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The New Testament in Order

Jacob Prahlow

Begin reading through the New Testament and, in addition to the grand story, you will eventually notice a few things. For one thing, the story of Jesus gets repeated four times, then you hear the story of the early church, and then you begin to read letters that don’t seem to be in any sort of coherent order. Why is the New Testament organized how it is, and not some other way? Why is the New Testament canon laid out in the order that it is? Why is the New Testament not arranged in order of its events? Or, to ask yet a slightly different question, why is the New Testament not arranged in the order in which it was written?

In this article, we will look at the major orders in which the New Testament can appear. First, we will consider canonical order : the order in which the writings of the New Testament appear in modern, published Bibles. Second, we will consider chronological order : the order in which the events of the New Testament are portrayed. And finally, we will consider several different proposals for the compositional order : the order in which New Testament writings were actually written down.

As one final prolegomenological note, let me foreground my belief that each of these orders provides insights into the meaning and message of the New Testament. Context matters a great deal—in fact, it governs the meaning of everything. While we often pay close attention to historical context when it comes to questions about the ordering and understanding of the New Testament, literary context also matters. In short, where you find a particular book or passage in the collection known as the New Testament makes a difference to and influences the interpretation of that book or passage. Thus, canonical order, chronological order, and compositional order each cast (and recast) the writings of the New Testament in ways that are fruitful for faithful and critical readings of the text.

Canonical Order

First, let us consider canonical order: the order of New Testament books that appears in modern published Bibles. Before diving in, let me first note that not every edition of the New Testament has included precisely the 27 books modern readers are familiar with, nor have those books always been in exactly the order in which we are used to them appearing.

To cite one historical example, Codex Sinaiticus (one of the oldest full copies of the New Testament) uses the following order: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, Hebrews, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Acts, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation, Epistle of Barnabas, Shepherd of Hermas. There are obviously a few key differences there, as well as some familiar patterns.

That said, there are two primary reasons why the New Testament appears in the order it does today. First, the New Testament largely follows the organizational pattern of the Old Testament, with the core story (Torah for the OT, Gospels for the NT), followed by historical accounts and other writings. Obviously, the pattern does not match entirely, but it’s relatively easy to notice a three-fold pattern of organization in both testaments.

But a second reason the New Testament looks like it does is because collections of now-New Testament writings circulated in the ancient world centuries before they found their way into the canon of the New Testament. Based on evidence from early Christian writers known as the Apostolic Fathers , it seems that collections of writings were beginning to circulate by the last first century. While we are not 100% certain what these collections initially would have looked like, by the late-second and early-third centuries, several clear groupings had emerged:

  • Gospels (often, but not always in the order of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and sometimes including a Luke-Acts collection)
  • Pauline Epistles (often, but not always arranged largest to smallest, Romans to Pastorals, sometimes including Hebrews and sometimes not)
  • General Epistles (typically James to Jude)

There was no uniform standard in the earliest years of these collections, as usefulness and accessibility often governed what an early Christian community might have in their growing collection of scriptura . The Gospels were the most commonly circulated, followed by the works of Paul. Everything else enjoyed a pattern of usage that sometimes varied by geography. Finally, in the early fourth century, we begin to see evidence of the New Testament canon as we have it today:

  • Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John 1
  • Pauline Epistles: Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon 3
  • General Epistles: Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude 4
  • Revelation 5

This order was popularized by the time of Athanasius of Alexandria’s Festal Letter 39 and eventually became the standard ordering of the New Testament canon.

Chronological Order

A chronological ordering of the New Testament is arranged a little differently, with the main difference being that many New Testament letters find themselves superimposed into the narrative of Acts. Without digging too much into the minutia, it probably looks something like this:

  • James / Galatians 7
  • Acts 15-18.18
  • 1 Thessalonians
  • 2 Thessalonians
  • Acts 18.19-19
  • 1 Corinthians
  • 2 Corinthians
  • Acts 20.1-3
  • Acts 20.4-24
  • Colossians, Philemon & Laodicians 8
  • Philippians
  • Acts 25-28.29
  • Acts 28.30-31
  • Revelation 1-3
  • Revelation 4-22

There’s plenty of debate about some of this, but based on what events are described or assumed to be contemporaneous with these writings and passages, this is a basic outline of a chronological reading of the New Testament.

