KJV, Know The Word Study Bible, Red Letter: Gain a greater understanding of the Bible book by book, verse by verse, or topic by topic

KJV

Know the Word

Study Bible

www.ThomasNelson.com

KJV Know the Word Study Bible

Copyright © 2017 by Thomas Nelson, a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.

Concordance copyright © 1995 by Thomas Nelson

Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.

ePub Edition August 2017: 978-0-718-09165-1

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017932759

Information about External Hyperlinks in this ebook

Please note that this ebook may contain hyperlinks to external websites. These hyperlinks have not been activated by the publisher, who cannot verify the accuracy of these links beyond the date of publication.

Table of Contents

How to Use This eBible

List of Topic-by-Topic Articles

Foreword to the KJV Know the Word Study Bible

Old Testament Table of Contents

What Happened Between the Old and New Testaments

New Testament Table of Contents

Monies, Weights, and Measures

Concordance

Full-Color Maps

OLD TESTAMENT

Genesis

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50

Exodus

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40

Leviticus

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27

Numbers

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36

Deuteronomy

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34

Joshua

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24

Judges

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21

Ruth

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

1 Samuel

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31

2 Samuel

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24

1 Kings

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22

2 Kings

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25

1 Chronicles

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29

2 Chronicles

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36

Ezra

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Nehemiah

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

Esther

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Job

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42

Psalms

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 100 | 101 | 102 | 103 | 104 | 105 | 106 | 107 | 108 | 109 | 110 | 111 | 112 | 113 | 114 | 115 | 116 | 117 | 118 | 119 | 120 | 121 | 122 | 123 | 124 | 125 | 126 | 127 | 128 | 129 | 130 | 131 | 132 | 133 | 134 | 135 | 136 | 137 | 138 | 139 | 140 | 141 | 142 | 143 | 144 | 145 | 146 | 147 | 148 | 149 | 150

Proverbs

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31

Ecclesiastes

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

Song of Solomon

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Isaiah

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66

Jeremiah

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52

Lamentations

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Ezekiel

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48

Daniel

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

Hosea

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14

Joel

1 | 2 | 3

Amos

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

Obadiah

1

Jonah

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Micah

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Nahum

1 | 2 | 3

Habakkuk

1 | 2 | 3

Zephaniah

1 | 2 | 3

Haggai

1 | 2

Zechariah

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14

Malachi

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

NEW TESTAMENT

Matthew

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28

Mark

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16

Luke

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24

John

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21

Acts

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28

Romans

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16

1 Corinthians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16

2 Corinthians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

Galatians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Ephesians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Philippians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Colossians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

1 Thessalonians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

2 Thessalonians

1 | 2 | 3

1 Timothy

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

2 Timothy

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Titus

1 | 2 | 3

Philemon

1

Hebrews

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

James

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

1 Peter

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

2 Peter

1 | 2 | 3

1 John

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

2 John

1

3 John

1

Jude

1

Revelation

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22

How to Use This eBible

What is the difference between an eBook and a print book?

eBook versions of Bibles contain all the content and supplementary materials found in the original print versions and are optimized for navigation in the various apps and devices used for display. eReaders recognize text as one fluid string and are formatted in a single column, which differs from the multi-column layout seen in many print version Bibles. Therefore, some content may not match the exact appearance of the original print version, but instead uses hyperlinks to navigate between related content.

How do I use the eBook Table of Contents?

*Important Note: Be sure to consult your device manufacturer’s User’s Guide for device-specific navigation instructions.*

The Table of Contents is generally formatted in the same order as the original print version and hyperlinked as follows:

• Front matter – Introductory articles

• Bible books and chapters

• Back matter – Supplementary materials

To navigate to specific Bible books, chapters, or verses, please note the following:

• Book links (Ex. Genesis) go directly to the Introduction of each book, or the beginning of that Bible book if there is no introductory text.

• Chapter links go directly to the beginning of the chapter associated with a book.

• Use the device’s Next Page/Previous Page buttons or functions to scroll through the verses in each chapter.

• Every Bible book and chapter hyperlink in the Bible text returns or goes back to the Table of Contents. Or, use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

How do I navigate supplementary materials?

Within articles and supplementary materials, every Scripture reference or article title is hyperlinked directly to the location of that content. Use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection. The following provides more specific instructions for specific types of content found in this ebook.

Study Notes (commentary) are hyperlinked to Bible verse numbers where study notes are available in the main Bible text. Some notes cover a range of verses while others are verse specific. All verses do not have notes associated with them.

• Select a hyperlinked Bible verse number to the corresponding study note (commentary).

