How Many Books Are There in the Bible and What Are They About?
by Owen Borville
December 4, 2018
Bible
There are 66 Books in the Bible written at different times in history by prophets through divine revelation and viewed by Biblical scholars to be the inspired Word of God. Beginning with God's instruction to Moses, the Bible was written during a span of about 1,500 years from the 14th century B.C. to the 1st century A.D. The books are divided into two main groups, the Old Testament and the New Testament, signifying the books written before Jesus Christ and after. The theme of the Bible is God's original covenant with the Israelites and the promised messiah for all of humanity. The Bible focuses on historical events in the world that are related to the nation of Israel and the promised messiah.
BOOKS OF THE BIBLE:
Book of Genesis: Describes the creation, the first nations, and God's first covenant with Abraham and the Israelites (4004 B.C. to 1450 B.C.)
Book of Exodus: The escape of the Israelites from Egyptian captivity, the Ten Commandments, and the return to ancestral homeland (1450 B.C.)
Book of Leviticus: The ceremonial law is given (1450 B.C.)
Book of Numbers: The census taken and the Israelites wander 40 years in the wilderness (1400 B.C.)
Book of Deuteronomy: Moses reminds Israel of their history and God's laws that were established (1400 B.C.)
Book of Joshua: Israel finally secures control of the land of Canaan and begins settlement (1375 B.C.)
Book of Judges: Israel struggled to maintain religious purity and began idol worship (1375-1050 B.C.)
Book of Ruth: Non-Jewish woman marries in to Jewish family and shows loyalty, faith, and love (1100 B.C.)
Book of 1 Samuel: The twelve tribes of Israel are unified under a king (1100-1000 B.C.)
Book of 2 Samuel: The rise of David, King of Israel (1010-970 B.C.)
Book of 1 Kings: Israel becomes divided into ten north kingdoms and two south kingdoms (970-850).
Book of 2 Kings: The Assyrian and Babylonian invasions of Israel (800-586 B.C.)
Book of 1 Chronicles: Detailed history of King David (1010-970 B.C.)
Book of 2 Chronicles: Detailed history from King Solomon to the return from exile (970-500 B.C.)
Book of Ezra: The return of the Israelites from exile and the re-establishment of faith (530-450 B.C.)
Book of Nehemiah: The walls of Jerusalem are rebuilt by Israel (445 B.C.)
Book of Esther: A Jewish woman saves Israel from destruction. (480 B.C.)
Book of Job: A man is tested for his faith (2,000 B.C.)
Book of Psalms: Songs of prayers and praise from various authors, mostly David, but many others (1500 B.C.-500 B.C.)
Book of Proverbs: A book of verses promoting wisdom during time of King Solomon (950 B.C.)
Book of Ecclesiastes: The experiences of a King of Jerusalem and search for wisdom, possibly Solomon (450-200 B.C.)
The Song of Solomon (Canticles): A lyric poem about the love of husband and wife by King Solomon (970-930 B.C.)
Book of Isaiah: The beginning of the prophetic books. The prophet Isaiah warns about the punishment for the sin of Israel, coming messiah, restoration of Israel, and the future kingdom of heaven (740-700 B.C.)
Book of Jeremiah: The warning of the punishment for Israel's disobedience and the call of the prophet Jeremiah (585 B.C.)
Book of Lamentations: Literary work describing the sorrow of the fall of Israel because of disobedience, likely written by Jeremiah (586 B.C.)
Book of Ezekiel: The prophet Ezekiel has a vision for the exiled Jewish nation to be restored (590-570 B.C.)
Book of Daniel: The prophetic visions of Daniel for the nation of Israel and future kingdoms of the world (600 B.C.)
Book of Hosea: Hosea warns Israel of the punishment for disobedience and the prophet's marriage to a prostitute named Gomer symbolizes God's relationship with Israel (750 B.C.)
Book of Joel: The prophet Joel urges Israel to repent of their sins and warns of future punishment (586 B.C.)
Book of Amos: A shepherd is called by God to warn Israel of the punishment for sin, including idol worship and persecution of the prophets (760 B.C.)
