chronological summary of the bible

What Is the Chronological Order of the 66 Books of the Bible?

When I first started reading the Bible, I used to get confused at times, wondering why a book I was reading seemed like it came before another, even though in my mind, it should have come after.

I assumed the Bible was organized in chronological order, and it took a while for me to realize my error. For instance, the first five books of the Old Testament— Genesis through Deuteronomy—are in chronological order, but later, I found timelines began to weave together and overlap.

The Bible is indeed a well-organized collection of writings penned by more than two dozen authors spanning thousands of years. Instead of being organized chronologically, it is organized by literary genre. For example, books from the prophets are all together in one section, while books of history are in another.

What is the chronological order of the 66 books of the Bible? And is there a benefit to reading the Bible chronologically instead of its current order?

As with many things, the answer is yes and no.

Are the Books of the Bible in Order?

The books of the Bible are in order, but not chronologically. Rather, they are organized by the type of literature.

Of the 66 books total, the Bible is divided into the 39 books of the Old Testament (before Christ) and the 27 books of the New Testament (after Christ). Beyond that, the order is grouped by literary genre as follows:

Old Testament

- Books of law : Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

- Books of history : Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

- Books of poetry : Job, Psalms, Proverbs , Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon

- Major prophets : Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel

- Minor prophets : Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah , Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

New Testament

- History of the life of Jesus (Gospel accounts) : Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

- Church history : Acts of the Apostles

- Paul’s letters (epistles) to the churches : Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians

- Paul’s letters to individual people : 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon

- Letters by others : Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation

- (Some categorize Revelation not as a letter but as a book of prophecy)

Who Decided What Order the Books Would Go in, and Why?

Ultimately it was God — through His people — who decided what books would be included in His Holy Word, the Bible. Jewish rabbis and scholars selected the first books, and later the early Christians did. These books, called the “canon,” are all considered to have been divinely inspired by God and therefore, as the apostle Paul explained to his mentee, Timothy, “God-breathed” ( 2 Timothy 3:16 ).

The Old Testament had already been compiled before Jesus was born in human form. As for the New Testament, The Muratorian Canon, from around AD 200, is the earliest list of texts resembling the New Testament. Before that, there was no actual “New Testament” but rather a group of books considered to be of greater or lesser value than others. In the 5th century, however, all the different Christian churches came to a basic agreement, assembled by St. Jerome, on the biblical canon.

Most believe the Bible isn’t arranged in chronological order simply because the Bible wasn’t written in one sitting, from start to finish. Many different writers over many, many centuries contributed to the Bible, each one of them inspired by God.

Instead of the chronological grouping, those who compiled and arranged the first Bibles presumably decided a categorical grouping would be more practical or beneficial to God’s people.

What Is the Chronological Order of the 66 Books?

What follows is a rough sketch of the chronological order of the Bible’s 66 books:

There is much overlap, and some of the Gospel accounts about Jesus’s life were actually written years later, even though the events they describe occurred earlier.

Here is the basic chronological order of the New Testament:

- The Gospels : Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (about the life of Jesus, roughly 4 BC to AD 30 or 33)

- Acts and some epistles : Some letters from Paul and other apostles were written during the same time period that Acts (the history of the church) covers. But roughly, the order is Acts, then James, Galatians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Romans, Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians, and Philippians. The four latter books were written during Paul’s first Roman imprisonment.

- The “freedom” epistles : Next, during Paul’s time of freedom, come his 1 Timothy and Titus letters, as well as the apostle Peter’s 1 and 2 Peter letters.

- Paul’s second Roman imprisonment : The book 2 Timothy was written next, during Paul’s second Roman imprisonment, alongside the books of Hebrews and Jude.

- Last : The last books are the apostle John’s three epistles (1-3 John) and John’s prophetic vision, Revelation.

The Old Testament starts in chronological order, but then veers off chronologically. Here is the basic chronological order of the Old Testament:

- Genesis (concurrent with the Book of Job)

- Exodus and Leviticus

- Number and Deuteronomy

- Judges and Ruth

- 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel

- Concurrent with 1 and 2 Samuel are woven 1 Chronicles and Psalms, as well as the prophets Amos and Hosea

- Concurrent with some of 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles are Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon

- With 2 Chronicles are 1 and 2 Kings

- Concurrent with 1 Kings are Joel, Micah, Isaiah, Zephaniah, Habakuk, and Jeremiah

- Concurrent with 2 Kings are Lamentations, Jonah, Nahum, and Obadiah

- Then come Israel’s 70 years of exile to Babylon, and the books of Daniel and Ezekiel

- Then comes Ezra (and Esther, at the end of Ezra)

- Then Nehemiah

- Concurrent with Ezra and Nehemiah are the books Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi

Pros and Cons of Reading the Bible Chronologically

There are pros and cons of reading the Bible in chronological order. One good thing is that reading it chronologically can help with our historical understanding and context. We see how timelines and ancestral lineage play in, and the warnings and frustrations of the prophets and God Himself become clearer and more dire when we see how far the people had strayed from God and His Law.

However, the Bible is far more than a history book. The lessons we glean aren’t merely on how to act or to help us derive wisdom as we learn about the past mistakes or successes of God’s people. It’s a love letter, timeless and universal as the Lord Himself, and it gives us a deeper understanding of the nature of God. We aren’t meant to read it “in order,” as God’s order is far bigger than any of us can comprehend. Rather, we are meant to understand the entire canon as working together to help us start to grasp God’s beautiful, perfect, loving nature – a nature that transcends time.

If you find yourself confused while reading the Bible and realizing how much ancient history you don’t know, remember: Reading the Bible isn’t meant to be a cerebral exercise but a balm to the soul. The Bible is more than a history — it is a love letter from God to His people, the greatest love story ever.

Whether you read the Bible cover to cover as-is or prefer to bounce around, or whether you decide to follow a chronological reading plan, remember: the Holy Spirit gives us the sort of true understanding we need.

Just ask God for wisdom and understanding, and He will provide all you need.

Photo credit: Unsplash/Sincerely Media

Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages

How to go to Heaven

How to get right with god.

What is a quick summary of each of the 66 books of the Bible?

For further study, related articles, subscribe to the, question of the week.

Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox!

The 66 Books of the Bible in Chronological Order (When & Who Wrote Them)

How about boosting your Bible study by getting to know more about the books of the Holy Bible? Here you will find a suggested chronological order of the different books of the Bible, based on the estimates of scholars. You will learn about theories concerning the authorship of each book and when they were written. It will help you learn more about God’s Word.

Note that this list is based on the Protestant Bible, so it doesn’t include the Deuterocanonical books.

#1 Book: Genesis

Author: Genesis is the first book in the list of the books of the Bible in chronological sequence. It is also the first one in the first major division of the Hebrew Bible, called the “Torah.”

There is no information about the author in the book itself. Jewish and Christian Tradition assigns the authorship of the book of Genesis to Moses. He may have used other sources (including oral tradition) to write or compile this book since the events happened a long time before he was born. For example, the creation of the world, Noah’s ark, the tower of Babel, and God sending Abram (later renamed Abraham) to Canaan — all these well-known Bible stories happened centuries before Moses’s lifetime.

Internal evidence, especially from the New Testament, also affirm Moses’s authorship of Genesis (Acts 15:1) and the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Canon of Scripture), usually referred to as the books of the Law (Luke 16:29, 24:27; John 1:45; 2 Corinthians 3:15). This is considered the strongest evidence in favor of the Mosaic authorship. This tradition is so strong that many writers use the expressions “the Law of Moses” or “the books of Moses” when referring to the Pentateuch.

Some scholars who don’t agree with the authorship of Moses developed a theory they called “The Documentary Hypothesis.” Based on the analysis of the biblical text, they identified four different sources that, according to them, were used by one later editor to compile the five books that we know today. Those sources are:

• Source J: The texts that refer to God by His covenant name (Yahweh, translated as “The LORD” in all caps in most English Bibles).
• Source E: The texts that refer to God as Elohim (the more generic word “God”). The proponents of this theory believe these texts were written before the events in Exodus, so people didn’t know God’s revealed name yet (Exodus 3:15).
• Source D: This is essentially the book of Deuteronomy.
• Source P: The priestly texts, especially in Leviticus.

Many modern scholars abandoned the Documentary Hypothesis and affirmed Moses’s authorship of the Pentateuch. They argue that there is no evidence of the existence of those four sources. They also say that the differences, repetition, and apparent contradictions within the five books of the Pentateuch can be explained by the literary style of the ancient Near Eastern narratives.

When Written: Scholars who think that Moses wrote the Pentateuch date it to the period when Israel was wandering in the desert, between 1440 and 1400 B.C.

Scholars who defend the Documentary Hypothesis date the compilation of the Pentateuch as a single work to around 550 B.C., during the Babylonian exile.

#2 Book: Exodus

Author: The book is anonymous, but tradition and many scholars consider Moses to be the author of Exodus. Refer to the Genesis discussion above for more information about the authorship of the whole Pentateuch. Exodus 3:15 is the first time that God reveals His covenant name.

Exodus 17:14, 24:4, and 34:27 are considered internal evidence that Moses wrote sections or the entire book. Also, Joshua 8:31 refers to Exodus 20:25 as a command that was “written in the book of the law of Moses” (Joshua 8:31 KJV). The New Testament also refers to texts found in Exodus as texts written by Moses (Mark 7:10, 12:26; Luke 2:22-23).

When Written: Refer to the Genesis discussion in this post for more information.

#3 Book: Leviticus

Author: The book doesn’t identify its author, but tradition and most scholars agree that Moses wrote Leviticus. Refer to the Genesis discussion above for more information about the authorship of the whole Pentateuch.

Even though there is no direct indication that Moses wrote this book, it is clear that God gave him the commands that were registered there (Leviticus 1:1; 4:1; 5:14; 6:1, 8, 19, 24; 7:22, 28; 26:46; 27:34). Paul also affirmed Moses’s authorship of Leviticus in Romans 10:5.

When Written: Refer to the Genesis discussion above for more information.

#4 Book: Numbers

Author: Most scholars agree with the tradition that says that Moses wrote the book of Numbers. Refer to the Genesis discussion above for more information about the authorship of the whole Pentateuch.

Numbers 33:1-2 indicate that Moses wrote at least some part of it. Numbers 1:1, 3:5, 15:1, and other similar verses also indicate that Moses was the one who received most of the contents of this book from God.

#5 Book: Deuteronomy

Author: Traditionally, Moses is considered the author of Deuteronomy. Refer to the Genesis discussion above for more information about the authorship of the whole Pentateuch.

The verses in Deuteronomy 31:9, 22, 24-25 indicate that Moses wrote at least a major part of this book (his speech started in Deuteronomy 1:5). In 2 Kings 14:6, a quote from Deuteronomy 24:16 is referred to as part of “the book of the law of Moses” (2 Kings 14:6 KJV).

Texts from the New Testament also affirmed the Mosaic authorship of Deuteronomy: Matthew 19:7-8; Mark 10:3-5; Acts 3:22-23, 7:37-38; Romans 10:19.

Most scholars agree that Moses wrote this book, and another unknown author added the introduction (Deuteronomy 1:1-5) and the conclusion (chapter 34).

When Written: Scholars and tradition believe that this was the last of the books of Moses, written just before the Israelites entered the Promised Land.

Refer to the Genesis discussion above for more information.

#6 Book: Joshua

Author: The book of Joshua, despite its name, is anonymous. It is the first of the historical books in the Christian Bible and the first book in the second major division of the Hebrew Bible called Prophets. It narrates the events as Joshua leads Israel into the Promised Land.

According to the Jewish people’s tradition, Joshua wrote it himself, except for the ending (Joshua 24:29-33). Most scholars agree that Joshua wrote at least some parts of it (Joshua 24:26).

When Written: Scholars have suggested many possible dates, from the times of Joshua (probably about 1390 B.C.) to the Persian period (fifth and fourth century B.C.).

Some texts indicate that at least portions were written close to when those events took place:

• Some parts of it were written by eyewitnesses (Joshua 5:1, 6).
• Rahab was still alive (Joshua 6:25).

Some other texts suggest a later date or additions:

• There are 12 instances of “to this day,” which puts the author far from those events (for example, Joshua 7:26; 8:29; 15:63).
• An eyewitness wouldn’t need to cite a source (Joshua 10:13).

#7 Book: Psalms

Author: The book of Psalms includes five collections of compositions by many authors. It is one of the most popular books in the whole Bible. In terms of literary genre, it is one of the books of poetry in the Holy Book.

Most psalms are prefaced by superscripts that give us information about them. According to those superscripts, we have the following authors: David (73 psalms), Asaph (12), the sons of Korah (11), Moses (1), Solomon (2), Heman (1), and Ethan (1).

Some scholars claim that those superscripts might be a later addition, but even the oldest known manuscripts have them.

An important thing that some scholars argue is that the names in the superscripts don’t necessarily mean the author’s name. They may also indicate that the psalm was dedicated to or inspired by someone. For example, the superscript in Psalm 72 refers to Solomon, but some interpreters claim that this psalm was actually written by David (see verse 20) as a short prayer for Solomon.

When Written: Scholars estimate that the composition of all psalms spanned almost a thousand years, from the times of Moses (around 1400 B.C.) to the Babylonian captivity (Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 B.C.).

Considering that David’s psalms make up for almost half of the book of Psalms, the majority of its composition would have happened during his and Solomon’s lifetime, in the late eleventh century and the tenth century B.C.

#8 Book: Judges

Author: The author of the book of Judges is unknown. According to the Jewish people’s tradition, the prophet and judge Samuel wrote it.

When Written: The date of the writing of this book is also unknown. Scholars argue that the phrase “in those days there was no king in Israel” (Judges 17:6, 18:1, 19:1) indicates that it was written after the monarchy was established (tenth century B.C.).

#9 Book: Ruth

Author: The book of Ruth is anonymous. The Jewish tradition credits it to Samuel, but most scholars credit it to an unknown author who lived during the period of the monarchy.

When Written: Scholars claim that David’s genealogy at the end and the literary style in this book indicate that it was written during Solomon’s reign (ca. 950 B.C.). They think that the author was someone who worked on the staff of the royal court, possibly a scribe.

#10 Book: Proverbs

Author: Proverbs is a popular wisdom book from the Canon of Scripture. It is a collection of writings from several authors, according to the biblical text itself:

• Chapters 1 through 24: the proverbs of Solomon, son of David (Proverbs 1:1).
• Chapters 25 through 29: the proverbs of Solomon that were compiled by the scribes of the king Hezekiah (Proverbs 25:1).
• Chapter 30: the proverbs of Agur, the son of Jakeh (Proverbs 30:1).
• Chapter 31: the proverbs of the king Lemuel (Proverbs 31:1).

Some modern scholars challenge Solomon’s authorship and argue that this book is a product of the postexilic period. However, there is no reasonable evidence to back up that theory.

When Written: Solomon wrote his proverbs between 970 and 930 B.C. Hezekiah’s scribes compiled the additional proverbs between 729 and 686 B.C. There is no other mention of Agur and Lemuel anywhere else in the Holy Scriptures. Scholars think that their proverbs may also have been compiled by Hezekiah’s scribes, or they might have been a later addition.

If Solomon wasn’t the author, scholars think that it was written in the fifth century B.C.

#11 Book: Song of Songs or Song of Solomon

Author: The first verse tells us that Solomon either wrote it, it belonged to him, or it was written about him (Song of Songs 1:1). The Bible tells us that Solomon wrote 1,005 songs (1 Kings 4:32), so it is reasonable to consider him the author of this book.

Some scholars question Solomon’s authorship and attribute it to an unknown author in the postexilic period, but there isn’t strong evidence to support their claims.

When Written: If Solomon is indeed the author, then it was written around 950 B.C. If not, critics claim it was written in the fifth century B.C.

#12 Book: 1 Samuel

Author: The author of 1 and 2 Samuel is unknown. Both books were originally written as a single volume. They were split into two parts by the translators of the Septuagint (a Greek translation of the Old Testament from the second century B.C.).

According to the Jewish tradition, the prophet and judge Samuel is the author of both books. However, he couldn’t have written the events after his death (1 Samuel 25:1). Some scholars claim that he wrote the material up to that point, then the prophets Nathan and Gad completed the book. They base this claim in 1 Chronicles 29:29.

When Written: The books of 1 and 2 Samuel are books of history that tell us about the establishment of the monarchy in Israel, with David as their key character.

Scholars debate about who was the author and when it was written, but most of them agree that the whole book (1 and 2 Samuel) was completed during Solomon’s reign, around 950 B.C.

#13 Book: 2 Samuel

Author: Even though both 1 and 2 Samuel were traditionally attributed to the prophet and judge Samuel, the book of 2 Samuel contains events that took place after his death. That’s why some scholars attribute 2 Samuel to the prophets Nathan and Gad (1 Chronicles 29:29).

When Written: The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally composed as a single volume. Most scholars think that they were written during the period of the events they depict and concluded by the time of Solomon’s reign (around 950 B.C.).

#14 Book: Ecclesiastes

Author: The author of this book presented himself as “the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem,” and he also said, “I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 1:1,12 KJV). Note that “son of David” may also mean a descendant, not necessarily his son.

Some scholars question Solomon’s authorship because of the third person reference to the “Preacher” in Ecclesiastes 12:9-14. However, other scholars claim that those verses might have been a later addition by a second author, who compiled the book. The work of a later compiler/editor may also explain the unique literary style of this book.

When Written: If Solomon wrote this book, he did it late in his life. That would have been around 940 B.C.

Scholars that reject Solomon’s authorship, or at least argue in favor of a later editor, consider it a postexilic text, written as late as 200 B.C.

#15 Book: Job

Author: The author of the book of Job is unknown. Traditionally, Moses is considered the author, but there is no evidence to support that.

Most scholars debate whether this book was produced by one or more authors. The difference of style in the narrative and the speeches made scholars conclude that a late author wrote this book using preexisting material, probably passed along through oral tradition.

When Written: Scholars estimate, based on a careful study of the text, that the events narrated in Job happened during the patriarchal period (second millennium B.C.).

They estimate this book was written sometime between the reign of Solomon (tenth century B.C.) and the postexilic period (fifth century B.C.).

#16 Book: Jonah

Author: The book tells the story of the prophet Jonah, son of Amittai (Jonah 1:1), the most popular among the minor prophets. Most scholars agree that Jonah either wrote the book himself or was the author’s primary source. Since the book was written in the third person, the argument is stronger in favor of an unknown author.

When Written: A prophet called Jonah, son of Amittai, was active in Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II, between 793/92 and 753 B.C., according to 2 Kings 14:25. If Jonah is the author, he probably wrote the book around that time period.

Scholars who think the author of this book is unknown place its composition around the fifth or fourth century B.C. based on linguistic features.

#17 Book: Amos

Author: This book records the prophecies of Amos (Amos 1:1). Whether he wrote it himself or another unknown author did it cannot be determined with certainty.

When Written: The prophet Amos was active during the reigns of the king Uzziah in Judah, and king Jeroboam II in Israel (Amos 1:1), between 760 and 750 B.C. Scholars estimate that Amos or a scribe wrote the book within that time period.

#18 Book: Hosea

Author: Scholars cannot determine if the prophet Hosea wrote the book that records his prophecies himself (Hosea 1:1-2) or if an unknown author did it.

When Written: The prophet Hosea was active during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and Jeroboam II, king of Israel (Hosea 1:1). Scholars estimate the years of this ministry between 755 and 715 B.C. The book was probably written at the end of that time period, after the fall of Samaria (the capital of the northern kingdom) in 722 B.C.

#19 Book: Joel

Author: This book records the prophecies of Joel, the son of Pethuel (Joel 1:1). However, this information isn’t enough to determine with certainty who he was and whether he wrote the book himself.

When Written: The book doesn’t contain any references to kings or any other datable events, so it isn’t possible to date it with certainty. Scholars’ most common suggestion is that it was written between the fall of Samaria (the capital of the northern kingdom) in 722 B.C. and the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.

#20 Book: Micah

Author: Most scholars agree that the prophet Micah himself wrote parts of the book, specifically the prophecies of judgment. They consider the prophecies of hope (Micah 2:12-13; 4:1-5:9; 7:8-20) a later addition.

When Written: The prophet Micah was active during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah (Micah 1:1), between 750 and 686 B.C. Scholars estimate that Micah wrote his prophecies around 700 B.C. They also think that any later addition would have been done early in the seventh century B.C. because it was quoted by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 26:18) around 608 B.C.

#21 Book: Isaiah

Author: The book mentions only one author, the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz (Isaiah 1:1, 2:1, 13:1). The Jewish and Christian traditions agree with that.

However, many scholars have raised objections to the single author theory. They claim that differences in style and content in some parts of the book led them to identify at least three different authors:

• The prophet Isaiah himself is thought to have written chapters 1 to 39.
• A second author, an anonymous prophet, would have written chapters 40 to 55.
• A third author, another anonymous prophet, supposedly wrote chapters 56 to 66.

Scholars who agree that Isaiah wrote the entire book present many reasons to maintain the traditional single authorship position. Here are some of their arguments:

• An author’s style may change due to several reasons, like age, new experiences, purpose, audience, etc. Also, Isaiah could have used a disciple for the later chapters.
• There are some expressions used throughout the whole book that point to a single author. For example, Isaiah refers to God as “the Holy One of Israel” 12 times in chapters 1-39 and 14 times in chapters 40-66. Outside Isaiah, it is only used 6 times in the whole Old Testament. There are 25 other Hebrew words or expressions used throughout the whole book of Isaiah that are not used in any other parts of the Old Testament.
• Several quotes in the New Testament ascribe them to the prophet Isaiah. Matthew 3:3 (quoting Isaiah 40:3), Matthew 4:14-16 (quoting Isaiah 9:1-2), Romans 9:27-29 (quoting Isaiah 10:22-23 and 1:9), and Romans 10:20-21 (quoting Isaiah 65:1,2), all those texts assign to Isaiah quotes from the whole book, including chapters 40-66.
• The book doesn’t identify any other author. Also, there is no record anywhere else about other authors. Since Isaiah is one of the main prophets of the Old Testament, this silence regarding other authors cannot be ignored.
• One of the reasons some critical scholars question Isaiah’s authorship of chapters 40-48 is the precision of the future predictions about the exile in Babylon. Even though these predictions are accurate, there is no evidence in the text that the author was familiar with life in Babylon. That suggests that the author didn’t experience the Babylonian captivity but wrote about it through the Holy Spirit’s divine inspiration.

These are some of the reasons why many scholars agree that the prophet Isaiah wrote the whole book.

When Written: Many scholars believe that Isaiah was the single author of the entire book. They think he wrote chapters 1-39 not long after 701 B.C. (when the Assyrian army was destroyed – see Isaiah 37). They also believe he wrote chapters 40-66 near the end of his life, around 681 B.C.

Those who defend the three authors theory claim that the second author would have written chapters 40-55 in the sixth century B.C., and the third author would have been a postexilic prophet, who wrote chapters 56-66 around 400 B.C.

#22 Book: Nahum

Author: This book contains the prophecies of Nahum, the Elkoshite (Nahum 1:1). There is no other evidence to confirm or deny his authorship.

When Written: The book anticipates the fall of Nineveh, which happened in 612 B.C. It mentions the destruction of Thebes in Egypt (Nahum 3:8-10), which happened in 663 B.C. So, scholars estimate it was written around 630 B.C.

#23 Book: Zephaniah

Author: The book contains the prophecies of Zephaniah, son of Cushi (Zephaniah 1:1). Due to his prominent social standing, he probably wrote the book himself.

