The Books of the Bible

a n

The Truth... What is it?

The Books of the Bible

The Bible consists of 66 books divided into the Old Testament (testament = covenant) and the New Testament. This scripture...this Word of God (not the "words" of God...is the record of some of God's activity in this world (from the very beginning, and...prophetically...until right now). In it He reveals Himself and His ways [check out attributes of god]. These books of Scripture are not primarily about people and their relationship with God; rather, they are about the activity of God and His relationship with people. The focus is to be on God and His activity. It is hard to know for sure when the various books were first put into writing. We worship the God of this Book...not this book!

The Old Testament has 39 books, as follows:

Book	Type of book	About when devised?	By whom?	Meaning and significance	NOTES:
Genesis	Torah (Hebrew, "The Law", "the teachings") (one of the Pentateuch, "the 5 scrolls")	1440-1406BC	Moses	Hebrew, "in beginning"; Greek, "origins, beginnings"	creation the fall generations fill the earth the Flood Abrahamic covenant [Gen. 15, 17] famine and flight to Egypt and subsequent enslavement.
Exodus	Torah (Hebrew, "The Law", "the teachings") (one of the Pentateuch, "the 5 scrolls")	1440-1406BC	Moses	Hebrew, "these are the names"; Greek, "departure"	[Ex.1:1-19:2] the showdown of miracles between Moses and Pharaoh; deliverance from Egypt & the parting of the Red Sea Ex.19:3-24:18] making the Mosaic covenant
Leviticus	Torah (Hebrew, "The Law", "the teachings") (one of the Pentateuch, "the 5 scrolls")	1440-1406BC	Moses	in Hebrew, "and He calls"	establishing the priesthood, levitical laws, and rules
Numbers	Torah (Hebrew, "The Law", "the teachings") (one of the Pentateuch, "the 5 scrolls")	1440-1406BC	Moses	in Hebrew, "in the wilderness"	Israelite rebellions and battles while wandering in the wilderness, fed by God and guided by the pillow of fire.
Deuteronomy	Torah (Hebrew, "The Law", "the teachings") (one of the Pentateuch, "the 5 scrolls")	1406-1400BC	Moses	in Hebrew, "and these are the words"; The 1st Law, second edition	Moses addresses the people on the plains of Moab; the "I've got a dream" speech; the book concludes with the death of Moses
Joshua	HISTORICAL (Hebrew: prophetic)	1405-1385BC	Joshua	keep the memories alive principle of "go the 2nd mile"	the entry into "The Promised land" conquest of Canaan 1400-1200 BC the crossing of a flood-stage Jordan River.
Judges	HISTORICAL (Hebrew: prophetic)	1050-1000BC	Samuel, Nathan, Gad	"judges" [12 of them] were military leaders or deliverers the story of God's people being lead into covenant breaking	Tribes of Israel unite as a kingdom in 1050BC the people define "do's" and "don'ts" in their own way reveals the recurring cycle of rebellion, followed by oppression, followed by repentance, followed by deliverance. In those times of danger, a "judge" would come onto the scene led by "the Spirit of the Lord".