Book of Obadiah: The prophet Obadiah warns Edom, the descendants of Jacob's brother Esau, of their fighting against Israel and their assistance in Israel's destruction (580-550 B.C.)
Book of Jonah: The prophet Jonah runs from God's command to preach repentance to Nineveh, capital of Assyria and the most powerful city on Earth. Jonah is swallowed by a fish, but later escapes and follows the command to preach and the city is spared from destruction after the people repent (760 B.C.)
Book of Micah The prophet Micah warns Israel of punishment for their sins and calls for repentance (700 B.C.)
Book of Nahum: The prophet Nahum warns Nineveh, the Assyrian capital, of punishment for their sins 100 years after Jonah led them to repentance but later became evil again and is eventually punished with destruction (660 B.C.)
Book of Habakkuk: The prophet Habakkuk questions God's ways but later submits to God's plan (600 B.C.)
Book of Zephaniah: The prophet Zephaniah warns Israel (Judah) over idol worship (640 B.C.)
Book of Haggai: The prophet Haggai urges the Israelites to rebuild their temple after returning from exile (520 B.C.)
Book of Zechariah: The prophet Zechariah urges the Israelites to rebuild their temple and predicts the coming messiah (500 B.C.)
Book of Malachi: The prophet Malachi warns the Israelites of their sins and predicts the coming messiah (450 B.C.)
Beginning of the New Testament:
The Gospel according to Matthew: As a tax collector and disciple of Jesus Christ, Matthew writes of the life and work of Jesus on Earth, including the fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecies of the coming messiah (70 A.D.)
The Gospel according to Mark: Thought to be the first gospel written in 60-70 A.D., Mark the evangelist details the life and work of Jesus Christ.
The Gospel according to Luke: A Gentile physician and missionary, Luke chronicles the life and work of Jesus Christ (70-80 A.D.)
The Gospel according to John: In contrast to the other three "synoptic gospels", John focuses more on who Jesus is and why Jesus came. However, many of Jesus' works are recorded by John (90-100 A.D.)
Book of Acts: A chronicle of the works of the early church apostles, believed to be written by Luke (60-80 A.D.)
Book of Romans: An epistle or letter by the Apostle Paul to the Romans preaching the Christian way of life (57 A.D.)
Book of Corinthians 1 and 2: A letter by the Apostle Paul to the Corinthian church addressing some issues (57 A.D.)
Epistle to the Galatians: Paul's letter to several churches in Galatia (49 A.D.)
Epistle to the Ephesians: Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus (62 A.D.)
Epistle to the Philippians: Paul's letter to the church at Philippi (60-65 A.D.)
Epistle to the Colossians: Paul's letter to the church at Colossae (60-65 A.D.)
Thessalonians 1 and 2: Paul's letter to the church at Thessaloniki telling of the return of Jesus Christ and some major prophecies (50-55 A.D.)
Epistles to Timothy 1 and 2: A letter by Paul to his young assistant Timothy detailing instructions on ministering the church (60-65 A.D)
Epistle to Titus: Paul's letter to his assistant Titus detailing instructions on ministering the church (60-65 A.D).
Epistle to Philemon: Paul asks for forgiveness for a runaway slave who converted to Christianity (60-65 A.D.)
Book of Hebrews: Various Jewish Christians promote Christianity over traditional Judaism (60-70 A.D.)
Book of James: The relationship between faith and good works (60-65 A.D.) Possibly written by Jesus' brother.
First and Second Peter: The Apostle Peter writes of the Christian faith in the midst of Roman persecution (65-70 A.D.) Peter writes about the Christian faith and false teachings before his execution.
First, Second, Third John: Three letters by the Apostle John (according to tradition) explaining the existence of Jesus on Earth in both spirit and body, correcting false teachings in the church about Jesus' time on Earth, preaching kindness and hospitality (90-95 A.D.)
Jude: A warning about false teachings and doctrines (80-85 A.D.)
