The Bible Unpacked™

The Contents of The Bible Unpacked


The contents of each of the 7 editions of The Bible Unpacked are based on the structure below. (To download a printer-friendly version of the structure, click on: Contents.)

The structure has been derived from Bible verses. In developing the In‑Depth Edition, which all the other editions ultimately come from, Bible verses with common themes were grouped together. These groups were subdivided and ordered. A subheading was given to each group of verses, derived from the common theme of the verses in each group. As such the headings are based on the verses, rather than the verses being selected to support the headings.

These groups or subsections were themselves grouped together. The resulting larger sections were given headings reflecting the overall theme of the subsections within them. These larger sections were in turn grouped together, forming chapters. The chapters were also grouped together, into eight parts – giving the structure below. Thus the structure, despite its symmetry, was not simply designed by the author, but ultimately derived from the Bible. (For more detail on the development of the material, see Project Background and Author.)

The two smallest editions – the Pocket and Two-Minute editions – have or reflect the major headings below. The other editions have all of the headings, with the larger editions having further subdivisions. A more detailed analysis of the contents of the 7 editions follows the structure below.

Section 1:  What to Know

Part A.  God and Spiritual Powers

  1. God's Being
  2. God's Character
  3. Jesus Christ
  4. The Holy Spirit
  5. Angels, Demons and Satan

Part B.  God and the World: Basics

  1. God's Creation
  2. God's Sovereignty
  3. God's Word
  4. The Problem of Sin
  5. God's Judgment

Part C.  God and the World: Jesus Christ

  1. God's Promised Messiah
  2. Jesus Christ's Mission
  3. Salvation Through Jesus Christ
  4. The New Order
  5. 'The Last Things'

Part D.  God and His Own People

  1. The Standing of God’s People
  2. Keys to God’s Interaction with His People
  3. God's Transformation of His People
  4. God's Care of His People
  5. God's Plans for His People

Section 2:  What to Do

Part E.  Relating to God

  1. Being Right with God
  2. Having Faith in God
  3. Loving, Fearing and Obeying God
  4. Connecting with God
  5. Exalting God

Part F.  Church Life

  1. Being One Body
  2. Worshipping God
  3. Serving God
  4. Significant Practices
  5. Church Leadership

Part G.  Relating to Other People

  1. Love
  2. Justice
  3. Wisdom
  4. Common Relationships
  5. Spreading the Gospel

Part H.  Persevering

  1. Standing Firm
  2. Rejecting Sin
  3. Major Pitfalls
  4. Hard Times
  5. Persecution

The following is an analysis of the contents of the 7 editions, and often refers to the above structure.

The Two-Minute Edition (12 verses*) has just three section headings. The first two contain themes related to some of the topics above under What to Know. The third section heading is What to Do.

The Pocket Edition (53 verses) has ten section headings. These mirror the eight parts (and colors) in the above contents, with the topics above in Part C and Part E being reflected in two of the section headings (giving the ten section headings). Like all the larger editions, it has the two major divisions – What to Know and What to Do.

The Concise Edition (173 verses) has the headings and structure of the above contents (as do the larger editions). The headings numbered 1–40 above are section headings and the eight parts above are effectively chapters.

In the Foundations Edition (837 verses) and in the larger editions, the headings numbered 1–40 above are chapters. Each chapter has its own section headings, under which are the subheadings.

In the Intermediate Edition (2,087 verses) and the larger two editions, each chapter is divided into two halves (cf. Detailed Contents) and there is a greater number of section headings.

In the Comprehensive Edition (5,189 verses) there are more section headings, totalling 365 (cf. Full Contents).

The In-Depth Edition (37,609 verses) has no more section headings than the Comprehensive Edition. It has about 10% more subheadings, but the main difference is that it has more verses under each subheading, usually having somewhere between four and sixteen verses or passages. Because of its size, it is printed in two volumes – Volume I: What to Know and Volume II: What to Do. Using the Electronic Version (a single PDF file) would be a more practical option for most people.

Apart from the In-Depth Edition, there are usually just one or two verses (or short passages) under each subheading. The verses in the Comprehensive Edition – and so ultimately all the other editions – were selected from the original groups of verses under the corresponding subheadings in the In-Depth Edition. Occasionally the verses are accompanied by comments.

All the verses in the In-Depth Edition are from the ESV translation (cf. ESV Bible Online). The other editions use a variety of translations. The Intermediate Edition and Comprehensive Edition draw heavily from the NET translation (cf. NET Bible home page). The four shorter editions mostly use translations that are in simpler English.

The colors used for the eight parts is consistent across the editions that contain them.

 

* The number of verses given above for each edition was correct as at 1st November, 2010.

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