SEVEN THINGS

I WISH CHRISTIANS KNEW

ABOUT THE BIBLE

MICHAEL F. BIRD

ZONDERVAN REFLECTIVE

Seven Things I Wish Christians Knew about the Bible

Copyright © 2021 by Michael F. Bird

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ISBN 978-0-310-53885-1 (softcover)

ISBN 978-0-310-13033-8 (audio)

ISBN 978-0-310-538868 (ebook)

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.®

Scripture quotations marked CEB are taken from the Common English Bible. Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NJB are taken from The New Jerusalem Bible. Copyright © 1985 Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc., Garden City, NY.

Scripture quotations marked NRSV are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible. Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked RSV are taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible. Copyright © 1952 [2nd edition 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Cover design: Rick Szuecs

Cover illustration: © Alhovic/Shutterstock

For Naomi,

whose husband has never once made her a coffee,

but who sticks with him anyway