The Bible is a collection of books that are canonized in Judaism and Christianity and are considered holy and sacred. Different sects and denominations may have different books in their canons. Below are 39 books from the Old Testament and 27 from the New Testament – all of which list the author and chapters, as well as the approximated dates it was written.
old testament
go to the new testament»
You are reading: History of the books of the bible
the pentateuch
genesis written by Moses between 1440-1400 BC; 50 chapters, the term “genesis”, which refers to the origin of something, is an appropriate name for this book. covers the beginning of life, mankind, nations, and redemption from sin. Genesis also tells the stories of the major patriarchs of the human race, including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, and the prophecies of God’s “chosen people.”
Exodus written by Moses between 1440-1400 BC; 40 chapters the book of exodus tells the story of God’s chosen people freed from slavery through Moses, a prophet. he tells of his 40-year journey through the desert on the way to the promised land. the giving of the ten commandments and the instructions for the construction of the tabernacle are detailed in this book.
Leviticus written by Moses between 1440 and 1400 BC; 27 chapters this third book of the bible details the laws and rituals given to the tribe of levi, the priestly tribe. Some of the common themes throughout Leviticus include the holiness of God, why humanity needs atonement for sin, and why there is a mediator between God and man.
numbers written by Moses between 1440 and 1400 BC; The 36 chapter numbers tell how God’s people were supposed to inherit the promised land, but forfeited due to continual sin and complaining. As a result, God judged many who were not faithful to him. This book concludes with the next generation of Israelites under the leadership of Moses.
deuteronomy written by Moses between 1440 and 1400 BC; 34 chapters this last book of the torah includes three speeches given by Moses to the Israelite. These include a summary of the previous generation’s 40-year journey, an encouragement to follow the law, words of comfort on repentance, and the importance of loyalty to one god.
story
joshua written by joshua between 1400 and 1390 BC; 24 chapters joshua connects the first five books with the historical books. The first 23 chapters discuss how the land is divided for the tribes in Israel. The last two chapters include speeches from Joshua that challenge listeners to renew their commitment to God and keep Moses’ law.
judges written by samuel between 1374 and 1129 BC; The 21 chapters in this book help describe the leaders of Israel from the time after Joshua’s death to the birth of Samuel, which is often referred to as a dark age for the Hebrews. There are 13 judges discussed in the book, but the three most prominent are Gideon, Deborah, and Samson.
ruth written by samuel between 1375 and 1050 BC; 4 chapter ruth shows a brighter side of the Hebrew story than the previous book: the judges. Discusses the loyal devotion and relationship Ruth had with his mother-in-law and the love the two had for each other.
i samuel and ii samuel written by samuel & Nathan between 1043 and 930 BC; 55 chapters samuel was an important figure in hebrew history and these two books together tell the story of him. The narrative looks at the time from the birth of Samuel to the end of King David’s reign. The first book focuses on Israel’s change from judges to a monarchy while the second book focuses on a god-ordained theocratic monarchy.
i kings and ii kings written by Jeremiah between 1000 and 600 BC; 47 continuing chapters from the two books of Samuel, 1st and 2nd Kings, recount the last days of King David along with the fall of Israel (721 BC) and Judah (586 BC). The four books combined show how Israel rose, divided, and fell.
I Chronicles and II Chronicles written by Ezra between 450 and 425 BC; the 65 chapters of the two chronicle books help tie up some loose ends from the earlier books. They summarize much of the Hebrew history that was discussed in the previous four books with mentions of earlier times going back to Genesis.
ezra written by ezra between 538 and 450 BC; 10 chapters ezra is one of the most respected people in hebrew history because he helped bring a large number of exiles from babylon back to their home in jerusalem. Ezra’s book recounts this heartbreaking act and how he cleansed the community upon his return.
nehemiah written by nehemiah between 445 and 425 BC; In 13 chapters, this historical book analyzes the details of the reconstruction of the city of Jerusalem after the return of the Jews from the Babylonian exile. Along with Ezra, these two books are important because they include first-hand information about the months and years immediately following the exile.
esther written by Mordecai between 483 and 471 BC; 10 chapters esther was a jewish queen who risked her life to save many jews from being killed. This book tells of her struggles and how she rose to the position of queen and her loyalty to her people.
poetic books
work written by Moses between 2000 and 1800 BC; 42 chapters this book addresses the eternal question, “why do good people suffer?” includes conversations between god and satan about work, a righteous man. when job loses everything he has in life, how does he react?
