Thousand-year-old Bible up for auction

THE earliest most complete copy of the Hebrew Bible could become the most valuable historical document ever sold at auction when it goes on sale in New York in May, says Sotheby’s.

Codex Sassoon, which dates back more than 1,000 years, is estimated by the auctioneers to be worth between $30 million and $50 million.

It contains all 24 books of the Hebrew Bible, missing just 12 leaves, and is seen as an important link between the last of the Dead Sea Scrolls, dating from the first century, and today’s modern Bible.

The Hebrew Bible is split into three sections – the Torah

(teachings), the Nevi’im (prophets), and the Ketuvim (writings) – and is the basis for the Christian Bible’s Old Testament.

‘The Hebrew Bible is the sacred, foundational text for peoples across the globe,’ said Sharon Liberman Mintz, a senior Judaica specialist in Sotheby’s books and manuscripts department.

‘The biblical text in book format marks a critical turning point in how we perceive the history of the divine word across thousands of years and is a transformative witness to how the Hebrew Bible has influenced the pillars of civilisation – art, culture, law, politics – for centuries.’ nFILM star Mark Wahlberg has said that his Christian faith is ‘everything’ to him.

Speaking on US morning TV programme Today, the actor said that his relationship with God had ‘afforded me so many things’. He explained what his faith meant in practice, saying: ‘God didn’t come to save the saints. He came to save the sinners… We want to be better versions of ourselves, and through focusing on my faith, it’s enabled me to do that.’

BInjured woman forgives drink-driver

A DRINK-driver has been forgiven by the woman he injured in a fatal crash, reported news website Manchester World.

Ryan McElroy was more than three times over the drink-drive limit and driving at 60mph when he crashed into another car, injuring its passenger, Louis Dube, and the driver, Nikita Balfour. Louis, aged 25, died later in hospital.

Nikita suffered a fractured pelvis. She made a victim statement heard in Manchester Crown Court, which said: ‘I am a child of God and forgiveness is part of my very fibre and, whatever made the man who did this do what he did, I forgive him.’

Friends Louis and Nikita were returning from an evening at Christian Revival Church in Manchester when the accident took place.