Dictionary Entries: B

• 2 Baruch — 2 Baruch is a Jewish apocalypse that wrestles with Jerusalem's fall, suffering, and future hope.
• Baal — Baal is the name or title of a Canaanite deity, and at times a label for local pagan gods. In the Old Testament, Baal worship repr
• Baal Worship — Baal worship is the worship of Baal, a false god repeatedly condemned in Scripture. In the Old Testament it represents idolatry an
• Baal-Peor — Baal-Peor is the Moabite cult or local deity associated with Peor, remembered for Israel’s sin of idolatry and immorality in the w
• Baal-Zebub — The Philistine deity of Ekron named in 2 Kings 1. The New Testament related form Beelzebul is used as a title for Satan or the rul
• Baalbek — Baalbek is an ancient city in what is now Lebanon, later known for major pagan temple complexes. It is a historical-geographical b
• Baasha — Baasha was a king of the northern kingdom of Israel who came to power by assassinating Nadab and who is judged in Scripture for co
• Babel — Babel is the place linked to humanity's proud attempt to make a name for itself apart from God.
• Babylon — Babylon is the empire that conquered Judah and became a major biblical symbol of pride, exile, and anti-God power.
• Babylonian Captivity — The period when Judah was conquered by Babylon and many people were taken into exile. Scripture presents it as both a judgment for
• Babylonian Chronicles — A collection of ancient Babylonian cuneiform historical records that can illuminate the political and chronological background of
• Babylonian Empire — The Babylonian Empire was the major ancient Near Eastern power that conquered Judah, destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, and depor
• Babylonian Exile — The period when Judah was conquered by Babylon and many Judeans were deported from Jerusalem and the land. In Scripture, it is pre
• Babylonian Talmud — The Babylonian Talmud is a major rabbinic collection of legal discussion, interpretation, and tradition built around the Mishnah.
• Bacchus — Bacchus is the Roman name for a pagan god associated with wine, festivity, and revelry, broadly corresponding to the Greek Dionysu
• backsliding — Backsliding is a biblical and pastoral term for turning away from faithful obedience to God, especially in patterns of covenant un
• Baconian fallacy — The Baconian fallacy is the mistaken belief that inquiry can proceed by collecting bare facts without prior assumptions, interpret
• Baker — A baker is a person who prepares bread and other baked foods. In Scripture, bakers appear as ordinary workers and as part of house
• Balaam — Balaam was a non-Israelite seer or diviner in the Old Testament whom God restrained from cursing Israel. He later became a biblica
• Balaam's oracles — The divinely constrained prophetic messages Balaam spoke in Numbers 23–24 after Balak hired him to curse Israel. Though Balaam was
• Balak — Balak was the Moabite king who feared Israel’s advance and hired Balaam to curse them, but God turned the intended curse into bles
• BALANCE(S) — Balances are weighing scales used in commerce. In Scripture they often symbolize honest dealing, justice, and God’s concern for ri
• BALDNESS — In Scripture, baldness is usually a physical condition or a contextual image tied to mourning, shame, priestly regulation, or judg
• Balm of Gilead — A valuable healing resin associated with Gilead, used in Scripture both as a real medicinal substance and as a figure for healing
• Banquet — A banquet is a formal feast or large meal. In Scripture, banquets can picture joy, honor, covenant fellowship, and future kingdom
• BANQUETING — Banqueting in Scripture refers to feasting or festive meals, which may picture joy, hospitality, covenant blessing, or, in some co
• Baptism — Baptism is the public sign of union with Christ and entrance into the visible community of believers.
• Baptism and its significance — The Christian ordinance of water baptism commanded by Christ. It publicly identifies a believer with Jesus Christ, signifies clean
• Baptism debates — A broad term for Christian disagreements about the meaning, subjects, and mode of baptism, and about how baptism relates to faith,
• Baptism in the Holy Spirit — Baptism in the Holy Spirit refers to the Spirit’s work in relation to union with Christ, incorporation into the body of Christ, and empowerment f
• baptism in the Spirit — Baptism in the Spirit refers to the Spirit's work of incorporating believers into Christ and empowering them for life and witness.