Psalms written by David, Moses between 1440 and 550 BC; 150 chapters the word psalms is translated as “the book of praise.” These 150 chapters were written by various authors, including David, Moses, Solomon, and some anonymous authors. Throughout the book, themes of trusting God and appealing to him in our troubled times are woven into the poetic language.
proverbs written by solomon, agur, lemuel around 950 bc; 31 chapters mostly written by King Solomon, Proverbs is a collection of short sayings that have practical applications to everyday life. Some common topics include controlling your speech, how to have good relationships with others, and other useful pieces of wisdom.
ecclesiastes written by solomon around 935 bc; the 12 chapters of this book written about king solomon emphasize the fact that everything “under the sun” is vain and the main focus should always be on things “above the sun”, or god. The author discusses the fact that everyone is going to die and the importance of fearing God and keeping his commandments.
song of solomon written by solomon around 950 a. 8 chapters one of the most controversial books in the bible is the song of solomon because many readers interpret it as having a sexual theme. However, it is more likely that this collection of marriage songs is designed to represent Christ’s love for His church.
4 major prophets
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isaiah written by isaiah between 700 and 680 BC; in 66 chapters this book records the message of isaiah, one of the main prophets of the old testament. The message includes judgment for sins, comfort for those who have been exiled, and detailed descriptions of the coming of Christ.
jeremiah written by jeremiah between 627 and 580 bc; 52 chapters when god’s chosen people turned their backs on him, jeremiah was the prophet who stood alone. he announces that judah will be destroyed and foresees a time of a new covenant between god and his people.
lamentations written by Jeremiah between 586 and 538 BC; 5 Chapters of Lamentations includes five poems about the sadness of the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. The writer of this book confesses sin for his people and prays that God will restore them to his home.
ezequiel written by ezequiel between 597 and 571 bc; 48 chapters ezekiel was a prophet exiled to babylon, which is where he received his call to speak to the people on behalf of god. The first half of the book deals with the events that occurred before the fall of Jerusalem and God’s judgment for sin. the second part is more encouraging with words of hope for the exiles who want to return to their homeland.
daniel written by daniel around 535 bc; 12 chapters many look at the book of daniel as one of the apocalyptic visions of the end times. others see it as little more than a series of visions of the circumstances in which the people found themselves during exile. There are graphic descriptions of events that ultimately refer to the victory of God’s people.
12 minor prophets
Hosea written by Hosea around 715 BC; 14 chapters during one of israel’s darkest hours, god called the prophet hosea to be his spokesman. hosea was a heartbroken man due to people’s indifference to god, but his wife’s infidelity made things worse. the prophet begs his people to repent and turn to god to have mercy on his lives.
joel written by joel between 835 and 796 BC; 3 chapters one of the main themes of the book of joel is the repentance of sins. The prophet Joel describes a horrible drought combined with a plague of locusts followed by blessings from God and the judgment to come. the book is often discussed as a symbol of an apocalyptic future.
amos written by amos around 750 bc; 9 chapters Amos was one of the prophets most intolerant of sin and was not afraid to confront it with his people. He talks a lot about God’s judgment on sin, but ends his message with a promise that God will restore the righteous.
obadiahs spelled by abbeys around 840 or 586 BC; 1 chapter although obadiah is only one chapter, it is a powerful book that speaks of the destruction of edom for their sins. Much of Obadiah’s message deals with God’s judgment on sinful nations.
jonah written by jonah around 760 bc; in 4 chapters the book of jonah tells the story of a prophet who was told by god to go preach to a certain city, but he turned around and ran the other way. After being swallowed and expelled by a giant whale, he reluctantly did what God told him to do.
micah written by micah around 760 BC; 7 chapters Micah brought a message that was not unlike Amos’s message. denounce sin unapologetically and use bold language to do so. this prophet also predicts the birthplace of jesus and tells people of sure deliverance through the coming messiah.
nahum written by nahum between 663 and 612 BC; 3 chapters these three chapters talk about the destruction of nineveh, which was the main city of assyria at that time. His words were designed to bring comfort to those to whom he spoke that God would soon destroy his oppressors.