When Written: The prophet Zephaniah was active during the reign of Josiah (Zephaniah 1:1), which took place from 640 to 609 B.C. Scholars estimate he wrote this book after the Book of the Law was found (2 Kings 22), around 622 B.C., but before the king’s reformation, in 628 B.C.

#24 Book: Habakkuk

Author: Due to the lack of more information, scholars assume that Habakkuk wrote this book himself (Habakkuk 1:1, 3:1).

When Written: Habakkuk predicted the Babylonian invasion (Habakkuk 1:6), so many scholars date this book after the reign of Josiah (640-609 B.C.), at the beginning of Jehoiakim’s (609-598 B.C.), between 612 and 605 B.C. Other scholars date it around 630 B.C., before Josiah’s reformation began.

#25 Book: Jeremiah

Author: The vast majority of the scholars agree that the prophet Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah (Jeremiah 1:1), wrote the book that bears his name. He dictated his prophecies to Baruch, the scribe (Jeremiah 36:4), who wrote them down.

When Written: Scholars estimate that the contents of the book cover Jeremiah’s ministry from 626 to 580 B.C. Also, scholars agree that chapter 52 was added later, possibly by Baruch, after Jehoiakim’s release, around 561-560 B.C.

#26 Book: Daniel

Author: In the Christian Bible, the book of Daniel is located between the major prophets and the minor prophets. The vast majority of scholars classify it as a major prophet. In the Hebrew Bible, it is in the major division called Writings, not in Prophets. Daniel is mostly known for being thrown into the lions’ den for refusing to suspend his daily prayer to God, one of the most popular passages of the Bible among people today.

The author of the book introduces himself as Daniel (Daniel 7:28; 8:1,15; 9:2; 10:2). Jesus quoted from this book and attributed it to the prophet Daniel (Matthew 24:15-16).

Some scholars question the authorship of the visions because they refer to Daniel in the third person (Daniel 7:1, 10:1). Those scholars think that those texts might have been written by someone else close to Daniel.

When Written: The events of the book spanned between 605 B.C. (Daniel 1:1) and 536 B.C. (Daniel 10:1). So, most scholars think that the book was completed by 530 B.C.

#27 Book: Ezekiel

Author: The book records the visions of Ezekiel, the priest (Ezekiel 1:3). The use of first-person pronouns since the very first verse suggests that Ezekiel himself is the author.

A few scholars challenged his authorship, claiming this is a postexilic work, but the vast majority consider these claims unfounded.

When Written: Unlike other prophetic books, the author recorded the dates of Ezekiel’s prophecies. Based on those dates, scholars determined that the book contains historical records from 593 to 571 B.C., covering 22 years of Ezekiel’s ministry.

#28 Book: Lamentations

Author: This book is anonymous. The Septuagint and the Jewish tradition attribute it to Jeremiah due to 2 Chronicles 35:25. However, that verse refers to the death of Josiah, not the fall of Jerusalem, which is the theme of the lamentations in this book. But since no author is identified, Jeremiah is considered a viable option.

When Written: Most scholars think that the book was written by an eyewitness of the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C., and he probably wrote the book shortly after, no later than 575 B.C.

#29 Book: Obadiah

Author: There is no information about the author other than his name (Obadiah 1:1). This is not the same person mentioned in 1 Kings 18:3–16. Obadiah, which means “the Lord’s servant,” was a common name in the Old Testament times, which makes it harder to identify this author.

When Written: The book doesn’t mention the name of any king that would help determine the date of its writing. Scholars think that Obadiah 1:11-17 indicates that a major calamity had just befallen Jerusalem. They say that it was most likely the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. If so, this book was probably written shortly after that, no later than 553 B.C.

#30 Book: 1 Kings

Author: The author of 1 and 2 Kings is unknown. Both books were originally written as one single volume. They were split into two parts by the translators of the Septuagint.

According to the Jewish tradition, 1 and 2 Kings were written by Jeremiah, but most scholars today rule out this possibility. They believe 1 and 2 Kings were written/compiled by an unknown Judahite exile.

When Written: Together, 1 and 2 Kings comprise a book of history that tells us about the kings of Israel, from the death of King David to the fall of Jerusalem and the Babylonian captivity.

There is evidence in the text that parts of both books were written before their final edition. For example, 1 Kings 8:8 speaks of the Temple as if it were still there when the text was written, but the Temple was destroyed in 2 Kings 25:8-17. Three external sources were cited (1 Kings 11:41; 14:19, 29). Scholars also believe that the author used the books of Jeremiah and Isaiah as sources as well.

The ending of the second book indicates that 1 and 2 Kings were written/compiled after Jehoiakim’s release from prison in 562 B.C (2 Kings 25:27-30), but before the end of the Babylonian exile in 538 B.C.

#31 Book: 2 Kings

Author: Refer to the discussion of the book of 1 Kings, above.

When Written: Refer to the discussion of the book of 1 Kings, above.

#32 Book: Haggai

Author: Most scholars agree that the prophet Haggai wrote this book (Haggai 1:1).

When Written: Haggai dated his prophecies, which he delivered between August and December of 520 B.C. These dates show us a special relationship between the book of Haggai and the book of Zechariah: these prophets were active in the same time period. On one occasion, they prophesized in alternate months of the same year.

#33 Book: Zechariah

Author: The book contains the prophecies of Zechariah, son of Berechiah (Zechariah 1:1). Many scholars agree with the tradition that he is the author of this book.

However, since the seventeenth century, scholars have argued that he only wrote the first eight chapters. They claim chapters 9 to 11 were written later by a second author, and chapters 12 to 14 were written by a third author, both unknown. The opinion among modern scholars is divided.

When Written: The first eight chapters were dated: the messages were delivered from 520 to 518 B.C. Most scholars think that Zechariah wrote the rest of the book later in his life, between 500 and 470 B.C. Those who think that two other authors wrote the last six chapters estimate that the book was completed around 160 B.C.

#34 Book: 1 Chronicles

Author: The books of 1 and 2 Chronicles are anonymous. According to tradition, the priest Ezra wrote Chronicles (the division into two books came much later), Ezra and Nehemiah. Most scholars agree with that view. They claim that there are similarities in the vocabulary, themes, and concerns among those books. They also point out how the book of Ezra seems to pick up where 2 Chronicles left off (compare 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 with Ezra 1:1-4).

Scholars who don’t agree with this view claim that there are many distinctions between Ezra-Nehemiah and Chronicles. However, those distinctions can be easily explained by the fact that the author of 1 and 2 Chronicles may have used a variety of external written sources to compile the books. He may have quoted those original sources verbatim instead of rewriting them to match his style.

When Written: Most scholars date 1 and 2 Chronicles to the second half of the fifth century B.C., which matches Ezra’s lifetime.

#35 Book: 2 Chronicles

Author: Refer to the discussion of the book of 1 Chronicles, above.

When Written: Refer to the discussion of the book of 1 Chronicles, above.

#36 Book: Ezra

Author: The Hebrew Bible treats Ezra and Nehemiah as one book. Origen (A. D. 185-253) was the first writer to separate them, calling them 1 Ezra and 2 Ezra.

The book of Ezra is anonymous. It contains some narratives in the first person (Ezra 7:27-28; 8:15-34; 9:1-15), which suggests autobiographical content. Traditionally, Ezra the priest is considered the author of both books.

When Written: Scholars date the book of Ezra sometime after 440 B.C.

#37 Book: Nehemiah

Author: The book of Nehemiah records the “words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah” (Nehemiah 1:1 KJV). It contains narratives in the first person but, traditionally, Ezra the priest is considered the author of this book, not Nehemiah. In the Hebrew Bible, Ezra and Nehemiah are one single volume called Ezra.

When Written: Scholars date the book of Nehemiah sometime after 430 B.C.

#38 Book: Esther

Author: The book doesn’t mention any author. Scholars can only affirm that the author is a Jew familiar with Persian customs, but he is unknown.

When Written: Most scholars agree that the book was written sometime after 460 B.C., when the events in the book occurred, and before 350 B.C., when Greece conquered the Persian Empire.

#39 Book: Malachi

Author: There are two major theories regarding the identification of the author of this book:

• Some scholars think that the word “Malachi” in Malachi 1:1, which means “my messenger,” is not a proper name. So, it doesn’t designate a specific prophet but an unknown “messenger.”
• Other scholars argue that the grammatical construction in Malachi 1:1 indicates that Malachi was the prophet’s proper name.

When Written: Based on clues from the text, scholars place Malachi during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, between 450 and 430 B.C.

#40 Book: Galatians

Author: The author introduces himself as the apostle Paul (Galatians 1:1). This author shares many personal experiences that allow no dispute to Paul’s authorship.

When Written: Scholars present three possibilities:

• Most scholars affirm Paul wrote this letter to the South Galatians while he was in Syrian Antioch, in A.D. 48-49. In this case, Galatians would be Paul’s earliest letter, the first one in chronological sequence of writing.
• Other scholars affirm that Paul was in Syrian Antioch or Corinth, and he wrote the letter to the South Galatians between A.D. 51 and 53.
• Yet another group of scholars thinks Paul wrote this letter to the North Galatians in A.D. 53-57.

#41 Book: 1 Thessalonians

Author: Even though Silas and Timothy are mentioned as co-senders in 1 Thessalonians 1:1, most scholars identify Paul as the primary author due to his writing style and the usage of the pronoun “I” in 1 Thessalonians 2:18, 3:5 and 5:27. Early church writers also support Paul’s authorship, like Marcion in A.D. 140.

When Written: Most scholars date this letter between A.D. 50 and 52, during Paul’s ministry in Corinth.

#42 Book: 2 Thessalonians

Author: The senders of 2 Thessalonians are Paul, Silas, and Timothy. However, Paul’s authorship is more debated.

Some scholars point out differences in the vocabulary, literary style, and theology when compared to the first letter and other letters by Paul.

Those who confirm Paul’s authorship argue that those differences are not substantial enough to disprove the Pauline source.

When Written: Scholars think that this letter was written shortly after the first one. So, they estimate that it was written between A.D. 51 and 52.

#43 Book: 1 Corinthians

Author: The apostle Paul is the author of this letter, and Sosthenes is the co-sender (1 Corinthians 1:1). Paul’s authorship is confirmed by early church fathers, like Clement of Rome (A.D. 96).

When Written: Most scholars date this letter to A.D. 54-55, based on the chronology of Paul’s travels in Acts. He wrote this letter while he was in Ephesus (1 Corinthians 16:8).

#44 Book: 2 Corinthians

Author: The apostle Paul is the author of this letter, and Timothy is the co-sender (2 Corinthians 1:1). Paul’s authorship is not disputed.

However, many contemporary scholars argue that this epistle was not originally written as a single letter, but it was compiled out of several smaller letters.

When Written: Scholars believe that this letter was written around A.D. 55.

#45 Book: Romans

Author: The apostle Paul is the author of this letter (Romans 1:1). There has been no serious dispute about that.

When Written: Even though a few scholars disagree, most of them set the date of this letter to around A.D. 57.

#46 Book: Mark

Author: Even though the book doesn’t identify the author, Christian tradition and scholars agree that it was written by John Mark (Acts 12:12, 25; 15:37, Colossians 4:10), or simply Mark, his Greek name.

The most significant evidence comes from the writing of an early church father, Papias (around A.D. 125). He quoted another church father, John the Elder (from around A.D. 90), who claimed that Mark was Peter’s close associate (1 Peter 5:13), from whom he received the teachings he used as the source for this book.

When Written: Most scholars think that Mark wrote this gospel while Peter was still alive, and date it between the late A.D. 50s and early 60s.

#47 Book: James

Author: The author identifies himself as “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (James 1:1 KJV). There are a few known people named James in the New Testament:

• The son of Zebedee and brother of John, one of the Twelve (Mark 1:19, 3:17).
• The son of Alphaeus, one of the Twelve (Mark 3:18).
• The father or brother of Judas (Luke 6:16, Acts 1:13).
• The brother of Jesus (Galatians 1:19).

According to scholars, it is unlikely that the son of Zebedee is the author of this epistle because he died too early, around 44 A.D. (Acts 12:2).

Scholars claim that, due to the simple introduction and the implied authority of the author, it is likely that he was a well-known leader. The best match among these key characters is the brother of Jesus. He was one of the leaders in the Jerusalem church (Acts 12:17, 15:13, 21:18), and probably the same person mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:7, Galatians 2:9, and Jude 1:1.

When Written: Most scholars date this letter to the early A.D. 60s. Some scholars, however, claim that clues from the text indicate an earlier date, possibility before A.D. 50. They agree that this was the first of the general letters of the New Testament to be written.

#48 Book: Ephesians

Author: Most scholars agree that the apostle Paul is the author of this letter. He identified himself as the author (Ephesians 1:1 and 3:1), and he mentions personal experiences that match known episodes from Paul’s life (Ephesians 3:1-13, 4:1, 6:19-20).

Those who disagree with the Pauline authorship refer mainly to its writing style, which they argue is different from other known letters of Paul.

When Written: Scholars think that Paul wrote the letter between A.D. 60 and 62, during his imprisonment in Rome (Ephesians 3:1; 4:1; 6:20). Those who don’t agree with Paul’s authorship date the letter between A.D. 70 and 90.

#49 Book: Philippians

Author: There is little dispute to the apostle Paul’s authorship (Philippians 1:1).

A few scholars argue that this letter was a composition of several letters the apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians, but most don’t agree with that theory.

Also, some scholars, like H. Koester, question the origin of the “hymn” in Philippians 2:5-11, claiming that it might be an earlier writing that Paul quoted.

When Written: There isn’t much information that can help establish a precise date when Paul wrote this letter. We know that he was incarcerated (Philippians 1:13), so there are a few options, depending on where he was when he wrote it:

• Rome: between A.D. 60 and 62.
• Ephesus: between A.D. 54 and 57.
• Corinth: around A.D. 50.
• Caesarea: between A.D. 57 and 60.

Most scholars agree that the reference to “Caesar’s household” (Philippians 4:22 KJV) indicates that Paul was more likely in Rome, even though Caesarea is also a possibility.

#50 Book: Colossians

Author: The apostle Paul is identified as the author of this letter (Colossians 1:1, 1:23, 4:18), and Timothy is the co-sender (Colossians 1:1).

Some contemporary scholars claim that the language and some aspects of the theology don’t match Paul’s other letters.

Other scholars are in favor of Paul’s authorship. They also argue that this letter is too short to demonstrate that Paul didn’t write it based solely upon differences in style.

When Written: Most scholars think that Paul wrote this letter while he was incarcerated, most likely in Rome (Caesarea is another possibility), at around A.D. 60.

#51 Book: Philemon

Author: There is a consensus among contemporary scholars that the apostle Paul wrote this letter (Philemon 1:1). Paul cites Timothy as co-sender (Philemon 1:1).

When Written: Paul wrote this letter during his imprisonment (Philemon 1:1), probably in Rome. So, most scholars estimate it was around A.D. 60.

#52 Book: Matthew

Author: Although there is no information about the author in this book, early church writers are unanimous in ascribing it to Matthew, also called Levi, one of the 12 apostles (Matthew 9:9-13).

Due to similarities between the gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke, they are called the synoptic gospels. Scholars have come up with a few theories to try to explain those similarities.

The most common theory among scholars asserts that Matthew and Luke used Mark and an unknown source called “Q” (from the German word Quelle, which means “source”) as primary sources to write their own gospel accounts. However, there is no evidence of the existence of this source “Q.”

That theory has led some modern scholars to doubt Matthew’s authorship. Among other reasons, they question why would Matthew, an eyewitness, use a source from someone who wasn’t an eyewitness?

Those who defend Matthew’s authorship claim that Matthew may have used the gospel of Mark because of Peter’s authority behind it.

When Written: There has been much debate about the dating of Matthew’s gospel. Some scholars suggest it was written in the 50s or 60s, before the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Others claim it was later, between A.D. 70 and 80.

#53 Book: Luke

Author: This book is anonymous, but evidence from early church writers and early manuscripts identify Luke as the author. The gospel of Luke and the book of Acts are considered a two-volume document that Luke wrote to record Jesus’s life, the early church, and Paul’s life. The openings in Luke 1:1-4 and Acts 1:1-2 make it clear that the same author wrote both books.

Although Luke wasn’t an eyewitness, he makes it clear in the first four verses of this book that he had made a careful investigation of the facts, and he used accounts from eyewitnesses in his research (Luke 1:1-4).

Modern scholars believe that Luke used the gospel of Mark and an unknown source called “Q” in his work (refer to the discussion of the gospel of Matthew above for more information about this theory and the synoptic gospels). This theory is disputed for the lack of external evidence.

When Written: Most scholars agree that Luke wrote his gospel when Mark’s was already in circulation. They believe that Luke started writing his gospel after Paul was imprisoned but before his sentencing in Rome. Based on those assumptions, they date Luke’s gospel to A.D. 61-62.

#54 Book: Acts of the Apostles

Author: Considering the type of literature, this is the only historical book in the New Testament. It is an anonymous book, but all known evidence from the early church, dating back to the second century, points to Luke as the author of the book of Acts. Few scholars question this tradition. Luke was a physician (Colossians 4:14), which indicates he was well-educated, and a companion of the apostle Paul (2 Timothy 4:11, Philemon 1:24). Based on the “we” passages in Acts (16:9-17, 20:5-15, 21:1-18, 27:1-28:16), where the author includes himself in the narrative, scholars conclude that he was an associate of Paul, which is another argument in favor of Luke’s authorship.

When Written: The possible dates for the writing of this book range from A.D. 62, when the last event recorded took place, to the middle of the second century, which is the date of the first known mention of the book.

Most scholars are in favor of an early writing, around A.D. 62, because the book doesn’t mention Paul’s martyrdom (between A.D. 64 and 67) or the severe persecution that begun under the emperor Nero in A.D. 64.

#55 Book: 1 Peter

Author: The author identifies himself as Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:1). Evidence from early church writers is strong that the apostle Peter did write it. The author mentions that Silas helped him write the letter (1 Peter 5:12).

When Written: Most scholars think that Peter wrote this letter shortly before his martyrdom under the emperor Nero (between A.D. 64 and 68), but not before this arrival in Rome in the early 60s. So, a reasonable date is around A.D. 62 and 63.

#56 Book: Titus

Author: The Church tradition identifies the apostle Paul as the writer of this letter (Titus 1:1). Some modern scholars have questioned Paul’s authorship, but others claim the arguments aren’t strong enough.

When Written: Most scholars believe that Paul wrote this letter after his release from his imprisonment in Rome, about the same time when he wrote 1 Timothy, between A.D. 63 and 65.

#57 Book: 1 Timothy

Author: Christian Tradition and modern scholars claim that the apostle Paul wrote this letter to his disciple Timothy (1 Timothy 1:1-2).

Some contemporary scholars question the authorship of all pastoral letters (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus) based on the writing style. Most scholars claim that the evidence critics raise is not enough to doubt Paul’s authorship.

When Written: There isn’t significant evidence in the letter as to when it was written. Most scholars think that Paul wrote it after his release from prison in Rome, between A.D. 63 and 65.

#58 Book: 2 Timothy

Author: As with 1 Timothy, tradition says that the apostle Paul wrote this letter to his disciple Timothy (2 Timothy 1:1-2) when he was contemplating his death (2 Timothy 4:6–8).

Contemporary scholars question the Pauline authorship based on the style of the letter, but other scholars claim there isn’t enough evidence to doubt Paul’s authorship.

When Written: Eusebius dated the martyrdom of Paul to A.D. 67. So, scholars estimate that Paul wrote this letter about a year before that, in A.D. 66.

Some modern scholars claim that Paul was executed between A.D. 64 and 65, so he would have penned the letter shortly before that.

#59 Book: 2 Peter

Author: The author of this letter introduces himself as “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1 KJV). However, there isn’t confirmation from the early church about it. This letter wasn’t associated with Peter until Origen’s time (A.D. 185-253).

Some scholars question Peter’s authorship, especially because of the difference in style when compared to 1 Peter. Those who defend Peter’s authorship argue that the differences can be explained by the fact that Silas isn’t mentioned here as a helper in writing the letter, which may have influenced the style of the first letter.

When Written: Peter was martyred around A.D. 64-68, under the emperor Nero. So, scholars estimate the letter was written shortly before his death, at around A.D. 65.

#60 Book: Hebrews

Author: Hebrews is an anonymous letter. Tradition says it was written by Paul, but the vast majority of modern scholars reject this theory. Among other reasons against the Pauline authorship, Hebrews 2:3 indicates that the author received the gospel from someone else, while Paul stated that he had received it from the Lord Himself (Galatians 1:11-17).

Many names have been suggested across the centuries, like Luke, Barnabas, Clement of Rome, Apollos, Priscilla, Silas, Epaphras, Timothy. However, there is no strong evidence in favor of any of them.

When Written: Scholars think Hebrews was written before the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. So, they suggest A.D. 60 to 70 as the probable date of its writing.

#61 Book: Jude

Author: The author of Jude introduced himself as “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James” (Jude 1:1 KJV). In the Christian Bible, the only Jude (or Judas) brother of James was the brother of the Lord (Mark 6:3). This conclusion matches the tradition of the early church.

When Written: Some scholars claim that 2 Peter borrowed content from this letter. If so, then it must have been written before 2 Peter. So, scholars date this letter to no later than A.D. 68. Of course, the borrowing could have happened the other way around.

#62 Book: John

Author: The author of this gospel is not named, but we know that he was a disciple of Jesus and a witness of the events he narrated. He also called himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 21:20 KJV). According to an early tradition of the church, the author is the apostle John, the son of Zebedee.

When Written: Even though this is one of the first books in the New Testament, most scholars believe it was one of the last books to be written. They suggest a late date, around A.D. 85, after the other three gospels and most of the epistles were already written. Other scholars claim that John didn’t use the other gospels, so he could have written it much earlier. These scholars suggest a date before the fall of Jerusalem (A.D. 70), as early as the 50s. Considering all possibilities, scholar’s estimates span from A.D. 55 to 95.

#63 Book: 1 John

Author: The author doesn’t identify himself. There are many similarities between this letter and the gospel of John that led scholars to conclude that both were written by the same author. A few scholars have pointed out some differences between them, but the similarities far outnumber them. Also, in 1 John 1:1-3, the author stated that he was an eyewitness to Jesus’s ministry. He affirmed he had heard, seen with his own eyes, and touched Jesus.

Early church fathers like Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and Origen affirm that the apostle John wrote the letters we know as 1, 2 and 3 John. Based on this and other evidence, most scholars also agree with the apostle John’s authorship of the three letters.

When Written: Since neither one of the three letters of John have any indication of when they were written, scholars date them based on some textual clues. For example, the author refers to his readers as “children”, which indicates that he is an elder. The book of 1 John confronts an early form of Gnosticism, a second-century heresy.

Based on these and other clues, scholars estimate that the three letters of John were written near the end of the first century, between A.D. 85 and 95.

#64 Book: 2 John

Author: The author identifies himself simply as “the elder” (2 John 1:1 KJV). According to tradition, this letter was written by the apostle John. Scholars see no reason to doubt John’s authorship, considering the similarities of this letter to 1 John and the gospel of John. Refer to the discussion of 1 John above for more information.

When Written: This letter was probably written around the same time as 1 John. Refer to the discussion of 1 John above for more information.