• Baptism of John — John the Baptist’s baptism of repentance, given as preparation for the coming Messiah and the nearness of God’s kingdom.
• Baptism of the Spirit — The New Testament teaching that the Holy Spirit unites believers to Christ and to one another, with some Christians also distingui
• Baptismal formulas — The spoken wording used in Christian baptism, especially the New Testament expressions baptized "in the name of" the Father, the S
• Baptismal regeneration — Baptismal regeneration is the view that baptism itself is the means through which new birth is given.
• Baptismal rites — The outward practices connected with Christian baptism, especially water, the baptismal confession or formula, and the act of admi
• Baptist — Baptist is a Protestant tradition known for believer's baptism, local church life, and strong emphasis on Scripture.
• Bar Kokhba revolt — A major Jewish revolt against Rome in AD 132–135, led by Simon bar Kokhba; an important post-biblical historical event rather than
• Bar Mitzvah — A Jewish coming-of-age observance for a boy, marking his recognized responsibility to live under the commandments in later rabbini
• Bar-Jesus — Bar-Jesus, also called Elymas, was a Jewish magician and false prophet who opposed Paul and Barnabas before Sergius Paulus in Cypr
• Barabbas — Barabbas was the prisoner whom Pilate released instead of Jesus at the crowd’s request. The Gospels describe him as a notorious cr
• Baraita — A Baraita is a rabbinic tradition outside the Mishnah that was later cited in Talmudic discussion.
• Barak — Barak was an Israelite military leader in the time of the judges who, with Deborah, led Israel to victory over Sisera. He is remem
• Barbarian — An ancient term for someone outside the dominant language or culture, often a foreigner; in some settings it later carried a pejor
• Barley — Barley is a common grain in the Bible, used in everyday food, harvest language, and certain offerings and measurements.
• Barnabas — Barnabas was an early Jewish Christian leader from Cyprus who encouraged believers and served alongside Paul in gospel ministry.
• Barren Fig Tree — A biblical image of fruitlessness and coming judgment, used by Jesus in the cursing of the fig tree and in the parable of the fig
• BARRENNESS — In Scripture, barrenness usually means the inability to bear children. It can also serve as a figure for fruitlessness, desolation
• Bartholomew — Bartholomew was one of Jesus’ twelve apostles. He is often identified with Nathanael, though Scripture does not explicitly say so.
• Bartimaeus — Bartimaeus was the blind beggar whom Jesus healed near Jericho, as recorded in the Gospels. Mark identifies him by name and highli
• Baruch — Baruch son of Neriah was Jeremiah’s scribe, faithful companion, and reader of the prophet’s written message in Judah’s final years
• Bashan — Bashan was a fertile region east of the Jordan River, known in the Old Testament for rich pastureland, strong cities, and the king
• Basic Belief — A belief held directly rather than inferred from other beliefs; in epistemology, a basic belief may serve as a starting point for
• Basil of Caesarea — A fourth-century bishop and theologian from Cappadocia who helped defend Nicene Christianity, especially the full deity of the Hol
• Basin — A basin is a vessel used in Scripture to hold water or other materials for washing, hospitality, or ritual service. Depending on t
• Bastard — An archaic Bible-English term that may refer to illegitimate birth or, in one debated text, an excluded category; it is better han
• Bath — A bath is a biblical unit of liquid measure used for liquids such as oil, wine, and water.
• BATHING — Washing the body for ordinary cleanliness or ritual purification in biblical settings.
• Bathsheba — Bathsheba was the wife of Uriah and later of King David, and the mother of Solomon. Her account is closely tied to David’s sin, Go
• Battle — Battle in Scripture refers to armed conflict among peoples or nations, often under God’s providential rule. In some contexts it al
• Battle with Amalek — The Battle with Amalek is Israel’s wilderness conflict with the Amalekites after the exodus, recorded in Exodus 17. It shows the L
• Bayesian Probability — A formal approach to probability that treats it as rational credence updated by new evidence, often using prior assumptions and li
• Beaten Oil — Carefully prepared olive oil, especially the oil supplied for the tabernacle lampstand.
• Beatific Vision — The beatific vision is the believer's future blessed seeing of God in perfected glory.
• beatitude — Beatitude refers to blessedness before God and the state of favor, joy, and spiritual well-being grounded in Him.
