How did the Bible's chapters and verses come to be?

Have you ever wondered how the current system of chapter and verse in the Bible came to be? After all, it is unlikely that when Paul wrote his letters, he was thinking about it being reprinted in book form. Well, Biblegateway.com has up a useful brief history of bible verses for your reading pleasure!

The Old Testament has long been organized into sections and subsections; our modern chapter and verse divisions generally (but not always) correspond to the traditional Jewish organization of the text. While the Old and New Testaments have been roughly organized at least since the Bible canon was established, it wasn’t until 1,000 years later that something resembling our modern chapter and verse system was widely accepted.

The person credited with dividing the Bible into chapters is Stephen Langton, the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1207-1228. While Langton’s isn’t the only organizational scheme that was devised, it is his chapter breakdown that has survived.

Remember, while all scripture is God-breathed, the chapter and verse divisions are not. Don't be afraid to read your Bible, ignoring those divisions, and see if it brings you any new insights.