the center of it?
What is the longest chapter in the Bible? Answer - Psalms 119
Which chapter is in the center of the Bible? Answer - Psalms 118
Fact: There are 594 chapters before Psalms 118
Fact: There are 594 chapters after Psalms 118
Add these numbers up and you get 1188
What is the center verse in the Bible? Answer - Psalms 118:8
Does this verse say something significant about God's perfect will for our lives?
The next time someone says they would like to find God's perfect will for their lives and that they want to be in the center of His will, just send them to the center of His Word!
Psalms 118:8 (NKJV) "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."
Now isn't that odd how this worked out, or was God in the center of it?
Comments
This is surely one of the most important pieces of advice we can be live, and it is at the direct center of the bible.
It is strange how it is also between the Longest and Shortest chapters to but surely there is a reason.
;D ;D :D :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D
DanieM, perhaps God is showing us that no matter how long a chapter is or how short, He gives them all equal importance
Actually the shortest verse in the Holy Bible, as listed in the Gospel of St. John, has been, to me, the most profound in the entire Bible (front cover to back cover).
"Jesus wept."
Father Peter
An amazing verse, isn't it? It says so much in so few words.
I would wholeheartedly agree. The way we constantly grieve God with our unlawful ways, the way we are always sliding back into sin and mocking his commandments. I could go on, but I can't quite describe the enormity of the impact this verse has on your heart if you think about it.
[quote author=peterfarrington link=topic=9172.msg113964#msg113964 date=1272653522]
Don't forget that the center of the NKJV is not the same as the center of the Orthodox Bible. It would be interesting to find out what the center of an Orthodox Bible according to the various traiditions would be.
Father Peter
That is would indeed. Anyone who has an Orthodox Study Bible care to find out?
pray for me]
joe
these are the no. of chapters of the books that are the same;
50,40,27,36,34,24,21,4,31,24,22,25,29,36,and ezra 9 chapters. after this the order changes and we have;
2 ezra (esdras) 10, nehemiah 13, tobit 14, judith 16, esther 10, 1 maccabees 16, 2 mac 15, 3 mac 7, psalms 151, job 42, proverbs 31, song of solomon 8, wisdom of solomon 9, sirach 51, hosea 14, amos 9, micah7, joel 4, obadiah 1, jonah 4, nahum 3, habakuk 3, zephaniah 3, haggai 2, zechariah 14, malachi 3, isaiah 66, jeremiah 52, baruch 5, lamentations 5, epistle of jeremiah 1, ezekiel 48 and daniel 22.
over to you!
ok, here are the OT numbers, esp for joe and all others interested. i only counted the OT, the NT is the same as in other Bibles, u do the maths and get back to me :)
these are the no. of chapters of the books that are the same;
50,40,27,36,34,24,21,4,31,24,22,25,29,36,and ezra 9 chapters. after this the order changes and we have;
2 ezra (esdras) 10, nehemiah 13, tobit 14, judith 16, esther 10, 1 maccabees 16, 2 mac 15, 3 mac 7, psalms 151, job 42, proverbs 31, song of solomon 8, wisdom of solomon 9, sirach 51, hosea 14, amos 9, micah7, joel 4, obadiah 1, jonah 4, nahum 3, habakuk 3, zephaniah 3, haggai 2, zechariah 14, malachi 3, isaiah 66, jeremiah 52, baruch 5, lamentations 5, epistle of jeremiah 1, ezekiel 48 and daniel 22.
over to you!
Ok, based on the number you've given, there are a total of 921 chapters in the OT of the Orthodox Study Bible. The middle chapter is therefore chapter 11/12 of Judith, halfway between them. If you count the number of verses in chapter 11 and 12 and half them, we'll pinpoint the middle verse :D
judith 11 and 12 is the part when judith gets friendly with holfernes, the enemy comander. it's not till the next chapter she sneakily cuts off his head as he sleeps and then all the enemies of israel run off and the people are saved from being wiped out.
so she and her maid cause an entire army to run off.
include the NT and OT and see what u get and let us know.
judith 11 and 12 is the part when judith gets friendly with holfernes, the enemy comander. it's not till the next chapter she sneakily cuts off his head as he sleeps and then all the enemies of israel run off and the people are saved from being wiped out.
so she and her maid cause an entire army to run off.
Ok, so there are 260 chapters in the NT. Added to the 921 in the OSB's OT, that gives us a total of 1181. Halfway woud therefore be 590.5, which is halfway between chapter 590 and 591. This corresponds to Song of Solomon, between chapter 3 & 4. But:
[quote author=Marenhos Epchoic link=topic=9172.msg113985#msg113985 date=1272667887]
well if you are going to do it by the true center then it should be by the verses, not by chapters ;D
A good point. This is going to take a little longer :P
Father Peter
And it would be necessary to do some research to determine what books are in the historic Coptic Biblical tradition, rather than just in the modern Orthodox Study Bible, they may not be exactly the same, or in the same order.
Father Peter
A very important point Fr. Peter. To be honest, when I first realised that there were books in the Bible that I didn't have regular access to (i.e. when I first heard of the Deuterocanonical books) I thought it was catastrophic. Why haven't our Church bishops clarified what is or isn't recognised by our Church? I can understand that the lack of resources may prevent a Coptic Orthodox edition from being published, but is there at least a list with some guidance? Perhaps such an official list exists and I've missed it?
pray for me
joe