Ruth	HISTORICAL "writings" in Hebrew Bible	1000BC	Samuel, Nathan, Gad	?	How does a good woman help her man to play "the man"?
I Samuel	HISTORICAL "writings" in Hebrew Bible	925BC	Samuel, Nathan, Gad	?	?
II Samuel	HISTORICAL "writings" in Hebrew Bible	925BC	Samuel, Nathan, Gad	?	?
I Kings	HISTORICAL "writings" in Hebrew Bible	560-550BC	Jeremiah	?	?
II Kings	HISTORICAL "writings" in Hebrew Bible	560-550BC	Jeremiah	?	Elijah & Elisha were the first pure prophets
I Chronicles	HISTORICAL "writings" in Hebrew Bible	450-400BC	Ezra	?	God appoints Solomon to build the 1st Temple & it's completed about 964BC & died 931BC
II Chronicles	HISTORICAL "writings" in Hebrew Bible	450-400BC	Ezra	?	?
Ezra	HISTORICAL "writings" in Hebrew Bible	440BC	Ezra	?	?
Nehemiah	HISTORICAL "writings" in Hebrew Bible	430BC	Ezra	?	?
Esther	HISTORICAL "writings" in Hebrew Bible	460-350BC	Mordicai	?	?
Job	Poetry & wisdom "writings" in Hebrew Bible	before time of Moses by Jewish tradition maybe as late as the time of Esther	anonymous	?	?
Psalms	Poetry & wisdom song-like "writings" in Hebrew Bible	1400-400BC	King David and others	?	?
Proverbs	Poetry & wisdom "writings" in Hebrew Bible	970-700BC	King Solomon	?	?
Ecclesiastes (Qoheleth)	Poetry & wisdom "writings" in Hebrew Bible	950BC	King Solomon to whom God granted the wish to be the wisest human in all of human history	?	?
Song of Solomon (Song of Songs)	Poetry & wisdom "writings" in Hebrew Bible	971-931BC	King Solomon	?	?
Isaiah	major Prophet (lengthy book)	701-681BC	Isaiah		About 930BC, Israel split in two (Israel in north & Judah in south) About 690BC, prophecy that "King Cyrus" would allow return to Israel (Ezra 1:14). Predicts virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14)
Jeremiah	major Prophet (lengthy book)	630-580BC	Jeremiah	final prophecies to Judah
Lamentations (of Jeremiah)	major Prophet (lengthy book)	587/6BC	Jeremiah	songs after fall of Jerusalem
Ezekiel	major Prophet (lengthy book)	590-570BC	Ezekiel
Daniel	major Prophet (lengthy book)	536-530BC	Daniel		Persia conquers Babylon
Hosea	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)	750-710BC	Hosea
Joel	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)	835-796BC	Joel
Amos	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)	750BC	Amos	an angry prophet
Obadiah	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)	850-840BC	Obadiah
Jonah	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)	775BC	Jonah
Micah	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)	735-710BC	Micah
Nahum	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)	650BC	Nahum
Habakkuk	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)	615-605BC	Habakkuk
Zephaniah	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)	635-625BC	Zephaniah
Haggai	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)	520BC	Haggai
Zechariah	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)	480-470BC	Zechariah
Malachi	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)	433-424BC	Malachi

The New Testament is of the times of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, and begins about 400 years after the Old Testament. This 400 year interval..."intertestamental period"...is the especially turbulent time of occupations of Israel, etc., which sets the stage for the time of the Messiah.

400-331BC Persians rule Israel tolerantly; Alexander the Great conquers Persia.
323BC Alexander dies...factions; Israel back under Egyptian faction, tolerantly.
167BC Antiochus IV orders Greeks over Israel & is awful to Jewish customs & desecrates the Temple.
165BC Judas Maccabeus leads Jewish Hasmonean rebellion (memorial event of Hanukkah).
63BC Pompey takes Roman control of Israel & stirred up awful tensions.
40BC Herod the Great appointed as Roman king of Judea...a vicious king.
4BC Herod dies & replaced by Achelaus who kills 3000 Jews in Temple.
6AD Archelaus replaced by a Roman Prefect, Pontius Pilot, rather than a king.
2-3BC Jesus is born & cruxified at about age 30.
70AD Jews rebel & Romans destroy Jewish state & the 2nd Temple & the Jewish Diaspora (scattering around the world) begins.
New Testament is written 50-96AD, 27 books, as follows.

BOOK	Type of Book	When written?	By Whom?	Meaning/significance	NOTES:
Matthew	one of the "synoptic" gospels	80-90AD	the Apostle, Matthew, a Jew (had been a hated tax collector named Levi)	the Gospel to the Greek-speaking Jews, mostly around Antioch & Syria.	based on eyewitness material
Mark	one of the "synoptic" gospels	50-70AD	the Apostle, John Mark, a Jew	the Gospel to the Romans (he later founded the church in Africa/Egypt)	based on eyewitness material as Mark was a disciple and companion/recorder of Peter
Luke	one of the "synoptic" gospels	59-63, 70AD	the Apostle, Luke, a Greek gentile	the Gospel to the Greeks	based on eyewitness material as Luke was a physician, an historian [here] and companion/follower of Paul
John	one of the "synoptic" gospels	80-95AD	John the apostle, a Jew & son of Zebedee	the Gospel to the gentiles in general (John was the only apostle who witnessed the crucifiction).	one of Jesus' inner circle of three John, Peter, James based on eyewitness material
Acts	history (the "acts" of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles)	65AD	History of the first century church & written by Luke, the apostle.	based on eyewitness material & communications with close apostles & disciples, as Luke was an historian and companion/follower of Paul: the story of the unleashing of the unstoppable Gospel of Jesus, the Christ (Messiah)
Romans	The letter (epistle) by Paul the Apostle to the believers in Rome	50-70AD
I Corinthians	The first letter (epistle) by Paul the Apostle to the believers in Corinth	50-70AD
II Corinthians	The second letter (epistle) by Paul the Apostle to the believers in Corinth	50-70AD
Galatians	The letter (epistle) by Paul the Apostle to the believers in Galatia	50-70AD
Ephesians	The letter (epistle) by Paul the Apostle to the believers in Ephesis	50-70AD
Philippians	The letter (epistle) by Paul the Apostle to the believers in Philippi	50-70AD
Colossians	The letter (epistle) by Paul the Apostle to the believers in Colossi	50-70AD
I Thessalonians	The first letter (epistle) by Paul the Apostle to the believers in Thessalonica	50-70AD
II Thessalonians	The second letter (epistle) by Paul the Apostle to the believers in Thessalonica	50-70AD
1 Timothy	The first letter (epistle) by Paul the Apostle to Timothy	50-70AD
2 Timothy	The 2nd letter (epistle) by Paul the Apostle to Timothy	50-70AD
Titus	letter (epistle) by Paul to the Apostle, Titus, on Isle of Crete	50-70AD
Philemon	letter (epistle) by Paul the Apostle to Philemon at Gaza	50-70AD
Hebrews	a letter (epistle by ?) to the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem	65AD	Clement of Rome vs. Apostle Paul vs Apostle Luke vs. Barnabas vs Apollos vs Priscilla
James	letter (epistle) by James (brother of Jesus) to Jewish Christians who'd fled Palestine	45AD	James
I Peter	letter (epistle) #1 by the Apostle Peter to the churches in Asia Minor	60AD	Peter
2 Peter	letter (epistle) #2 by the Apostle Peter to the churches in Asia Minor	60AD	Peter
1 John	letter #1 (epistle) by the Apostl,e John, to the believers	90AD	John
2 John	letter #2 (epistle) by the Apostle, John, to the believers	90AD	John
3 John	letter #3 (epistle) by the Apostle, John, to the believers	90AD	John
Jude	letter (epistle) by the Apostle, Jude, to the believers	60AD	Jude
Revelation [here]	the letter (epistle) of Jesus (delivered by an angel) to the Christian church (through the Apostle, John) as an apocalyptic style of writing	90-96AD	an epistle of Jesus delivered by an angel and written down by John, the apostle	A message to the frightened, persecuted, Christian Church telling them that Jesus has overcome and that Satan has been defeated	Jesus came the first time as the suffering servant clarifying the word of God. His second coming will be as the conquering ruler. In spite of wave after wave of judgment horrors, most humans left behind (the believers...dead & alive...will have been already taken up to be with Jesus) will fail to believe and will curse and blaspheme God.

check out the Highest TRUTH

(posted about 2000; latest addition 12 February 2018)

Home Medical Topics Spiritual Issues Other Topics Testimonies trinity triumph truths Site Map