• beauty — Beauty refers to splendor, harmony, and worth seen supremely in God's being and works.
• Beelzebul — Beelzebul is a name used in the Gospels for Satan or the ruler of demons. The term appears in accusations that Jesus cast out demo
• Beersheba — Beersheba is a southern boundary site often tied to patriarchal life, oaths, and covenant memory.
• begat — An older English word meaning "fathered" or "became the ancestor of," used especially in Bible genealogies.
• Begetting of the Son — The begetting of the Son is the orthodox Christian teaching that the Son is eternally from the Father within the Trinity, not crea
• Begging the Question — Begging the question is a logical fallacy in which an argument assumes the truth of what it is trying to prove. The conclusion is
• Behemoth — Behemoth is the mighty creature described by God in Job 40:15–24 as a display of His creative power and human inability to control
• being — Being names existence itself and, theologically, the fact that all created existence depends on God.
• Being of God — The being of God refers to God's own reality or essence as the one self-existent, eternal, holy, living God who depends on nothing
• Bekah — An ancient Hebrew unit of weight equal to half a shekel.
• Bel — Bel was a Babylonian title for a chief god, commonly identified with Marduk. Scripture mentions Bel as a false god of Babylon, not
• Belgic Confession — A major sixteenth-century Reformed confession of faith from the Low Countries. It summarizes biblical doctrine from a Reformed per
• Belial — Belial is a biblical term for wickedness, worthlessness, or lawlessness; in 2 Corinthians 6:15 it functions as a personal designat
• Belief — Belief is a person’s acceptance that something is true, real, or trustworthy. In Christian usage it may include simple assent, but
• Belief and behavior — Belief and behavior refers to the relationship between what a person claims to believe and how that person actually lives. In worl
• Belonging — Belonging is the condition of being meaningfully connected to and recognized within a people, place, family, covenant, or communit
• Beloved — Beloved is a biblical term of affection and covenant favor. It can refer especially to one who is dearly loved by God or by anothe
• Belshazzar — Belshazzar was the Babylonian ruler named in Daniel 5 who profaned the temple vessels, saw the writing on the wall, and was judged
• Belt — A belt, or girdle, is a practical item of clothing used to secure loose garments. In Scripture it also serves as a symbol of readi
• Ben-Hadad — Ben-Hadad is the name, and likely in some cases a royal title, of Aramean kings of Damascus mentioned in the Old Testament.
• Benedictine monasticism — A Western Christian monastic tradition shaped by the Rule of Benedict, emphasizing prayer, disciplined work, community life, and s
• Benediction — A benediction is a spoken blessing, often drawn from Scripture, used to commend God’s people to his grace, peace, and keeping.
• Benedictus — The Benedictus is Zechariah’s prophetic song in Luke 1:68–79, beginning, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel.” It praises God for r
• Benefaction — Benefaction is the Greco-Roman social-world term for public or private acts of giving, support, and generosity that carried expect
• Beneficence — Beneficence is the moral principle or duty of doing good and seeking the well-being of others. In ethics, it refers to active conc
• Benjamin — Benjamin was Jacob and Rachel’s youngest son and the ancestor of the tribe of Benjamin in Israel. The name also stands for the tri
• Benjamites — Benjamites were members of the tribe of Benjamin, one of the twelve tribes of Israel descended from Jacob’s son Benjamin.
• Berea — Berea was a city in Macedonia visited by Paul and Silas on the second missionary journey. Luke commends its Jewish hearers for rec
• bereavement — Bereavement is the season of grief that follows the death of a loved one and calls for comfort, hope, and faithful lament.
• Beriah — Beriah is a biblical personal name borne by more than one Old Testament man, including men linked with the tribes of Ephraim, Ashe
• Bernice — Bernice was a Herodian royal woman who appeared in Acts with King Agrippa II during Paul’s hearing before Festus. She is a histori
• Beryl — A precious stone mentioned in Scripture, often associated with priestly adornment, visionary imagery, and the splendor of holy thi
• beseech — Beseech means to plead, urge, or ask earnestly. In Scripture it often describes a humble and serious request made to God or to ano
• Besetting sin — Besetting sin is a recurring sin that repeatedly entangles a person and must be resisted seriously.