Habakuk written by Habakkuk between 612 and 588 BC; Habakkuk in 3 chapters records a dialogue between this prophet and the same god. After Habakkuk questions the Lord, he comes through the conversation with a stronger and better understanding of his faith.
Zephaniah written by Zephaniah between 640 and 609 BC; In 3 chapters, the Book of Zephaniah continues the themes of most of the prophets: God’s judgment and God’s promise of salvation. like the others, he strongly encourages his people to repent so that god can dwell with them.
haggai written by haggai around 520 bc; 2 chapters after the exile, Haggai prophesies in the name of god about things to come, including the rebuilding of the second temple that was delayed for more than 20 years.
zacharias written by zacharias between 520 and 518 bc; 14 chapters, as with many of the prophetic books, the one of Zechariah is also considered a symbol of the apocalypse. the first part of the book deals with the construction of the temple. The last few chapters, however, discuss the “end times,” including God’s judgment on all nations and the restoration of Israel.
malachi written by malachi between 600 and 450 BC; 4 chapters malachi is the last book of the old testament as well as the last words spoken by god through a prophet for the next 400 years. It talks about God’s blessings for those who repent, how God will purify and judge all nations, and Elijah’s return.
new testament
go to the old testament»
4 gospels
Mateo written by Mateo between 60 and 65 AD; 28 chapters the Gospel of Matthew was written with a Jewish audience in mind. it is the most complete of the four gospels because the author’s purpose was to convince the jews that jesus was the messiah they had been waiting for.
brand written by brand between 55 and 65 ad; 16 chapters Although Mark is the shortest of the four gospels, scholars believe it was the earliest to be written. Instead of beginning with the birth of Jesus, Mark begins his gospel with the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. The focus of this book is on Jesus’ miracles to show that he was the divine Christ.
luke written by luke around 60 ad; 24 chapters the purpose of luke’s gospel was to show that jesus was both a teacher and a healer. As a physician, Lucas focused on the details he found as a result of interviewing eyewitnesses to obtain first-hand accounts of the life and works of Jesus.
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john written by john between 85 and 90 ad; 21 chapters john often refers to himself as the “disciple whom jesus loved” throughout his gospel. his focus is on confirming that jesus was indeed the son of god. In addition to describing events much like the previous three Gospels, John also interprets them in a spiritual context.
story
Acts written by Lucas between 63 and 70 AD; 28 chapters this is the only historical book in the new testament, but it describes the development of the early church after the death and ascension of jesus. It begins with a discussion of the days in Jerusalem after the event and then describes various missionary efforts of the apostles and more.
Pauline epistles
Romans written by Paul around 58 AD; 16 chapters the apostle paul wrote much of the new testament and romans is the first and largest book with the authorship of him. these books are actually letters to various churches. this is a letter to the roman church and deals with salvation, god’s grace, sin and spiritual advice for all readers.
i corinthians written by paul around 54 ad; Paul’s 16-chapter letter to the Corinthian church deals with many things, namely a description of various spiritual gifts, how to love one another in Christ, the importance of the resurrection of Jesus, and more. The first section of this book also discusses some of the doctrinal issues that plagued the church at the time.
ii corinthians written by paul around 55 ad; 13 chapters some people in corinth questioned whether or not paul was a true apostle of christ, so he wrote this letter in defense of his apostleship. It also discusses how to care for the poor who live in Jerusalem.
