The Chained Bible

It is more than 400 years since King Henry V111 declared that a large copy of the English Bible should be set up in every parish Church in England, so that the poor as well as the rich might hear the Word of God. To guard against theft the Bibles were chained … …

For some the Bible is still chained.

1. For those who will not read it.

In most of the great languages of Europe the whole Bible has been available for over three hundred years. Those who have sincerely obeyed its message have received riches which cannot be measured. They have come to know personally the only true God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ; "and this," says the Bible "is life eternal". Others, choosing not to open the Bible, have lived all their lives in ignorance of its vital truths. They have remained paupers, a treasure within their grasp. For such people the Bible remains a "chained" book.

2. For those who cannot read it.

Millions, in whose languages the Scriptures are already printed, cannot read. Thus the Bible remains for them, too, a "chained" book. Yet multitudes of these people are learning to read every year. How important is the task of ensuring that new readers have the Word of God immediately available before producers of harmful literature capture their minds. Missionary teachers are required to teach people to read and understand the Scriptures.

3. For those who do not possess it

Ponder the following facts (quoted from 1966) - the fruits of the efforts of devoted men and women down the ages. The whole Bible has been translated into 240 languages, the New Testament into another 301, and 739 languages more have at least one book of the Bible … the total number in which the whole or some part of the Bible exists is now (1966) 1300.

BUT, did you know that there are at least 3200 languages in the world? For the people of these many, many tribes the Bible is still "chained" and they themselves are "chained" too.

Issued by the Scripture Gift Mission.

This Page Title – The Chained Bible The Wicket Gate Magazine "A Continuing Witness". Internet Edition number 51 – placed on line November 2004 Magazine web address – www.wicketgate.co.uk