Compositional Order

A final way to think about the ordering of the New Testament is in the order in which these documents were written. At first, you might imagine that this would parallel the chronological ordering, but that’s not quite correct. Most scholars believe that either 1 Thessalonians, Galatians, or James was the first New Testament document written, all of which speak to events chronologically later than the Gospels. This is largely due to the fact that the Gospels are not media reports or live tweets about Jesus: they are literary biographies, composed by followers of Jesus to tell the story of Jesus as the first generation of Christians got older.

The order in which the writings of the New Testament were composed is a topic of much scholarly debate. On the one hand, many contemporary scholars push the writing of certain documents well into the second century and speak extensively about anonymous and pseudonymous authorship of certain writings. On the other hand, there are plenty of scholars who advocate for much earlier (and more traditional) datings, with some scholars even suggesting that the contents of the New Testament were written before the destruction of the Second Jewish Temple by Rome in 70 CE. 9

Consider Marcus Borg’s listing of the New Testament books in the order they were written in The Evolution of the Word (including his likely dates 10 ):

  • 1 Thessalonians (50 CE)
  • Galatians (50 CE)
  • 1 Corinthians (50 CE)
  • Philemon (mid-50s CE)
  • Philippians (mid-50s CE)
  • 2 Corinthians (mid-50s)
  • Romans (58 CE)
  • Mark (70 CE)
  • James (70-80 CE)
  • Colossians (80s CE)
  • Matthew (80-90 CE)
  • Hebrews (80-90 CE)
  • John (90 CE)
  • Ephesians (90s CE)
  • Revelation (90s CE)
  • Jude (90s CE)
  • 1 John (100 CE)
  • 2 John (100 CE)
  • 3 John (100 CE)
  • Luke (100 CE)
  • Acts (100 CE)
  • 2 Thessalonians (100 CE)
  • 1 Peter (100 CE)
  • 1 Timothy (100-110 CE)
  • 2 Timothy (100-110 CE)
  • Titus (100-110 CE)
  • 2 Peter (120-150 CE)

Likewise, consider the “consensus dates” 11 that are often used as a benchmark by New Testament scholars for discussing when the writings of the New Testament were composed:

  • Galatians (48 CE)
  • 1 Thessalonians (51 CE)
  • 2 Thessalonians (51 CE)
  • 1 Corinthians (53-57 CE)
  • Philippians (54-55 CE)
  • Philemon (54-55 CE)
  • 2 Corinthians (55-58 CE)
  • Romans (57-58 CE)
  • Jude (60-110 CE)
  • Colossians (62-70 CE)
  • Mark (65-73 CE)
  • James (65-85 CE)
  • 1 Peter (75-90 CE)
  • Luke (80-90 CE)
  • Acts (80-90 CE)
  • Ephesians (80-90 CE)
  • John (90-110 CE)
  • 1 John (90-110 CE)
  • 2 John (90-110 CE)
  • 3 John (90-110 CE)
  • Revelation (95 CE)
  • 1 Timothy (100 CE)
  • 2 Timothy (100 CE)
  • Titus (100 CE)
  • 2 Peter (110 CE)

One Final Proposal

Alternatively, my own research suggests a much tighter window of writing:

