The books in the Bible originally had no verse or chapter numbers. This added convenience is great for memorizing passages and finding specific sections, but the context can get left behind.
Bonus Questions Are you suppose to bring Paul his coat and scrolls? (2 Timothy 4:13) When were chapter and verse numbers added to the Bible? (Wikipedia – Chapters and verses of the Bible) Do you think Jesus had a favorite Bible verse?
Main Thought Context is key. Taking a Bible verse out of context doesn’t always mean that the verse isn’t speaking to you anymore or mean it’s now saying something different, but it’s important when we read and share Scripture to understand the original speaker, audience, and point the author was trying to make. If you just pick out a single Bible verse, it’s removed from the context of the paragraph it’s in, the chapter, the book (or letter) that was written, and where it fits in the larger story. Without chapter and verse numbers the Bible would be read quite differently.