#65 Book: 3 John

Author: As in 2 John, the author introduces himself as “the elder” (3 John 1:1 KJV). According to Christian tradition, this third letter was also written by the apostle John. Due to similarities to 1 and 2 John, scholars agree with John’s authorship. Refer to the discussion of 1 John above for more information.

This is the shortest book of the Bible, containing only 219 words in the original Greek language.

When Written: This letter was probably written around the same time as 1 and 2 John. Refer to the discussion of 1 John above for more information.

#66 Book: Revelation

Author: The book of Revelation is usually associated with the second coming of Christ and the end times. In terms of literary genre, it is the only prophecy book in the New Testament.

The book’s author identifies himself simply as “his servant John” (Revelation 1:1 KJV). According to the Church tradition, it was the apostle John who wrote this book.

In the third century, a bishop called Dionysius compared the style and language of the gospel of John and the book of Revelation, and he concluded that they were not written by the same author. So, he attributed Revelation to another John, called “the Elder.”

However, other early church writers like Justin, Irenaeus, and Polycarp affirmed that the apostle John was indeed the author of this book. This is the position widely accepted today.

When Written: The book of Revelation was the last book written of the entire Bible. Most scholars date it to A.D. 95-96 based on a quote by Irenaeus (from “Against Heresies,” 5.30.3), an early church father, who said that John received this vision towards the end of Domitian’s reign.

Take your time to study this Bible timeline. Among other Bible reading plans, a chronological Bible reading is the best way to understand the historical order of well-known passages of the Bible and the whole biblical history. You can use the information in this article during your reading of the Bible to go deeper into the Word of the Lord and grow in the knowledge of God through the Holy Spirit.

• A Survey of the Old Testament, Second Edition, by Andrew E. Hill & J. H. Walton.
• An Introduction to the New Testament, Second Edition, by D. A. Carson & Douglas J. Moo.
• NIV Archaeological Study Bible, by Duane Garrett and Walter C. Kaiser Jr.
• NIV Study Bible, by Kenneth Barker.
• NIV Zondervan Study Bible, by D. A. Carson.

66 Books of the Bible List (In Order With Summaries)

There are 66 books of the Bible that are divided into two sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament.

This guide includes a list of the 66 Bible books in order as they appear in the Holy Scriptures we read today in modern Bible translations followed by short summaries of each book of the Bible for historical context.

66 Books of the Bible List

Old testament books.

• Deuteronomy
• 1 Chronicles
• 2 Chronicles
• Ecclesiastes
• Song of Solomon
• Lamentations

New Testament Books

• 1 Corinthians
• 2 Corinthians
• Philippians
• 1 Thessalonians
• 2 Thessalonians

Note: In the next section, the years written for each book of the Bible in the list order are approximations based on historical analysis and Bible dating methods.

66 Bible Books In Order With Summaries

Attributed Author: Moses Year Written: 1445-1405 B.C. Genre: The Law Chapters: 50

The Book of Genesis is the first book of the Bible, recording God’s Creation, the fall of man, the choosing of a family to bless all nations, and the early years of the nation of Israel.

Attributed Author: Moses Year Written: 1445-1405 B.C. Genre: The Law Chapters: 40

In the Book of Exodus , God appoints Moses as the leader of the Israelites to rescue his chosen people from slavery in Egypt so they could travel to the Promised Land and makes a covenant with them at Mount Sinai.

3. Leviticus

Attributed Author: Moses Year Written: 1445-1405 B.C. Genre: The Law Chapters: 27

In the Book of Leviticus , God gives Israel laws for worship and holy living. The book documents both God’s holiness and the holiness He expects of His people.

Attributed Author: Moses Year Written: 1445-1405 B.C. Genre: The Law Chapters: 36

The Book of Numbers is the culmination of the story of Israel’s exodus from oppression in Egypt and their journey wandering in the wilderness for 40 years because of their disobedience and lack of faith until they take possession of the land God promised their fathers.

5. Deuteronomy

Attributed Author: Moses Year Written: 1445-1405 B.C. Genre: The Law Chapters: 34

The Book of Deuteronomy records Moses’ farewell speech that recounts the law and exhorts Israel to love and obey God in the Promised Land.

Attributed Author: Joshua Year Written: 1405-1385 B.C. Genre: Historical Narrative Chapters: 24

The Book of Joshua explains Joshua leads Israel to conquer and settle in the Promised Land. The book displays God’s faithfulness to his covenant with the Israelites to bring them into the land he promised to Abraham. 

Attributed Author: Samuel Year Written: 1045-1000 B.C. Genre: Historical Narrative Chapters: 21

In the Book of Judges , Israel falls into a cycle of sin, oppression, repentance, and ultimately, deliverance. God sent twelve “judges” who were leaders in the tribes of Israel who were chosen to deliver the Israelites from their enemies. 

Attributed Author: Samuel Year Written: 1030-930 B.C. Genre: Historical Narrative Chapters: 4

The Book of Ruth shares the story of a Moabite widow who shows loyalty to her mother-in-law Naomi and marries Boaz, becoming an ancestor of David and Jesus.

9. 1 Samuel

Attributed Authors: Prophets Samuel, Gad, and Nathan Year Written: 930-722 B.C. Genre: Historical Narrative Chapters: 31

In the Book of 1 Samuel , the Prophet Samuel anoints Saul as Israel’s first king but later rejects him and anoints David instead.

10. 2 Samuel

Attributed Authors: Prophets Samuel, Gad, and Nathan Year Written: 930-722 B.C. Genre: Historical Narrative Chapters: 24

The Book of 2 Samuel continues the story about David becoming king of Israel and expanding his kingdom while facing troubles from his enemies and his own sins.

11. 1 Kings

Attributed Author: Jeremiah Year Written: 560-538 B.C. Genre: Historical Narrative Chapters: 22

In the Book of 1 Kings , King Solomon builds the temple and rules wisely, but after his death, the kingdom is divided into Israel and Judah.

12. 2 Kings

Attributed Author: Jeremiah Year Written: 560-538 B.C. Genre: Historical Narrative Chapters: 25

The Book of 2 Kings recounts how the kings of Israel and Judah mostly do evil in God’s sight, leading to the destruction of both kingdoms by foreign powers.

13. 1 Chronicles

Attributed Author: Ezra Year Written: 450-425 B.C. Genre: Historical Narrative Chapters: 29

The Book of 1 Chronicles is a genealogy from Adam to David, followed by a history of David’s reign over Israel.

14. 2 Chronicles

Attributed Author: Ezra Year Written: 450-425 B.C. Genre: Historical Narrative Chapters: 36

The Book of 2 Chronicles is a continuation of the previous book of the Bible. This book recounts the history of the kings of Judah from Solomon to the Babylonian exile, emphasizing their faithfulness or unfaithfulness to God.

Attributed Author: Ezra Year Written: 440-300 B.C. Genre: Historical Narrative Chapters: 10

In the Book of Ezra , a scribe and priest named Ezra leads a group of exiles to return to Jerusalem to restore the temple and the law.

16. Nehemiah

Attributed Author: Nehemiah Year Written: 445-400 B.C. Genre: Historical Narrative Chapters: 13

The Book of Nehemiah shares how King Artaxerxes’ cupbearer, Nehemiah, leads another group of exiles to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and reform the people’s spiritual life.

Attributed Authors: Mordecai, Ezra, and Nehemiah Year Written: 450-330 B.C. Genre: Historical Narrative Chapters: 10

In the Book of Esther , a Jewish woman named Esther becomes the queen of Persia and saves her people from a plot to exterminate them.

Attributed Authors: Job, Elihu, Moses, and Solomon Year Written: Unknown (possibly 1440-950 B.C.) Genre: Wisdom Literature Chapters: 42

The Book of Job shares the story about a righteous man named Job who suffers greatly at the hands of Satan, and questions God’s justice, but ultimately trusts God’s wisdom and sovereignty under all circumstances.

Attributed Authors: David, Asaph, Solomon, Heman, Ethan, Moses, and the Sons of Korah Year Written: 1500-450 B.C. Genre: Poetry Chapters: 150

The Book of Psalms is a collection of 150 songs, prayers, and poems that express the emotions, experiences, and faith of God’s people.

20. Proverbs

Attributed Authors: Solomon, Agur, and Lemuel Year Written: 970-680 B.C. Genre: Wisdom Literature Chapters: 31

The Book of Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings that teach how to live according to God’s wisdom and fear. King Solomon is credited for 29 of the Proverbs, while Agur and Lemuel for 1 each.

21. Ecclesiastes

Attributed Author: Solomon Year Written: 940-930B.C. Genre: Wisdom Literature Chapters: 12

In the Book of Ecclesiastes , a teacher reflects on the meaninglessness of life under the sun and concludes that fearing God and keeping his commandments is the whole duty of man.

22. Song of Solomon (Song of Songs)

Attributed Author: Solomon Year Written: 970-930 B.C. Genre: Poetry Chapters: 8

The Song of Solomon Book in the Bible is a poetic dialogue between a bride and groom that celebrates the beauty and joy of marital love. The book gets its title from King Solomon whose name is repeatedly mentioned throughout the songs. The Song of Solomon is also called the Canticle of Canticles or Song of Songs.

Attributed Author: Isaiah Year Written: 700-680 B.C. Genre: Prophecy Chapters: 66

The Book of Isaiah is the first book of the Major Prophets. Isaiah prophesies God’s judgment and salvation for Judah, Israel, and the nations, pointing to the coming Messiah and his glorious kingdom.

24. Jeremiah

Attributed Author: Jeremiah Year Written: 627-586 B.C. Genre: Prophecy Chapters: 52

In the Book of Jeremiah , the Prophet Jeremiah warns Judah of God’s impending wrath for their sins but also promises restoration and a new covenant in the future.

25. Lamentations

Attributed Author: Jeremiah Year Written: 586-575 B.C. Genre: Prophecy Chapters: 5

In the Book of Lamentations , the Prophet Jeremiah laments over the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon, expressing grief, anger, sorrow, and hope in God’s mercy.

26. Ezekiel

Attributed Author: Ezekiel Year Written: 593-565 B.C. Genre: Prophecy Chapters: 48

In the Book of Ezekiel , the Prophet Ezekiel prophesies God’s judgment on Judah and the nations, but also His restoration of Israel in a new temple and a new land.

Attributed Author: Daniel Year Written: 536-530 B.C. Genre: Prophecy Chapters: 12

The Book of Daniel records the story of Daniel, a Jewish youth who is taken to Babylon and trained for service in Nebuchadnezzar’s Court. Daniel interprets dreams and visions that reveal God’s sovereignty over history and His plan for the end times.

Attributed Author: Hosea Year Written: 750-710 B.C. Genre: Prophecy Chapters: 14

The Book of Hosea is the first book of the Minor Prophets in the Bible. Hosea portrays God’s faithful love for His unfaithful people metaphorically through Hosea’s own marriage to an adulterous wife.

Attributed Author: Joel Year Written: 835-800 B.C. Genre: Prophecy Chapters: 3

In the Book of Joel , the Prophet Joel calls Judah to repentance in view of a locust plague that foreshadows the day of the Lord.

Attributed Author: Amos Year Written: 760-750 B.C. Genre: Prophecy Chapters: 9

In the Book of Amos , the Prophet Amos denounces the social injustice and religious hypocrisy of Israel and Judah and warns them of God’s impending judgment.

31. Obadiah

Attributed Author: Obadiah Year Written: 850-840 B.C. Genre: Prophecy Chapters: 1

In the Book of Obadiah , the Prophet Obadiah pronounces God’s wrath on Edom for their pride and hostility against Israel.

Attributed Author: Unknown (attributed to Jonah) Year Written: 785-750 B.C. Genre: Prophecy Chapters: 4

The Book of Jonah recounts the story of the Prophet Jonah who flees from God’s call to preach to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. After being swallowed and vomited by a fish, he reluctantly obeys the Lord and sees the city repent.

Attributed Author: Micah Year Written: 735-700 B.C. Genre: Prophecy Chapters: 7

In the Book of Micah , the Prophet Micah exposes the corruption and idolatry of Israel and Judah, and predicts their downfall as well as their future restoration by a ruler from Bethlehem. This book of the Bible also includes some of the clearest predictions of the Messiah.

Attributed Author: Nahum Year Written: 663-612 B.C. Genre: Prophecy Chapters: 3

In the Book of Nahum , the Prophet Nahum declares God’s vengeance on Nineveh (around 100-150 years after Jonah) for their cruelty and wickedness.

35. Habakkuk

Attributed Author: Habakkuk Year Written: 615-605 B.C. Genre: Prophecy Chapters: 3

In the Book of Habakkuk , the Prophet Habakkuk questions God’s justice in allowing Babylon to oppress Judah but learns to trust God’s sovereignty and rejoice in His salvation.

36. Zephaniah

Attributed Author: Zephaniah Year Written: 640-620 B.C. Genre: Prophecy Chapters: 3

In the Book of Zephaniah , the Prophet Zephaniah proclaims God’s judgment on Judah and the nations, but also His promise to preserve a faithful remnant and bless them with joy and peace.

Attributed Author: Haggai Year Written: 520 B.C. Genre: Prophecy Chapters: 2

In the Book of Haggai , the Prophet Haggai urges the returned exiles to rebuild the temple and assures them of God’s presence and blessing.

38. Zechariah

Attributed Author: Zechariah Year Written: 520-470 B.C. Genre: Prophecy Chapters: 14

In the Book of Zechariah , the Prophet Zechariah encourages the returned exiles to complete the temple and prepare for the coming of the Lord and His messianic king. This book includes eight visions the Lord gave Zechariah about the House of Israel.

39. Malachi

Attributed Author: Malachi Year Written: 440-400 B.C. Genre: Prophecy Chapters: 4

The Book of Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament in the Bible. The Prophet Malachi rebukes the priests and the people for their covenant unfaithfulness and calls them to repentance and reformation. The book expresses God’s love for a nation that continues to disobey Him.

40. Matthew

Attributed Author: Matthew Year Written: 50-65 A.D. Genre: Gospel Chapters: 28

The Book of Matthew is the first book of the New Testament. Also known as the Gospel of Matthew. The book presents Jesus as the Messiah, the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies, and the King of God’s kingdom.

Attributed Author: John Mark Year Written: 55-65 A.D. Genre: Gospel Chapters: 16

In the Book of Mark , Jesus is portrayed as the suffering servant; the Son of God who died as a ransom for sinners. Also known as the Gospel of Mark.

Attributed Author: Luke Year Written: 58-65 A.D. Genre: Gospel Chapters: 24

In the Book of Luke , Jesus is depicted as the Savior of all people, especially the poor, the outcasts, and the Gentiles. Also known as the Gospel of Luke.

Attributed Author: John Year Written: 80-95 A.D. Genre: Gospel Chapters: 21

The Book of John is the last of the four Gospels in the Bible. The Gospel of John is an eyewitness account that reveals Jesus as the Word of God, the source of eternal life, and the object of faith.

Attributed Author: Luke Year Written: 61-64 A.D. Genre: Historical Narrative Chapters: 28

The Book of Acts narrates the birth and growth of the Church through the power of the Holy Spirit and the witness of the apostles. Also known as the Acts of the Apostles.

Attributed Author: Paul Year Written: 56-58 A.D. Genre: Epistle Chapters: 16

The Book of Romans is the first Epistle (letter) in the Bible written by the Apostle Paul to the Christian Church in Rome. Romans explains the gospel of God’s righteousness that is revealed in Jesus Christ and received by faith. This book stands as the clearest and most systematic presentation of Christian doctrine in all the Scriptures. 

46. 1 Corinthians

Attributed Author: Paul Year Written: 55 A.D. Genre: Epistle Chapters: 16

The Book of 1 Corinthians is the first of two letters written by the Apostle Paul to the Church members in the city of Corinth. Paul addresses various problems and questions in the Corinthian Church, such as divisions, immorality, lawsuits, marriage, spiritual gifts, worship, resurrection, and love.

47. 2 Corinthians

Attributed Author: Paul Year Written: 55-56 A.D. Genre: Epistle Chapters: 13

The Book of 2 Corinthians is the second letter from the Apostle Paul to the Corinthian Church. Paul defends the apostolic ministry and authority against false teachers who boast in outward appearances and undermine the message of grace.

48. Galatians

Attributed Author: Paul Year Written: 49-50 A.D. Genre: Epistle Chapters: 6

The Book of Galatians is a letter from the Apostle Paul to the Christian Churches in Galatia. Paul confronts the Galatians for deserting the gospel of grace and turning to a different gospel of works. The book specifically addresses the problem of Jewish legalism and the fullness of salvation found in Jesus.

49. Ephesians

Attributed Author: Paul Year Written: 60-62 A.D. Genre: Epistle Chapters: 6

The Book of Ephesians is a letter from the Apostle Paul to the Church in Ephesus. The Epistle was written during Paul’s first imprisonment. Paul celebrates God’s glorious grace in Jesus Christ that unites Jews and Gentiles into one body, and instructs them how to live as God’s new creation by being fruitful followers of Christ.

50. Philippians

Attributed Author: Paul Year Written: 60-62 A.D. Genre: Epistle Chapters: 4

The Book of Philippians is a letter from the Apostle Paul to the Church in Philippi. Paul expresses joy, gratitude, and encouragement for the Philippians’ faith and partnership in the gospel. Themes include hardship, humility, love, service, hope beyond suffering, and God’s glory. 

51. Colossians

The Book of Colossians is a letter from the Apostle Paul to the Church in Colossae. Paul warns Christians against false teachings and emphasizes the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ in all things.

52. 1 Thessalonians

Attributed Authors: Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy Year Written: 49-51 A.D. Genre: Epistle Chapters: 5

The Book of 1 Thessalonians is the first of two letters written by the Apostle Paul, his companion Silvanus, and his disciple Timothy to the Church in Thessalonica, which consisted of a community of believers who had been Christians for only a short period of time. These men write to commend the Thessalonians for their steadfastness in persecution, instructing them on various matters of Christian living such as faith, hope, and love; and assuring them of Christ’s return.

53. 2 Thessalonians

Attributed Author: Paul Year Written: 49-51 A.D. Genre: Epistle Chapters: 3

The Book of 2 Thessalonians is the second letter from the Apostle Paul to the Church in Thessalonica, correcting some misunderstandings about the end times, urging them to remain faithful and diligent, and praying for their growth and protection.

54. 1 Timothy

Attributed Author: Paul Year Written: 62-66 A.D. Genre: Epistle Chapters: 6

The Book of 1 Timothy is the first of two letters from the Apostle Paul to his young protégé Timothy, giving him practical advice and instructions on how to lead and care for the Church in Ephesus.

55. 2 Timothy

Attributed Author: Paul Year Written: 66-67 A.D. Genre: Epistle Chapters: 4

The Book of 2 Timothy is the second letter from the Apostle Paul to Timothy, urging him to remain faithful to the gospel, endure hardship, and fulfill his ministry as Paul faces imminent death. The book is traditionally considered to be the last Epistle that Paul wrote before he died.

Attributed Author: Paul Year Written: 64-65 A.D. Genre: Epistle Chapters: 3

The Book of Titus is a letter from the Apostle Paul to his close companion Titus, instructing him on how to organize and oversee the Churches in Crete, and how to teach sound doctrine and godly living to various groups of people so that the good news of Jesus can transform Cretan culture from within. 

57. Philemon

Attributed Author: Paul Year Written: 57-62 A.D. Genre: Epistle Chapters: 1

The Book of Philemon is a personal letter from the Apostle Paul his friend Philemon, appealing to him to forgive and welcome back his runaway slave Onesimus, who had become a Christian under Paul’s ministry.

58. Hebrews

Attributed Author: Anonymous Year Written: 61-69 A.D. Genre: Epistle Chapters: 13

The Book of Hebrews is an anonymous letter to Jewish Christians, exhorting them not to abandon their faith in Jesus Christ, but to persevere and trust in His superior priesthood, sacrifice, and covenant.

Attributed Author: James Year Written: 44-49 A.D. Genre: Epistle Chapters: 5

The Book of James is a letter from the Apostle James to Jewish Christians scattered abroad, challenging them to show their faith by their works, and giving them practical wisdom for living godly lives. James was a half-brother of Jesus, but not the same James who was one of the original twelve apostles.

60. 1 Peter

Attributed Author: Peter Year Written: 60-65 A.D. Genre: Epistle Chapters: 5

The Book of 1 Peter is the first of two letters from the Apostle Peter to Christians suffering persecution in various regions of Asia Minor, encouraging them to stand firm in their hope, holiness, and humility as they follow the example of Christ. Peter was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ.

61. 2 Peter

Attributed Author: Peter Year Written: 65-68 A.D. Genre: Epistle Chapters: 3

The Book of 2 Peter is the second letter from the Apostle Peter to Christians in Asia Minor who were facing false teachers and scoffers, reminding them of the truth and power of God’s word, and urging them to grow in grace and knowledge of Christ.

Attributed Author: John Year Written: 85-95 A.D. Genre: Epistle Chapters: 5

The Book of 1 John is a letter to Christians who were confused by false teachers about the nature of Christ and the test of true fellowship with God, assuring them of the Lord’s love, light, and life in them. Although the author never identifies himself, the traditional view of this letter and the following two letters (the books of 2 John and 3 John) is that the Apostle John, son of Zebedee and one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, wrote them.

Attributed Author: John Year Written: 85-95 A.D. Genre: Epistle Chapters: 1

The Book of 2 John is a letter from the Apostle John to a lady and her children, whom he loved in the truth, warning them not to welcome or support those who deny that Jesus Christ came in the flesh.

The Book of 3 John is a letter from the Apostle John to his friend Gaius, whom he commended for his hospitality and faithfulness, contrasting him with Diotrephes, who was arrogant and divisive.

Attributed Author: Jude Year Written: 60-80 A.D. Genre: Epistle Chapters: 1

The Book of Jude is a letter from Jude to Christians who were threatened by false teachers who perverted God’s grace and denied Christ’s lordship, calling them to contend for the faith. Traditionally, Jude has been understood to be a half-brother of Jesus and the leader of the first Jerusalem Church.

66. Revelation

Attributed Author: John Year Written: 94-96 A.D. Genre: Apocalyptic Literature Chapters: 22

The Book of Revelation is a prophetic vision from the Apostle John written during his imprisonment on the island of Patmos, revealing the things that will take place concerning Christ’s victory over evil and his coming kingdom. Revelation is the final book of the Bible.

Learn More About the Authors of the Bible Books

If you want to find out more about Bible authorship, then check out our other guide with the books of the Bible and their authors . That page explains more about each author who is ascribed to every book in the Holy Bible, including scripture references to back up those claims.

Read the 66 Books of the Bible In Order

You can visit our Bible Index to begin reading the 66 books of the Bible in order from Genesis to Revelation. The Index includes a list of the 66 Bible books separated into the two main divisions of the Bible: the Old Testament and the New Testament. After choosing a book of the Bible, you can select a specific chapter to read God’s Word in the Holy Scriptures.

Biblevise is an online ministry that’s focused on getting people excited about reading the Bible and connecting the scriptures to their daily lives.

All 66 Books of the Bible

News flash: the Bible is huge : about 611,000 words long, all divvied up across 66 smaller documents called the “books” of the Bible.

That’s because the Bible is a collection of writings from different authors writing at different times. In some ways, that makes it easier to approach the Bible: we can read it in “chunks” rather than needing to read the whole Bible at once.

But it also makes it a bit confusing. The Bible itself is a book. In fact, the word “bible” comes from the Latin and Greek words for “book” ( biblia and  biblos , respectively). But it’s a book of books. That means if you want to know the Bible better, you’ll need to get acquainted with the 66 documents it comprises.

