I (Matt Keller) did it myself. The results you see presented on these pages are the product of more than 16 hours of work, total. Here is basically the procedure I followed:
1. I found the number of chapters per each book, by going through a hard copy (that means made of paper, etc.) Bible, noting the number of the last chapter in each book. I made a list of the results on a piece of notebook paper.
2. I found the number of verses in each chapter in a similar fashion. I used a printed Bible and went to the last verse in each chapter, noting its number. Instead of hand-writing these numbers on notebook paper, I created a word processing document on my computer, dividing each book into its respective chapters and then entering the verse count for each chapter.
3. Using a calculator and keeping track on some notebook paper, I added the verse numbers together to arrive at a total for each book. For example, Joel has 3 chapters. Chapter 1 has 20 verses, 2 has 32 verses, and 3 has 21 verses. So, I added 20+32+21, and got the resulting 73. I double-checked all my math for each book as I went.
4. With the resulting totals from step 3 listed on a piece of notebook paper, I added up all the numbers to determine the final count of verses per Old Testament, New Testament, and then the whole Bible. In the same way I added up all the chapters per book to ascertain the total number of chapters per OT, NT, and Bible. I used a calculator to do the math, and double-checked EVERY figure by adding the numbers once forward, and then again backward.
5. I created final hard-copy documents of my results in a word processing program and in a spreadsheet program.
6. Next, I triple-checked my results by comparing them to similar studies published at the following URLs:
http://www.bibledesk.com/Documents/Bible_Desk/bible_statistics.htm
http://clawww.lmu.edu/faculty/fjust/Bible/NT_Chapter&Verse.htm
http://www.marshcommentary.com/stats
In any cases where their data did not match mine, I went back to the hard copy and re-counted to either correct or confirm my results.7. Finally, once my hard copy presentation of the data was finished, polished and once more quadruple-checked for errors, I created these web pages, in some cases copying and pasting the information directly, though in the case of the main table, I re-entered the information (thus, there is an added opportunity for typographical errors to have slipped in).
As you can see, much time and work went into compiling this information and confirming its accuracy. That is why I ask that you please be sure to cite this as your source should you happen to use any of this information in a published work.
This web page and its affiliated pages are Copyright (c)2003 Deaf Missions, all rights reserved. If, in studying this information, you find any errors, please let me know so that I can rectify them. Contact me at the following e-mail address: dm@deafmissions.com. [Deaf Missions Home]