• Select a hyperlinked verse number to the left of the study note (commentary) and you are returned to the main Bible text, or use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

Articles and Features related to Bible content are accessible through the pointer links that are interspersed throughout the Bible text.

• Select the hyperlinked content title at the end of a paragraph where referenced Bible verse(s) appear to go to its location in the Annotations section at the end of each Bible book.

• Select the hyperlinked title entry to go back to the Bible verse location, or use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

The Concordance includes an alphabetic list of important words.

• Select the hyperlinked letter of the alphabet to navigate to the corresponding list of entries.

• Selecting the letter heading from within the list of entries will return to the beginning of the Concordance.

• Use the device’s Next Page/Previous Page buttons or functions to scroll through the entries.

• Use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

Color Maps are included as images and optimized for eReader device display.

• Select the hyperlinked entry in the Table of Contents to a specific map.

• Use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

Topic-by-Topic Articles

The short Topic-by-Topic articles found throughout this Bible provide a bird’s-eye view of the entire sweep of Scripture. By revealing major teachings and big takeaways, they give students of the Bible a useful theological and practical framework for understanding the many pieces that make up the one Word of God. The following list shows locations for each of these articles, organized according to the major topic that’s being addressed.

Trinity

Note 1: Trinity in Creation (Gen. 1:26–28)

Note 2: One in Three Persons (Deut. 6:4)

Note 3: God’s Triune Authority (Matt. 22:37–40)

Note 4: The Harmonious Trinity (John 16:12–15)

Note 5: The Triune God Saves (Gal. 4:1–7)

God the Father

Note 1: The Eternal One (Is. 40:28)

Note 2: God Is All-Powerful (Gen. 1:1)

Note 3: God Is All-Knowing/Omniscient (Ps. 147:5)

Note 4: God Is Perfect (Ps. 18:30)

Note 5: God Has Come to Us (Zeph. 3:17)

God the Son

Note 1: Jesus Is God (Col. 2:9)

Note 2: Jesus Is Human (Gal. 4:4)

Note 3: Jesus Conquered Death (1 Cor. 15:12–58)

Note 4: Jesus Is Lord (Phil. 2:9–11)

Note 5: Jesus Is with Us (1 Cor. 1:30)

Note 6: Jesus Is Coming Back (Matt. 26:64)

Note 7: Jesus Is the Best of the Best (Col. 1:9–18)

God the Holy Spirit

Note 1: The Holy Spirit—Agent in Creation (Gen. 1:2)

Note 2: The Holy Spirit Brings Power for a Task (Num. 27:18–21)

Note 3: The Holy Spirit Helps Continually (John 16:7–15)

Note 4: The Holy Spirit Guides Communication (Acts 1:4–8)

Note 5: The Spirit Produces Fruit in You (Gal. 5:16–25)

Note 6: The Holy Spirit Gives You Gifts (1 Cor. 12:4–27)

Love

Note 1: Love Is an Action (Gen. 22:2)

Note 2: Why Choose Love? (Col. 3:1–15)

Note 3: God’s Love Poured Out (Rom. 5:5–10)

Note 4: How Love Behaves (1 Cor. 13:1–13)

Note 5: Because God Is Love, We Love (1 John 4:7–19)

Covenant

Note 1: Covenants Are God’s to Make (Gen. 6:17–22)

Note 2: God’s Covenants Are Blessings That Call Forth Obedience (Deut. 29:1–29)

Note 3: God’s Covenants Are Forever (Ps. 105:1–45)

Note 4: God’s New Covenant (Jer. 31:31–40)

Note 5: Jesus Is the New Covenant (Matt. 26:26–30)

Bible

Note 1: The Bible Reveals God (John 5:31–40)

Note 2: The Bible Is to Be Used (Heb. 4:12)

Note 3: The Bible Is Our Sustenance (Matt. 4:4)

Note 4: The Bible Is to Be Stored (Prov. 4:20–22)

Note 5: The Bible Gives Life (Rom. 10:17)

Salvation

Note 1: You Can’t Save Yourself (Matt. 19:25)

Note 2: Salvation Is Possible Only through Jesus Christ (John 3:16, 17)

Note 3: You Are Saved by Grace through Faith (Luke 7:50)

Note 4: Salvation Involves Your Heart and Your Mouth (Rom. 10:5–13)

Note 5: Salvation Will Be Demonstrated by Works (Matt. 7:21)

Christ Follower

Note 1: Jesus Calls People to Follow Him (Matt. 4:18–22)

Note 2: Following Jesus Is Deliberate (Luke 9:23)