That can take a while, so . . .

Here’s a snapshot of every book of the Bible

I’ve written a one-sentence overview of every book of the Bible. They’re listed in the order they show up in the Protestant Bible. If you want more, I’ve linked to quick, 3-minute guides to every book of the Bible, too.

This is a lot to take in, so if you want to start with baby steps,  check out this list of the shortest books of the Bible .

Old Testament books of the Bible

The Old Testament includes 39 books which were written long before Jesus was born.

1.  Genesis  

Genesis answers two big questions: “How did God’s relationship with the world begin?” and “Where did the nation of Israel come from?”

Author:  Traditionally Moses , but the stories are much older.

Fun fact:  Most of the famous Bible stories you’ve heard about are probably found in the book of Genesis. This is where the stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah and the Ark, the Tower of Babel, Abraham and Isaac, Jacob’s ladder, and Joseph’s coat of many colors are recorded.

God saves Israel from slavery in Egypt, and then enters into a special relationship with them.

Author:  Traditionally Moses

3.  Leviticus

God gives Israel instructions for how to worship Him.

Author:  traditionally Moses

4.  Numbers

Israel fails to trust and obey God, and wanders in the wilderness for 40 years.

5.  Deuteronomy

Moses gives Israel instructions (in some ways, a recap of the laws in Exodus–Numbers) for how to love and obey God in the Promised Land.

Joshua (Israel’s new leader) leads Israel to conquer the Promised land, then parcels out territories to the twelve tribes of Israel.

Author:  Nobody knows

Fun fact:  You’ve probably heard of a few fantastic stories from this book (the Battle of Jericho and the day the sun stood still), but most of the action happens in the first half of this book. The last half is pretty much all about divvying up the real estate.

Israel enters a cycle of turning from God, falling captive to oppressive nations, calling out to God, and being rescued by leaders God sends their way (called “judges”).

Two widows lose everything, and find hope in Israel—which leads to the birth of the future King David .

9.  1 Samuel

Israel demands a king, who turns out to be quite a disappointment.

10.  2 Samuel

David, a man after God’s own heart, becomes king of Israel.

11.  1 Kings

The kingdom of Israel has a time of peace and prosperity under King Solomon , but afterward splits, and the two lines of kings turn away from God.

12.  2 Kings

Both kingdoms ignore God and his prophets, until they both fall captive to other world empires.

13.  1 Chronicles

This is a brief history of Israel from Adam to David, culminating with David commissioning the temple of God in Jerusalem.

Author:  Traditionally Ezra

14.  2 Chronicles

David’s son Solomon builds the temple, but after centuries of rejecting God, the Babylonians take the southern Israelites captive and destroy the temple.

The Israelites rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, and a scribe named Ezra teaches the people to once again obey God’s laws.

Author: Ezra

16.  Nehemiah

The city of Jerusalem is in bad shape, so Nehemiah rebuilds the wall around the city.

Author:  Nehemiah

17.  Esther

Someone hatches a genocidal plot to bring about Israel’s extinction, and Esther must face the emperor to ask for help.

Books of Poetry in the Old Testament

Satan attacks a righteous man named Job, and Job and his friends argue about why terrible things are happening to him.

19.  Psalms

A collection of 150 songs that Israel sang to God (and to each other)—kind of like a hymnal for the ancient Israelites.

Author:  So many authors— meet them all here !

20.  Proverbs

A collection of sayings written to help people make wise decisions that bring about justice.

Author: Solomon and other wise men

21.  Ecclesiastes

A philosophical exploration of the meaning of life—with a surprisingly nihilistic tone for the Bible.

Author:  Traditionally Solomon

22.  Song of Solomon (Song of Songs)

A love song (or collection of love songs) celebrating love, desire, and marriage.

Author:  Traditionally Solomon (but it could have been written about Solomon, or in the style of Solomon)

Books of prophecy in the Old Testament

23.  Isaiah

God sends the prophet Isaiah to warn Israel of future judgment—but also to tell them about a coming king and servant who will “bear the sins of many.”

Author:  Isaiah (and maybe some of his followers)

24.  Jeremiah

God sends a prophet to warn Israel about the coming Babylonian captivity, but the people don’t take the news very well.

Author:  Jeremiah

25.  Lamentations  

A collection of dirges lamenting the fall of Jerusalem after the Babylonian attacks.

Author:  Traditionally Jeremiah

26.  Ezekiel

God chooses a man to speak for Him to Israel, to tell them the error of their ways and teach them justice: Ezekiel.

Author:  Ezekiel

27.  Daniel

Daniel becomes a high-ranking wise man in the Babylonian and Persian empires, and has prophetic visions concerning Israel’s future.

Author:  Daniel (with other contributors)

Hosea is told to marry a prostitute who leaves him, and he must bring her back: a picture of God’s relationship with Israel.

Author:  Hosea

God sends a plague of locusts to Judge Israel, but his judgment on the surrounding nations is coming, too.

Author:  Joel

A shepherd named Amos preaches against the injustice of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

Author:  Amos

31.  Obadiah

Obadiah warns the neighboring nation of Edom that they will be judged for plundering Jerusalem.

Author:  Obadiah

A disobedient prophet runs from God, is swallowed by a great fish, and then preaches God’s message to the city of Nineveh.

Author: Traditionally Jonah

Micah confronts the leaders of Israel and Judah regarding their injustice, and prophecies that one day the Lord himself will rule in perfect justice.

Author:  Micah

Nahum foretells of God’s judgment on Nineveh, the capital of Assyria.

Author:  Nahum

35.  Habakkuk

Habakkuk pleads with God to stop the injustice and violence in Judah, but is surprised to find that God will use the even more violent Babylonians to do so.

Author:  Habakkuk

36.  Zephaniah

God warns that he will judge Israel and the surrounding nations, but also that he will restore them in peace and justice.

Author:  Zephaniah

37.  Haggai

The people have abandoned the work of restoring God’s temple in Jerusalem, and so Haggai takes them to task.

Author:  Haggai

38.  Zechariah

The prophet Zechariah calls Israel to return to God, and records prophetic visions that show what’s happening behind the scenes.

39.  Malachi

God has been faithful to Israel, but they continue to live disconnected from him—so God sends Malachi to call them out.

New Testament books of the Bible

40. The Gospel of  Matthew

This is an account of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, focusing on Jesus’ role as the true king of the Jews.

Author:  Matthew

41. The Gospel of  Mark

This brief account of Jesus’ earthly ministry highlights Jesus’ authority and servanthood.

Author:  John Mark

42. The Gospel of  Luke

Luke writes the most thorough account of Jesus’ life, pulling together eyewitness testimonies to tell the full story of Jesus.

Author:  Luke

43. The Gospel of  John

John lists stories of signs and miracles with the hope that readers will believe in Jesus.

Author:  John

Jesus returns to the Father, the Holy Spirit comes to the church, and the gospel of Jesus spreads throughout the world.

Paul’s epistles

45.  Romans

Paul summarizes how the gospel of Jesus works in a letter to the churches at Rome, where he plans to visit.

Author:  Paul

46.  1 Corinthians

Paul writes a disciplinary letter to a fractured church in Corinth, and answers some questions that they’ve had about how Christians should behave.

47.  2 Corinthians

Paul writes a letter of reconciliation to the church at Corinth, and clears up some concerns that they have.

48.  Galatians

Paul hears that the Galatian churches have been lead to think that salvation comes from the law of Moses, and writes a (rather heated) letter telling them where the false teachers have it wrong.

49.  Ephesians

Paul writes to the church at Ephesus about how to walk in grace, peace, and love.

50.  Philippians

An encouraging letter to the church of Philippi from Paul, telling them how to have joy in Christ.

51.  Colossians

Paul writes the church at Colossae a letter about who they are in Christ, and how to walk in Christ.

52.  1 Thessalonians

Paul has heard a good report on the church at Thessalonica, and encourages them to “excel still more” in faith, hope, and love.

53.  2 Thessalonians

Paul instructs the Thessalonians on how to stand firm until the coming of Jesus.

54.  1 Timothy

Paul gives his protegé Timothy instruction on how to lead a church with sound teaching and a godly example.

55.  2 Timothy

Paul is nearing the end of his life, and encourages Timothy to continue preaching the word.

Paul advises Titus on how to lead orderly, counter-cultural churches on the island of Crete.

57.  Philemon

Paul strongly recommends that Philemon accept his runaway slave as a brother, not a slave.

The general, or Catholic, epistles

58.  Hebrews

A letter encouraging Christians to cling to Christ despite persecution, because he is greater.

A letter telling Christians to live in ways that demonstrate their faith in action.

Author: James (likely the brother of Jesus)

60.  1 Peter

Peter writes to Christians who are being persecuted, encouraging them to testify to the truth and live accordingly.

Author:  Peter

61.  2 Peter

Peter writes a letter reminding Christians about the truth of Jesus, and warning them that false teachers will come.

62.  1 John

John writes a letter to Christians about keeping Jesus’ commands, loving one another, and important things they should know.

63.  2 John

A very brief letter about walking in truth, love, and obedience.

Author: John

64.  3 John

An even shorter letter about Christian fellowship.

A letter encouraging Christians to contend for the faith, even though ungodly persons have crept in unnoticed.

Author:  Jude

66.  Revelation

John sees visions of things that have been, things that are, and things that are yet to come.

Want to remember the books of the Bible?

This helpful visual aid makes an excellent addition to classrooms, church offices, or anywhere else you’d like to reflect on this important collection of books.

Privacy Overview

• BART’S BIOGRAPHY
• CURRICULUM VITAE

The 66 BOOKS OF THE BIBLE: EVERY BOOK IN ORDER (WITH SUMMARIES!)

Written by Marko Marina, Ph.D.

Author |  Historian |  BE Contributor

Verified!  See our editorial guidelines

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on this page belong to the author and do not necessarily match my own. - Dr. Bart D. Ehrman

Navigating the 66 books of the Bible can be a complex endeavor, but doing so offers an illuminating insight into its timeless narratives. From the early tales of creation in Genesis to the prophetic apocalypse in Revelation, each book serves as a unique piece in the grand mosaic of biblical literature.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll journey through each of these books in chronological order. To aid in your exploration, we've prepared a table that showcases the traditional authorship, dates of composition, and key verses for every book. And for those desiring a deeper dive, a concise summary of each book will further enrich your understanding. Join us on this enlightening trek through one of the world's most revered collections of sacred writings.

The Old Testament Books

Before we get into the summaries and authorship of each book, if you're looking for a simple list of the 39 Old Testament books in order, they are below.  Scroll down further for details on authorship, date written, key verses in each book, and more!

#1 - Genesis

#2 - Exodus

#3 - Leviticus

#4 - Numbers

#5 - Deuteronomy

#6 - Joshua

#7 - Judges .

#9 - 1 Samuel

#10 - 2 Samuel

#11 - 1 Kings

#12 - 2 Kings

#13 - 1 Chronicles

#14 - 2 Chronicles

#16 - Nehemiah

#17 - Esther

#19 - Psalms

#20 - Proverbs

#21 - Ecclesiastes

#22 - Song of Solomon

#23 - Isaiah

#24 - Jeremiah

#25 - Lamentations

#26 - Ezekiel

#27 - Daniel

#28 - Hosea

#31 - Obadiah

#32 - Jonah

#33 - Micah

#34 - Nahum

#35 - Habakkuk

#36 - Zephaniah

#37 - Haggai

#38 - Zechariah

#39 - Malachi

This is the end of the Old Testament, sometimes referred to as the Hebrew Bible.  While there are 66 books in the Bible, there are 39 in the Old Testament.  Now let's cover the 27 books in the New Testament.

THE NEW TESTAMENT

Same as for the Old Testament, we've got the 27 books of the New Testament listed in order below.  Please scroll down for authorship, dating, summaries of the books, and more!

#40 - Matthew

#45 - Romans

#46 - 1 Corinthians

#47 - 2 Corinthians

#48 - Galatians

#49 - Ephesians

#50 - Philippians

#51 - Colossians

#52 - 1 Thessalonians

#53 - 2 Thessalonians

#54 - 1 Timothy

#55 - 2 Timothy

#56 - Titus

#57 - Philemon

#58 - Hebrews

#59 - James

#60 - 1 Peter

#61 - 2 Peter

#62 - 1 John

#63 - 2 John

#64 - 3 John

#66 - Revelation

The Pentateuch: Authorship, Date Written, and Summaries

Summaries for the pentateuch (torah) - the first five books of the bible, often referred to as "the law".

Critical scholarship often questions the historicity of the Pentateuch, viewing figures like Moses as more mythical than historical . Our summaries focus on the narratives of these texts, presented objectively, without endorsing specific religious interpretations. 

#1 - Genesis:   Genesis , the first book of the Bible, narrates the creation of the world, the fall of human kind, and the early history of humanity, including the stories of Adam and Eve, Noah, and the Tower of Babel. It also details the patriarchal history of the Israelites, focusing on Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, ending with the Israelites in Egypt.

#2 - Exodus:   The book of Exodus chronicles the story of Moses' leadership in freeing the Israelites from Egyptian bondage, including the Ten Plagues and the parting of the Red Sea . The book also details the journey of the Israelites to Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments and other laws from God. 

#3 - Leviticus:  In this third book of the Bible, the focus shifts to the laws and religious rituals given to the Israelites. It details a wide array of laws, including those related to rituals, moral conduct, and holiness, primarily communicated through Moses. The book emphasizes the importance of holiness and the procedures for offerings and festivals. 

#4 - Numbers:  Numbers recounts the Israelites' journey in the wilderness, led by Moses, from Mount Sinai to the border of Canaan. It includes a census of the people, various laws, and accounts of rebellion and faithlessness, highlighting the challenges and trials faced during their wanderings. The narrative also details God's guidance and provision for the Israelites throughout their journey.

#5 - Deuteronomy:   Deuteronomy presents itself as a collection of Moses’ discourses delivered to the Israelites on the brink of their entry into Canaan. Modern scholarship views these speeches as a retrospective compilation that emphasizes loyalty to God, centralization of worship, and social justice. This book acts as a theological bridge by underscoring the significance of obedience and communal responsibility.

NOW AVAILABLE!  

Finding Moses: What Scholars Know About The Exodus &  The Jewish Law

Riveting and controversial, the "FINDING MOSES" lecture series takes you on a deep dive into the stories of Moses, the exodus, and a whole lot more...

The Historical Books: AUTHORSHIP, DATE WRITTEN, AND SUMMARIES

Summaries for the historical books - narratives of israel's history post-egypt to the babylonian exile.

The historical books make up twelve of the 66 books of the Bible.  They begin with Joshua and end with Esther. These books, while traditionally ascribed to specific authors and considered historical accounts, are viewed critically by contemporary scholars. The historicity of various events described in these books is often debated, with many scholars questioning the accuracy and authenticity of certain narratives. Additionally, their authorship remains largely unknown. Despite these uncertainties, our summaries aim to objectively present the narrative content of these texts, without endorsing or disputing their historical or authorial claims. 

#6 - Joshua:  In this narrative, the Israelites, under the leadership of Joshua, enter and conquer the land of Canaan following Moses' death. The book details a series of military campaigns and the subsequent division of the land among the twelve tribes of Israel. It also emphasizes Joshua's role in reaffirming the covenant between the Israelites and God.

#7 - Judges:  The Book of Judges depicts a cycle of Israelite leaders, known as judges, rising and falling in a period of instability after the conquest of Canaan. The narrative portrays a pattern of Israelite disobedience to God, leading to oppression by foreign powers, followed by a judge delivering them from these oppressors. Notable figures include Deborah, Gideon, and Samson, each illustrating the challenges and moral complexities of this era. 

#8 - Ruth:  A touching narrative of loyalty and love, Ruth, a Moabite, remains devoted to her Israelite mother-in-law, Naomi, after tragedy strikes. Her eventual marriage to Boaz not only highlights the theme of redemption but also positions her in the direct lineage of King David.

#9 - 1 Samuel:  From the birth of the prophet Samuel to the tumultuous reign of Israel's first king, Saul, this book provides a look at the transition of Israel from a tribal confederation to a monarchy. It sets the stage for the rise of David, Israel's greatest king.

#10 - 2 Samuel:   This sequel continues the story of David's reign, following his anointing as king of Israel. The book details his political and military achievements, personal struggles, and moral failings, including the story of David and Bathsheba. It concludes with David's consolidation of power and preparations for the building of the Temple thus setting the stage for the transition to his son Solomon's reign. 

#11 - 1 Kings:  1 Kings chronicles the zenith and decline of Israel's united monarchy. From the glory days of Solomon's temple construction to the division of the kingdom into Israel and Judah, the narrative reveals how leaders can shape a nation's fate.

#12 - 2 Kings: With a succession of rulers, 2 Kings details the final chapters of both the northern and southern kingdoms. Despite intermittent revivals, rampant idolatry ultimately leads to Israel's exile by Assyria and Judah's devastation by Babylon.

#13 - 1 Chronicles: 1 Chronicles offers a genealogical retelling of Israel's history, with an emphasis on David's reign. It begins with a series of genealogies tracing the lineage from Adam to the Davidic line, emphasizing the continuity of God's promises. The latter part of the book details David's reign, his preparations for the construction of the Temple, and the organization of the priesthood and Levites, showcasing his role in establishing religious worship in Israel.

#14 - 2 Chronicles: Focusing on the reign of Solomon and subsequent kings of Judah, this narrative extends to the Babylonian exile. It highlights Solomon's construction of the Temple in Jerusalem and his wisdom, as well as the varying degrees of faithfulness of Judah's kings to their covenant with God. The book culminates with the Temple's destruction and the exile, presented as repercussions of the nation's unfaithfulness.

#15 - Ezra: This post-exilic book chronicles the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon and their efforts to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem under the leadership of Zerubbabel and the priestly guidance of Ezra. It focuses on the restoration of religious and communal life in Jerusalem, emphasizing the importance of adherence to the Law of Moses. 

#16 - Nehemiah: As the walls of Jerusalem lay in ruins, Nehemiah, the cupbearer to the Persian king, takes on the daunting task of rebuilding. His leadership and the people's collaborative spirit exemplify restoration in the face of adversity.

#17 - Esther: Set in the Persian Empire, Esther, a Jewish queen, bravely intervenes to prevent the genocide of her people. With divine providence at play, the narrative celebrates the origins of the Jewish festival of Purim.

The Wisdom and Poetry Books: AUTHORSHIP, DATE WRITTEN, AND SUMMARIES

Summaries for the wisdom and poetry books - literary and poetic books, largely centered on wisdom and reflections on life.

#18 - Job: The Book of Job delves into the themes of suffering and divine justice, narrating the story of Job, a righteous man whose faith is tested through extreme hardships. In this narrative, God allows Satan to test Job’s faith, resulting in a series of catastrophic events that include the heartbreaking loss of his children. The book also presents a series of dialogues between Job and his friends about the nature of suffering. The book concludes with a poetic discourse on the power and wisdom of God, underscoring the limitations of human understanding.

#19 - Psalms:  Comprising 150 songs and poems, this collection expresses a wide range of emotions and themes, from praise, worship, and thanksgiving to lament and supplication. The Psalms address the human experience of God, exploring themes like faith, suffering, and God's sovereignty. They are used extensively in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic liturgies, reflecting their enduring spiritual and cultural significance.

#20 - Proverbs:   Traditionally attributed to King Solomon, Proverbs is a compilation of wise sayings and instructions on leading a righteous life. These bite-sized pearls of wisdom touch on topics like character, relationships, and personal integrity.

#21 - Ecclesiastes:  Ecclesiastes presents a philosophical reflection on the meaning of life and the best way to live, voiced by a narrator called 'the Teacher.' It explores themes of vanity, the fleeting nature of earthly pursuits, and the limits of human wisdom, ultimately advocating for finding enjoyment in life's simple pleasures and fearing God.

#22 - Song of Solomon:  Also known as the Song of Songs, this book is a collection of lyrical poems celebrating love and romantic desire. Within Judaism, it is often interpreted allegorically as symbolizing the relationship between God and Israel, while in Christian tradition, it is seen as a metaphor for the bond between Christ and the Church. The text vividly portrays the beauty and power of love through passionate dialogues between lovers. 

The Major Prophets: AUTHORSHIP, DATE WRITTEN, AND SUMMARIES

Summaries for the major prophets - larger prophetic works in the old testament.

Critical scholars approach the major prophetic books of the Old Testament by situating them within their historical contexts, rather than interpreting them through the lens of Christian messianic prophecies. In our objective summaries, we focus on the narrative content of these texts, steering clear of anachronistic perspectives and emphasizing their original historical and cultural settings

#23 - Isaiah:  Isaiah is a composite text, traditionally attributed to the prophet Isaiah, that addresses the political and social conditions of ancient Judah. The book spans pre-exilic warnings of judgment, reflections on exile, and post-exilic themes of restoration and hope, blending oracles, narratives, and prophetic discourses. Its messages focus on themes of justice, righteousness, and the consequences of both faithfulness and rebellion against God. 

#24 - Jeremiah:  Often referred to as the "weeping prophet", the book of Jeremiah persistently warns Judah of impending doom due to their idolatry and unfaithfulness. However, amid his dire predictions, he offers hope through the promise of a "new covenant."

#25 - Lamentations:  Traditionally attributed to Jeremiah, this collection of poetic laments mourns the tragic fall of Jerusalem and the subsequent exile. The verses capture the deep sorrow, yet also contain glimmers of hope in God's enduring mercy.

#26 - Ezekiel:  Traditionally attributed to the prophet of the same name, Ezekiel combines visions, prophecies, and parables to address the exile of the Judeans in Babylon. It emphasizes themes of judgment and restoration, with vivid imagery depicting the fall of Jerusalem and the eventual promise of the nation's spiritual renewal.

#27 - Daniel:   The book of Daniel combines tales of Jewish heroism in a foreign court with apocalyptic visions, set during the Babylonian exile and early Persian period. The first half narrates stories of Daniel and his companions, who maintain their faith and integrity in the face of challenges. The latter half presents symbolic dreams and visions that offer hope for divine deliverance and the establishment of God's kingdom.

The Minor Prophets: AUTHORSHIP, DATE WRITTEN, AND SUMMARIES

Summaries for the minor prophets - shorter prophetic works in the old testament.

Scholarly analysis of the Minor Prophets in the Old Testament emphasizes understanding these texts within their original historical and cultural contexts, rather than through later interpretive lenses, such as Christian messianic expectations. In our summaries, we aim to present these books' themes and messages while maintaining an objective stance, focusing on their narrative and prophetic content as it relates to the period in which they were written.

#28 - Hosea:  Set in the turbulent final days of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, the book of Hosea combines prophecies of doom due to the people's unfaithfulness to God with promises of restoration. The book is distinguished by its symbolic use of Hosea's troubled marriage as a metaphor for the relationship between God and Israel, emphasizing themes of love, betrayal, and redemption.

#29 - Joel:  Joel, set against the backdrop of a devastating locust plague, uses this natural disaster as a metaphor for an impending day of divine judgment. The book calls for repentance and portrays a future of divine restoration and blessings, including the outpouring of God's spirit on all people. 

#30 - Amos:   In this book, prophet Amos delivers a stern message of judgment to the Northern Kingdom for its societal injustices and idolatry. Amidst the warning, there's a glimmer of hope for restoration.