• Beth-Shan — Beth-Shan was an ancient city in the territory of Israel near the Jezreel and Jordan valleys. It is remembered in Scripture especi
• Beth-Shean — An ancient city in the Jezreel Valley and Jordan corridor, remembered in Scripture as the site where the Philistines displayed the
• Beth-Shittah — A biblical place-name mentioned in Judges 7:22 during the pursuit of the fleeing Midianites after Gideon’s victory. Its exact loca
• Beth-Zur — A town in the hill country of Judah, mentioned in the Old Testament as a Judahite place name.
• Bethany — Bethany was a village near Jerusalem on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives. In the Gospels it is especially associated with
• Bethany Beyond the Jordan — The place named in John 1:28 as the location where John the Baptist was baptizing east of the Jordan River.
• Bethel — Bethel is an important Old Testament place name meaning “house of God.” It is associated with Jacob’s encounter with God and later
• Bethesda — Bethesda was a pool in Jerusalem mentioned in John 5, where Jesus healed a man who had been disabled for many years. It is best tr
• Bethlehem — Bethlehem is a town in Judah closely associated with David and, in the New Testament, with the birth of Jesus the Messiah.
• Bethphage — A village near Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives, named in the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ triumphal entry.
• Bethsaida — Bethsaida was a town in the region of the Sea of Galilee associated with several of Jesus’ disciples, with miracles in the Gospels
• Bethuel — Bethuel is a biblical person in Genesis, the son of Nahor and Milcah, the father of Rebekah, and part of Abraham’s extended family
• Betrayal for Thirty Pieces of Silver — The Gospel account of Judas Iscariot betraying Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. The phrase highlights Judas’s treachery and the
• Betrothal — Betrothal was a binding marriage pledge in biblical times, more serious than a modern engagement and ordinarily requiring formal d
• Betrothal customs — The social and legal practices surrounding betrothal in biblical times, when a couple was formally pledged for marriage in a way t
• Bezalel — Bezalel was the Israelite craftsman whom God specially gifted to supervise the making of the tabernacle and its furnishings in the
• Bible — The Bible is the collection of books God gave through human authors as Holy Scripture. It is the church’s final written authority
• Bible translation — Bible translation is the work of rendering Scripture from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek into another language while pres
• Bible, Canon of — The canon of the Bible is the recognized collection of books received as Holy Scripture and therefore authoritative for faith and
• Bible, Inspiration of — The inspiration of the Bible is the work of God by which He guided the human authors of Scripture so that what they wrote is His t
• Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia — A standard critical edition of the Hebrew Bible based chiefly on the Leningrad Codex, used for scholarly study, translation, and t
• Biblical Aramaic — The Aramaic found in a limited number of Old Testament passages, especially in Ezra and Daniel, plus one verse in Jeremiah.
• Biblical Hebrew — Biblical Hebrew is the ancient Hebrew language used in most of the Old Testament. It is important for studying the wording, gramma
• Biblical Languages and Exegesis — The disciplined study of Scripture in its original languages and the careful explanation of its meaning from grammar, context, and
• Biblical manuscripts — Handwritten copies of biblical books preserved before the age of printing; they are the main historical witnesses used to study th
• Biblical philosophy — Philosophical reflection consciously ordered by the teaching, categories, and authority of Scripture.