Galatians written by Paul around 49 AD; 6 chapters paul’s main focus when he wrote to the galatians was the freedom found in christ. he discusses the problem of overemphasizing the law, as well as other Christian doctrines, including the fruits of the spirit and the fruits of the flesh.
ephesians written by paul around 60 ad; 6 chapters the main theme throughout ephesians is that the church is essentially the body of christ. Paul discusses how brothers and sisters in Christ must be united in purpose and how they can fight spiritual warfare by living a holy and pure life inspired by Jesus Christ.
Philippians written by Paul between 61 and 65 AD; 4 chapters while in prison, paul writes a letter to the church in philippi to thank them for their generosity and his love. He goes on to discuss how Christ was humble and how his servants should be the same way. he also talks about his goals to be perfect while he maintains humility in his life.
Colossians written by Paul between 55 and 63 AD; In 4 chapters, Paul emphasizes the fact in Colossians that Jesus was present when the world was created and how Christ rules supreme over all creation. Some rules of conduct are also discussed, including ideas about food consumption, heresies, and more.
I Thessalonians written by Paul around AD 50; In five chapters of this letter, Paul tells the Thessalonian church that he will send Timothy, a delegate. He discusses such topics as Christian-to-Christian relationships, mourning loved ones who have passed away, and the importance of preparing for God’s return.
II Thessalonians written by Paul around AD 50; 3 chapters as with all his letters, Paul opens II Thessalonians with a greeting and words of encouragement. One of the main themes of this letter is the second coming of Christ. Paul tells the people in the church to stand firm in their beliefs so they can be ready when the day of the Lord comes.
i timothy written by paul around 64 ad; 6 chapters paul’s first letter to timothy, his younger colleague, discusses the instructions and responsibilities for operating a church body. Paul warns Timothy about various problems he will encounter, including false doctrines, how women can serve in the church, and the qualifications a person must have before being a church leader.
ii timothy written by paul around 63 ad; 4 chapters because timothy was young, paul wanted to cheer him up as much as possible. in this letter to young timothy, paul tells him to be bold in spirit and not to be afraid to speak about jesus.
titus written by paul around 64 ad; 3 chapters Titus was another young preacher whom Paul mentored. Like the letters to Timothy, Paul writes this epistle to encourage Titus to stay strong. he also discusses the problems titus is likely to face and the best ways to deal with those problems as they arise.
philemon written by paul between 56 and 65 ad; 1 chapter Philemon was a runaway slave in search of freedom. Paul writes this letter to the slave owner to beg him to forgive him and let him return as a brother in Christ.
Hebrews written by Paul around AD 65; 13 chapters the epistle of the Hebrews was written to a group of Christians who were thinking of returning to the ways of Judaism. the author (possibly paul) talks about how jesus reigns over the old testament and made the ultimate sacrifice for his sins.
other epistles
james written by james around 49 ad; 5 chapters the epistle of James has a lot of information for Christian believers. sections range from discussing faith and wisdom to being friends with the world and tips for controlling your words. there are also warnings about being boastful, being biased, and loving money.
i peter written by peter between 64 and 65 ad; 5 chapters Peter wrote this epistle to warn of possible discrimination and persecution of Christians, either in the present time or many years in the future. encourages believers to be steadfast and to rejoice in their sufferings for the rewards that await them.
ii pedro written by pedro around 67 ad; 3 chapters this epistle is more encouragement to believers when they face persecution. Peter reminds them that there will be false teachers who will try to preach a different message than what they have learned. He emphasizes that it is important to remember that God will fulfill his promises to those who remain faithful.
i juan, ii juan, & III Juan written by Juan between 85 and 90 AD; 7 chapters these three epistles, written by the same person who wrote the gospel of john, are addressed to different people. Messages throughout these three letters include fellowship with other believers, loving one another, how to walk closer to God, and other topics related to the Christian lifestyle.
jude written by jude around 65 ad; 1 chapter The main focus of this short book is to expose false prophets and teachers who try to lead believers astray. Discuss the importance of faith and knowing what you believe in resisting false teachings.
prophecy
revelation written by juan around the year 90 ad; 22 chapters this is one of the most discussed and controversial books of the hebrew bible. many scholars believe it to be a detailed and graphic look into the future to the end of time as we know it. others believe it is a description of the Roman empire.
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