Book of Revelation: An apocalyptic revelation about past and future events associated with the Christian church and future kingdoms on Earth (95-100 A.D.)
by Owen Borville
December 4, 2018
Bible
There are 66 Books in the Bible written at different times in history by prophets through divine revelation and viewed by Biblical scholars to be the inspired Word of God. Beginning with God's instruction to Moses, the Bible was written during a span of about 1,500 years from the 14th century B.C. to the 1st century A.D. The books are divided into two main groups, the Old Testament and the New Testament, signifying the books written before Jesus Christ and after. The theme of the Bible is God's original covenant with the Israelites and the promised messiah for all of humanity. The Bible focuses on historical events in the world that are related to the nation of Israel and the promised messiah.
BOOKS OF THE BIBLE:
Book of Genesis: Describes the creation, the first nations, and God's first covenant with Abraham and the Israelites (4004 B.C. to 1450 B.C.)
Book of Exodus: The escape of the Israelites from Egyptian captivity, the Ten Commandments, and the return to ancestral homeland (1450 B.C.)
Book of Leviticus: The ceremonial law is given (1450 B.C.)
Book of Numbers: The census taken and the Israelites wander 40 years in the wilderness (1400 B.C.)
Book of Deuteronomy: Moses reminds Israel of their history and God's laws that were established (1400 B.C.)
Book of Joshua: Israel finally secures control of the land of Canaan and begins settlement (1375 B.C.)
Book of Judges: Israel struggled to maintain religious purity and began idol worship (1375-1050 B.C.)
Book of Ruth: Non-Jewish woman marries in to Jewish family and shows loyalty, faith, and love (1100 B.C.)
Book of 1 Samuel: The twelve tribes of Israel are unified under a king (1100-1000 B.C.)
Book of 2 Samuel: The rise of David, King of Israel (1010-970 B.C.)
Book of 1 Kings: Israel becomes divided into ten north kingdoms and two south kingdoms (970-850).
Book of 2 Kings: The Assyrian and Babylonian invasions of Israel (800-586 B.C.)
Book of 1 Chronicles: Detailed history of King David (1010-970 B.C.)
Book of 2 Chronicles: Detailed history from King Solomon to the return from exile (970-500 B.C.)
Book of Ezra: The return of the Israelites from exile and the re-establishment of faith (530-450 B.C.)
Book of Nehemiah: The walls of Jerusalem are rebuilt by Israel (445 B.C.)
Book of Esther: A Jewish woman saves Israel from destruction. (480 B.C.)
Book of Job: A man is tested for his faith (2,000 B.C.)
Book of Psalms: Songs of prayers and praise from various authors, mostly David, but many others (1500 B.C.-500 B.C.)
Book of Proverbs: A book of verses promoting wisdom during time of King Solomon (950 B.C.)
Book of Ecclesiastes: The experiences of a King of Jerusalem and search for wisdom, possibly Solomon (450-200 B.C.)
The Song of Solomon (Canticles): A lyric poem about the love of husband and wife by King Solomon (970-930 B.C.)
Book of Isaiah: The beginning of the prophetic books. The prophet Isaiah warns about the punishment for the sin of Israel, coming messiah, restoration of Israel, and the future kingdom of heaven (740-700 B.C.)
Book of Jeremiah: The warning of the punishment for Israel's disobedience and the call of the prophet Jeremiah (585 B.C.)
Book of Lamentations: Literary work describing the sorrow of the fall of Israel because of disobedience, likely written by Jeremiah (586 B.C.)
Book of Ezekiel: The prophet Ezekiel has a vision for the exiled Jewish nation to be restored (590-570 B.C.)
Book of Daniel: The prophetic visions of Daniel for the nation of Israel and future kingdoms of the world (600 B.C.)
Book of Hosea: Hosea warns Israel of the punishment for disobedience and the prophet's marriage to a prostitute named Gomer symbolizes God's relationship with Israel (750 B.C.)
Book of Joel: The prophet Joel urges Israel to repent of their sins and warns of future punishment (586 B.C.)
Book of Amos: A shepherd is called by God to warn Israel of the punishment for sin, including idol worship and persecution of the prophets (760 B.C.)
