Bible Chapters.

hobbs27

Senior Member
Any of you know who decided and by what means they decided to begin and end Chapters in the bible?

Ive noticed many Chapters seem to continue on with the same thought...matter of fact Ive noticed a run of three chapters before that should be just one.

Were the Chapters divided up in the original language or only after translation?
 

NE GA Pappy

Mr. Pappy
After translation. The verse numbers were added, and then subdivided into chapters.

Sometimes I wonder why they thought another chapter should be started also, then I look at stuff like Psalms 119 and wonder why they didn't put in more chapters.
 

hobbs27

Senior Member
After translation. The verse numbers were added, and then subdivided into chapters.

Sometimes I wonder why they thought another chapter should be started also, then I look at stuff like Psalms 119 and wonder why they didn't put in more chapters.

Thanks, thats a good point. It has complicated a few discussions Ive had with folks when they divide the chapters....when the first verse starts with ( and) or ( therefore) it must be a continuation of the previous chapter.
 

j_seph

Senior Member
Answer: When the books of the Bible were originally written, they did not contain chapter or verse references. The Bible was divided into chapters and verses to help us find Scriptures more quickly and easily. It is much easier to find "John chapter 3, verse 16" than it is to find "for God so loved the world..." In a few places, chapter breaks are poorly placed and as a result divide content that should flow together. Overall, though, the chapter and verse divisions are very helpful.

The chapter divisions commonly used today were developed by Stephen Langton, an Archbishop of Canterbury. Langton put the modern chapter divisions into place in around A.D. 1227. The Wycliffe English Bible of 1382 was the first Bible to use this chapter pattern. Since the Wycliffe Bible, nearly all Bible translations have followed Langton's chapter divisions.

The Hebrew Old Testament was divided into verses by a Jewish rabbi by the name of Nathan in A.D. 1448. Robert Estienne, who was also known as Stephanus, was the first to divide the New Testament into standard numbered verses, in 1555. Stephanus essentially used Nathan's verse divisions for the Old Testament. Since that time, beginning with the Geneva Bible, the chapter and verse divisions employed by Stephanus have been accepted into nearly all the Bible versions.
 

welderguy

Senior Member
Answer: When the books of the Bible were originally written, they did not contain chapter or verse references. The Bible was divided into chapters and verses to help us find Scriptures more quickly and easily. It is much easier to find "John chapter 3, verse 16" than it is to find "for God so loved the world..." In a few places, chapter breaks are poorly placed and as a result divide content that should flow together. Overall, though, the chapter and verse divisions are very helpful.

The chapter divisions commonly used today were developed by Stephen Langton, an Archbishop of Canterbury. Langton put the modern chapter divisions into place in around A.D. 1227. The Wycliffe English Bible of 1382 was the first Bible to use this chapter pattern. Since the Wycliffe Bible, nearly all Bible translations have followed Langton's chapter divisions.

The Hebrew Old Testament was divided into verses by a Jewish rabbi by the name of Nathan in A.D. 1448. Robert Estienne, who was also known as Stephanus, was the first to divide the New Testament into standard numbered verses, in 1555. Stephanus essentially used Nathan's verse divisions for the Old Testament. Since that time, beginning with the Geneva Bible, the chapter and verse divisions employed by Stephanus have been accepted into nearly all the Bible versions.

Good info.
Thanks J_seph.:cool:
 

NE GA Pappy

Mr. Pappy
gorilla welds... ugly but strong lol
 

1gr8bldr

Senior Member
Anybody ever noticed the two chapters of Psalms that are identical except one word?
 

hobbs27

Senior Member

Jeffriesw

Senior Member

leemckinney

Senior Member
Any of you know who decided and by what means they decided to begin and end Chapters in the bible?

Ive noticed many Chapters seem to continue on with the same thought...matter of fact Ive noticed a run of three chapters before that should be just one.

Were the Chapters divided up in the original language or only after translation?

It is my understanding that the original transcripts were divided in paragraphs, but for some reason, a lot of the chapters ignore the paragraphs. Some Bibles do indicate where the original paragraphs began in the original transcripts.
 
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