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The Very First Bible
If you're not reading the same bible as the first Christians in 144 A.D. you're reading just another book. The first Christian bible is not only the foundation of faith that virtually every denomination traces its canonical roots back to - it's also the only place you'll find the gospel preached by Paul the Apostle that he specifically references numerous "But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Galatians 1:8-9) In addition to the Gospel of the Lord you'll also read in their original, unedited form Galatians, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Romans, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, Laodiceans, Colossians, Philemon and Philippians. That is the entirety of the first Christian bible as it was gathered and transcribed in 144 A.D. and as it is now. Numbered chapters and verses in standard bible format. The Very First Bible also acts as a cryptographic key, allowing us to see which scriptures were edited and added as it ballooned from one gospel and ten books into 73 books and four gospels over time. For the first time you will read the first Christian bible exactly as it was transcribed in 144 A.D. and one of the first things you'll notice is that it doesn't contain the Torah* (Old Testament). You will see the original Gospel of the Lord that was preached by the Apostle Paul and Scriptures reveal God through Jesus, as it happened. After 2,000-years of 'interpretive editing,' additions, deletions, theological focus groups and sloppy translations, the modern bible has more in common with modern art than it does with the very first Christian bible. This special first edition includes illustrations along with a Study and Reference Guide where you'll learn about the key people and events surrounding The Very First Bible and Marcion of Sinope, the man that religious scholars say is responsible for the format of the New Testament. *The apostles agreed to exclude the Torah (Old Testament) law from Christian canon at the Council of Jerusalem in 48 A.D. after determining it was antithetical to the gospel of Christ. It was later added to the first Christian bible in 325 A.D. by order of a pagan Roman emperor at the Council of Nicaea. This subject and others are covered more fully in the study guide included in the book.
- GenresReligion
258 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 10, 2020
About the author
Marcion of Sinope
8 books3 followersMarcion of Sinope (c. 85 – c. 160) was an early Christian theologian, an evangelist, and an important figure in early Christianity. Marcion preached that the benevolent God of the Gospel who sent Jesus Christ into the world as the savior was the true Supreme Being, different from and opposed to the malevolent demiurge or creator god, identified with the Hebrew God of the Old Testament. He considered himself a follower of Paul the Apostle, whom he believed to have been the only true apostle of Jesus Christ, a doctrine called Marcionism. Marcion published the earliest extant fixed collection of New Testament books.
Early Church Fathers such as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian denounced Marcion as a heretic, and he was excommunicated by the church of Rome around 144. He published the first known canon of Christian sacred scriptures, which contained ten Pauline epistles (the Pastoral epistles were not included) and a shorter version of the Gospel of Luke (the Gospel of Marcion). This made him a catalyst in the process of the development of the New Testament canon by forcing the proto-orthodox Church to respond to his canon.
Early Church Fathers such as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian denounced Marcion as a heretic, and he was excommunicated by the church of Rome around 144. He published the first known canon of Christian sacred scriptures, which contained ten Pauline epistles (the Pastoral epistles were not included) and a shorter version of the Gospel of Luke (the Gospel of Marcion). This made him a catalyst in the process of the development of the New Testament canon by forcing the proto-orthodox Church to respond to his canon.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 29, 2021
Full disclosure: I am the editor of the book so I'm not going to rate it.
I just wanted to add the link where you can download it for free: http://www.theveryfirstbible.org/Eboo...
I just wanted to add the link where you can download it for free: http://www.theveryfirstbible.org/Eboo...
March 16, 2020
I read every translation of the Bible I come across in hopes of gaining new insights. The difference in this Bible is basically what is not included in the later Bibles that were gathered during the Constantine Era Bible. I really enjoyed reading it.
March 31, 2024
This is not a scholarly book (stating for the sake of clarity). This is a book of scripture promoting a specific theology.