Book of Obadiah: The prophet Obadiah warns Edom, the descendants of Jacob's brother Esau, of their fighting against Israel and their assistance in Israel's destruction (580-550 B.C.)
Book of Jonah: The prophet Jonah runs from God's command to preach repentance to Nineveh, capital of Assyria and the most powerful city on Earth. Jonah is swallowed by a fish, but later escapes and follows the command to preach and the city is spared from destruction after the people repent (760 B.C.)
Book of Micah The prophet Micah warns Israel of punishment for their sins and calls for repentance (700 B.C.)
Book of Nahum: The prophet Nahum warns Nineveh, the Assyrian capital, of punishment for their sins 100 years after Jonah led them to repentance but later became evil again and is eventually punished with destruction (660 B.C.)
Book of Habakkuk: The prophet Habakkuk questions God's ways but later submits to God's plan (600 B.C.)
Book of Zephaniah: The prophet Zephaniah warns Israel (Judah) over idol worship (640 B.C.)
Book of Haggai: The prophet Haggai urges the Israelites to rebuild their temple after returning from exile (520 B.C.)
Book of Zechariah: The prophet Zechariah urges the Israelites to rebuild their temple and predicts the coming messiah (500 B.C.)
Book of Malachi: The prophet Malachi warns the Israelites of their sins and predicts the coming messiah (450 B.C.)
Beginning of the New Testament:
The Gospel according to Matthew: As a tax collector and disciple of Jesus Christ, Matthew writes of the life and work of Jesus on Earth, including the fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecies of the coming messiah (70 A.D.)
The Gospel according to Mark: Thought to be the first gospel written in 60-70 A.D., Mark the evangelist details the life and work of Jesus Christ.
The Gospel according to Luke: A Gentile physician and missionary, Luke chronicles the life and work of Jesus Christ (70-80 A.D.)
The Gospel according to John: In contrast to the other three "synoptic gospels", John focuses more on who Jesus is and why Jesus came. However, many of Jesus' works are recorded by John (90-100 A.D.)
Book of Acts: A chronicle of the works of the early church apostles, believed to be written by Luke (60-80 A.D.)
Book of Romans: An epistle or letter by the Apostle Paul to the Romans preaching the Christian way of life (57 A.D.)
Book of Corinthians 1 and 2: A letter by the Apostle Paul to the Corinthian church addressing some issues (57 A.D.)
Epistle to the Galatians: Paul's letter to several churches in Galatia (49 A.D.)
Epistle to the Ephesians: Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus (62 A.D.)
Epistle to the Philippians: Paul's letter to the church at Philippi (60-65 A.D.)
Epistle to the Colossians: Paul's letter to the church at Colossae (60-65 A.D.)
Thessalonians 1 and 2: Paul's letter to the church at Thessaloniki telling of the return of Jesus Christ and some major prophecies (50-55 A.D.)
Epistles to Timothy 1 and 2: A letter by Paul to his young assistant Timothy detailing instructions on ministering the church (60-65 A.D)
Epistle to Titus: Paul's letter to his assistant Titus detailing instructions on ministering the church (60-65 A.D).
Epistle to Philemon: Paul asks for forgiveness for a runaway slave who converted to Christianity (60-65 A.D.)
Book of Hebrews: Various Jewish Christians promote Christianity over traditional Judaism (60-70 A.D.)
Book of James: The relationship between faith and good works (60-65 A.D.) Possibly written by Jesus' brother.
First and Second Peter: The Apostle Peter writes of the Christian faith in the midst of Roman persecution (65-70 A.D.) Peter writes about the Christian faith and false teachings before his execution.
First, Second, Third John: Three letters by the Apostle John (according to tradition) explaining the existence of Jesus on Earth in both spirit and body, correcting false teachings in the church about Jesus' time on Earth, preaching kindness and hospitality (90-95 A.D.)
Jude: A warning about false teachings and doctrines (80-85 A.D.)
Book of Revelation: An apocalyptic revelation about past and future events associated with the Christian church and future kingdoms on Earth (95-100 A.D.)
