In session 11 we discussed the fact that the Bible’s original manuscripts did not include chapters and verses. These were later additions meant to help readers navigate our way through the Bible more efficiently.
Visit biblehub.com and read Romans 1–2 using your preferred Bible translation. Before you begin, click on the gear/cogwheel icon and deselect all page options included in that list. Doing so will enable you to read the text with no chapters, verses, or section headings. As you read, pay attention to your reading experience. Now, using three different translations (CSB, ESV, NIV, for instance), read Romans 1–2 again, this time with verse numbers and headings selected. Again, pay attention to your reading experience. Did you notice any differences in your experience? If so, what were they? Which did you prefer? Why?
While the chapters and verses in our modern Bibles are not inspired aspects of the text, they are nonetheless helpful for us. Take a moment to give thanks for people like Stephen Langton and Robert Estienne, whom God has used to preserve his Word for us. And, if you’re up for a new challenge, try reading a version of the Bible that doesn’t have numbered verses. Most major English translations now have “Reader’s Bibles” in which numbered verses have been removed. Give it a try and see what you think.