Note 3: God Saves Us with Grace (Eph. 2:1–10)

Note 4: Christ Followers Choose (Phil. 4:8, 9)

Note 5: Believers Progress Actively (2 Pet. 1:2–10)

Church

Note 1: The Church’s Origins (Acts 2:1–3)

Note 2: What the Church Acts Like (Col. 2:18, 19)

Note 3: The Church’s Purpose (Eph. 2:8–10)

Note 4: The Church’s Leaders (1 Tim. 3:1–7)

Note 5: The Church’s Future (Rev. 7:9)

Sanctification

Note 1: Sanctification Is the Process of Becoming Like God (Lev. 11:44, 45)

Note 2: God Sanctified Us by Coming in Jesus Christ (Heb. 2:11–13)

Note 3: God Sanctifies Us Through His Spirit (2 Thess. 2:13)

Note 4: God’s Word Brings Sanctification (James 1:22–25)

Note 5: Sanctification Shapes You into the Person God Wants You to Be (Rom. 12:1, 2)

Note 6: Our Sanctification Attracts Others to God (2 Cor. 2:14, 15)

Obedience

Note 1: Obedience Brings Blessing (Gen. 22:1–18)

Note 2: Disobedience Brings Disaster (Deut. 28:1–68)

Note 3: Obey God’s Voice Alone (Josh. 24:1–25)

Note 4: Obey Even When You Don’t Want To (Luke 5:1–11)

Note 5: Obeying God Shows Love (1 John 5:2, 3)

Purpose

Note 1: God Has an Eternal Purpose for Everything (Is. 46:8–11)

Note 2: God’s Purposes Are Pure (Rev. 4:11)

Note 3: God’s Purpose for You Is Active (Mic. 6:6–8)

Note 4: Yield to God’s Purposes (James 3:17)

Note 5: God’s Purpose Requires Response (Matt. 21:28–32)

People

Note 1: People Are God’s Prized Creation (Gen. 1:26–31)

Note 2: God Loves People (John 3:16–21)

Note 3: We Obey God Only When We Show Love to People (Matt. 22:36–40)

Note 4: How We Treat People Reveals Our View of God (Eph. 4:25–32)

Note 5: God Gives Us What We Need to Love People (1 Thess. 1:1–10)

God’s Will

Note 1: God Has Already Revealed Most of His Will (Col. 1:24–29)

Note 2: Our Job Is to Obey God’s Will (Eph. 5:1–21)

Note 3: You Can Know and Trust God’s Will (Rom. 12:1, 2)

Note 4: God Wills Common Goals for Believers (John 21:15–17)

Note 5: God Wills That We Share the Good News (Matt. 28:18–20)

Note 6: God Gives Individualized Plans (Luke 22:31–34)

Relationships

Note 1: Life with God Is Both Relationship and Religion (Is. 7:14)

Note 2: Let Your Relationships Reflect the Father, Son, and Spirit (John 14:19–26)

Note 3: Let Your Closest Relationships Be with Christ Followers (2 Cor. 6:14)

Note 4: Attend to Details (Eph. 6:1–9)

Note 5: Build Wise Relationships with Unbelievers (Luke 10:1–37)

Evil

Note 1: Satan Is the Champion of Evil (Gen. 3)

Note 2: Do Not Fret Because of Evildoers (Ps. 37)

Note 3: How God Defines Evil (Matt. 25:32–46)

Note 4: Evil’s Source Is Within (Mark 7:20–23)

Note 5: No Happy Endings for Evil (Rev. 20:10)

Sin and Temptation

Note 1: Sin Is at the Door (Gen. 4:3–15)

Note 2: Do What You Need to Be Doing (2 Sam. 11:1–27)

Note 3: Fight Temptations Like Jesus Did (Matt. 4:1–11)

Note 4: Find God’s Way Out (1 Cor. 10:13)

Note 5: God Never Tempts Us Toward Evil (James 1:12–17)

Suffering

Note 1: Suffering Comes for Three Reasons (1 John 1:5)

Note 2: Talk with God When You Suffer (Ps. 22)

Note 3: Jesus Suffers with the Suffering (Is. 53)

Note 4: Manage Sorrow Supernaturally (1 Pet. 4:12–19)

Note 5: Look Forward to an End to Suffering (Rev. 21:1–4)

Faith and Works

Note 1: It’s Both/And: Faith and Works (Titus 3:8)

Note 2: Show Your Faith Through Your Works (James 2:14–26)

Note 3: Faith Gives Courage to Act (Josh. 2)

