Stand to Reason has a concise and terrific article by Greg Koukl about the fact that the books of the Bible originally had no verse markings. Koukl states the unintended consequences of verse divisions, which were first introduced in 1551:
There’s good news and bad news about verse numbers. The good news is it’s easier to find stuff. The bad news is it’s easier to get stuff wrong. Verse numbers tempt readers to take a passage as a collection of discrete statements having meaning and application in isolation from the larger work (“How does this verse apply to my life?”).
Why is it a problem to do this?
God did not give us 66 books of short, pithy sayings to be applied piecemeal to our lives (with a few exceptions, e.g., much of Proverbs). Most of Scripture is narrative—story. Most of the rest—NT epistles, for example—is argument (making a case) or instruction. Each of these—narrative, argument, instruction—involves a flow of thought within the passage from the larger part to the smaller part.
And in conclusion:
So, beware. A really good idea almost five centuries ago had a bad consequence that can sabotage your understanding of Scripture. I suggest you ignore the artificial divisions (chapters, verses, headings) and focus on the larger narrative, argument, or instruction. Start big, then get small. Look at the larger flow of thought, then zoom in on the particulars.
Koukl makes his case with a few compelling examples. This is why we’ve taken time to review many readers Bibles on this site. Here’s another reason to invest in an ESV Reader’s Bible, 6 Volume Set, which is 50% off at Westminster Bookstore until tomorrow.
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