  • Galatians (48-49 CE)
  • James (48-49 CE)
  • Jerusalem Council (50 CE)
  • Mark (50-60 CE)
  • Jude (50-60 CE)
  • 1 Thessalonians (51-52 CE)
  • 2 Thessalonians (51-52 CE)
  • 1 Corinthians (54 CE)
  • 2 Corinthians (56 CE)
  • Romans (56-59 CE)
  • Colossians (58 or 61 CE)
  • Philemon (58 or 61 CE)
  • Laodicians (58 or 61 CE)
  • Matthew (~60 CE)
  • Luke (60-62 CE)
  • Philippians (61-62 CE)
  • Ephesians (61-62 CE)
  • 1 Timothy (62 CE)
  • Titus (62 CE)
  • Acts (62-64 CE)
  • 2 Timothy (64 CE)
  • Death of Paul (64 CE)
  • 1 Peter (64-66 CE)
  • Hebrews (64-70 CE)
  • 2 Peter (66-68 CE)
  • Death of Peter (68 CE)
  • Revelation (68-70 CE)
  • Destruction of Jerusalem (70 CE)
  • John (70-80 CE)
  • 1 John (70-80 CE)
  • 2 John (80-100 CE)
  • 3 John (80-100 CE)

There are two driving ideas behind this proposal. First, I find generally compelling Robinson’s argument in Redating the New Testament (since echoed and expanded upon by countless scholars) that the implications of the destruction of Jerusalem should be noticeable in early Christian writings after its occurrence. Particularly in New Testament writings written for a Jewish audience, the lack of clear signals about this event is extremely telling. The detailed arguments in Hebrews, for example, make little sense if they had been written after Jerusalem has fallen; in that case, why not simply spell out the disastrous implications of Judaism, as later anti-Jewish Christian writers would? 12

The second driving idea behind my proposal is that early Christian writing occurs around events . That is, for a missional and eschatological movement such as early Christianity, there needed to be some clear impetus for taking the time to write something down and then preserve it. Religious movements that expect an imminent end do not typically write much down for posterity’s sake. There need to be certain developments, debates, or deaths to drive such a shift. In my thinking, the chart below indicates some of the influences that were likely at work in the composition of New Testament texts.

Why does the New Testament appear in the order it does? For a variety of reasons, perhaps including reasons influenced by chronology of events or order of composition, but not limited to those factors. Considering alternative orders to the New Testament—especially the chronological and compositional—does provide a useful lens for considering what the New Testament says and means. In fact, there is much to be learned from considering alternative orders. As we take up and read, therefore, let us be aware of how literary context shapes and influences how we engage the Scriptures.

1 The canonical order has traditionally been explained as the order in which the gospels were written, though this was brought into question as seemingly early as Papias and Origen. See Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 6.25 and Augustine , The Harmony of the Gospels , I.2.4

2 As Luke Part II, Acts was never seriously doubted as part of the canon, though it’s specifical placement in the canon varied quite dramatically in early canons.

3 The Pauline canon follows two orderings: epistles to churches and epistles to people (also known as pastorals ), and longest to shortest (the exception being Ephesians, which is a little longer than Galatians).

4 The general (or catholic) epistles likewise are arranged in a roughly longest to shortest, with Hebrews bridging the gap between Paul and non-Pauline writers.

5 Technically, Revelation falls into at least two genres: letters to churches (chapters 1-3) and apocalypse (chapters 4-22, though some interpreters divide these chapters into apocalypse and prophecy sections).

6 In parallel for long sections of course. For an example of what a parallel ordering of the gospels might look like, consider this guide .

7 Presuming that these letters are both about the Gentile controversy addressed in Acts 15 by the Council of Jerusalem.

8 Paul’s authentic letter to the Laodicians remains lost, although Paul clearly mentions the letter in Colossians 4:16 and at least some pseudonymous editions appear to have circulated in the ancient world, including (according to Tertullian) in Marcion of Sinope’s canon.

9 The most influential advocate of this position is John A.T. Robinson, whose Redating of the New Testament continues to provide fodder for scholarly conversations about the dating of New Testament documents.

10 Dating ranges are notoriously fickle and circumspect, with most published pieces including appropriate notations that all such dating estimates are necessarily circa given the realities of accurately describing history.