#31 - Obadiah:   Traditionally attributed to Obadiah, this is the shortest book in the collection. However, many scholars disagree with that attribution. Regardless of its authorship, the text portrays Edom’s impending downfall and Israel’s eventual triumph in the “Day of the Lord”.

#32 - Jonah:  Unique among the prophetic books Jonah is a narrative about a reluctant prophet sent to warn the city of Nineveh of impending divine judgment. It explores themes of obedience, mercy, and God's compassion for all people, highlighted by Jonah's resistance to God's command and the eventual repentance of the Ninevites.

#33 - Micah:   The book of Micah delivers a message of judgment and hope, addressing the social injustices and corrupt leadership of his time. The book combines dire warnings to both Israel and Judah with promises of restoration and future leadership from Bethlehem, emphasizing the themes of justice, mercy, and humility before God.

#34 - Nahum:  Focusing on the impending downfall of Nineveh, the book of Nahum proclaims God's judgment on this oppressive Assyrian city, contrasting God's wrath and His goodness.

#35 - Habakkuk:  In a dialogue with God, Habakkuk grapples with the problem of evil and why the wicked prosper. The answer, according to Habakkuk, lies in living by faith and trusting in God's sovereign plan.

#36 - Zephaniah:  Warning of the impending "Day of the Lord," the book of Zephaniah calls for repentance. Amid the judgment pronouncements, there's the promise of joy and restoration for the faithful remnant.

#37 - Haggai:  As post-exile Israel delays rebuilding the temple, the book of Haggai reminds them of their priorities and assures them of God's presence in their midst.

#38 - Zechariah: Composed post-exile, the book of Zechariah combines visions, prophecies, and oracles to encourage the rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple and to offer hope for the restoration of Israel. The book blends apocalyptic elements with expectations of the coming of the future king who will restore peace and justice. 

#39 - Malachi:  The final book of the Old Testament prophets! It addresses issues of social justice, religious sincerity, and moral conduct in post-exilic Judah. It calls for faithfulness to God's covenant, warning of judgment while promising a future day of purification and renewal, symbolized by the coming of 'Elijah the prophet'.

This is the end of the Old Testament, sometimes referred to as the Hebrew Bible.  While there are 66 books in the Bible, there are 39 in the Old Testament.  Now let's cover the New Testament.

The Gospels: AUTHORSHIP, DATE WRITTEN, AND SUMMARIES

Summaries for the gospels - the first four books of the new testament, four accounts of the life and teachings of jesus christ.

Critical scholarship acknowledges that the Gospels in the New Testament represent a blend of historical events, traditional narratives, and legendary elements, all shaped by their authors' theological perspectives. Despite the presence of discrepancies and varying emphases among these texts, it’s important to note that each Gospel focuses on Jesus’ teachings, ministry, life, death, and resurrection. Our summaries aim to present their core narratives, without asserting historical accuracy or resolving theological interpretations.

#40 - Matthew:  Written primarily for a Jewish audience, Matthew's Gospel emphasizes Jesus as the promised Messiah of the Old Testament prophecies. Throughout the narrative, the author of Matthew showcases Jesus' teachings, miracles, death, and resurrection, emphasizing the Kingdom of Heaven.

#41 - Mark:  Believed to be the earliest Gospel, Mark provides a rapid and dynamic narrative of Jesus' life, focusing on His deeds and His role as the suffering servant. The emphasis is on action and Jesus' ultimate sacrifice for humanity.

#42 - Luke:  Traditionally ascribed to Paul’s companion, Luke’s Gospel emphasizes Jesus' teachings, compassion towards the marginalized, and the role of the Holy Spirit, and is notable for its parables, such as the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son.

#43 - John:  Distinct from the Synoptic Gospels , John delves into the deeper theological aspects of Jesus' nature and identity. It focuses on His divinity, presenting Jesus as the Word made flesh, the giver of eternal life, and the source of living water.

The Book of Acts: AUTHORSHIP, DATE WRITTEN, AND SUMMARIES

Summary of the book of acts - the history of the early christian church post-resurrection.

Critical scholars generally agree that the Acts of the Apostles weren’t authored by Paul’s companion. Moreover, they note its theological agenda and question the historical accuracy of certain parts. Despite these considerations, our summary will focus on presenting the narrative content of Acts, reflecting its themes and progression.

#44 - Acts:  Acts of the Apostles narrates the early Christian community's development and spread, beginning with Jesus' ascension and focusing on the ministries of Peter and Paul. It describes the Pentecost, the growth of the church in Jerusalem, the conversion and missionary journeys of Paul, and his journey to Rome, emphasizing the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to the Gentile world.

The Pauline Epistles

Summaries for the pauline epistles - letters written by (or attributed to) the apostle paul.

Of the 66 books of the Bible, tradition says that the Apostle Paul wrote 13 of them.  If true, that would mean Paul wrote approximately 20% of the books in the Bible!  There is dispute amongst scholars, however, as to how many of the books attributed to Paul were actually written by him.  We've got an excellent article about that here.

#45 - Romans:  Paul's theological masterpiece, Romans delves deep into topics like sin, justification, sanctification, and the transformative power of the Gospel. It is a comprehensive explanation of Christian doctrine and the life of faith.

#46 - 1 Corinthians:  Addressing issues in the Corinthian church, Paul tackles topics like divisions, morality, and spiritual gifts. The famous chapter on love (Chapter 13) emphasizes love's supreme importance in the Christian life.

#47 - 2 Corinthians:  A personal letter where Paul defends his apostolic authority and offers insights into his hardships for the sake of the Gospel. Themes of reconciliation and the power of Christ in weakness are central.

#48 - Galatians:   The Book of Galatians, a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the Christian communities in Galatia, is a passionate and emphatic message emphasizing the importance of faith in Jesus Christ over the observance of the Jewish Law for salvation. In this letter, Paul addresses the challenge posed by certain individuals who were insisting that Gentile Christians must follow Jewish customs, including circumcision. He asserts his apostolic authority, recounts his personal journey to faith, and argues fervently that justification comes by faith, not by works of the Law. Throughout the letter, Paul encourages the Galatians to live by the Spirit, exhibiting the fruits of love, joy, peace, and other virtues, as opposed to being enslaved by the Law or engaging in behaviors reflective of their former lives. Galatians stands as a pivotal text in Christian theology, highlighting themes of grace, freedom, and the transformative power of faith in Christ.

#49 - Ephesians:  A profound exploration of the church's identity and mission, Ephesians delves into the believer's position in Christ, the importance of unity, and the armor of God.

#50 - Philippians:  Penned from prison, this letter radiates joy in Christ. Paul encourages the Philippian believers to have the mind of Christ and rejoice regardless of circumstances.

#51 - Colossians:  Traditionally attributed to Paul but regarded by many scholars as written by a later author, the Epistle to the Colossians addresses a Christian community in Colossae. It focuses on the supremacy of Christ over all principalities and powers and emphasizes the completeness of believers in Christ, countering local heresies that combined elements of paganism and Jewish traditions with Christianity.

#52 - 1 Thessalonians:  One of Paul's earliest letters, it comforts and encourages the Thessalonian believers, addressing concerns about the Second Coming of Christ.

#53 - 2 Thessalonians:  Further elaborates on Christ's return, correcting misunderstandings and urging steadfastness in the face of persecution.

#54 - 1 Timothy:  Considered by the majority of scholars to be a pseudonymous work, 1 Timothy is a pastoral epistle. It offers guidance on church organization and conduct, addressing doctrinal issues, worship practices, and leadership roles, including qualifications for bishops and deacons. 

#55 - 2 Timothy:  Written by an unknown author at the end of the 1st century, 2 Timothy is framed as a personal letter offering guidance and encouragement to a young leader, Timothy. It emphasizes perseverance in faith and sound teaching in the face of false doctrines and hardships.

#56 - Titus: An unknown author identifying himself as Paul advises Titus on church leadership and Christian living, emphasizing good works as evidence of genuine faith.

#57 - Philemon: Paul’s personal letter to Philemon, a slave owner, urging him to welcome back his runaway slave Onesimus as a brother in Christ.

The General Epistles: AUTHORSHIP, DATE WRITTEN, AND SUMMARIES

Summaries for the general epistles - letters written by various authors to early christian communities.

#58 - Hebrews:  This epistle presents Jesus as the ultimate revelation of God's love and mercy and is superior to all other mediators. Through deep theological exposition, the book demonstrates Christ's supremacy and His role as our high priest, encouraging believers to remain steadfast in their faith.

#59 - James:  Claiming to be written by Jesus' half-brother, The Epistle of James offers practical advice on living a genuine faith. It emphasizes the necessity of works accompanying faith, the power of the tongue, and the importance of patience.

#60 - 1 Peter:  The author of 1 Peter encourages believers undergoing persecutions. He reminds them of their living hope through Christ's resurrection and calls for holy living as God's chosen people.

#61 - 2 Peter:  The author of 2 Peter warns against false teachers and the dangers of apostasy. He reaffirms the promise of Christ's return and the importance of godly living.

#62 - 1 John:  The author of 1 John writes to assure believers of their salvation and encourages them to remain faithful to the truth. The epistle emphasizes love as a hallmark of the Christian life.

#63 - 2 John:  A short letter warning against deceivers and emphasizing the commandment to love one another.

#64 - 3 John:  The author of 3 John writes in appreciation of Gaius for his faithfulness and addresses issues of hospitality in the early church.

#65 - Jude:  The author of Jude delivers an urgent call to contend for the faith against false teachers. The letter highlights God's judgment on the ungodly.

Apocalyptic: AUTHORSHIP, DATE WRITTEN, AND SUMMARIES

Summary for the apocalyptic book - prophecies concerning the end times.

#66 - Revelation:  Written by a certain John of Patmos , Revelation is an apocalyptic text that uses vivid imagery and symbolism to convey a vision of cosmic conflict and the ultimate triumph of good over evil. It addresses the persecution of Christians and the hope of salvation, depicting the end of the world, the final judgment, and the establishment of a new heaven and earth. Revelation primarily reflects the challenges of early Christian communities under Roman rule.  

HOW MANY BOOKS ARE IN the Bible?

When asked, "How many books are in the Bible?" the answer depends on the religious tradition and which Bible we're talking about.   The "Christian" Bible is divided into the Old and New Testaments and contains 66 books , starting with Genesis and ending in Revelation.  The addition of the New Testament to the Hebrew Bible, which only consists of the Christian Old Testament, is the unique identifying feature of the Christian Bible.

The New Testament emerged in the backdrop of a divided 1st-century Judaism. To grasp its origins, we must consider the distinct circumstances that shaped early Christian literature, contrasting it with the ancient Hebrew Bible, or Torah.  The Christian Bible contains 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books giving it the total of 66 books.

How Many Books Are In the Hebrew Bible?

The Old Testament, also known as the Hebrew Bible, serves as the foundation of the Jewish faith. Its writings span centuries, from the ancient prophecies of Isaiah and Amos in the 8th century B.C.E. to the later composition of the Book of Daniel in the 2nd century B.C.E.

The number of books in the Hebrew Bible can vary depending on the specific Jewish tradition or denomination. In the Jewish tradition, there are generally 24 books in the Hebrew Bible, which is also known as the Tanakh . These books are divided into three main sections:  The Torah (Law), The Nevi'im (Prophets), and The Ketuvim (Writings).

It's important to note that the arrangement and categorization of these books can differ slightly among Jewish traditions. For example, the order of the books in the Hebrew Bible may vary between Jewish denominations like Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform Judaism.

The difference in number between the book of the Tanakh (24) and the Christian Old Testament (39) is largely due to the rearrangement and combining of some of the books.  For example, in the Old Testament, Kings, Chronicles, and Samuel are split into two books each.

Conclusion to the 66 Books of the Bible

In this comprehensive guide, we've journeyed through all 66 books of the Bible, unveiling the rich tapestry of stories, teachings, and revelations that have shaped countless lives and continue to inspire millions today.

From the foundational texts of Genesis in the Old Testament to the apocalyptic visions of Revelation in the New Testament, the books of the Bible offer timeless wisdom, spiritual guidance, and profound truths that resonate across the ages. 

Affiliate Program

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

HELPFUL LINKS

Bart's Blog

Online Courses

The Great Courses

University of NC at Chapel Hill, 125 Saunders Hall CB #3225, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3225

919-962-3940

[email protected]

Copyright 2024 Bart Ehrman Professional Services , all rights reserved.

Book Overviews

Visualize the shape and core themes of every book of the Bible through an illustrated outline.

CHRONOLOGY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT . The arrangement of OT events in time, including their dates and correlation with secular history.

I. Principles of chronology . To date the events of the OT serves both to clarify their sequence in Biblical history and to emphasize their reality in time and space. Proper procedures, however, are necessary for achieving accuracy.

A. Authority . Evangelical Christians are committed to Biblical inspiration; cf. Christ’s designation of Genesis 2:24 as equivalent to the words of God the Creator ( Matt 19:5 ). The authority of the historical and chronological assertions of the OT is thus accepted, as well as that of any NT references that have a bearing upon them. Restorations of original readings, that are made possible by the LXX or by other ancient texts and VSS, are welcomed; but no humanly devised conclusions, whether they are based on ancient secular records or conscious emendations of OT data (as in Jos. Antiq. or LXX; cf. E. R. Thiele, The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings , 1st ed., chs. IX, X) or on more modern systems (e.g., the famous dates of Archbishop Ussher, 1650-1654, still found in the mg. of many Bibles), may legitimately be opposed to the testimony of the inspired Word of God.

B. Evidence . In OT times Israel’s months indicated the seasons: Abib, “fresh [barley] ear” ( Lev 2:14 ), thus designated the initial month of spring ( Exod 23:15 ; Deut 16:1 ). Each month, moreover, seems to have had thirty days ( Gen 8:3 , 4 ; cf. 7:11 ); but by adding either five or six days at the end of a year, or a thirteenth intercalated month after several years, Israel’s calendar continued to reflect true solar years (contrast Egypt’s system of a slowly shifting New Year; J. Finegan, Handbook of Biblical Chronology , pp. 21-44). Originally “the end of the year” seems to have occurred after the fall harvest, in September ( Exod 23:16 ; 34:22 ); but from the Exodus onward Passover (spring) marked “the first month of the year” ( 12:2 ). Israel later returned to the fall—cf. modern “Jewish New Years” or the ancient Gezer Calendar (q.v.)—yet the Mosaic month-numberings were retained, so that, paradoxically, the regnal years of the Judean kings began in their seventh month. This may be demonstrated Biblically from the dates that are associated with the seven-year building of Solomon’s Temple ( 1 Kings 6:1 , 37 , 38 ), from the second month in his fourth year to the eighth month in his eleventh year: for Solomon’s fifth year had to have begun that same fall, in the seventh month, so that when the Temple was finished six years and one month later, it was still in its seventh year of work. If the fifth year of Solomon had not commenced until the following spring, first month, it would have extended itself well into an eighth year and have been so designated. Cf. also 2 Kings 22:3 , where an event in Josiah’s eighteenth year is followed ( 23:23 ) several months later by a Passover (first month) in the same eighteenth year.

Concerning then the precision and the completeness of such Biblical evidence, occasional OT dialogues do involve round numbers, such as “three hundred years” ( Judg 11:26 ) or “four hundred years” ( Gen 15:13 ). But in its chronological records no such imprecision can be demonstrated. Thus Abraham’s begetting of Isaac at the rounded age (?) of one hundred ( Gen 21:5 ) was preceded by the latter’s conception when Abraham was ninety-nine ( 17:1-24 ); the “forty year” judgeship of Gideon ( Judg 8:28 ) was followed by precisely three years of misrule under Abimelech ( 9:22 ) and twenty-three years of judgeship by Tola ( 10:2 ); and David’s reign of “forty years” ( 2 Sam 5:4 ) breaks down into seven years, six months, at Hebron and thirty-three years at Jerusalem ( v. 5 ). As for the completeness of the Biblical data, certain events, e.g. in the life of the prophet Elisha, cannot be dated exactly; but the overall OT chronological framework has been established, e.g. that they all occurred during dated reigns from Ahab to Jehoash in Israel. Exceptions involve only the very earliest materials, prior to Abraham, and perhaps also the era of the judges (see below, II-A and VII-A).

C. Absolute dating . Except for the wilderness period and a few citations thereafter, in which events were dated from Israel’s one great exodus experience, the OT employed only relative reference points, such as the seventy-fifth year in the life of a certain patriarch. In no case, moreover, is there material that enables us to connect the OT data with our own absolute reckoning of numbered years b.c. and a.d. —even Daniel’s 483 years (69 weeks of years, Dan 9:24-27 ) to the Messiah remain uncertain as to their precise beginning and ending (though see below, XIII). Recourse is thus necessary to nearby, non-Israelitish, cultures that do furnish absolute dates.

The years of Babylonia’s rulers from 747 b.c. down to the second Christian cent. were accurately recorded in The Canon of Ptolemy , a Gr. geographer and astronomer of Egypt, c. a.d. 70-161. Ptolemy also recorded and dated by reign over eighty verifiable astronomical phenomena, such as the eclipses of the moon on 17 March 721 b.c. and 16 July 523 b.c. Similarly, the neighboring Assyrians maintained “eponym” lists, in which each year was assigned the name of an important official. Since the lists include also an eclipse of the sun, on 15 June 763 b.c., the whole can be dated, from 892 to 648 b.c. Furthermore, since Sargon II of Assyria at one point assumed the throne of Babylon, and since this comes out to the year 709 b.c. in both The Canon of Ptolemy and in the eponym lists, the accuracy of both sources is established. Prior to 892 b.c., Assyrian king lists revert to about 2000 b.c. They become fairly reliable from the dynasty of Adasi (c. 1700 b.c. ) onward, with a margin of error of less than ten years after 1400 b.c. Similar lists from Egypt, which can be cross-checked with the Assyrian and with other astronomical observations, produce dates of c. 2133-1990 b.c. for Dynasty XI, of 1990-1786 b.c. for XII (Middle Kingdom) “with only a negligible margin of error” (CAH rev., pp. 4, 12, 13), and of 1570-1085 b.c. for XVIII-XX (New Empire).

OT events may then be assigned absolute dates whenever they are mentioned in these other datable records. The Babylonian Nebuchadnezzar’s capture of Jerusalem in his eighth year ( 2 Kings 24:12 ) can be dated precisely to 16 March 597 b.c. The Assyrian Shalmaneser III’s contacts with Kings Ahab and Jehu can be dated 853 and 841 b.c. respectively; and, while neither contact is mentioned in the Bible, the fact that between Ahab and Jehu appear two other kings that occupy exactly twelve years proves that 853 must have been the last year of Ahab and 841 the first of Jehu. Counting backward from these dates, one establishes Solomon’s death and the division of the kingdom in 930 b.c. and the Exodus in 1446 b.c. ( 1 Kings 6:1 ). Among the more significant of the OT’s absolute dates are these:

II. Primeval . Pre-Abrahamic chronology is based upon two sets of genealogical data ( Gen 5 and 11:10-26 ), separated by the Noachian Flood.

A. Antediluvian . Even pagan Sumer. legend preserved the memory of extended life spans prior to the Flood; eight kings are reputed to have reigned 241,200 years! (T. Jacobsen, The Sumerian King List [1939].) The variant figures found in two pre-Christian texts of the OT, namely the LXX and the Samar., seem also to be products of human distortion, though of a less drastic character. While the Heb. MT lists a minimum of 1,656 years from Adam to the Flood (see below), the LXX presents 2,242; and the Samar., only 1,307. The former, e.g., adds 100 years whenever the Heb. states that a patriarch begat his first son before the age of 150, while the Samar. reduces by 100 the three who begat after 150.

To interpret the MT figures, however, Ussher chose to adopt a minimal methodology, counting for each individual only the years prior to the birth of his first son. This theory of overlapping patriarchs produced his famous date of 4004 b.c. (more accurately, 4,175) for the creation. Other interpreters have preferred to compare the two sets of ten antediluvian and postdiluvian patriarchs with the three sets, each of fourteen ancestors, in the genealogy of Christ ( Matt 1:1-17 ) and have concluded that just as the latter could omit three generations ( v. 8 , “Joram begat [an ancestor of] Uzziah”; cf. Ezra 7:3 ’s omission of six generations that are found in 1 Chron 6:7-10 ) so Genesis may have omitted a number of links as well. A theory of disconnected patriarchs could thus allow Adam to be dated 100,000 b.c. or earlier. While granting unlimited freedom for anthropology, it leaves the Bible’s detailed lists of figures as generally pointless and also posits an unusually high proportion of omitted links. A third method of interpretation adduces W. F. Albright’s observation that ancient Near Eastern peoples “dated long periods by lifetimes, not by generations” (BASOR, 163 [1961], 50; cf. K. A. Kitchen, Ancient Orient and OT , p. 54). In Genesis 15 , Israel’s 400 years in Egypt ( v. 13 ), which actually covered some 10 generations ( 1 Chron 7:25-27 ), is said to entail four such lifetime generations ( v. 16 ). Applied to Genesis 5 , this counting by “successive” patriarchs would mean, e.g., that while Adam begat an ancestor of Seth when he was 130 ( Gen 5:3 ), Seth ( 5:6-8 ) actually arose as Scripture’s next prominent figure only after Adam’s full life of 930 years ( 5:4 ). Adam would then, theoretically, date from 10,000 b.c. or earlier; but, since Seth was prob. not born in the immediate year of Adam’s death, man’s creation may perhaps be dated 15,000 b.c., or c. a millennium before the famous Lascaux cave paintings (JASA, 11:1 [1959], 8, though cf. 17:2 [1965], 43-47). Some scholars have sought to account for the antediluvian life-spans, which average over 900 years, as “the period during which the family had prominence and leadership” (John D. Davis, A Dictionary of the Bible , 4th ed., p. 134); but the names in Genesis seem to reflect actual individuals (cf. 9:28 , 29 ). Their decreasing longevity may have been due to a progressive manifestation of the effects of sin ( Prov 10:27 ).

B. Postdiluvian . Ussher’s “overlapping” method of interpretation allowed only 353 years from the Flood to the birth of Abraham in 2166 b.c. (see below, IV-A). A flood of 2519, however, is difficult to harmonize with the known historical periods of Egypt and Mesopotamia, which develop steadily from 3000 b.c. onward. It would also imply that Shem, with the rest of Abraham’s postdiluvian ancestors (except Reu), were still living in 2166 and that Noah himself had died only three years previously ( Gen 9:28 ). More likely is the system of successive counting, which would put the Flood at least 3,284 years before Abraham, as follows:

>How long Terah lived in Ur of the Chaldees after the birth of Abraham in 2166, is not stated in Scripture; but the latter would presumably have lived for some time under the great Sumer. Dynasty III of Ur, whose founding under Ur-Nammu is dated c. 2113 b.c. (CAH rev., p. 30).

III. Patriarchal . Four generations of Heb. patriarchs are described in Genesis 12-50 .

A. Abraham . At the age of seventy Abraham’s father Terah begat his first son, presumably Haran, for Haran appears considerably older than the two other brothers who later married or joined in partnership with Haran’s children ( 11:27 ; 12:4 ). Terah was 130 when Abraham was born, for Abraham was seventy-five when he left for Pal. after Terah’s death at an age of 205 ( 11:32 ; Acts 7:4 ). While incredible by modern standards (cf. the objections of E. F. Harrison, in Carl F. H. Henry, ed., Revelation and the Bible , p. 249), such age does correspond to the more slowly developing patriarchal life as a whole; cf. Sarah’s comparative beauty ( 12:11 ) when she was ninety ( 17:17 ) or even older ( 20:2 ). It is not invalidated by the emphasis laid by the Genesis narrative on Abraham’s advanced age (100) when he fathered Isaac, for there the unique feature was the previous sterility of his marriage ( 11:30 ; 17:17 ). Abraham subsequently had children, when over 137 ( 23:1 ; 24:67 - 25:2 ).