• Biblical Texts and Canon — An overview of two related topics: which books belong to Scripture (canon) and how the biblical text has been copied, preserved, a
• biblical theology — Biblical theology studies the Bible’s teaching as it unfolds through redemptive history and reaches its fulfillment in Christ. It
• Biblical theology movement — A twentieth-century scholarly movement that emphasized reading Scripture on its own terms, tracing its unity, themes, and historic
• Biblical theology trajectories — A phrase used for tracing how themes, promises, or patterns develop across the Bible’s unfolding story. Because the term can be us
• Biblical view of illness — Scripture presents illness as part of life in a fallen world. It calls believers to respond with compassion, prayer, wise care, an
• Biblicism — Biblicism is a term for a strong emphasis on the authority and sufficiency of Scripture. It can be used positively for faithful de
• Bibliology — Bibliology is the branch of Christian theology that studies the doctrine of Scripture, including inspiration, authority, truthfuln
• Big Bang — The Big Bang is the leading cosmological model describing the universe’s early hot, dense state and its subsequent expansion. As a
• Bilhah — Bilhah was Rachel’s maidservant and Jacob’s concubine, through whom Dan and Naphtali were born. She is a minor but significant per
• Bilhah and Zilpah — Bilhah and Zilpah were servant women in Jacob’s household who became the mothers of four of the tribes of Israel through sons born
• Binary — Binary refers to something made up of two parts, options, or states. In logic and everyday speech, it describes an either-or disti
• Binding of Isaac — The Binding of Isaac is the event in Genesis 22 in which God tested Abraham by commanding him to offer Isaac, then stopped the sac
• Bioethical Apologetics — A modern term for defending Christian moral teaching on medical, life, and biotechnology issues in light of Scripture and Christia
• Bioethics — Bioethics is the study of moral questions about human life, medicine, and biotechnology. In Christian use, it asks how biblical tr
• Birds — Birds are created creatures that appear throughout Scripture in laws, worship, poetry, prophecy, and the teachings of Jesus. They
• Birth and calling of Moses — The birth and calling of Moses describe how God preserved Moses as an infant and later commissioned him at the burning bush to lea
• Birth of Christ — The birth of Christ is the historical coming of Jesus into the world through the virgin Mary, as recorded in the Gospels. It marks
• Birth of Isaac — The birth of Isaac was the promised son God gave to Abraham and Sarah in their old age, showing God's covenant faithfulness and po
• Birthright — Birthright is the special inheritance and family privilege normally belonging to the firstborn son. In Scripture it can include ma
• bishop — A bishop is an overseer charged with guarding doctrine, shepherding God’s people, and leading the church faithfully.
• Bishops' Bible — An English Bible translation first published in 1568 under the Church of England, historically important in the development of the
• Bitter herbs — Bitter herbs were eaten with the Passover lamb and unleavened bread as part of Israel’s memorial meal. They recalled the bitternes
• Bitumen — Bitumen is a natural asphalt or pitch used in the ancient Near East for waterproofing, sealing, mortar, and construction. In Scrip
• Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser — A ninth-century BC Assyrian monument of Shalmaneser III that records tribute from foreign rulers and includes a relief commonly id
• Blasphemy — Blasphemy is speech, writing, or conduct that dishonors God, reviles his name, or falsely claims divine prerogatives. In Scripture
• Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit — The grave sin Jesus warned about when His Spirit-empowered works were attributed to Satan. It is a hardened, willful rejection of
• BLEMISH — A blemish is a physical defect or flaw that could disqualify an animal from sacrifice; in some contexts it also becomes a moral im
• blessedness — Blessedness refers to true well-being and fullness of life before God.
• Blessing — In Scripture, blessing is God’s favor and gracious provision, often expressed in spiritual and material good. It can also refer to
• Blessings and curses — Covenant blessings and curses are the promised outcomes of obedience or disobedience to God’s covenant word. In Scripture they esp
• BLINDNESS — Blindness in Scripture refers both to physical loss of sight and, figuratively, to spiritual inability or unwillingness to perceiv
• Blood — In Scripture, blood is closely associated with life, death, sacrifice, and cleansing. Most centrally, the shedding of Christ’s blo
• blood of Christ — The blood of Christ refers to Christ's sacrificial death as the basis of cleansing, covenant, and redemption.
• Blood of the Covenant — Blood of the Covenant refers to sacrificial blood that seals and establishes covenant relationship before God.
• Bloodguilt — Bloodguilt is the guilt and defilement associated with shedding innocent human blood. In Scripture it can apply to the murderer an
• Blue — Blue is a color mentioned in Scripture, especially in tabernacle, priestly, and covenant-related settings. It is descriptive in mo
• Boanerges — Boanerges is the nickname Jesus gave James and John, meaning “sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17).
• Boaz — Boaz was a wealthy and respected man of Bethlehem in the book of Ruth. He showed covenant kindness to Ruth, served as her kinsman-
• Bochim — Bochim is the place in Judges where Israel wept after the angel of the LORD rebuked them for covenant unfaithfulness.
