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Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

(Eng. "Bible") was the inner part, or rather the cellular substance, of the stem of the papyrus (Eng. "paper"). It came to denote the paper made from this bark in Egypt, and then a written "book," roll, or volume. It is used in referring to "books" of Scripture, the "book," or scroll, of Matthew's Gospel, Matthew 1:1; the Pentateuch, as the "book" of Moses, Mark 12:26; Isaiah, as "the book of the words of Isaiah," Luke 3:4; the Psalms, Luke 20:42; Acts 1:20; "the prophets," Acts 7:42; to "the Book of Life," Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5; 20:15 . Once only it is used of secular writings, Acts 19:19 .

a diminutive of No. 1, had in Hellenistic Greek almost lost its diminutive force and was ousting biblos in ordinary use; it denotes "a scroll or a small book." It is used in Luke 4:17,20 , of the "book" of Isaiah; in John 20:30 , of the Gospel of John; in Galatians 3:10; Hebrews 10:7 , of the whole of the OT; in Hebrews 9:19 , of the "book" of Exodus; in Revelation 1:11; 22:7,9,10,18 (twice), 19, of the Apocalypse; in John 21:25; 2 Timothy 4:13 , of "books" in general; in Revelation 13:8; 17:8; 20:12; 21:27 , of the "Book" of Life (see Note, below); in Revelation 20:12 , of other "books" to be opened in the Day of Judgment, containing, it would seem, the record of human deeds. In Revelation 5:1-9 the "Book" represents the revelation of God's purposes and counsels concerning the world. So with the "little book" in Revelation 10:8 . In Revelation 6:14 it is used of a scroll, the rolling up of which illustrates the removal of the heaven.

In Matthew 19:7; Mark 10:4 the word is used of a bill of divorcement. See BILL.

Note: In Revelation 22:19 , the most authentic mss. have xulon, "tree (of life)," instead of "biblion."

another diminutive of No. 1, is always rendered "little book," in Revelation 10:2,9,10 . Some texts have it also in verse Revelation 10:8 , instead of biblion (but see beginning of No. 2).