Teresa Bowen reveals the Geneva Bible has 125 books, including many excluded from the King James.
The episode begins with host Teresa Bowen greeting listeners from Mobile, Alabama, and introducing the Geneva Bible from 1560, which has 125 books compared to the King James Version. She lists many of the additional books, including the Prayer of Azariah, Book of Susanna, Tobit, Judith, and the Book of Wisdom. Bowen mentions recently reading the Book of Judas and discusses the Book of Judith, where a woman uses her beauty to save the Israelites from Assyrians, highlighting the role of women in ending wars. She then reads a lengthy passage from the Book of Wisdom, Chapter 8, which describes wisdom as a beloved bride and counselor who governs all things and adds nobility through companionship with God. The text continues with a prayer for wisdom, acknowledging human weakness and the need for divine guidance to rule justly and build temples. It recounts how wisdom saved biblical figures like Noah from the flood, Moses through the Red Sea, and others from tribulations, emphasizing wisdom's role in deliverance and justice. The episode concludes with reflections on God's mercy and the preservation of all things, tying the apocryphal texts to broader spiritual themes. The format is a solo monologue with no guests, focusing on scriptural reading and commentary. Recurring themes include the value of additional biblical books, the feminine aspect in salvation, and the pursuit of wisdom as a divine gift. Key moments include the initial revelation of the Geneva Bible's contents, the discussion of Judith's story, and the extended reading from the Book of Wisdom.
