“He did the same with the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant written in my blood, blood poured out for you.’” Luke 22:20 (MSG)
In 1899, a man by the name of Louis Klopsch had an idea. What if there was a version of the Bible that highlighted Jesus’ words in red, in honor of the “new covenant” He made with His people during the Last Supper? He decided to undertake this project, and the first Red Letter edition of the Bible was born.
In Matthew 4:4 Jesus said, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
These words written in red letters highlight transformational truth and the promises of God, through Jesus. The Bible as a whole tells an epic story of rescue, and Jesus’ words weave a scarlet thread throughout the overarching narrative of His rescue mission. Red letters reveal the prophesies in the Old Testament that became promises fulfilled in the New Testament.
We’re living in a culture that tells us there’s no such thing as absolute truth. Often, it’s hard to discern fact from fiction. That’s why, as believers, it’s so important for us to know exactly what Jesus said. We can learn to look more like Him and think more like Him by studying His words.
The red letters also display God’s power. The book of John starts by reminding us: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1, NIV). Just as Jesus is alive and well, His words are living and active. He’s still speaking to His children. Just like He spoke the world into existence, He’s speaking words over us—calling us chosen, beloved and free.
Throughout the Bible, every letter written in red is like an arrow pointing us toward Jesus, another clue helping us uncover His character.
God is still speaking today through His Word. And the best part? The same God who made those promises over two thousand years ago is the God who still keeps His promises today. Every letter.
Then I read the red letters / And the ground began to shake / The prison walls started falling / And I became a free man that day
Written by
Lindsey Williams
