It takes a lot of nerve to write in the Bible, the most commented-on book of all time. It takes even more nerve to write in a Butler Stacks copy of a book that doesn’t belong to you. Head the Stacks 8, and you’ll find books defiled by the ballsiest students on campus. In Butler’s dozens of copies of the Good Book (English and otherwise), decades of students have left their marks, undoubtedly thanks to Lit Hum and CC. Check out some of the most memorable marginal markings below.

Good Student, Bad Student

Some students put more work into the Bible than others. Maybe they’re very religious and fancy themselves a savior of the class, or maybe they’ve yet to become entirely jaded thanks to Columbia. Whatever the reason, a few very good students have trudged through Stacks copies of the Holy Book. Some students use blank pages to make study guides pointing them to important chapters (ButlStax BS 185 1997 .O94 1997, left). Honestly, this one is pretty hard to understand, but it must have really helped at the time.

Others go even further above and beyond the call of duty. Someone took a Bible and put annotations at the bottom of nearly every page all the way from Genesis to Ezra! If you’re having a hard time getting the gist of each verse, consider picking up the New English Bible (ButlStax BS 192 .A1 1970 N42).

Others, however, are definitely not so astute. If you look closely at these two images, you can actually see the very moment at the bottom of the third page of Job when the student falls asleep (ButlStax BS 191 .A1 1982 P5).

Pay Attention, Class!

It’s important to remember that all reading, even of the Bible, happens in context. For some people, that context is a busy social life. Sure, you need to read the book of Ezra, but you also have a date at Dig Inn! (ButlStax BS191 .A1 1994 .N38). And also, you’ve got to return that lightbulb on the warranty. That’s $3 that won’t go to waste!

Alternatively, a romantic life might inform your bible reading. Just as a middle schooler might let everyone know that Travis has a thing for Meghan, one Lit Hum reader wanted everyone to know how Noah really felt about the big guy upstairs.

Illustrated Copies

The neat thing about the Bible is that people care so much about it. As such, many copies feature elaborate illustration and illumination. At the top of the article is a Middle English 1560 copy (1969 facsimile) of the Geneva Bible’s Exodus scene (ButlStax BS 170 1560a). This is, by far, the oldest copy, facsimile or otherwise, I’ve come across in Butler. Coming in at a close second is the Dalmatin Bible, a 1584 translation into Slovene (ButlStax BS 296 1584). If you love huge books with page-wide illuminations, this is the copy for you. If you love English… maybe it’s not your copy. But check out those lovely pictures.

Finally, I leave you with this, also from the Dalmatin Bible. Feel free to use this as a reaction image for your favorite artist’s next single.