Specific correlations of Abraham with secular chronology have not been established. The patriarch did have dealings with an unnamed Egyp. pharaoh ( 12:10-20 ) shortly after his entrance into Canaan in 2091 b.c., presumably a minor ruler of the 10th Dynasty before its fall to the contemporaneous Dynasty XI of Thebes in the S. Shortly thereafter occurred the raid upon Pal. ( ch. 14 ) by Amraphel and his allied monarchs from Elam and Babylonia. Their names represent valid Elamite and Akkadian forms; but, though their activity in Trans-Jordan suggests a date prior to 1900 b.c., they remain historically unidentified. Amraphel was once equated with the famous lawgiver of the 1st Dynasty of Babylon, Hammurabi, but the latter’s downwardly revised dates of 1726-1686 now render this impossible. Evidences of seasonal occupation in the Negeb of S. Pal. suggest dates for the patriarchs between “c. 2100 and 1800 b.c., ” but not before or after these dates (Kitchen, op. cit., p. 49).

B. Isaac comes into patriarchal chronology as follows:

C. Jacob . While the date of Jacob’s flight from Pal. is not directly stated in the OT, his age of seventy-seven may be deduced from the chronology of Joseph, as indicated above, and it did have to be some time after his twin brother Esau’s fortieth birthday in 1966 b.c. ( Gen 26:34 ) and the further aging of their father Isaac ( 27:1 ).

D. Joseph . The unnamed pharaoh who elevated Joseph in 1885 would have preceded the great Sesostris III, the seventh year of whose thirty-eight year reign “can be pinpointed [by astronomical data] with great probability to 1872 b.c. ” (CAH rev., p. 12). The Egyp. tone of Joseph’s record confirms this date at the peak of the Middle Kingdom (Dynasty XII) rather than one later, in the period of foreign (Hyksos) invasion that followed (cf. SOTI, pp. 205-208).

IV. Egyptian .

A. Israel’s descent. The MT of Exodus 12:40 sets the duration of Israel’s stay in Egypt at 430 years. Hence, if the Exodus is dated at 1446 b.c. (see B, below), the descent would be dated 1876; and Abraham’s entrance into Canaan would have to be placed 215 years before that (130 years for Jacob, plus 60 more for Isaac, plus 25 more for Abraham prior to Isaac’s birth) at 2091 b.c., and his birth at 2166. The LXX of Exodus 12:40 , however, reads, “The time that the sons of Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan (was) 430 years,” which is supported by the Samar., and hence may have been the original wording. If so, this would mean that since Jacob (Israel) and his sons had been in Pal. for thirty-three years before their removal to Egypt (between Joseph’s sixth and thirty-ninth birthdays, Gen 31:41 ), this then would leave 397 recorded years for the actual Egyp. sojourn and dates the descent in 1843 b.c., as proposed above in I and II. This latter figure seems better to suit Scripture’s rounded references to the Egyp. period. In Genesis 15:13 and Acts 7:6 the “four hundred years” is closer to 397 than to 430, and esp. in Acts 13:19 ASV the phrase, “about four hundred and fifty years,” is closer to 443 (the 397, plus 40 years in the wilderness, plus 6 years for the conquest up to the division of Canaan, Acts 13:18 , 19 ) than to 476, which would have suggested, “about five hundred.” These references also oppose the reconstruction of Ussher, who followed a variant LXX reading which extended the 430 years of Exodus 12:40 to include the dwelling in Egypt and Canaan of the sons of Israel, “they and their fathers. ” Ussher, following this latter reading began his counting with Abraham’s first entrance into Canaan, leaving only 215 for the Egyp. sojourn. He was prob. influenced by Galatians 3:17 ASV, which speaks of the law at Sinai (soon after the Exodus) coming 430 years after the promise of “a covenant confirmed by God.” Since this last v. may refer to God’s confirmation of the covenant promise to Jacob at his return to Canaan in 1909 ( Gen 35:9-12 ) rather than to its initial Abrahamic revelation in 2091, it should not be invoked in opposition to the uniform testimony of Genesis 15:13 ; Acts 7:6 ; and 13:19 to Israel’s four centuries in Egypt (cf. M. Kline, WTJ, 27 (1964), 7). This much time seems also to be required for Israel’s increase from one household to several million people ( Exod 12:37 ; cf. KD, II:28-30), for the 8,600 known male descendants of Levi’s son Kohath at the time of the Exodus ( Num 3:28 ), and for the ten generations that grew up in Egypt ( 1 Chron 7:25-27 ).

B. Israel’s Exodus . At what point in history did Egypt begin its systematic oppression of Israel? The pharaoh “who knew not Joseph” ( Exod 1:8 ) is not named. That he might have been Aahmes I, the founder in 1570 of Dynasty XVIII and of the New Empire, is suggested by this ruler’s hatred of the foreign (and Sem.) Hyksos, whom he expelled in 1567 (cf. 1:9 , 10 ). That the oppressive pharaoh might have been the first of these same Hyksos, who occupied the E Delta from c. 1730 on, would be favored by the ruthlessness of these conquerors toward those in Egypt, by their location at Avaris (near Pithom and Raamses, 1:11 ), and by the lengthy oppression that Scripture suggests (cf. Gen 15:13 , and J. Rea, ETSB, 3 [1960], 60, 61) combined with their known founding of a temple at Avaris in 1720 b.c. (CAH rev., pp. 13, 14).

The whole preceding chronology of the OT depends upon the date that one assigns to the Exodus. Its season was in the first month of spring ( Exod 12:17 , 41 ), after Moses’ return to Egypt during the Nile inundation of the preceding summer ( 7:24 ; 8:6 ). Scripture states further that Solomon’s Temple was founded during April/May “in the 480th year after the [Exodus]...in the 4th year of Solomon’s reign” ( 1 Kings 6:1 ). This latter year began in the fall of 967, so that a counting back of 479 years would produce the date of October, 1446 b.c. Since New Year’s Day had meanwhile been shifted into the fall from the springtime (see above, I-B), the Exodus must actually have occurred in April, 1446 (cf. J. Finegan’s hypothesis of how one year must presumably have been extended to the following season, Handbook of Biblical Chronology , p. 203; if, however, one were to assume a consistently springtime New Year’s, then the 480th year before April/May, 966, would seem to fall in 1445, cf. SOTI, p. 212). This date in the mid-15th cent. b.c. is confirmed by the statement of Jephthah, spoken over a cent. before Solomon’s Temple, that in his day Israel had been settled in Pal. for 300 years ( Judg 11:26 ), with of course forty more years of wilderness wandering before that. A similar time lapse is required by the Biblical assignment of over three centuries to the Judges; and it is confirmed archeologically by the dating of the destruction of Canaanite Hazor in the second half of the 13th cent. (CAH rev., p. 68), which would again place the beginning of the Judges in the early 14th cent. (see below, VII-C) and the Exodus in mid-15th. This in turn correlates well with the 1400 b.c. invasion of Canaan by people whom the Egyp. Amarna letters call “Habiru” (see VI) and with the fall of Canaanitish Jericho, which simply cannot be dated much beyond this point (VI; cf. FLAP, pp. 118, 159).

The majority of modern scholars dismiss 1 Kings 6:1 as an exaggerated, or even artificial, “twelve generations of forty years each” (FLAP, p. 212) and prefer a 13th rather than 15th cent. b.c. date for the Exodus. The older identification of Rameses II (1304-1237) as the pharaoh of the oppression and of his son Merneptah (1237-1225) as the pharaoh of the Exodus has now been generally abandoned; cf. the discovery of a stele dating from the latter’s fifth year, which speaks of his defeating Israel in Pal. Negative critics rather identify Rameses II as pharaoh both of the oppression and of the Exodus (despite Scripture’s reference to the death of the oppressor shortly before the Exodus, Exod 4:19 ). Their arguments, primarily archeological, are these: In Canaan, a number of cities, such as Bethel, Debir, and Lachish, are known to have been destroyed in the latter 13th cent.; Lachish, indeed, revealed an inscribed, smashed bowl, seemingly dating to the fourth year of Merneptah. In Trans-Jordan, the border fortifications of the nations which opposed Israel’s entrance into Canaan ( Num 20:20 , 21 ; Deut 2:9 ) appear to have developed only after 1300 b.c. Finally, in Egypt, the rebuilding of the Hyksos store-city of Raamses, where Israel was oppressed ( Exod 1:11 ), was not undertaken until the accession of Rameses II in 1304. Each of these arguments is open to question. The destruction of Canaanitish cities in the time of Deborah (1215 b.c. ) in no way prohibits their previous subjugation by Joshua in 1400 (cf. the repeated defeats of Bethel in Josh 8:17 and Judg 1:12 ). Evidences for a Trans-Jordanian sedentary occupation between 1550 and 1250 b.c. are mounting (cf. G. Lancaster Harding, PEQ [Jan.-June, 1958], 10-12); and God could have ordered His people to bypass Edom and Moab, whether these peoples had yet erected border fortifications or not. Finally, any attempt to correlate Rameses II with the store-cities of Exodus 1:11 leads to confusion. If the oppression at Raamses did not begin until after 1304, then, no matter how Moses’ birth, growth, and decades of exile to Midian be reduced, Israel’s Exodus simply cannot be made to precede “the middle of the 13th cent. b.c. ”; and its subsequent forty years in the wilderness, despite the OT’s careful year by year counting, must be treated as “a conventional round number for what was actually a somewhat briefer time” (FLAP, p. 120). But if, on the other hand, the liberal date of 1290/1280 be adopted for the Exodus (IDB, I; 584), with Moses’ birth eighty years earlier ( Exod 7:7 ; cf. Deut 34:7 ), and with the oppression extending indefinitely before that, then the enslavement at Raamses loses all possible contact with Rameses and might even date back to the time of his Hyksos ancestors (Rea ETSB, 3 [1960], 62, 63). In any event, the Biblical date of 1446 b.c. accords well with the death of the famous conqueror Thutmose III, whose reign is assigned to 1504-1450 by means of astronomy (CAH rev., pp. 17, 18) and whose building projects near Goshen and use of Sem. slaves is well-documented (SOTI, pp. 215-219). The pharaoh of the Exodus would thus have been his son and successor, Amenhotep II, while Moses’ early protector and royal benefactress may have been Thutmose’s equally famous aunt, regent, Hatshepsut, as indicated below:

V. Wilderness . Israel remained in the wilderness forty years, but only thirty-eight years were actually spent in the “wanderings” ( Deut 2:14 ), commencing after “the time of the first ripe grapes” ( Num 13:20 ), in 1445 b.c.:

VI. Conquest . The Tell el-Amarna tablets of Egypt have preserved a body of diplomatic correspondence, sent to Amenhotep III (1417-1379, CAH rev., pp. 18, 75) by a group of Canaanitish vassel-princes, pleading for aid against the invading “Habiru.” While this latter force may have embraced elements beyond the Biblical Hebrews (cf. Eber’s position as a remote ancestor of Abraham, Gen 11:16-26 ), their reported deeds of conquest and destruction parallel the known activities of Joshua and his early successors so closely that a correlation is probable. Furthermore, the last Egyp. royal scarabs discovered at Canaanitish Jericho belong to Amenhotep III; and, while the general lack of Late Bronze evidence from Jericho demands a certain caution in appealing to data from this site (cf. NBD, pp. 215, 216), it appears significant that the Mycenaean pottery which is characteristic of 1400-1200 is practically non-existent at Jericho (city IV).

The luxury loving Amenhotep III conducted an initial campaign in Nubia but seems then to have desisted from military activity, leaving the impoverished and disorganized Canaanite princes to protect themselves as best they might. Scripture states simply that “Joshua made war a long time with all those kings” ( Josh 11:18 ), but a chronology becomes ascertainable from the OT references to Caleb. Since this leader had been forty-five at the time of Moses’ sending out of the spies (in 1445 b.c. ) and since he was eighty-five at Joshua’s final division of the land ( 14:7 , 10 ), this latter event must be dated in the year 1400. Joshua eventually died at an age of 110 ( 24:29 ). Had he been in his mid-fifties at the time of the Exodus—for he was Moses’ military commander at the time ( Exod 17:9 ) and appears to have been considerably older than Caleb ( Josh 13:1 ; 14:11 )—it would suggest the following tabulation:

VII. Judges .

A. Basis. (1) Since Scripture furnishes no precise temporal connection between Joshua and the Judges, dates for the latter must be calculated by counting backward from the kings who followed them. Even assuming that Saul’s inauguration is datable to 1043 b.c. (see below, VIII-A), one is still faced with ambiguities concerning the rule of Samuel, who was his immediate predecessor and the last of the judges. If the period in 1 Samuel 7:2 of “twenty years” and Israel’s lamenting “after the Lord ” is equated with Samuel’s leadership (HDB, I: 399), then 1063 marks the overthrow of the Philistine oppression that preceded Samuel ( 1 Sam 7:7-14 ) and makes possible a tentative dating for the rest of the events of the period. (2) Certain sections of Judges record events that had only local significance and that overlap events in other areas: e.g., while the Philistines were overwhelming Israel on the W coast, the Ammonites were simultaneously oppressing the Trans-Jordanian tribes in the E ( Judg 10:7 ). Samuel’s judgeship succeeded directly upon the Philistine domination; hence, the terms of Jephthah, who fought Ammon, and of the three minor judges that followed ( 10:17-11:15 ) must have run concurrently with the forty year Philistine oppression ( 13:1 ). (3) A given period of oppression or deliverance may embrace more than one judge. For example, Ehud’s eighty year peace ( 3:30 ) is supplemented by a description of Shamgar, who “also delivered Israel” ( v. 31 ). The OT record, however, assigns no separate period of deliverance to Shamgar but continues—“And after Ehud died...the Lord sold them...” ( 4:1 , 2 ). So also the twenty-two years of Jair ( 10:3 ) seem best to be subsumed under the twenty-three of his predecessor Tola, who alone is said to have arisen to “deliver Israel” ( 10:1 ); and much of Eli’s judgeship ( 1 Sam 4:18 ), together with all of Samson’s ( Judg 16:31 ), belong under the forty years of Philistine oppression; for Samson, in reality, accomplished no deliverance at all but simply “judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years” ( 15:20 ).

B. Statistics . Judges covers 339 years (cf. 11:26 ), as follows:

The appendix to the book ( Judges 17-21 ) belongs to the period of moral chaos that preceded the first oppression (1382 b.c. ), for the migration of the Danites in chs. 17 ; 18 is mentioned in the Book of Joshua ( 19:47 ), which must have been composed shortly after Joshua’s own death ( Josh 5:1 ; 6:25 ; cf. the priority of Judges 18:12 to 13:25 ), and in ch. 20 Aaron’s grandson Phinehas was still serving as high priest ( v. 28 ).

C. Correlations . Although the Book of Judges furnishes no explicit contact with contemporaneous secular history, the above listed dates do suggest a series of plausible correlations with it. Among the Amarna letters are appeals from a Canaanite king Abdi-Hepa of Jerusalem to Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten; prob. 1379-1361, CAH rev., p. 19), which describe the city as in imminent danger of conquest by the Habiru. The Biblical King Adonizedek, whom Joshua defeated and executed, c. 1405 b.c. ( Josh 10:1-27 ), must therefore have been one of Abdi-Hepa’s immediate predecessors. The fulfillment of Abdi-Hepa’s forebodings may then have been realized at the conquest of Jerusalem by the tribe of Judah, after the death of Joshua in 1390 ( Judg 1:8 ), though his fears might also be explainable were he among the Jebusites who reoccupied the city shortly thereafter ( v. 21 ).

A theory first proposed by John Garstang ( Joshua-Judges , pp. 51-66) is that Israel’s alternating periods of oppression and of deliverance correspond to the absence or presence of political control in Pal. by the rival powers of Egypt to the SW, and of the Hitt. empire in the N. Israel’s oppression from 1382-1374 by Cushan-rishathaim of Mesopotamia may thus have constituted but one phase of Hitt. encroachment upon the disintegrating Pal. empire of Amenhotep III and IV, while Israel’s forty year rest under Othniel (1374-1334) would parallel Pal.’s stability when once within the sphere of influence of the great Hitt. rulers Suppiluliuma and Murshilish II (accession in 1344, CAH rev., vol. 2, p. 36). The following eighteen years of Moabite oppression may then match the uncertainty of the times which climaxed in a reoccupation of Pal. by a revitalized Egypt occurred under Seti I (1318, p. 20). It hardly appears accidental that the eighty year rest (1316-1236) inaugurated by Ehud attaches so closely to the peace that was enforced by the treaties of Seti and of Rameses II (1304-1237) with the Hittites. An ensuing decay on the part of both empires, followed by the final collapse of the Hittites in the face of barbarian invasion, seems to have opened the doors for the twenty-year Canaanite revival, and oppression of Israel, while the preservation of the latter part of Deborah’s four decades of prosperity (1216-1176) may have been due, in part, to the strong rule of Rameses III (c. 1199-1168, loc. cit.) of the new 20th Dynasty, the destroyer in c. 1191 b.c. (p. 75) of those invading sea peoples, whose Philistine remnants were so strongly to oppress Israel a cent. later. Decadence, however, characterized the later course of Dynasty XX, and Israel was left to face the chaos created by invading Midianites from the E. A significant confirmation of this dating is furnished by the presence of Mycenaean IIIb pottery (1300-1200 b.c. ) in the ruins of the final Canaanite city of Hazor (see above, IV-B), which campaigned against Deborah and Barak. The only time within this period during which Egyp. control was sufficiently withdrawn to permit such activity had to have been just before or after Merneptah (1237-1225): “Hence Baraq is to be dated in the second half of the thirteenth century” (CAH, rev., p. 68).

VIII. United kingdom .

A. Saul. 1 Samuel 13:1 speaks of Saul’s age upon accession (though the precise numeral has been lost) but does not indicate his total reign; its next reference, to “two years,” seems to go with the following v. and indicates that the battle of Michmash occurred two years after this accession ( 13:1 , 2 ASV). The RSV, however, treats this figure as a corrupted statement of total reign: “He reigned...and two years over Israel.” The NT states that God gave Saul to Israel “for the space of forty years,” after which He raised up David to be their king ( Acts 13:21 , 22 ); but liberal expositors usually reject the NT testimony and limit Saul’s kingship to twenty and two, or even ten and two (IB, II:946) years. This, however, is manifestly impossible in the light of Saul’s being a “young man” at his accession ( 1 Sam 9:2 ) and yet having a fourth son who had reached the age of thirty-five at the time of Saul’s death ( 2 Sam 2:10 ; cf. Kitchen, op. cit. pp. 75, 76).

A more serious question concerning the forty years of Acts 13 is whether it embraces only Saul’s individual reign or whether it includes also the seven years of Philistine domination, with vassal rule by his son Ish-bosheth, until the time of David’s accession over all Israel ( 2 Sam 2:10 , 11 ) in 1003 b.c. The latter alternative, leaving thirty-three years for Saul himself (1043-1010), appears more reasonable, since Jonathan, who had become a hero at Michmash in the opening years of Saul’s reign ( 1 Sam 13:1-3 ), was still David’s intimate friend in 1010 b.c. at its close. Since David was then thirty years old ( 2 Sam 5:4 , b. 1040 b.c. ), Jonathan would hardly seem to have been more than twenty years his senior; and if Jonathan were b. in 1060 he would have been nineteen at Michmash in 1041 and his father Saul c. thirty-five (?). The events of Saul’s later career and of his relationships with David are not precisely dated by the OT, until David’s final flight from Saul in 1012 b.c. ( 1 Sam 27:7 ); but they may be approximated as follows:

B. David’s later career ,as outlined above, is likewise subject to some conjecture. Jonathan’s crippled son Mephibosheth had been five at the death of his father and grandfather in 1010 ( 2 Sam 4:4 ); but since Mephibosheth had a young son of his own when he came to David’s court ( 9:11 ) this latter fact must bring the climactic events that surround 2 Samuel 9 down to c. 995 b.c. To this period also belong major parts of the appendix to 2 Samuel ( chs. 21-24 ), such as David’s song of rest ( ch. 22 ; cf. v. 1 with 7:1 ) or his census ( ch. 21 ; for v. 7 must come after Mephibosheth’s discovery, but before Absalom’s revolt, 16:8 ). If the sins of David and his son Amnon came to light c. 990 ( 11:2-13:22 ), then Absalom’s revolt would date to c. 979, as above.

C. Solomon . Shortly before his death in 970 b.c. David ordered his son Solomon anointed over the united kingdom ( 1 Kings 1 ; 1 Chron 23:1 ). While Solomon’s coregency appears to have been brief, if it was counted at all (P. van der Meer, The Ancient Chronology of Western Asia and Egypt , p. 72), it yet established a significant precedent in Judah; for Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, Azariah, Jotham, and Ahaz were to be granted coregencies with their fathers, and apparently for the same reason: to guarantee their succession and to insure the throne’s stability, in contrast to the kaleidoscopic history of N Israel, where only one such instance appears. Solomon’s chief foreign contacts were his building arrangements with Hiram king of Tyre (Ahiram I, 986-935 b.c. ) and his marriage to an Egyptian princess ( 1 Kings 3:1 ; 9:16 ), perhaps a daughter of Siamun, the last pharaoh but one of the 21st Dynasty, which terminated in 945 b.c.

IX. Divided kingdom .

A. Basis. After the division of Solomon’s kingdom in 930 b.c. each king’s reign continued to be correlated with that of his neighbor, producing “contemporary chronological materials of the greatest accuracy and the highest historical value” (Thiele, 2nd ed., p. 26); e.g., W. F. Albright’s attempt to shift Solomon’s death to 922 serves only to introduce confusion (ibid., pp. 60-62). This scriptural system operated upon the following bases:

(1) The N kingdom “predated” its reigns; i.e., it assigned no accession year to a given ruler but rather reckoned the year of his enthronement both as his own first year and as the last of his predecessor. For example, Nadab’s reign, which is said to be two years, began in the second year of Asa of Judah, but his successor Baasha’s reign began in Asa’s third; and the successor to Baasha’s twenty-four year reign began, in turn, in Asa’s twenty-sixth ( 1 Kings 15:25 , 33 ; 16:8 ). Judah, on the other hand, “postdated,” designating the latter part of a year in which a ruler died as the accession year of his successor and only the year following, as his successor’s first. This situation prevailed until 848 b.c., when Jehoram of Judah, who was allied with N Israel and whose wife Athaliah was the actual daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, adopted Israel’s predating system; cf. the old system illustrated in 2 Kings 9:29 and the new in 8:25 (ibid., p. 35). These vv. also demonstrate how each scribe would follow his own reckoning system in dating the other kingdom too. Both nations shifted to postdating in 796 b.c., perhaps due to Assyrian influence (ibid., pp. 37, 38); for the very nomenclature of accession years corresponds to the Akkad. resh sharruti.

