“Although it is impossible to obtain
exact figures, there is little doubt that the Bible is the world's best-selling and most
widely distributed book. A survey by the Bible Society concluded that around 2.5 billion copies were printed between 1815 and
1975, but more recent estimates put the number at more than 5 billion.” - Guinness World Records.
I haven’t
bought a new Bible in several years. In fact, I still have the Bible I was
given when I joined the church at age 12. In addition to that one, I also have
several little green Gideon editions of the New Testament/Psalms/Proverbs I got
when I was in the army, and a little white Gideon edition I was given when I
graduated from Nursing School. These miniature KJVs travel with me. One stays
in my overnight bag, one in my glove compartment, and one in my suitcase. I
admit that after almost 50 years, they are not worn out. I guess I don’t read
the Bible much when I’m traveling, but they’re available if I want to.
The 10-year-old Bible I use day-to-day IS worn out. In fact,
I wear out a Bible about every 15 years. My current Bible is all dog-eared, and
many verses are highlighted in pink or yellow. Lots of pages have notes written
across the margins, underlined passages with asterisks by them, and the inside
front cover is filled with notes about what various pastors or speakers have
said, or quotes I like, or ideas that came to me. I have stuffed bookmarks, 4-leaf clovers,
cards and notes in it. I usually have a pen clipped in it, so I can make more
notes if needed. My Bible (study) is a “work in progress”.
This Bible actually would have lasted another 10 years, if Luke
through Revelation hadn’t fallen out of it.
The whole chunk of most of the New Testament – just slid right out. A
Bible without the New Testament isn’t really a Bible to me. I did think about
sticking the chunk back in the Bible, and getting a wide rubber band to hold it
all together, but what a hassle that would be, every time I want to read it, or
to stuff another bookmark in it! Not to mention that every time I open it, the
New Testament drops out again.
I can’t order a Bible online. I have to hold it to see if
it’s the right size and weight. I have to look in it to see if the print is too
small, if the pages are too thin to make notes in the margins without bleeding
through, and I always read certain passages to see if the particular
translation is acceptable. While some of these passages will never replace the
KJV in my mind, I don’t want the whole Bible’s language to be so antiquated I
can’t easily understand it. So, for me,
buying a new Bible is a complicated and precise process.
The last Bible I bought was from the LifeWay store in
Trussville. I worked near there, and spent my lunch hours for almost a week browsing every Bible that
was not packaged up so I couldn’t open it. Now I live behind Barnes &
Noble, so I decided to start there. Surprise! B & N has almost as many
Bibles as LifeWay.
I won’t bore you with
the little details, but after 3.5 hours of holding and scanning and comparing
almost every Bible at B & N, I picked the perfect new Bible. The print is
large enough for me to read. The translation is actually the same as my current
Bible, and Land o’ Goshen! It has lines in the margins for notes! It is
slightly smaller than my current Bible, even with the New Testament intact. It
does lack the ancient biblical maps in the back, but I don’t look at those much
anyway. It is soft cover, and I’ve never had a soft cover Bible before, so this
one will be unique in my Bible collection.
So up to the counter I went with it. “That will be $64.98.”
Hmmm… Since it doesn’t have pure gold inlay, I hope it at least cooks supper.
But my question is: who and where are the 5 billion people who can afford to
buy a Bible? I’m guessing they’re not Hollywood or sports stars… so who??