• Bodies of Water — A broad biblical topic covering seas, rivers, lakes, springs, pools, and other waters mentioned in Scripture. It is primarily a ge
• Bodily discharges — In the Old Testament, bodily discharges were physical emissions that could render a person ceremonially unclean for a time under I
• Bodily Resurrection — Bodily resurrection is the biblical teaching that the dead will be raised by God in a real embodied existence, not merely as disem
• Bodmer papyri — A collection of early papyrus manuscripts that preserve portions of the Bible and other early Christian writings, especially impor
• body — Body refers to the embodied aspect of human life created by God and destined for resurrection.
• body of Christ — The body of Christ is the church viewed as one living people united to Christ and to one another under His headship.
• Boiling — Boiling is a common cooking method mentioned in Scripture. It appears in ordinary household life and in a few ritual or narrative
• Boltzmann Brain — A Boltzmann Brain is a modern philosophical and cosmological thought experiment about a self-aware mind that would appear briefly
• bondage — Bondage refers to slavery under sin, corruption, fear, or some other power that enslaves fallen people.
• Bondservant — A bondservant is a servant or slave under another’s authority. In Scripture, the term can describe literal servitude and, by exten
• Book of Jubilees — An ancient Second Temple Jewish rewriting of Genesis and the opening of Exodus, useful for background but not part of the Protesta
• Book of Life — The Book of Life is the biblical image of God’s record of those who belong to him and inherit eternal life.
• Book of Proverbs — Book of Proverbs is a wisdom collection that gathers wise sayings that teach skillful, God-fearing living.
• Book of the Covenant — Book of the Covenant is a covenant law section that refers to Exodus 20-23, where Israel receives foundational covenant laws after
• Book of the Law — A written copy or recognized body of God’s covenant law given to Israel through Moses; in different contexts, the phrase may point
• Booths, Feast of — An appointed Israelite festival also called the Feast of Tabernacles, marked by rejoicing, thanksgiving for the harvest, and remem
• Born Again — Born again refers to the spiritual new birth by which God gives life to a sinner, bringing repentance, faith, and a new relation t
• Bosom of Abraham — A biblical expression for the place or state of comfort, honor, and fellowship enjoyed by the righteous after death, as pictured i
• Boundary markers — A modern theological label for practices that visibly distinguished Jews from surrounding nations—especially circumcision, food la
• Bow — An ancient weapon used for hunting and warfare; in Scripture it can also symbolize military strength, judgment, or God’s deliveran
• Bowl — A bowl is a vessel used for ordinary life, temple service, and symbolic imagery in Scripture.
• BRACELET — A bracelet is an ornamental band worn on the wrist or arm. In Scripture, bracelets appear as personal adornment, gifts, or signs o
• Bracelets — Bracelets are ornamental bands worn on the wrist or arm in biblical times, often associated with adornment, wealth, gifts, or stat
• BRAMBLE — A bramble is a thorny, low-value plant used in Scripture as an image of danger, futility, and destructive rule, especially in Joth
• BRANCHES — A biblical symbol for people or groups who derive their life, fruitfulness, and standing from another source, especially a vine, t
• Brazen Serpent — The bronze serpent Moses made at God’s command in the wilderness, lifted up so that bitten Israelites could look and live. Jesus u
• Bread — Bread is a basic biblical food that often represents God’s daily provision; in some contexts it also points to spiritual nourishme
• Bread of Life — “Bread of Life” is a title Jesus used for Himself in John 6 to teach that He alone gives true and lasting spiritual life. As bread
• Bread of the Presence — The holy bread placed before the LORD in the tabernacle and later the temple, representing Israel’s covenant standing before God a
• Breaking of bread — A New Testament expression for sharing a meal that, in some contexts, likely refers to the Lord’s Supper.
• Breastpiece — The breastpiece was a sacred part of the high priest’s garments, worn over the chest and set with twelve stones representing the t
• BREASTPLATE — A breastplate is a chest covering used for protection in battle; in Scripture it can also refer to the high priest’s sacred breast
• Breastplate (Armor of God) — In Ephesians 6:14, the breastplate is part of the believer’s spiritual armor and is identified as righteousness. It pictures the p
• Breastplate (High Priest) — The sacred breastpiece worn by Israel’s high priest over the ephod, set with twelve stones for the tribes of Israel and marking hi
• Bride — In Scripture, “bride” can refer literally to a woman about to be married and figuratively to God’s covenant people. In the New Tes
• bride of Christ — The bride of Christ is the church viewed in covenant love, purity, and future union with Christ.
