While millions of Bibles are distributed in North America every year, most of them are never read. One significant reason for this is that the Bible has been shaped over time in a way that makes it difficult to read and understand. But the Scriptures are now being released by the International Bible Society in a new format designed to help readers overcome the problems that the traditional presentation creates. In this new edition, The Books of The Bible, chapters and verses have been removed, the books appear in a new order, and longer works that were divided over time have been restored to unity.

Christopher R. Smith is a member of the team that worked with the International Bible Society to develop this new edition. In this book, he traces the history and effects of the traditional elements that have shaped the customary presentation of the Scriptures. He describes how the new format was developed to help overcome these effects. And he explains how The Books of The Bible can be used effectively for personal devotions, group studies, sermon preparation and the other disciplines by which we apply the teachings of God’s word to our lives.

The Rev. Dr. Christopher R. Smith is pastor of the University Baptist Church of East Lansing, Michigan. He has a B.A. in literature from Harvard University, an M.A.T.S. in church history from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in theology from Boston College. His articles have appeared in such publications as The Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, New Testament Studies, Novum Testamentum, and Vigilae Christianae.