WHILE MILLIONS READ their Bibles, few know why some Bible publishers print the words of Christ in red…

Words in red are neither more nor less important than the words in black.  Jesus said to the seventy, “He who hears you hears Me…” (Luke 10:16).  Jesus meant that every divinely inspired writer or speaker was equally important, since the message originated with God’s Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The idea of a red-letter Bible originated with Louis Klopsch, the first editor for the Christian Herald.  Its November 1901 issue ran an advertisement offering a red-letter Bible to readers.  Dr. Klopsch based this on Luke 22:20, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you,” spoken by Jesus as He instituted the Lord’s Supper.  Reasoning that blood was red, he asked himself, “Why not a red-letter Bible with the red words to be those of our Lord?”  He asked Bible scholars in America and Europe to submit passages they regarded as spoken by Christ while on earth.

The first publishing of a red-letter Bible (copyright 1899 by Louse Klossch) numbered 6,000 copies.  They sold quickly.  Presses were soon running day and night to supply the demand.  The King of Sweden sent a congratulatory cablegram, but the message that thrilled Klopsch the most came from President Theodore Roosevelt.  He was even invited to dine with the chief executive at the White House.

Dr. Klopsch died March 28,  1910, and was buried at Mont Lawn near Tonawanda, New York, where he had established an orphanage.  At the time The New York Tribune said, “He will not be easily replaced.  He lived and died by his own motto: ‘Do all the good you can for all the people you can.’  This, he truly did.”  Mark N. Posey

“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38).

Mike Benson