(2) As indicated above (I-B), Judah’s secular year began in the fall; Solomon’s death, and the commencement of Rehoboam’s accession year, occurred at some point after Sept./Oct. (the month Tishri), 931 b.c., hereinafter indicated by the sign 930* b.c. In N Israel, however, Jeroboam, in line with his other deliberate departures from the Judean calendar (cf. 1 Kings 12:32 , 33 ), shifted to a spring, March/April (the month Nisan) New Year. This parallels the custom of Babylonia, Assyria, and esp. Egypt, with which he had close contact ( 11:40 ; 12:2 ; cf. ibid., p. 30). Israel’s movedup, springtime New Year is demonstrated Biblically by 1 Kings 15:1 , in which Abijam’s accession to the Judean throne in Rehoboam’s seventeenth year is dated in Jeroboam’s eighteenth, which must have begun in Nisan, indicated 913#, while Rehoboam’s seventeenth had still to run until Tishri.

(3) The following interpretative bases concern coregencies (see above, VIII-C) during the divided kingdom period. (a) The years of coregency are regularly included in the totals for the respective reigns. The fact that the five-year coregency of Jehoram of Judah with his father Jehoshaphat (proved by the designation of the year 852* b.c. in terms of both father and son, 2 Kings 1:17 and 3:1 ) was not counted in Jehoram’s eight year total ( 8:17 ) can only be described as a “variation” (ibid., p. 70). (b) The Book of Kings records each ruler in a sequence determined by the beginning of sole reign rather than of co-regency (vs. Thiele, ibid., pp. 138, 189). Jehoram’s ( 8:16-19 ) sole reign in 848 is listed after Joram of Israel ( 3:1-3 ), 852, even though the former’s coregency began in 853. (c) “Co-regencies commence with the first rather than accession years” (ibid., p. 159), a principle violated by Thiele in assigning an accession year to Azariah’s coregency with Amaziah (to bring it back to Tishri, 792 b.c., ibid., pp. 75, 83; contrast his 1st ed., p. 71, in which he lists this event as 791/790).

On these bases, the following chronological reconstruction appears:

B. Correlations . In addition to contacts in 853 and 841 of Ahab and Jehu with Shalmaneser III of Assyria (see above, I-C), the following dates fit into the above table: in 925*, Rehoboam’s payment of tribute in his fifth year ( 1 Kings 14:25 ) to Shishak I of Egypt (c. 945-924 b.c., NBD, p. 1181), as A. Malamat observes, “not long before Pharaoh’s death” (BA, 21 [1958], 99); in 857 and 856, Ahab’s two victories over Benhadad II of Syria ( 20:29 ; 22:1 ) and in 853 his death at the latter’s hands ( 22:35 ), the date of which is confirmed by the known Assyrian battle at Qarqar earlier that same year; in 803 b.c., Jehoahaz’s deliverance from Syria by a “savior” ( 2 Kings 13:5 ), meaning the Assyrian Adad-nirari III’s subjugation of Damascus; in 743, Azariah’s unsuccessful confederacy against Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria, resulting in Menahem’s tribute ( 15:19 ; cf. Thiele, 2nd ed., pp. 90-117); in 733 or 732 the captivity of three and one-half N tribes to Assyria ( 15:29 ); and in 725-722, from the seventh to the ninth years of Hoshea, the final three-year siege and fall of Samaria to Shalmaneser V ( 18:9 , 10 ; cf. the Babylonian Chronicle , 1.28), though Sargon II, who succeeded to the Assyrian throne in Dec., 722, later claimed this honor and may have participated in the campaign.

C. Difficulties . (1) 2 Chronicles 15:19 states that Asa had no war (“no more war,” KJV, though cf. the italics) up to his thirty-fifth year but that he was attacked by Baasha of Israel in his thirty-sixth ( 16:1 ); yet by that time Baasha had been dead for over ten years ( 1 Kings 16:18 ). The Chronicler’s figures must be understood either as dates for Asa counted from the division of the kingdom, back in 930 (ibid., p. 60), or as a miscopying for his fifteenth and sixteenth years, since the fifteenth was an actual time of warfare, with Zerah the Cushite ( 2 Chron 14:9 ; 15:10 ), in 895* b.c. (2) When 1 Kings 16:23 records how Omri began to reign in Asa’s thirty-first year (880*), this must refer to Omri’s reign in Samaria, after the death of his rival Tibni ( v. 22 ; ibid., p. 64); for while Omri actually commenced his reign in Asa’s 26th year (885) he did make the move to Samaria from Tirzah in his sixth year ( v. 23 ), or 880*.

(3) 2 Kings 15:30 states that Hoshea succeeded Pekah (732) in Jotham’s “twentieth” year. Jotham’s reign totalled only sixteen years ( v. 33 ), which must mean that he continued to live on for some time after an official surrender of the throne to his coregent-son Ahaz in 736. Jotham’s independent spirit ( 2 Chron 27:3-6 ) may well have been opposed by a party favoring submission to Assyria (ibid., pp. 127, 131). (4) The reckoning of Pekah’s twenty-year reign, according to the records of N Israel ( 2 Kings 16:7 ), from this same date (732) assigns him an accession year of 752. Jotham, whose twentieth year was also 732, is said to have begun the first year (751) of his coregency with his leprous father Azariah ( v. 5 ) in the second year of Pekah ( v. 32 ) and to have ended his sixteen-year reign (736) in Pekah’s seventeenth ( 15:1 ). This indicates that, in S records, Pekah must not have been credited with an accession year and that 752 must have been taken as Pekah’s first year, presumably as a coregent with Menahem. For Pekah’s twenty-year reign has to include the twelve years of the preceding dynasty of Menahem (ten years, accession in 752) and Pekahiah (two years); because his undisputed reign, in Samaria, began only in Azariah’s fifty-second year ( 15:27 , commencing Tishri, 740) and was terminated by Hoshea eight years later (in 732, as is known from the Assyrian records). Pekah presumably claimed their years as his own; indeed, he may have possessed certain sovereign powers among his Gileadites ( 15:25 ) from 752 onward (ibid., p. 124). Whether or not the final editor of 2 Kings was aware that Pekah’s twenty years were to be reckoned from this earlier point cannot be determined with certainty. That the inspired writer placed his descriptions of Pekah’s and Jotham’s reigns ( vv. 27-38 ) after those of Menahem and Pekahiah ( vv. 17-26 ) demonstrates only that the commencement of the sole reigns must have come in that order—actually in 752, 742#, 740#, and 739* respectively (see above, A-3-b). His awareness that Pekah’s period of full power, commencing in the year before Azariah’s death ( v. 27 ), had to have been preceded by a coregency is proved, in any event, by his knowledge of Jotham’s appointment as coregent with Azariah ( v. 5 ) and of Pekah’s own rise to power almost two years before that ( v. 32 ).

(5) The year of Hoshea’s accession, Jotham’s “twentieth” (732), is also described as Ahaz’s twelfth ( 2 Kings 17:1 ). After eight years of power, Jotham must therefore have associated his son Ahaz on the throne with himself, so that his ninth year became Ahaz’s first as coregent. Though rejected by Thiele as “artificial” and as a “fictitious overlap” (ibid., pp. 120, 136), such an appointment seems plausible in view of Judah’s impending defeat before Tiglath-pileser that same year, of Azariah’s now hopelessly leprous condition (he died four years later in 739*), and of Jotham’s later surrender of full power to his son (see 3 above), in 736. Some have wished to advance Jotham’s ouster into 735* (Thiele, p. 128); and Hoshea’s accession year did run from 732 into the spring (Nisan) of 731, with the result that Jotham’s twentieth and Ahaz’s twelfth year just might have commenced early in 731*. Since four years of Hoshea—his accession, first, second, and third—are correlated with five years of Ahaz—his twelfth through sixteenth—Ahaz’s twelfth has to correspond to the earlier half of Hoshea’s accession year (before the fall, Tishri, of 732); and his sixteenth, to the latter half of Hoshea’s third year (after Tishri, 729; or, 728*).

From the Creation of Adam to the Flood: 1656 Years

From the Flood to the Call of Abram: 427 Years

From the Call of Abram to the Death of Joseph: 286 Years

From the Creation of Adam to the Death of Joseph = 1656 + 427 + 286 = 2369 Years. This 2369 years is not the time from the creation of the world, but from the creation of Adam, Anno Hominus. Adapted from Scroggie, The Unfolding Drama of Redemption.

Israel in the Wilderness

From Egypt to Sinai The Encampment at Sinai From Sinai to Shittim\n Exodus 12:37-19:2 Exodus 19:3-Numbers 10:10 Numbers 10:11-Joshua 2

The Age of the Monarchy

Over 500 Years. B.C. 1095-586

United Kingdom Divided Kingdom

Single Kingdom

Saul to Solomon

Rehoboam to Hoshea Hezekiah (6th) to Zedekiah\n120 Years

136 Years\nB.C. 1095-975 B.C. 975-722

B.C. 722-586

1 Samuel 8-1 Kings 11

1 Kings 12-2 Kings 18:12

2 Kings 18:13-25:21 \n 1 Chron. 10-2 Chron. 9 2 Chron. 10-28 2 Chron. 29-36:21

The Three Captivities of the Israelites

Egyptian Assyrian Babylonian\nB.C. 1706-1491 B.C. 722- B.C. 606-536\n215 Years 70 Years

885 years between the end of the first captivity and the beginning of the last

The Return From Babylon

First Stage Second Stage Third Stage\nUnder Under Under

Zerubbabel Ezra Nehemiah\nB.C. 536 B.C. 458 B.C. 445

(6) The date of Hezekiah’s accession is the most problematic in OT chronology. Three major reconstructions have been proposed, each with its own difficulties. (a) While 2 Kings 18:1 locates Hezekiah’s regency in the above-mentioned year of 728*, v. 2 restricts his reign to a total of twenty-nine years; and, since the accession of his son Manasseh is definitely placed at 697*, Hezekiah’s own official accession could not have occurred before Tishri (727). The simplest approach is to assume an unexplained lapse of something over one year, perhaps due to the chaos surrounding Ahaz’s last days ( 2 Chron 28:5-23 ); cf. Thiele’s proposal, to assume a regency “taking control of affairs” (1st ed., p. 116) in order to account for a period not otherwise assigned. Four objections, the first three of which are subordinate, have, however, been raised by Thiele and others. (i) Scripture is said to be silent about contacts between Hoshea and Hezekiah (Van der Meer, op cit., p. 77); but the OT does repeatedly correlate their two reigns ( 2 Kings 18:1 , 9 , 10 ); on the other hand, it indicates no attempted contacts, of any sort, with Judah on the part of Hoshea. (ii) It is said that Hezekiah’s invitation for the Ephraimite “remnant that are escaped...out of the hands of the king of Assyria” ( 2 Chron 30:1 , 6 ASV) to participate in the Judean Passover of May, 725 (Hezekiah’s first official year; cf. 29:3 ; 30:2 ), could not have been issued prior to Samaria’s fall in 722; but since part of N Israel had already been taken captive by the Assyrians in 733, and since Hoshea had to face their final three-year siege of his capital from 725 on ( 2 Kings 17:5 ; 18:9 ), Hezekiah’s invitations must have caught him when he was helpless to resist them—they may even have been encouraged by Shalmaneser, as an instrument for undermining the N’s solidarity. (iii). An official accession year for Hezekiah in 726* is said to create a series of impossible birthdates. Actually, however, the data is this:

J. McHugh has thus revised Hezekiah’s birthdate downward by ten years, assuming that an accession age of fifteen was “easy to confuse” with twenty-five (VT, 14 [1964], 452). While the above-listed ages of fatherhood are quite young, they are not without parallel in the Orient. Thiele notes King Azariah’s birth occurring when his father was fifteen (2nd ed., p. 206) and cites even modern data on the supposed excellence of marriage “when the boy is but ten or eleven years old” (ibid., p. 128). (iv). The more serious objection to Hezekiah’s accession in 726* is the OT’s mention of Sennacherib’s attack of 701 b.c., occurring in connection with Hezekiah’s fourteenth year ( Isa 36:1 ); but see below, X-B.

Search a pre-defined list

The Whole Bible The Old Testament The New Testament ────────────── Pentateuch Historical Books Poetical Books Wisdom Literature Prophets Major Prophets Minor Prophets ────────────── The Gospels Luke-Acts Pauline Epistles General Epistles Johannine Writings ────────────── Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Songs Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Revelation

OR Select a range of biblical books

Select a Beginning Point Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Songs Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Revelation

Select an Ending Point Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Songs Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Revelation

OR Custom Selection:

Use semicolons to separate groups: 'Gen;Jdg;Psa-Mal' or 'Rom 3-12;Mat 1:15;Mat 5:12-22'

Click to Change

Return to Top

Chronology of Acts and the Epistles

1. Edited by BLB [An error was made in the original document incorrectly swapping the time of James death with the writing of the book of James.]

Search Results in Other Versions

Search results by book, blb searches, search the bible.

Advanced Options

There are options set in 'Advanced Options'

Theological FAQs

Other Searches

Multi-Verse Retrieval

* 'Number Delimiters' only apply to 'Paragraph Order'

Let's Connect

Daily devotionals.

Blue Letter Bible offers several daily devotional readings in order to help you refocus on Christ and the Gospel of His peace and righteousness.

• BLB Daily Promises
• Day by Day by Grace
• Morning and Evening
• Faith's Checkbook
• Daily Bible Reading

Daily Bible Reading Plans

Recognizing the value of consistent reflection upon the Word of God in order to refocus one's mind and heart upon Christ and His Gospel of peace, we provide several reading plans designed to cover the entire Bible in a year.

One-Year Plans

• Chronological
• Old Testament and New Testament Together

Two-Year Plan

• Canonical Five Day Plan

Recently Popular Pages

• H5921 - ʿal - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv)
• Spurgeon's Morning and Evening
• H3588 - kî - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv)
• H5377 - nāšā' - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv)
• NOT FORGOTTEN by C. H. Spurgeon
• Thomas Ice :: Part 8 - Matthew 24:7 Famines and Earthquakes
• H1288 - bāraḵ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv)
• David Guzik :: Salmo 119
• G4413 - prōtos - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv)

Recently Popular Media

• Jehovah's Witnesses, Jesus and the Holy Trinity (Walter Martin)
• John Chapter 1 [1990s] (Chuck Missler)
• Israel's Prophecy (Chuck Missler)
• John 3-4 (1982-85 Audio) (Chuck Smith)
• John 19:1 (Bob Davis)
• Philippians 2 (1982-85 Audio) (Chuck Smith)
• Genesis 7 (All) (Dr. J. Vernon McGee)
• Jaws O (Chuck Missler)
• John 1-2 (1982-85 Audio) (Chuck Smith)
• John 21 - Jesus Says 'follow Me' (Chuck Missler)

CONTENT DISCLAIMER:

The Blue Letter Bible ministry and the BLB Institute hold to the historical, conservative Christian faith, which includes a firm belief in the inerrancy of Scripture. Since the text and audio content provided by BLB represent a range of evangelical traditions, all of the ideas and principles conveyed in the resource materials are not necessarily affirmed, in total, by this ministry.

Blue Letter Bible

Login to your account.

Email / username or password was incorrect!

Check your email for password retrieval

 Keep me logged in!

Did you forget your password?

Register a new BLB account

Complete the form below to register  [?]

Error: That Email is already registered

Error: Please provide a valid Email

Error: Passwords should have at least 6 characters

Error: Passwords do not match

Error: Please provide a valid first name

Error: That username is already taken

Error: Usernames should only contain letters, numbers, dots, dashes, or underscores

← Login to Your Account

Passwords should have at least 6 characters. Usernames should only contain letters, numbers, dots, dashes, or underscores.

Thank you for registering. A verification email has been sent to the address you provided.

Did You Know BLB Is User Supported?

Your partnership makes all we do possible. Would you prayerfully consider a gift of support today?

Cookie Notice: Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. Please see Blue Letter Bible's Privacy Policy for cookie usage details.

Old Testament

New testament.

Bible Story Summaries (Index)

Old and New Testament Bible Stories

• Christianity Origins
• The New Testament
• The Old Testament
• Practical Tools for Christians
• Christian Life For Teens
• Christian Prayers
• Inspirational Bible Devotions
• Denominations of Christianity
• Christian Holidays
• Christian Entertainment
• Key Terms in Christianity
• Catholicism
• Latter Day Saints

• General Biblical Studies, Interdenominational Christian Training Center

This collection of Bible story summaries highlights the simple yet profound truths found in the ancient and enduring stories of the Bible. Each of the summaries provides a brief synopsis of Old and New Testament Bible stories with Scripture reference, interesting points or lessons to be learned from the story, and a question for reflection.

The Creation Story

The simple truth of the creation story is that God is the author of creation. In Genesis 1 we are presented with the beginning of a divine drama that can only be examined and understood from the standpoint of faith. How long did it take? How did it happen, exactly? No one can answer these questions definitively. In fact, these mysteries are not the focus of the creation story. The purpose, rather, is for moral and spiritual revelation.

The Garden of Eden

Explore the Garden of Eden, a perfect paradise created by God for his people. Through this story we learn how sin entered the world, creating a barrier between men and God. We also see that God had a plan to overcome the problem of sin. Learn how Paradise will one day be restored to those who choose obedience to God.

The Fall of Man

The Fall of Man is described in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, and reveals why the world is in such terrible shape today. As we read the story of Adam and Eve, we learn how sin entered the world and how to escape God's coming judgment on evil.

Noah's Ark and the Flood

Noah was righteous and blameless, but he was not sinless (see Genesis 9:20). Noah pleased God and found favor because he loved and obeyed God with his whole heart. As a result, Noah's life was an example to his entire generation. Although everyone else around him followed the evil in their hearts, Noah followed God.

The Tower of Babel

To build the Tower of Babel, the people used brick instead of stone and tar instead of mortar. They used "man-made" materials, instead of more durable "God-made" materials. The people were building a monument to themselves, to call attention to their own abilities and achievements, instead of giving glory to God.

Sodom and Gomorrah

The people living in Sodom and Gomorrah were given over to immorality and all sorts of wickedness. The Bible tells us the inhabitants were all depraved. Although God mercifully desired to spare these two ancient cities even for the sake of a few righteous people, none lived there. So, God sent two angels disguised as men to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Learn why God's holiness demanded that Sodom and Gomorrah be put to ruin.

Jacob's Ladder

In a dream with angels ascending and descending a stairway from heaven, God extended his covenant promise to the Old Testament patriarch Jacob, son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham . Most scholars interpret Jacob's ladder as a demonstration of the relationship between God and man—from heaven to earth—showing that God takes the initiative to reach down to us. Learn the true significance of Jacob’s ladder.

The Birth of Moses

Moses , one of the most prominent figures in the Old Testament, was God's chosen deliverer, raised up to free the ancient Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Yet, analogous to the Law , Moses, in the end, was unable to fully rescue the children of God and take them into the Promised Land . Learn how the dramatic events surrounding the birth of Moses foreshadow the coming of the ultimate Deliverer, Jesus Christ.

The Burning Bush

Using a burning bush to get Moses ’ attention, God chose this shepherd to lead his people out of bondage in Egypt. Try putting yourself in Moses' sandals. Can you see yourself going about your daily business when suddenly God appears and speaks to you from the most unexpected source? Moses' initial reaction was to get closer to inspect the mysterious burning bush. If God decides to get your attention in an unusual and surprising way today, will you be open to it?

The Ten Plagues

Relive the unbeatable power of God in this story of the ten plagues against ancient Egypt, which left the country in ruins. Learn how God proved two things: his complete authority over all the earth, and that he hears the cries of his followers.

Crossing the Red Sea

The crossing the Red Sea may be the most spectacular miracle ever recorded. In the end, Pharaoh's army, the most powerful force on earth, was no match for almighty God. See how God used the crossing of the Red Sea to teach his people to trust him in overwhelming circumstances and to prove that he is sovereign over all things.

The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments or the Tablets of the Law are the laws that God gave to the people of Israel through Moses after leading them out of Egypt. In essence, they are a summary of the hundreds of laws found in the Old Testament Law and are recorded in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21. They offer basic rules of behavior for spiritual and moral living.

Balaam and the Donkey

The strange account of Balaam and his donkey is a Bible story that's hard to forget. With a talking donkey and an angel of God , it makes the ideal lesson for a children's Sunday School class. Discover the timeless messages contained in one of the Bible's most peculiar stories.

Crossing the Jordan River

Spectacular miracles like the Israelites crossing the Jordan River happened thousands of years ago, yet they still have meaning for Christians today. Like the crossing of the Red Sea, this miracle marked an all-important change of course for the nation.

Battle of Jericho

The battle of Jericho featured one of the most astounding miracles in the Bible, proving that God stood with the Israelites. Joshua's strict obedience to God is a key lesson from this story. At every turn Joshua did exactly as he was told and the people of Israel prospered under his leadership. An ongoing theme in the Old Testament is that when the Jews obeyed God, they did well. When they disobeyed, the consequences were bad. The same is true for us today.

Samson and Delilah

The story of Samson and Delilah, while belonging to times long past, overflows with relevant lessons for Christians of today. When Samson fell for Delilah, it marked the beginning of his downfall and eventual demise. You will learn how Samson is just like you and me in many ways. His story proves that God can use people of faith, no matter how imperfectly they live their lives.

David and Goliath

Are you facing a giant problem or impossible situation? David's faith in God caused him to look at the giant from a different perspective. If we look at giant problems and impossible situations from God's perspective, we realize that God will fight for us and with us. When we put things in proper perspective, we see more clearly and we can fight more effectively.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were three young men determined to worship the One true God only. In the face of death they stood firm, unwilling to compromise their beliefs. They had no assurance they would survive the flames, but they stood firm anyway. Their story in the Bible speaks a strong word of encouragement especially to young men and women of today.

Daniel in the Den of Lions

Sooner or later we all go through extreme trials that test our faith, just like Daniel did when he was tossed into the den of lions . Maybe you are going through a time of serious crisis in your life right now. Let Daniel's example of obedience and trust in God encourage you to keep your eyes on the true Protector and Deliverer.

Jonah and the Whale

The account of Jonah and the Whale records one of the strangest events in the Bible. The theme of the story is obedience. Jonah thought he knew better than God. But in the end he learned a valuable lesson about the Lord's mercy and forgiveness, which extends beyond Jonah and Israel to all people who repent and believe.

The Birth of Jesus

This Christmas story gives a biblical account of the events surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ. The Christmas story is paraphrased from the New Testament Books of Matthew and Luke in the Bible.

The Baptism of Jesus by John

John had devoted his life to preparing for the arrival of Jesus. He had focused all of his energy toward this moment. He was set upon obedience. Yet the very first thing Jesus asked him to do, John resisted. He felt unqualified. Do you feel unqualified to fulfill your mission from God?

The Temptation of Jesus in the Wilderness

The story of Christ's temptation in the wilderness is one of the best teachings in Scripture about how to resist the Devil's schemes. Through Jesus' example we learn exactly how to fight the many temptations that Satan will throw at us and how to live victoriously over sin.

The Wedding at Cana

One of the Bible's most well-known wedding ceremonies is the Wedding at Cana, where Jesus performed his first recorded miracle.This wedding feast in the small village of Cana marked the beginning Jesus' public ministry. The crucial symbolism of this first miracle might easily be lost on us today. Also tucked in this story is an important lesson about God's concern for every detail of our lives.

The Woman at the Well

In the Bible account of the Woman at the Well, we find a story of God's love and acceptance. Jesus shocked the Samaritan woman, offering her living water so that she'd never thirst again, and changed her life forever. Jesus also revealed that his mission was to the entire world, and not just the Jews.

Jesus Feeds the 5000

In this Bible story, Jesus feeds 5000 people with only a few loaves of bread and two fish. As Jesus was preparing to perform a miracle of supernatural provision, he found his disciples focused on the problem rather than on God. They had forgotten that "nothing is impossible with God."

