How We Got the Bible [Hardcover]

Neil R. Lightfoot (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1988

How We Got the Bible provides factual, accessible answers to questions such as

How and when did the books of the Bible originate?
In what sense are these books different from other books?
How have these books been preserved and transmitted to us?
Why do we have so many different translations of the Bible?

A popular guide for Bible students, it has sold more than 1 million copies during its forty years in print. This trade paper edition of the well-loved classic offers readers an even more affordable way to learn about the development of the most important book in history.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Find answers to key questions about the Bible.

How accurate are modern translations such as the New International Version and the New Revised Standard Version? Why does the Roman Catholic Bible have more books than most Protestant Bibles? How can we be sure that the Biblical message has been accurately preserved through the centuries? How We Got the Bible, after more than forty years, has become a classic source of answers for these and other questions on how the Bible has come down to us.

Now in this revised edition, you will find five new chapters covering the Septuagint, the Latin Vulgate, the Sinaitic Manuscript, the illuminated manuscripts, and more. Every chapter in this edition includes new material, followed by a brief summary and questions for discussion. Neil R. Lightfoot deals with technical issues in non-technical language, making this book a valuable tool for any reader.


Back flap

Neil R. Lightfoot (Ph.D., Duke University) serves as Frank Pack Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. He is the author of several books, including Everyone's Guide to Hebrews. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

How old are the earliest biblical manuscripts?

How has the Bible been preserved and transmitted to us?

Why do we have so many different translations of the Bible?

How did early Christians decide which writings to include in the Bible?

A classic for more than forty years, How We Got the Bible provides well-researched, accessible answers to many questions like these. Learn about the first materials used to write down the words of Scripture. Uncover the facts of some of history's most fascinating archaeological discoveries. Travel through history, from Jerome to Tyndale and beyond, as Neil R. Lightfoot discusses the origin, transmission, and translation of the Bible.

Illustrations and review questions at the end of each chapter make this book ideal for either individual or group study. Concise and engaging, How We Got the Bible is a trusted resource for anyone who wants to know the story behind the most widely read book of all time.

Neil R. Lightfoot serves as Frank Pack Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. He is the author of several books, including Everyone's Guide to Hebrews. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 167 pages
• Publisher: Baker Pub Group; 2nd edition (August 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801056446
• ISBN-13: 978-0801056444
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,024,750 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

67 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good scholarly overview, April 1, 2004

By 

Brian E. Baker (Fort Wayne, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How We Got the Bible (Hardcover)

Wondering how the Bible came to be?
Wondering about translation issues?

This is the book for you. Lightfoot gives a good explanation of how the Bible was created and transmitted down through the centuries. The book covers the history of the written language, writing materials, Biblical archaeology, textual criticism, and translational issues.

The book has pros and cons.

Pro: The research is top notch. The author has gone to great lengths to investigate the textual transmission of the Bible.

Pro: The material is explained in an easy-to-understand manner. One need not have a Masters in History or Archaeology to understand this book.

Pro: The book includes discussion questions at the end of each chapter.

Con: Though the book is well footnoted, the footnotes are all listed in the back of the book by chapter. I prefer footnotes to be either at the bottom of the page that references them or at the end of each chapter. Placing them at the end of the book makes research difficult.

Con: The research and information presented is quite brief. The book presents an excellent overview of the topic but does not go into extensive detail on each topic. Likely, this is not the author's intent but a little more wouldn't have hurt.

I recommend this book for anyone who is wanting to study Bibliology. It's a good place to start.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent resource. Not enough detail for academic research., October 19, 1997

By 

Ted Noel (Maitland, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: How We Got the Bible (Hardcover)

How We Got the Bible is an excellent overview of the process by which we have received the text of the Bible. It is highly readable, and at the same time, remarkably complete in its overview of the subject. This thin book is supported by the deep knowledge and research of a recognized scholar in the field.

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great introduction and overview for the lay person, April 9, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Minneaoplis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How We Got the Bible (Hardcover)

This book focuses on the manuscripts that have been used as sources for the Biblical text and the textual criticism process that is used to make the best reproduction of the original texts. There are also brief discussions of canonization, apocryphal literature, and the origins of recent English translations. I was hoping for a longer discussion on canonization and the councils involved, which are not mentioned at all. Overall, I enjoyed the book because it is brief and yet thorough for a non-academic reader. For the reader who wants to do more study, many additional references are mentioned throughout the book.