976

Βίβλος is translated as "The book" in Matthew 1:1 and not simply "Book" due to the normal use of anarthrous nouns in titles. This negates the need for italics here in the article 'The.' Anarthrous nouns are generally translated into English with the indefinite article ("a, an"). There are some anarthrous nouns which are qualitative and are often translated without an article.

Βίβλος is the inner bark of the papyrus plant which was made into a written book, a sheet, or scroll of writing. There are seven meanings revealed in scripture:

1) It is firstly used here as a book, or scroll (Matthew 1:1),

2) concerning the Pentateuch as the "book" of Moses in Mark 12:26,

3) regarding "the book of the words of Isaiah" that Jesus read from in Luke 3:4,

4) the "book of Psalms" in Luke 20:42 and also in Acts 1:20,

5) as "the prophets" in Acts 7:42,

6) as "the Book of Life" in Philippians 4:3, Revelation 3:5, 20:15

7) and of secular writings in Acts 19:19.

The English word Bible stems from the Greek Βίβλος. Interestingly the English word paper comes from papyrus. Because Beech wood tablets were a common writing material in Germanic societies before the development of paper, the Old English bōc and Old Norse bók both have the primary sense of “beech” but also a secondary sense of “book,” and it is from bōc that the modern word book derives. In modern German, the word for “book” is Buch, with Buche meaning “beech tree.” In the Swedish language, these words are the same, bok meaning both “beech tree” and “book.”

See Also Βίβλος, Book, Bible, Papyrus, and Anarthrous nouns.

English

King James Version

Matthew 1:1 The book Anarthrous, Noun
Mark 12:26 the book Anarthrous
Luke 3:4 the book Anarthrous, Noun
Luke 20:42 the book Anarthrous, Noun
Acts 1:20 the book Anarthrous, Noun
Acts 7:42 the book Anarthrous, Noun
Acts 19:19 their books definite article, Noun
Philipians 4:3 the book Anarthrous, Noun
Revelation 3:5 the book Noun
Revelation 13:8 the book Noun
Revelation 20:15 the book Noun
Revelation 22:19 of the book Anarthrous, Noun
Revelation 22:19 the book Anarthrous, Noun

Verse	KJV 1900	KJV 1611	Bishop's Bible	Geneva Bible	Matthew's Bible	Great Bible	Coverdale Bible	Tyndale Bible	Textus Receptus
Matt 1:1	The book	The booke	This is the booke	The booke	þe boke	Thys ys þe booke	This is the boke	This is the boke	βίβλος
Mark 12:26	the book	the booke	the booke	the booke	þe boke	the boke	the boke	the boke	βίβλῳ
Luke 3:4	the book	the book	ye booke	the booke	the boke	the boke	ye boke	the boke	βίβλῳ
Luke 20:42	the book	the booke	the booke	the booke	the boke	the boke	the boke	the boke	βίβλῳ
Acts 1:20	the book	the booke	ye booke	the booke	the boke	þe boke	the boke	the boke	βίβλῳ
Acts 7:42	the book	the booke	ye booke	the booke	the boke	the booke	the boke	the boke	βίβλῳ
Acts 19:19	their books	their bookes	their bookes	their bookes	their bokes	their bokes	the bokes	their bokes	βίβλους
Phil 4:3	the book	the booke	the booke	the booke	the boke	þe boke	the boke	the boke	βίβλῳ
Rev 3:5	the book	the booke	the booke	the booke	the boke	the boke	the boke	the boke	βίβλου
Rev 13:8	the book	the booke	the booke	the booke	the boke	the boke	the boke	the boke	βίβλῳ
Rev 20:15	the book	the booke	the booke	the booke	the boke	the boke	the boke	the boke	βίβλῳ
Rev 20:19	of the book	of the booke	of the booke	of the booke	of the boke	of the boke	of the boke	of ye boke	βίβλου
Rev 20:19	of the book	of the booke	of the booke	of the Booke	of the boke	of þe boke	of the boke	of the boke	βίβλου