What is the significance of 66 in the Bible?

The number 66 appears in various contexts throughout the Bible. Some believe that it has a special significance and holds a deeper meaning. Let's explore some of the instances where this number appears and what they may signify.

The 66 Books of the Bible

The most significant use of the number 66 in the Bible is the number of books in the Bible. The Protestant Bible has 66 books, divided into two sections: the Old Testament, with 39 books, and the New Testament, with 27 books. The Catholic Bible and Orthodox Bible include additional books, bringing their total to 73 and 78, respectively. However, the 66 books of the Protestant Bible are considered the standard for most Christians.

The Significance of 6 and 7

The number 66 is made up of two significant numbers in the Bible: 6 and 7. Six is the number of man, as created on the sixth day of creation in Genesis 1:26-27:

"Then God said, 'Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.' So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."