A Childs Guide to the Bible

ls. 2. The Greek Bible: The Septuagint (begun third century B. C.) ? Three ancient copies. (1) Codex Alexandrinus, in British Museum written in fifth century A. D. (2) Codex Vaticanus, in Vatican Library, Rome. Written in fourth century. (3) Codex Sinaiticus, in Imperial Library, St. Petersburg. Written in fourth century. 3. The Latin Bible: The Vulgate (fourth century A. D.) Bible was written in three languages which are no longer anywhere spoken. Once they were as easy and familiar as our own language is to us, and were spoken by babies who were learning to walk and talk. But gradually the times, changed, and the common speech of menchanged with them. Thus it became necessary to translate the Bible. It had to be taken over out of these ancient languages into the living words of living men. When the Bible was written, the English language did not exist. Not an Englishman had as yet set foot in England. The English lived in the middle part of the peninsula which we now call Denmark, and were a wild race of warriors on the land and pirates on the sea. All quiet and civilized people were as afraid of them as the settlers of America were afraid of Indians. Some of the words which they used have come down from them to us. They said "ham," meaning "home"; and "tun," meaning "town." Most of our days of the week are called for their gods: thus Wednesday is the day of Woden, their god of war; and Thursday is the day of Thor, ...