• Bride price — A bride price is the payment or gift given by a groom or his family in connection with marriage arrangements in the ancient biblic
• Bridegroom — In Scripture, a bridegroom is a man on the way to marriage. The image is also used especially of Christ in relation to His people,
• Brimstone — Brimstone is the older English word for sulfur. In Scripture, it often appears with fire as an image of divine judgment, destructi
• Brokenness — Brokenness is a humbled posture before God marked by awareness of sin, weakness, grief, and need. In biblical usage, it is closest
• Bronze — A common biblical metal, usually referring to a copper alloy, used for tools, weapons, and tabernacle or temple furnishings.
• Bronze altar — The bronze altar, also called the altar of burnt offering, was the sacrificial altar in the courtyard of the tabernacle and later
• Bronze basin — The bronze basin was the water vessel used by priests for washing before ministering in the tabernacle and, later, in temple servi
• Bronze Laver — The bronze laver was the basin in the tabernacle courtyard where priests washed before ministering. It signified the holiness requ
• Bronze Sea — The Bronze Sea was the large bronze basin in Solomon’s temple used for priestly washing. It belonged to the temple’s ceremonial sy
• Brother — In Scripture, “brother” usually means a male sibling, but it can also refer to a near relative, a fellow Israelite, or a fellow be
• Brotherly Love — Brotherly love is the affectionate, faithful love Christians are to show one another as members of God’s family. It includes warm
• Brute Fact — A brute fact is a fact said to have no further explanation beyond simply being the case. In philosophy, the term is used when inqu
• Buddhism — Buddhism is a diverse family of religious and philosophical traditions that seeks liberation from suffering through awakening, mor
• BUILDING — A biblical building may be a literal structure or a figurative image of God’s dwelling, His people, or the careful work of spiritu
• BULLOCK — A bullock is a young bull or ox, especially one used in Old Testament sacrifice.
• Bulls — Male cattle mentioned throughout Scripture, especially in sacrificial worship, agricultural life, wealth, and figurative imagery.
• Bulverism — Bulverism is the fallacy of assuming a claim is false and then explaining why the speaker believes it, instead of answering the cl
• Burden of Proof — Burden of proof is the responsibility to give adequate reasons or evidence for a claim. In discussion and apologetics, the person
• Burial — Burial is the placing of a dead body in a tomb, grave, or similar resting place. In Scripture it is part of ordinary human death a
• Burial and Cremation — Burial and cremation are two ways of caring for the dead. Scripture commonly records burial and treats it as the usual pattern, bu
• Burial customs — The practices used in Bible times for preparing, burying, and mourning the dead. Scripture usually describes these customs as part
• Buried with the rich — A prophetic phrase from Isaiah 53:9 describing the Servant’s death and burial in association with the wealthy, widely understood b
• Burning Bush — The burning bush is the bush from which God appeared to Moses in the wilderness without the bush being consumed. It marks Moses’ c
• Burnt offering — A burnt offering was a sacrifice in which the whole animal was burned on the altar and offered to the Lord. In the Old Testament i
• Business — Business is the ordinary activity of commerce, trade, production, and management. Scripture treats it as a lawful sphere of life t
• Business ethics — The application of biblical moral principles to commerce, work, contracts, money, leadership, and treatment of others in economic
• Butter and Honey — A biblical phrase for ordinary nourishing food, and in some contexts for abundance or for the condition of a land under changing c
• By faith alone — A summary of the biblical teaching that sinners are justified before God through faith in Jesus Christ, not by earning acceptance
• Byzantine text — The Byzantine text is the later Greek textual tradition found in many medieval manuscripts.
• Ox — A domesticated bovine used in biblical times for plowing, threshing, hauling, and sometimes sacrifice.
• Priesthood of Believers — The biblical teaching that all Christians have direct access to God through Jesus Christ, the great High Priest, and share a commo