If you're not reading the same bible as the first Christians in 144 A.D. you're reading just another book. The Very First Bible is not only the foundation of faith that virtually every denomination traces its canonical roots back to - it's also the only place you'll find the gospel preached by Paul the Apostle.
"But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Galatians 1:8-9)
The first Christian bible consists of The Gospel of the Lord as preached by Paul the Apostle and referenced by him with the phrase "my gospel" on three occasions as found in the original Epistles of Paul. Within the Epistles are: Galatians, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Romans, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, Laodiceans, Colossians, Philemon and Philippians. That is the entirety of the first Christian bible as it was gathered and transcribed in 144 A.D. and as it is now. It has never been changed or altered in any way and it never contained a 'Hebrew bible' (Old Testament).
The story of The Very First Bible begins about one hundred years earlier, just after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
"As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed."
(Galatians 1:9)
In the years immediately following the resurrection of Christ there was great strife and division among the faithful and even among the apostles themselves. Far from being a time of peace and tranquility, it was a period of constant conflict between the first Christians and the judaizers - those attempting to keep them chained and enslaved to the Hebrew Torah (Old Testament).
Knowledge of the teachings and life of Jesus Christ were passed along orally and the written scriptures were not easily accessible. There were even competing versions of the gospel (false gospels) in circulation and a theological war was raging between the first Christians led by the apostle Paul and the judaizers demanding submission to the Hebrew Torah (Old Testament) and its 613 laws, represented by Peter and James.
"For if righteousness come by the (Hebrew) law, then Christ died for nothing." (Galatians 2:16)
The schism was deep and threatened to destroy the early church or at the very least fracture it into numerous theological bantustans.
“Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed..." (Galatians 2:11).
The situation finally came to a head in 48 A.D. at the Council of Jerusalem where the first Christians and all the Apostles, including Peter and James, agreed the Hebrew Torah (Old Testament) laws were antithetical to the gospel of Christ.
"We have been released from the (Hebrew) law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code." (Romans 7:6)
The Very First Bible
Decades after the conflict was resolved, all of the authentic scriptures and the Gospel of the Lord as preached by the Apostle Paul were gathered together by Marcion of Sinope (85 AD - 160 AD), a shipbuilder and son of the Bishop of Pontus - it was then that the very first Christian bible was created in 144 A.D. and presented to the Apostle John. It did not contain a Hebrew bible (Old Testament).
St. Marcion, using The Very First Bible as his touchstone, established the Marcionite Christian Church which grew rapidly and spread throughout the known world. Other denominations, including the Catholic Church, also used the first Christian bible as the basis for their doctrinal translations from Greek to Latin although it's apparent that major sections of canon were added or changed.
Today, many biblical scholars and theologians are now in agreement that the gospels contained in the modern bible are edited versions of the original Gospel of the Lord.
"But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Galatians 1:8-9)
"Although not discussed much outside of academic circles, there was a great battle raging in the first century between the first Christians and those seeking to judaize the faith and keep it ensnared in Hebrew law and traditions."
The Hebrew bible (Old Testament) and other writings of unknown origin, were nailed onto the first Christian bible by order of a pagan Roman Emperor's political committee hundreds of years after it was first transcribed in 144 A.D.
The committee was called the Council of Nicaea and its actions in 325 A.D. were the theological equivalent of spraypainting a wall with graffiti - rendering The Very First Bible virtually unrecognizable from its original form. The changes were formally codified by the Council of Rome in 382 A.D.
According to the first Christians at the Council of Jerusalem in 48 A.D., God was revealed through Jesus, not the Hebrew Torah (Old Testament) - which depicts a tribal religion, deity, culture and set of laws that are alien to Christianity and its canon.
Parable regarding Christians and separation from the Hebrew bible (Old Testament): "And no man puts new wine into old wineskins; else the new wine will burst the skins, and itself will be spilled, and the skins will perish. But new wine must be put into new wineskins; and both are preserved." - The Gospel of the Lord
33 A.D. - 47 A.D.
A theological war raged between the first Christians led by the apostle Paul against the judaizers demanding submission to the Hebrew laws (Old Testament), represented by Peter and James. Essentially it was a schism of Gospel (grace) vs. Hebrew (laws) and it deeply divided the young church.
48 A.D.
The situation finally came to a head in 48 A.D. at the Council of Jerusalem where the first Christians, including Peter, Paul and James, agreed the Hebrew (Old Testament) laws were antithetical to the gospel of Christ. The church stands united under Christian canon.
144 A.D.
Marcion of Sinope (85 AD - 160 AD), a shipbuilder and son of the Bishop of Pontus - compiles, formats and transcribes the first Christian bible and presents it to the Apostle John. It did not contain a Hebrew bible (Old Testament).
325 A.D.
Emperor Constantine, a worshipper of the Roman Sun God, convenes the Council of Nicaea and orders the Hebrew bible (Old Testament) be added to the Christian bible. The Gospel of the Lord is also removed and replaced with scriptures of unknown origin.
331 A.D.
Six years after the council disbands, Constantine orders fifty (50) of the edited bibles published and religious scholars confirm they contained the Hebrew bible (Old Testament) and several new gospels.
382 A.D.
Catholic Church formally announces what they have decided to include in their new bible: 46 books for the Hebrew bible (Old Testament) and 27 books for the New Testament for a total of 73 books with four different gospels. The first Christian bible originally contained 10 books and The Gospel of the Lord.
2020 A.D.
It still only consists of The Gospel of the Lord and the original Epistles of Paul. Within the Epistles are: Galatians, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Romans, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, Laodiceans, Colossians, Philemon and Philippians. Exactly as it was in 144 A.D.
The Very First Bible
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"For if righteousness come by the (Hebrew) law, then Christ died for nothing." (Galatians 2:16)
"I marvel that ye are so quickly changed, from him that called you in the grace unto a different gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ." (Galatians 1:4-5)
"But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Galatians 1:8-9)
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