Why do people refer to the Bible as the Holy Bible?

what does the bible say?

The Bible is holy, first, because it is breathed out by God Himself (2 Timothy 3:16). Within its pages is God-inspired wisdom (Psalm 19:7), sanctifying truth (John 17:17), and the gospel of salvation (Romans 1:16-17), which are all unique to the Bible. By the second century BC, Jewish leaders started referring to the Old Testament writings as holy, and the New Testament referred to this concept as well. Paul described himself as “set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforeh and through his prophets in the holy Scriptures” (Romans 1:1-2). The Bible is the only piece of literature that contains supernatural and true prophecies about Jesus as the Messiah, too. Jesus fulfilled all these prophecies (Matthew 5:17). Moreover, unlike every other book that will be forgotten or destroyed in time, the Word of God is eternal (Isaiah 40:8). Within its pages are prophecies yet to be accomplished, giving believers the hope of eternal life in God’s presence (Matthew 5:18; Revelation 21:1-7).

from the old testament

• The Bible is able to give God-inspired wisdom (Psalm 19:7) that no other book can. For that reason, it is holy.
• Of all the world’s books, the Bible is the one that is said to be eternal (Isaiah 40:8).
• The Bible is holy because it is prophetic, providing hundreds of prophecies about our Savior, all of which He fulfilled (Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7; Micah 5:2).

from the new testament

• The Bible is holy because it shows Jesus’ fulfillment of the holy writings revealed in the Old Testament (Matthew 5:17).
• Jesus also taught that the Scriptures would last until heaven and earth pass away: “For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Matthew 5:18).
• The Bible is holy because it gives us truth that sanctifies (John 17:17) and it presents the gospel of salvation (Romans 1:16-17).
• Paul recognized this, which is why in Romans 1:1-2, he calls the Bible the “holy Scriptures.”
• The Scriptures are literally breathed out by God (2 Timothy 3:16) and are, therefore, holy.

implications for today

The term “holy” distinguishes the Bible as set apart from other writings or books. Its contents are inspired by God, as the apostle Peter noted: “no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21). The Greek word biblios means a book or scroll. When the Bible was translated into the official Latin Vulgate version around the beginning of the fifth century, the term biblia sacra was often used to refer to the Bible as the sacred or holy Bible. In English, the 1611 King James Version of the Bible included the title “Holy Bible” on its cover. The impact and legacy of this Bible version has helped to make the term “Holy Bible” a common name for the Scriptures in the English-speaking world.

Recap

understand

• The Bible is holy because it contains God’s inspired truth.
• The Bible provides wisdom, instruction, and the gospel of salvation unique to God’s revelation.
• The Bible’s message is eternal, fulfilled in Jesus, and remains relevant for all generations.

reflect

• How does knowing the Bible is God-breathed influence the way you read and obey it?
• How has the Bible’s truth guided or transformed your life?
• How does understanding the Bible as holy set it apart from other books or sources of advice?

engage

• What does it reveal about God that He chose to reveal Himself through written Scripture rather than only through direct communication?
• How can we better recognize and apply the wisdom and sanctifying truths found in the Bible today?
• What does it mean for a book to be “set apart” and how does that shape our approach to studying it?