I would be very interested in seeing sources for the scripture section regarding what manuscripts were used and whose translation were used to produce this iteration of Marcionite scriptures. If all Marcion's writings and scriptures were destroyed, how did they know today what parts of the epistles were added and which were original? How did they know what parts of Luke's gospel were edited and what parts come from their Evangelion text?
The information at the end of the book also doesn't have scholarly sources. The most glaring incorrect statement is that the Council of Nicaea decided the canon of scripture in the Catholic Church. That council was about the relationship of Jesus to God and the nature of Jesus's divinity, not about the canon. This repetition of a common misconception calls into question all of the other historical claims made in the end sections of the book. The tone of the the end sections is vitriolic and is dedicated to attacking the Catholic Church's narrative without much detail and, again, without sources.
It's definitely a useful document in understanding the attitude and perspective of some *modern* Marcionites, but I wouldn't trust it as a source of information on ancient Marcionite sects. Scholars believe that Marcion had a dualist theology, in which the "evil" God of the Old Testament created the material world, while the "good" God of Jesus is the creator of our spirits. Instead, some modern Marcionites believe that the God of the Old Testament is a false god who simply doesn't exist. Marcion also had a docetic view of Jesus, while modern Marcionites reject this view.
I would be very interested in seeing sources for the scripture section regarding what manuscripts were used and whose translation were used to produce this iteration of Marcionite scriptures. If all Marcion's writings and scriptures were destroyed, how did they know today what parts of the epistles were added and which were original? How did they know what parts of Luke's gospel were edited and what parts come from their Evangelion text?
The information at the end of the book also doesn't have scholarly sources. The most glaring incorrect statement is that the Council of Nicaea decided the canon of scripture in the Catholic Church. That council was about the relationship of Jesus to God and the nature of Jesus's divinity, not about the canon. This repetition of a common misconception calls into question all of the other historical claims made in the end sections of the book. The tone of the the end sections is vitriolic and is dedicated to attacking the Catholic Church's narrative without much detail and, again, without sources.
It's definitely a useful document in understanding the attitude and perspective of some *modern* Marcionites, but I wouldn't trust it as a source of information on ancient Marcionite sects. Scholars believe that Marcion had a dualist theology, in which the "evil" God of the Old Testament created the material world, while the "good" God of Jesus is the creator of our spirits. Instead, some modern Marcionites believe that the God of the Old Testament is a false god who simply doesn't exist. Marcion also had a docetic view of Jesus, while modern Marcionites reject this view.
December 15, 2023
A Book For Those Historically and Biblically Ignorant
The idea that this is the “Very First Bible” is blatantly absurd. The individual or individuals that compiled this and wrote the commentary are woefully ignorant of anything resembles christian history or understanding of the Bible. Don’t be fooled by their devotion to Marcion who was rightly condemned as a heretic. He was under the ill informed assumption that the God of the Old Testament was different from the God of the New Testament, because of this he picks and chooses what books he wants to teach from. You can’t read or understand the New Testament or Jesus without the background of the Old Testament, to do so is folly and requires one to completely throw out any form of critical thinking skills. Don’t be fooled by this farce; study history, study the early church, look at the multitude of references to the Old Testament in the New and you’ll quickly see how objectively ignorant the views of Marcion and his followers are.
The idea that this is the “Very First Bible” is blatantly absurd. The individual or individuals that compiled this and wrote the commentary are woefully ignorant of anything resembles christian history or understanding of the Bible. Don’t be fooled by their devotion to Marcion who was rightly condemned as a heretic. He was under the ill informed assumption that the God of the Old Testament was different from the God of the New Testament, because of this he picks and chooses what books he wants to teach from. You can’t read or understand the New Testament or Jesus without the background of the Old Testament, to do so is folly and requires one to completely throw out any form of critical thinking skills. Don’t be fooled by this farce; study history, study the early church, look at the multitude of references to the Old Testament in the New and you’ll quickly see how objectively ignorant the views of Marcion and his followers are.
