Ten Points for Fruitful Scripture Reading

No. 4: The Bible isn't a book. It's a library.

"The Bible is a collection of 73 books written over the course of many centuries. The books include royal history, prophecy, poetry, challenging letters to struggling new faith communities, and believers' accounts of the preaching and passion of Jesus. Knowing the genre of the book you are reading will help you understand the literary tools the author is using and the meaning the author is trying to convey."


From "Understanding the Bible" by Mary Elizabeth Sperry,
USCCB Associate Director for Utilization of the New American Bible
 (http://www.usccb.org/bible/understanding-the-bible/index.cfm)