Does the Bible Say How Many Books It Has?

Great Bishop of Geneva!: Does the Bible Say How Many Books It Has? · somewhere else: Not Hallucinations - Argument II · Creation vs. Evolution Do Flood Stories Around the World Prove Oral Transmission Inaccurate?

Note, not which books, but how many?

Paul, and Sylvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace unto you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. We are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you towards each other, aboundeth: So that we ourselves also glory in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith, and in all your persecutions and tribulations, which you endure, For an example of the just judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which also you suffer.

That's the beginning of II Thessalonians.

But the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea. Who, when they were come thither, went into the synagogue of the Jews Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all eagerness, daily searching the scriptures, whether these things were so.

Acts 17

So, if there is one thing which unites Thessaloniki and Veria, it might give us a road.

Veria (Greek: Βέροια or Βέρροια), officially transliterated Veroia, historically also spelled Berea or Berœa,[2] is a city in Central Macedonia, in the geographic region of Macedonia, northern Greece, capital of the regional unit of Imathia. It is located 511 kilometres (318 miles) north-northwest of the capital Athens and 73 km (45 mi) west-southwest of Thessaloniki.

Sorry, a clue. And yes, I think the road is the clue.

73 kilometers - the full Bible has 73 books.
45 miles - miles is an older measure than kilometers, right? - the OT has 45 books.

Wait a minute, 45 + 27 = 72 ...

Well, the official Catholic way of counting it is, "72 books, or 73 if Baruch be counted separately from Jeremias" ... So, the whole Bible is somewhat fluid between 72 and 73, and the Old Testament, by consequence, between 45 and 46.

Hans Georg Lundahl
Paris
Good and Holy Friday
7.IV.2023

PS - the Hackers and other onliners would arguably agree with 73 books for another reason.

50 + 40 + 27 + 36 + 34 + 24 + 21 + 4 + 31 + 27 + 22 + 25 + 29 + 36 + 10 + 13 + 14 + 16 + 16 + 42 + 150 + 31 + 12 + 8 + 19 + 51 + 66 + 52 + 5 + 6 + 48 + 14 + 14 + 3 + 9 + 1 + 4 + 7 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 2 + 14 + 4 + 16 + 15 = 1077
28 + 16 + 24 + 21 + 28 + 16 + 16 + 13 + 6 + 6 + 4 + 4 + 5 + 3 + 6 + 4 + 3 + 1 + 13 + 5 + 5 + 3 + 5 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 22 = 260
260 + 1077 = 1337

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leet