Note 4: Your Actions Reveal If You’re Faking It (Is. 1:12–17)

Note 5: Show Faith and Works by Caring for People (John 13:34, 35)

Last Things

Note 1: Old Testament Eschatology (Dan. 2:28)

Note 2: Personal Eschatology (1 Cor. 15:26)

Note 3: Any Day Now (Luke 12:35–40)

Note 4: The King Is Coming (Rev. 19:16)

Note 5: Final Destinations (John 14:1–3)

Foreword

The book you’re holding in your hands right now is no ordinary book. Christians see this book as the unique Word of God, His message to humankind. That is why we appropriately refer to it with names that point to its unique nature and purpose, names like the Holy Bible or Holy Scripture. God the Creator speaks. And in this written communication, He tells us—His creatures—about Himself and His desires for each and every one of us.

The idea that the God of the universe desires something for us might be hard to believe. But His Word makes it clear that He desires good for His creatures, for humankind, for you. He is working to restore and perfect this sin-broken world, and He is doing this by revealing Himself to individuals. Amazingly, God’s grand plan for the cosmos involves the human heart—your heart. God is revealing Himself to humanity and transforming them through grace and faith. And eventually He will remake creation as a place where people can live forever with their God in perfect communion.

The Bible unfolds this magnificent drama of redemption. Its pages contain a record of God’s work. They share the history of His covenant relationship with humanity. They detail His requirements for our lives, and explain the doctrines and teachings that transform minds and hearts. Most important, they tell us about Jesus, who’s at the very center of God’s saving work. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:6).

So the Bible is a vital component in God’s work of revealing Himself and reconciling the world to Himself in Christ. Hearing God speak, becoming more Christlike, walking with the Holy Spirit—all of these spiritual aspects of the Christian life require coming to know the Word of God. If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, you know that your walk with Christ involves down-to-earth, everyday engagement with this amazing book. You know it’s not enough to be a reader of the Word—you want to be a student of the Word. But where to begin? The Bible’s not exactly an easy book to approach.

That’s what the Know the Word Study Bible was created for. Whether you’re a new Christian who finds the Bible exciting but strange, or a longtime follower of Jesus who loves Scripture but wants a deeper understanding, or simply a believer who’s curious to know more about God’s message, the Know the Word Study Bible is meant for you. This study Bible offers deep content in an approachable way. In addition to providing the text of Scripture in the trustworthy and time-honored King James Version, it offers three ways of studying Scripture.

Book by book: Discover the unique message and context of each individual book within the Bible, through individual book introductions and the Study the Book sidebars. The book introductions provide insight into each book’s background, author, audience, purpose, and message. The Study the Book sidebars explore in more detail the book’s major themes and teachings, and help the reader see how each book contributes to the Bible’s overarching message.

Verse by verse: Gain practical and theological insight at the verse level through the extensive, user-friendly footnotes that appear throughout the text. Here you’ll quickly and easily find information that sheds light on a verse’s meaning, turning an otherwise mysterious passage or turn of phrase into something you can understand and apply.

Topic by topic: Explore the major teachings and big takeaways of the Bible through short, accessible articles that appear throughout the text. (See the list of Topic-by-Topic Articles for a full listing of the 21 topics and individual article locations, or encounter them as you explore Scripture’s pages.) This feature provides a bird’s-eye view of the entire Bible, giving a useful theological and practical framework for understanding the many pieces that make up the one Word of God.

Our prayer is that the Know the Word Study Bible would inspire and equip you to follow God day by day, helping you become a student of His precious Word.

T

HE

P

UBLISHERS

The Old Testament

Genesis

In Summary

Genesis introduces us to God, the origins of the universe, the story of humanity’s rise and fall, and God’s amazing plan to renew this good-but-broken creation through covenant relationships with His people.

How to Study Genesis

Where does the sun go when it drops below land’s horizon?

What are those dots in the night sky that look like tiny leaks of light?

Why is grass green?

These, among other questions, occupied the pre-scientific ponderings of ancient men and women who sought to understand the world. These same questions occupy our inquisitive minds today, both as small children and on a deeper level as adults.

But those questions about the world led to an even deeper line of inquiry. How did we come to exist? How did the earth form? What is our purpose? Is there a higher being (or beings) tied to the inner workings of my ongoing life? How do I please God? What will make life go well for me? For others?

Genesis is God’s brilliant engagement with our questions. It is a message that transcends time, science, and history. It spoke equally to people of the past and to people of today, because our core yearnings for meaning and guidelines are consistent.