May 21, 2022
Purportedly, this is Marcion's list of what he considered were the inspired texts of Scripture. Needless to say that Marcion was a heretic who taught that the violent God of the Hebrew Bible is not in any way associated with the compassionate God of the New Testament and, of course, that Jesus is not God.
Marcion excluded those portions of Scripture he believed were not inspired; therefore his "Bible" contained only one Gospel and ten letters of Paul the apostle. Each of all these writings are very much shortened with much removed when compared to the Protestant (as well as Catholic) compilation of what is believed ti be the inspired texts; and, of course, due to it's brevity, the verse numbering system will not coincide with a regular Bible.
It is a good and interesting read, which is why I gave it three stars, but, of course, it falls short of what the Bible teaches and assumes what it cannot really defend.
Marcion excluded those portions of Scripture he believed were not inspired; therefore his "Bible" contained only one Gospel and ten letters of Paul the apostle. Each of all these writings are very much shortened with much removed when compared to the Protestant (as well as Catholic) compilation of what is believed ti be the inspired texts; and, of course, due to it's brevity, the verse numbering system will not coincide with a regular Bible.
It is a good and interesting read, which is why I gave it three stars, but, of course, it falls short of what the Bible teaches and assumes what it cannot really defend.
April 7, 2021
The true Word of God from the true God.
This translation reads well.
The Marcionite Christian Church The Marcionite
Christian Church spanned the known world, grew larger than even the Catholic Church and for centuries its bedrock of the Very First Bible dominated Christian culture and tradition with millions of adherents. The Marcionites recognized the god of the Old Testament as being in direct contradiction to the teachings of Christ and this belief garnered them many rich and powerful enemies.
This translation reads well.
The Marcionite Christian Church The Marcionite
Christian Church spanned the known world, grew larger than even the Catholic Church and for centuries its bedrock of the Very First Bible dominated Christian culture and tradition with millions of adherents. The Marcionites recognized the god of the Old Testament as being in direct contradiction to the teachings of Christ and this belief garnered them many rich and powerful enemies.
June 10, 2023
Source of this book is questionable
I cannot read this book because of the questionable source.
Marcion never tells the reader what his source material is for this Bible. Of course he may have at some point but with all of his writings destroyed, we can never know what his sources were.
The caracter of the author of this book is very questionable also. He seems to be a jew hater not realizing that Jesus was a Jewish and ignoring Jesus's statement that he did not come to change even one letter of the law FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT. The author paint the entire old testament in a damming light from just a few verses.
Since all of the early church fathers thought Marcion was so out of line that they excommunicated him, I'm going to abide by there decision and NOT READ THIS BOOK. Plus, I'm not going to participate in reading a book written by someone so racially biased.
I cannot read this book because of the questionable source.
Marcion never tells the reader what his source material is for this Bible. Of course he may have at some point but with all of his writings destroyed, we can never know what his sources were.
The caracter of the author of this book is very questionable also. He seems to be a jew hater not realizing that Jesus was a Jewish and ignoring Jesus's statement that he did not come to change even one letter of the law FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT. The author paint the entire old testament in a damming light from just a few verses.
Since all of the early church fathers thought Marcion was so out of line that they excommunicated him, I'm going to abide by there decision and NOT READ THIS BOOK. Plus, I'm not going to participate in reading a book written by someone so racially biased.
March 6, 2024
Informative
This a reader friendly book, informative for anyone interested in seeking truth. But always do your own research as well. Good read!
This a reader friendly book, informative for anyone interested in seeking truth. But always do your own research as well. Good read!
September 1, 2024
A very interesting case for the very first bible.
I was very intrigued by the existence of (The very first bible). The consistency of the teaching of this bible with the loving Jesus is very refreshing.
I was very intrigued by the existence of (The very first bible). The consistency of the teaching of this bible with the loving Jesus is very refreshing.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews