Books of the Bible

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, it is 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	When devised?	By whom?	Meaning and significance	NOTES:
Genesis	Torah (Hebrew, "The Law") (one of the Pentateuch, "the 5 scrolls")	1446-1406BC	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") (one of the Pentateuch, "the 5 scrolls")	1440-1406BC	Moses	Hebrew, "these are the names"; Greek, "departure"	(1)[Ex.1:1-19:2] the showdown of miracles between Moses and Pharaoh; deliverance from Egypt & the parting of the Red Sea (2)[Ex.19:3-24:18] making the Mosaic covenant
Leviticus	Torah (Hebrew, "The Law") (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") (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") (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)	1390BC	keep the memories alive principle of "go the 2nd mile"	(1) the entry into "The Promised land" conquest of Canaan 1400-1200 BC (2)the crossing of a flood-stage Jordan River.
Judges	HISTORICAL (Hebrew: prophetic)	1050-1000BC	? Samuel	(1)"judges" [12 of them] were military leaders or deliverers (2)the story of God's people being lead into covenant breaking	(1) the people define "do's" and "don'ts" in their own way (2)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	?	?	How does a good woman help her man to play "the man"?
I Samuel	HISTORICAL	925BC	?	?	?
II Samuel	HISTORICAL	925BC	?	?	?
I Kings	HISTORICAL	560-550BC	?	?	?
II Kings	HISTORICAL	560-550BC	?	?	?
I Chronicles	HISTORICAL "writings" in Hebrew Bible	450-400BC	? Ezra	?	?
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	Nehemiah	?	?
Esther	HISTORICAL "writings" in Hebrew Bible	460-350BC	?	?	?
Job	Poetry & wisdom "writings" in Hebrew Bible	(1)before time of Moses by Jewish tradition (2)maybe as late as the time of Esther	?	?	?
Psalms	Poetry & wisdom "writings" in Hebrew Bible	1400-400BC	King David and others	?	?
Proverbs	Poetry & wisdom "writings" in Hebrew Bible	970-700BC	King Solomon and others	?	?
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
Isaiah	major Prophet
Jeremiah	major Prophet
Lamentations (of Jeremiah)	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll) "writings" in Hebrew Bible
Ezekiel	major Prophet
Daniel	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll) "writings" in Hebrew Bible
Hosea	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)
Joel	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)
Amos	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)
Obadiah	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)
Jonah	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)
Micah	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)
Nahum	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)
Habakkuk	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)
Zephaniah	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)
Haggai	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)
Zechariah	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)
Malachi	minor prophet (all 12 minors fit on the same one scroll)

The New Testament is of the times of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah.

It has 27 books, as follows:


BOOK	Type of Book	When written?	By Whom?	Meaning/significance	NOTES
Matthew	one of the "synoptic" gospels	70-80AD	the Apostle, Matthew, a Jew (had been a hated tax collector named Levi)	the Gospel to the Jews	based on eyewitness material
Mark	one of the "synoptic" gospels	50-70AD	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	59-63AD	a Greek gentile	the Gospel to the Greeks	based on eyewitness material as Luke was an historian and companion/follower of Paul
John		80-95AD	a Jew, the apostle, son of Zebedee	the Gospel to the gentiles in general (he was the only one who witnessed the crucifiction	(1)one of Jesus' inner circle of three John, Peter, James (2)based on eyewitness material
Acts	history		Luke	History of the first century church	based on eyewitness material & communications with close apostles & disciples, as Luke was an historian and companion/follower of Paul
Romans
I Cor
II Cor
Gal
Eph
Philemon
Coloss
I Thess
II Thess
1 Timothy
2 Tim
Titus
Phile
Heb
James
I Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John3 John
Jude
Revelation [here]	the apostle John	90-96AD	.	.	(1)Jesus came the first time as the suffering servant (2)His second coming will be as the conquering ruler (3)inspite 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

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(posted about 2000; latest addition 30 December 2010)