Was the earth born out of some god or gods’ invention? Or was its birth a chaotic and random occurrence? Egyptians held to several creation accounts in which gods were formed first and eventually created life. Babylonians believed that the world was created by accident as a result of a cosmic fight between jealous and angry gods. These ancient theories, despite their mythological trappings, bear stunning similarity to some modern philosophical and scientific explorations that describe our world against the backdrop of chaotic, competitive forces and laws.

We often want to know how. But, the first four words of Genesis—In the beginning God (1:1)—force us to reach further back, beyond the question of how things came to be and into the question of why things came to be. Before the how there was God. And He created personally.

Genesis is God’s letter of introduction. But in introducing God, it also introduces us to God’s work in creating everything out of nothing. It introduces us to ourselves as God’s special creation and describes our status as free creatures in the presence of God. Genesis speaks to all generations, past and present. Notice the introductions made by God and how they help us tackle hard questions that are foundational to the way we see ourselves and live our lives.

• An introduction to God. God is. He always has been. He always will be. He spoke the universe into existence out of nothing (Gen. 1:1). He personally introduced Himself to people. He made the first move, revealing Himself on a cosmic and personal level. He is the source of all things and the guide for all happenings.

• An introduction to creation. Genesis presents two creation narratives: one ordered sequentially (1:1–2:3), and one ordered around God’s crowning creation, human beings (2:4–25). Like His creation, God is orderly, thoughtful, intricate, intentional, brilliant, and balanced.

• An introduction to ourselves. God guides us to know ourselves (1:26–2:25). The story of man and woman pictures the perfect unity between God and His made in His image cohorts. God gives the gifts of value and deep companionship.

• An introduction to our choices. The perfect unity between God and humanity was painfully brief. Too soon after humanity’s entrance, evil in the form of a serpent tempted the first humans, and they chose evil rather than God (ch. 3). This choice to rebel was truly devastating, with effects rippling from humanity to the entire cosmos. Chaos and the void reappeared, similar to the beginning verses of Genesis (1:2). Sin resulted in chaos, death, suffering, and crisis. Adam and Eve’s new reality was a struggle that multiplied as humanity multiplied on the earth. But in the stories of people like Noah, Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph, we also see God’s faithful persistence not to let His good creation descend entirely into the chaotic void. By establishing covenant relationships with lost people, God began the long process of reconciling this sin-broken creation with Himself. The rise and fall of God’s creative work in Genesis reads like both tragedy and triumph. Triumph comes when God is honored. The ultimate triumph comes through the redemptive plan of God—a plan which sees its initial steps in Genesis, weaves throughout the rest of biblical history, and finds ultimate fulfillment in Christ (Rom. 5:12–20).

Study the Book Highlights

God declares everything good! (1:1–2:3)

Our world becomes bent (3:1–24)

Noah walks with God (6:1–22)

God scatters the people (11:1–9)

Abraham is the ancestor of Jesus (12:1–9)

Abraham’s sacrifice: his only son (22:1–19)

Wrestling with God (32:1–32)

The Twelve Tribes, a great nation (35:21–26)

Joseph stays true (39:1–21)

Genesis 1

The Creation

¹In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. God the Father / Note 2: God Is All-Powerful Study the Book: God declares everything good!

²And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. God the Holy Spirit / Note 1: The Holy Spirit—Agent in Creation

The First Day

³And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

⁴And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

⁵And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

The Second Day

⁶And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

⁷And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

⁸And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

The Third Day

⁹And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

¹⁰And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

¹¹And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

¹²And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

¹³And the evening and the morning were the third day.

The Fourth Day

¹⁴And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

¹⁵And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

¹⁶And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

¹⁷And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

¹⁸And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

¹⁹And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

The Fifth Day

²⁰And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

²¹And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

²²And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

²³And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

The Sixth Day

²⁴And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

²⁵And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

The Creation of Man

²⁶And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. People / Note 1: People Are God’s Prized Creation Trinity / Note 1: Trinity in Creation

²⁷So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

²⁸And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

The Giving of Food

²⁹And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

³⁰And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

³¹And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Genesis 2

The Seventh Day

¹Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

²And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

³And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

⁴These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,

⁵And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.

⁶But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.

⁷And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

The Garden of Eden

⁸And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

⁹And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

¹⁰And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.

¹¹The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;

¹²And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.

¹³And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.

¹⁴And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.

Man to Care for the Garden

¹⁵And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

¹⁶And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

¹⁷But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

¹⁸And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

Adam Names Living Creatures

¹⁹And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

²⁰And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.

The Creation of Woman

²¹And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

²²And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

²³And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

The First Marriage