Jesus Walks on Water

Though we may not walk across water, we will go through difficult, faith-testing circumstances. Taking our eyes off Jesus and focusing on the difficult circumstances will cause us to sink under our problems. But when we cry out to Jesus, he catches us by the hand and raises us above the seemingly impossible surroundings.

The Woman Caught in Adultery

In the story of the woman caught in adultery Jesus silences his critics while graciously offering new life to a sinful woman in need of mercy. The poignant scene delivers a healing balm to anyone with a heart weighed down with guilt and shame . In forgiving the woman, Jesus did not excuse her sin . Rather, he expected a change of heart and presented her with a chance to begin a new life.

Jesus Is Anointed By a Sinful Woman

When Jesus enters the house of Simon the Pharisee for a meal, he is anointed by a sinful woman, and Simon learns an important truth about love and forgiveness.

The Good Samaritan

The words "good" and "Samaritan" created a contradiction in terms for most first century Jews. Samaritans, a neighboring ethnic group occupying the region of Samaria, were long-hated by Jews mostly because of their mixed race and flawed form of worship. When Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan , he was teaching a crucial lesson that went far beyond loving your neighbor and helping those in need. He was zeroing in on our tendency toward prejudice. The story of the Good Samaritan introduces us to one of the most soul-challenging assignments of true kingdom seekers.

Martha and Mary

Some of us tend to be like Mary in our Christian walk and others more like Martha. It's likely we have qualities of both within us. We may be inclined at times to let our busy lives of service distract us from spending time with Jesus and listening to his word. While serving the Lord is a good thing, sitting at Jesus' feet is best. We must remember what is most important. Learn a lesson about priorities through this story of Martha and Mary.

The Prodigal Son

Take a look at the Parable of the Prodigal Son, also known as the Lost Son. You might even identify yourself in this Bible story when you consider the closing question, "Are you a prodigal, a pharisee or a servant?"

The Lost Sheep

The parable of the Lost Sheep is a favorite of both children and adults. Probably inspired by Ezekiel 34:11-16, Jesus told the story to a group of sinners to demonstrate God's passionate love for lost souls. Learn why Jesus Christ truly is the Good Shepherd.

Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead

Learn a lesson about persevering through trials in this Bible story summary. Many times we feel like God waits too long to answer our prayers and deliver us from a terrible situation. But our problem couldn't be any worse than Lazarus ' — he had been dead for four days before Jesus showed up!

The Transfiguration

The Transfiguration was a supernatural event, in which Jesus Christ temporarily broke through the veil of human flesh to reveal his true identity as the Son of God to Peter, James, and John. Learn how the Transfiguration proved that Jesus was the fulfillment of the law and the prophets and promised Savior of the world.

Jesus and the Children

This account of Jesus blessing the children illustrates the childlike quality of faith that unlocks the door to heaven . So, if your relationship with God has grown too scholarly or complicated, take a cue from the story of Jesus and the little children.

Mary of Bethany Anoints Jesus

Many of us feel pressured to impress others. When Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus with expensive perfume, she had only one goal in mind: glorify God. Explore the poignant sacrifice that made this woman famous for all eternity.

The Triumphal Entry of Jesus

The Palm Sunday story, Jesus Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem before his death, fulfilled ancient prophecies about the Messiah, the promised Savior. But the crowds misinterpreted who Jesus really was and what he came to do. In this summary of the Palm Sunday story, discover why Jesus' triumphal entry was not what it appeared, but was more earth-shaking than anyone could have imagined.

Jesus Clears the Temple of Money Changers

As the Passover Feast neared, money changers were turning the Jerusalem Temple into a scene of greed and sinfulness. Seeing the desecration of the holy place , Jesus Christ drove these men from the court of Gentiles, along with sellers of cattle and pigeons. Learn why the expulsion of the money changers triggered a chain of events leading to Christ's death.

The Last Supper

At the Last Supper , each of the disciples questioned Jesus (paraphrased): "Could I be the one to betray you, Lord?" I would guess at that moment they were also questioning their own hearts. A little while later, Jesus predicted Peter 's three-fold denial. Are there times in our walk of faith when we should stop and question, "How true is my commitment to the Lord?"

Peter Denies Knowing Jesus

SuperStock / Getty Images

Although Peter denied knowing Jesus, his failure resulted in a beautiful act of restoration. This Bible story underlines Christ's loving eagerness to forgive us and restore our relationship with him despite our many human weaknesses. Consider how Peter's poignant experience applies to you today.

The Crucifixion

Jesus Christ in all four gospels

Crucifixion was not only one of the most painful and disgraceful forms of death, it was one of the most dreaded methods of execution in the ancient world. When the religious leaders came to the decision to put Jesus to death, they wouldn't even consider that he might be telling the truth. Have you, too, refused to believe that what Jesus said about himself was true?

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

There are at least 12 different appearances of Christ in the resurrection accounts , beginning with Mary and ending with Paul. They were physical, tangible experiences with Christ eating, speaking and allowing himself to be touched. However, in many of these appearances, Jesus is not recognized at first. If Jesus visited you today, would you recognize him?

The Ascension of Jesus Christ

The ascension of Jesus brought the earthly ministry of Christ to a close. As a result, two outcomes paramount to our faith occurred. First, our Savior returned to heaven and was exalted to the right hand of God the Father , where he now intercedes on our behalf. Equally important, the ascension made it possible for the promised gift of the Holy Spirit to come to earth on the Day of Pentecost and be poured out on every believer in Christ.

The Day of Pentecost

The Day of Pentecost marked a turning point for the early Christian church. Jesus Christ had promised his followers that he would send the Holy Spirit to guide and empower them. Today, 2,000 years later, believers in Jesus are still being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit . We cannot live the Christian life without his help.

Ananias and Sapphira

The sudden deaths of Ananias and Sapphira form a spine-chilling Bible lesson and terrifying reminder that God will not be mocked. Understand why God would not let the early church be poisoned with hypocrisy.

Stoning Death of Stephen

The death of Stephen in Acts 7 distinguished him as the first Christian martyr. At the time many disciples were forced to flee Jerusalem because of persecution , thus causing the spread of the gospel. One man who approved of Stephen's stoning was Saul of Tarsus, later to become the Apostle Paul . See why the death of Stephen triggered events that would lead to explosive growth of the early church.

Conversion of Paul

The conversion of Paul on the Damascus Road was one of the most dramatic moments in the Bible. Saul of Tarsus, a rabid persecutor of the Christian church, was changed by Jesus himself into his most enthusiastic evangelist. Learn how the conversion of Paul brought the Christian faith to Gentiles like you and me.

Conversion of Cornelius

Your walk with Christ today may be in part because of the conversion of Cornelius, a Roman centurion in ancient Israel. See how two miraculous visions opened the early church to evangelizing all the people of the world. 

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

In the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch, we find a religious outcast reading the promises of God in Isaiah. A few minutes later he is miraculously baptized and saved. Experience God's grace reaching out in this poignant Bible story.

• Battle of Jericho Bible Story Study Guide
• The Raising of Lazarus Bible Story Study Guide
• Mary and Martha Bible Story Study Guide
• Parable of the Lost Sheep Bible Story Study Guide
• Jonah and the Whale Bible Story Study Guide
• The Last Supper Bible Story Study Guide
• Paul's Road to Damascus Conversion
• What Are the Synoptic Gospels?
• The Birth of Moses Bible Story Study Guide
• Moses and the Burning Bush Bible Story Study Guide
• Jesus and the Children Bible Story Study Guide
• Facts About the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
• The Garden of Eden: Bible Story Summary
• Heroes of Faith in the Book of Hebrews
• Spread the Message of Love on Good Friday
• The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ

• Fri. Apr 5th, 2024

Chronological summary of the New Testament Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John timeline)

By Bible Blender

It’s called the “Synoptic Problem”, the perceived contradiction of various events in the four gospels.  Typically this perceived contradiction is chronological.  However, novice readers fail to understand the nuances of ancient writers and their works.  In the ancient Near East, historical events were often grouped by themes or geography and not necessarily presented in chronological order.  Thus, although the stories in the gospels match, they differ in order.  Below is a proposed chronological outline of events in the New Testament gospels as they likely occurred.  However, please note that this is only a proposed ordering of events – most events in the New Testament are not given specific dates/times in the scriptures and thus the table presented below is theoretical only.

Related Post

Bible pronunciation guide – a complete guide to pronunciation of difficult biblical names, locations, and other ancient biblical references, map of the twelve tribes of israel, nbc edits out mention of jesus in c.j. stroud post-game social media clip., moses transforms the undrinkable, bitter waters of marah (exodus 15:22 – 15:27), the maga far-right has highjacked christianity. it’s time for us to take it back., no, the bible does not tell us to kill women and babies. how critics use “verse mining” to twist god’s message for their purpose..

Walking through History: How to Read the Bible in Chronological Order

by Peter Schrock | Oct 30, 2023 | Bonus Blog

Reading the Bible is an essential spiritual practice for Christians worldwide, providing guidance, wisdom, and inspiration. However, the Bible is not written in chronological order, making it challenging to piece together the historical narrative and understand the context of various events and teachings. This is where reading the Bible in chronological order comes in, offering a fresh perspective that allows readers to walk through history and gain a deeper understanding of God’s unfolding plan. By structuring the Scriptures chronologically, we can observe the interconnectedness of different biblical events, characters, and prophecies, enabling us to appreciate the divine providence and overarching themes that underpin the entire Bible. This approach helps to bring clarity and coherence to the biblical narrative, enabling us to grasp the larger picture and providing context to individual stories and teachings. As we embark on this journey through biblical history, we will gain a renewed appreciation for the divine story and discover how God’s redemptive plan for humanity has been unfolding since the beginning of time.

Check out our recommended way of getting started reading the Bible .

Understanding the Bible’s structure: Books, chapters, and verses

Understanding the Bible’s structure is crucial for undertaking a chronological reading. The Bible is divided into two main sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament consists of 39 books, written over a span of several centuries, which include historical accounts, poetry, wisdom literature, and prophetic writings. The New Testament, on the other hand, comprises 27 books that focus on the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus, as well as the early Christian community. Each book is further divided into chapters and verses, serving as a reference system facilitating navigation and study. Chapters provide broad divisions within a book, while verses allow for detailed cross-referencing and citation. Familiarizing oneself with these structural elements will enable a smoother journey through biblical texts in chronological order, grasping the historical and narrative flow of the scriptures.

Creating a chronological framework: Identifying historical events and timelines

Creating a chronological framework is essential when reading the Bible in order to understand the historical context and appreciate the unfolding of biblical events. To begin, it is crucial to identify the historical events mentioned in the Bible and their corresponding timelines. This can be done by cross-referencing biblical accounts with external historical sources such as ancient texts, archaeological records, and inscriptions. Additionally, studying the genealogies, kings’ reigns, and references to significant historical figures can help piece together a coherent timeline. By mapping out these events and timelines, readers can gain a clearer understanding of the historical backdrop against which the biblical narratives take place. This framework not only deepens one’s appreciation for the historical accuracy of the Bible but also enhances the comprehension and interpretation of the scriptures.

The benefits of a chronological approach: Gaining a deeper understanding of biblical narratives

The benefits of reading the Bible in chronological order are numerous and significant for gaining a deeper understanding of biblical narratives. One of the major advantages is that it allows readers to immerse themselves in the historical and cultural context in which each story takes place. By tracing the chronological progression of events, readers can see the interconnectedness between different narratives, prophecies, and characters. This temporal perspective helps to unravel the development of themes, ideas, and the unfolding of God’s plan throughout history. Additionally, reading the Bible chronologically provides a fuller grasp of the cause-and-effect relationships between events, which enhances comprehension of the consequences of certain actions and decisions made by biblical figures. Ultimately, by following the biblical timeline, readers can appreciate the depth and complexity of the biblical narrative and gain a more profound understanding of the overarching story of redemption and salvation.

Important historical context: Exploring the political, cultural, and religious landscapes of biblical times

In order to read the Bible in chronological order, it is important to delve into the historical context surrounding biblical events. By exploring the political, cultural, and religious landscapes of biblical times, readers can gain a deeper understanding of the messages and teachings conveyed in the text. Political factors such as the rise and fall of various empires, the reign of specific kings, and the struggles for power provide insights into the geopolitical climate during biblical times. Additionally, understanding the cultural norms, traditions, and societal structures prevalent in ancient civilizations helps to illuminate the daily lives of the biblical characters. Lastly, comprehending the religious beliefs, practices, and rituals of the time allows readers to grasp the unique spiritual context in which the events unfold. By incorporating these important historical elements, readers can enhance their comprehension and appreciation of the Bible as a living historical document.

The challenge of arranging the books: Sorting biblical texts to fit into a chronological framework

Reading the Bible in chronological order presents an intriguing challenge when it comes to arranging the books in a way that reflects their historical sequence. Unlike a traditional linear narrative, the Bible is a collection of diverse texts written over thousands of years by different authors. The task at hand involves determining the probable dates of each book’s composition and then placing them in a logical order. While some books are relatively easy to place, others pose a more significant challenge due to their multiple authorship or unclear historical context. Scholars and theologians have devoted considerable effort to studying the Bible’s structure and themes to propose various chronological frameworks. Their work provides invaluable guidance in navigating the rich tapestry of biblical narratives and teachings. By meticulously organizing the books, readers can embark on a transformative journey that allows them to witness the unfolding of history and the development of theological ideas from a fresh perspective.

Examining the life of Jesus: Tracing his ministry and teachings in chronological order

Examining the life of Jesus is a crucial aspect of understanding the Bible in chronological order. Tracing his ministry and teachings allows readers to gain a deeper insight into the profound impact he had on the world. Beginning with his birth in Bethlehem, his family’s flight to Egypt, and returning to Nazareth, we witness Jesus’ upbringing and early years. As we move forward, we delve into his baptism by John the Baptist and the subsequent calling of his disciples. This marks the turning point in Jesus’ ministry, where he embarks on a transformative journey, spreading the Gospel and performing miracles. By following the order of events, readers can fully grasp the progression of Jesus’ teachings, from the Sermon on the Mount to the parables he shared to convey important spiritual truths. Examining the life of Jesus in chronological order offers a comprehensive understanding of his mission, highlighting the immense significance of his life and teachings in shaping the Christian faith.

Unveiling prophecies and their fulfillment: Discovering the continuity of prophecy throughout biblical history

As we embark on the journey of reading the Bible in chronological order, we cannot overlook the captivating aspect of uncovering prophecies and witnessing their fulfillment throughout biblical history. These prophecies serve as glimpses into a divine plan, showcasing the continuity of God’s promises and His involvement in human affairs. From the foretelling of the coming Messiah in the Old Testament to the fulfillment of these prophecies through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Bible is filled with remarkable examples of prophecy and its realization. By delving into the chronological reading of the Bible, we will have the privilege of witnessing the unfolding of these prophetic threads, gaining a deeper understanding of God’s sovereignty and faithfulness in the course of human events.

Insights into biblical characters: Tracking their journeys and development over time

When reading the Bible in chronological order, one of the most fascinating aspects is gaining insights into the journeys and development of biblical characters. By following the historical sequence of events, we can track their experiences, challenges, and transformations throughout their lives. This allows us to observe their growth, from their initial encounters with God to the trials they faced and the impact they had on history. For example, we can witness the transformation of Moses from a hesitant and self-doubting leader to a powerful figure who led the Israelites out of Egypt. We can trace the development of David from a young shepherd boy, chosen by God to become king, to a wise yet flawed ruler. Through this chronological reading, we can gain a deeper understanding of these characters’ personal journeys and marvel at the ways in which their lives intertwined with God’s unfolding plan throughout history.

Resources for reading the Bible chronologically: Recommended books, study guides, and online tools.

When it comes to reading the Bible in chronological order, there are numerous resources available that can enhance your journey through biblical history. One highly recommended our printed study journal which presents the scriptures in the order events occurred, while providing questions to help you dig deeper into what you are reading. Another useful resource is our Bible study app which is full of maps and videos connected with our unique Bible plan . For those seeking a more in-depth study, “The ESV Study Bible” and “The Archaeological Study Bible” are excellent choices, as they provide historical and cultural insights alongside the chronological layout. Additionally, we have online tools here: https://app.biblestudytogether.com to help you navigate through the Bible chronologically, making it easier to engage with the text in a sequential and contextually rich manner. These resources can greatly enhance your reading experience, allowing you to walk through history and gain a deeper appreciation for the message and stories found within the Bible.

Walking through history with the Bible allows readers to engage with the human aspect of these ancient texts. By grappling with the challenges and struggles faced by biblical figures, readers can find encouragement, inspiration, and solace in their own lives. They can relate to the triumphs and failures, joys and sorrows, and complexities of the biblical characters, discovering timeless and universal truths that resonate to this day. Furthermore, examining the Bible chronologically facilitates a more holistic understanding of the historical periods in which biblical events unfolded. Readers can gain a deeper appreciation for the customs, traditions, and beliefs of ancient civilizations, enhancing their understanding of the cultural and historical context in which the Bible was written. This, in turn, aids in discerning the intended messages, meanings, and lessons embedded within the texts.

Reading the Bible in chronological order offers readers a comprehensive and enlightening journey through history. It provides a deeper understanding of the biblical narrative, the development of religious concepts, and the cultural context in which the texts were written. This approach allows for a heightened appreciation of the unity and coherence of the Bible while shedding light on the human experiences and universal truths contained within its pages. By embarking on this chronological exploration, readers can enhance their spiritual and intellectual connection to the Bible, finding relevance and guidance in its ancient wisdom.

Serving as the President of Create Disciples Inc, Peter works with churches to promote daily Bible reading and prayer in their community. After creating the Chronological Cross-Reference Bible reading plan, he has led the way in developing our app and publishing our printed resources. Peter also works as a Christian life coach and entrepreneur.

• Christian Books & Bibles
• Bible Study & Reference

Buy new: $24.76 $24.76 FREE delivery: April 16 - 19 Ships from: MyPrepbooks Sold by: MyPrepbooks

Buy used: $21.11.

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service we offer sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's fulfillment centers, and we directly pack, ship, and provide customer service for these products. Something we hope you'll especially enjoy: FBA items qualify for FREE Shipping and Amazon Prime.

If you're a seller, Fulfillment by Amazon can help you grow your business. Learn more about the program.

Other Sellers on Amazon

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

The Short Bible: A Chronological Summary of the Old and New Testaments Hardcover – November 1, 2021

Purchase options and add-ons, additional details.

The Bible is widely considered to be the most profound collection of books in all of history, and it includes messages and stories that are still referenced today in the secular world. But it's long, complicated, hard to read, and not organized in chronological order.

In The Short Bible, author Dr. Peter Bylsma offers basic facts about the Bible, discusses the development of the modern Bible, and reviews its themes. He summarizes all the books of the Old and New Testaments in 25 short, easy-to-read chapters, capturing the epic stories, characters, and main ideas. Structured like a modern book, it also includes historical and geographical facts to help clarify the context of the events.

The Short Bible is appropriate for those who are already familiar with the Bible, those who want to better understand its overall themes, and those who simply want to know the fascinating stories and messages of the most read book of all time.

• Print length 414 pages
• Language English
• Publisher WestBow Press
• Publication date November 1, 2021
• Dimensions 5.5 x 1.06 x 8.5 inches
• ISBN-10 1664239154
• ISBN-13 978-1664239159
• See all details

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Editorial Reviews

About the author.

Peter J. Bylsma earned a bachelor's degree from Wheaton College (IL) and a master's in public administration and doctorate in education leadership and policy from the University of Washington (Seattle). Dr. Bylsma served 10 years in Christian agencies before working 30 years in government positions at international, federal, state, and local levels. He has researched many topics in an objective and nonpartisan manner and summarized the issues for busy leaders. He's lived in seven states and four other countries. Bylsma now lives with his wife in the Puget Sound region of Washington state.

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ WestBow Press (November 1, 2021)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 414 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1664239154
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1664239159
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.45 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.06 x 8.5 inches
• #35,169 in Christian Bible Study (Books)

About the author

Peter j bylsma.

Peter Bylsma spent 10 years serving in various Christian agencies before working 30 years in government positions at the international, federal, state, and local levels. Pete was an accomplished athlete and a secondary school teacher, and then as a data scientist and program analyst, he researched many topics in an objective and non-partisan manner and summarized the issues and results for busy leaders. He has authored many reports and articles related to public policy and organizational effectiveness across multiple disciplines. The Short Bible is his first book published as a private citizen. Besides holding a BA magna cum laude from Wheaton College (IL) in psychology, Pete earned a master’s degree in public administration and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy from the University of Washington (Seattle). He has lived in seven states and in the Netherlands, Korea, Malaysia, and Germany. He now lives in the Puget Sound region of Washington state.

Customer reviews

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Reviews with images

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

• Amazon Newsletter
• About Amazon
• Accessibility
• Sustainability
• Press Center
• Investor Relations
• Amazon Devices
• Amazon Science
• Start Selling with Amazon
• Sell apps on Amazon
• Supply to Amazon
• Protect & Build Your Brand
• Become an Affiliate
• Become a Delivery Driver
• Start a Package Delivery Business
• Advertise Your Products
• Self-Publish with Us
• Host an Amazon Hub
• › See More Ways to Make Money
• Amazon Visa
• Amazon Store Card
• Amazon Secured Card
• Amazon Business Card
• Shop with Points
• Credit Card Marketplace
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Amazon Prime
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices

ESV Chronological Bible

• Barnes & Noble
• Books-A-Million
• Christianbook

Crossway+ members receive 30% off Bibles. Learn more .

Availability: In Stock

Retail Price: $54.99

Other Cover Styles:

Read through Scripture in Historical Order with the  ESV Chronological Bible

From Genesis to Revelation, the  ESV Chronological Bible  guides readers through the 8 eras of the Bible in the order the events occurred:

• Primeval History
• Patriarchal History
• From Deliverance to Inheritance
• The Last Judge and the United Monarchy
• The Divided Monarchy
• Exile and Restoration
• The Kingdom Comes
• The Early Church

This easy-to-read format combines various prophetic books, Psalms, and letters alongside Scripture’s historical accounts. Each era begins with an introduction, serving to reorient the reader and connect the section to God’s redemptive narrative as a whole. What’s more, this freshly designed layout divides the entire Bible into 365 daily readings—each beginning with a summary and timeline—making it easy to study Scripture over the course of a year. 

• Presents the ESV Text in Chronological Order: The entire Bible is divided into 8 distinct eras and organized in the order the events occurred
• New One-Year Plan: Each of the 365 daily readings begins with a summary and timeline to show how the reading fits into the broader biblical narrative  
• Additional Content: Written introductions help readers reorient their minds on the next major biblical era
• Readable Format:  9.15-point text and single-column paragraphs make text easy to read
• Edited by Andrew E. Steinmann: Expert in biblical chronology and author of From Abraham to Paul: A Biblical Chronology

Download an Excerpt

Product Details

This freshly designed layout divides the entire Bible into 365 daily readings—each beginning with a summary and timeline—making it easy to study Scripture over the course of a year.

A fold-out master timeline shows how all the events in the Bible fit together.

Connect with Us!

• Retail Partners
• International Distributors
• About the ESV
• Read Online
• Mobile Apps
• Crossway Review Program
• Exam Copies
• History of Crossway
• Statement of Faith
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Service
• Submissions
• Permissions

© 2001 – 2024 Crossway, USA