11 There’s really no such thing as a “scholarly consensus” about such things, let alone a fixed consensus. Scholars are constantly going back and forth about when NT documents were written and how we might know. That said, it remains common in the field to talk about consensus, if only as a foil for whatever proposal or project one is working on.

12 This is one reason why I find post-70 CE datings of Johannine literature compelling. In contrast to every other New Testament writing, John’s use of the Jews indicates not a formal parting of the ways (which other historical sources reveal was a centuries-long process), but a differentiation of the Way from the Jewish rebels who have just suffered defeat at the hands of Rome.

13 Romans stands out among Paul’s letters not only for its length and theological heft, but also as one of the few surviving letters (if not only letter) to have been written to a church prior to Paul’s presence there.

14 Based on an understanding of Ephesians as an encyclical to the wider area of churches around Ephesus and not to the urban Ephesian church itself, which Paul would have been quite familiar with by this point.

15 Hebrews is probably an edited sermon, sent as theological encouragement to area churches.

16 1 John is probably an edited sermon, sent as theological encouragement to area churches.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia .

Jacob Prahlow

Jacob Prahlow

Christian. Husband of Hayley. Father of Bree and Judah. Lead Pastor at Arise Church in Fenton, MO. Alumnus of various institutions. Cubs Fan. Co-Founder of Conciliar Post.

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The Books of the New Testament

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The New Testament - A Brief Overview

List of the 27 books of the New Testament in order, with English titles and Greek words and meanings.

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The Story of the Bible

Summary of the new testament books, table of contents, 1 corinthians, 1 thessalonians, 2 corinthians, 2 thessalonians, 2 timothy is written, acts is written, beginning of john the baptist's ministry, bibliography and credits, colossians is written, destruction of jerusalem, ephesians is written, galatians is written, he visits various places, hebrews is written, i corinthians is written, i peter is written, i thessalonians is written, i timothy is written, ii corinthians is written, ii peter is written, ii thessalonians is written, james is killed by herod, james is written, jesus begins his public ministry, jesus calming the storm, jesus cleanses the temple, jesus leaves galilee for the last time, jesus meets nicodemus, jesus raises jairus' daughter, jesus raises lazarus from the dead, jesus is rejected at samaria, john the baptist's inquiry from prison, john's writings, jude is written, martyrdom of paul, new testament charts, new testament maps, paul reaches rome, paul at caesarea, paul is acquitted, paul's 2d imprisonment at rome, paul's arrest at jerusalem, paul's conversion on the road to damascus, paul's first missionary journey begins, paul's imprisonment at rome, paul's journey to rome, paul's second missionary journey begins, paul's third missionary journey begins, philemon is written, philip at samaria, philippians, philippians is written, romans is written, sea of galilee area in the time of christ, the ascension of jesus, the baptism of jesus, the betrayal by judas, the birth of jesus, the birth of john the baptist, the childhood of jesus, the church is established, the conversion of saul, the council at jerusalem, the crucifixion of jesus, the death of john the baptist, the divisions of herod's kingdom, the feast at bethany, the feeding of the multitudes, the first gentile is converted, the first persecutions of the christians, the founding of the church at antioch, the gospel of luke is written, the gospel of mark is written, the gospel of matthew is written, the holy spirit is poured out, the imprisonment of john the baptist, the last supper with his disciples, the mission of the seventy, the new testament world, the raising of the widow's son, the resurrection of jesus, the sermon on the mount, the temptation of christ, the transfiguration of jesus, the twelve disciples are chosen, timeline of the new testament books, titus is written.

the new testament books in order

Books of the Bible: New Testament Books in Order

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The Christian scriptures, or the New Testament, are a collection of 27 books that tell the story of Jesus Christ and the early Christian church. From the Gospels to the book of Revelation, these texts provide a rich and complex narrative that has inspired generations of believers and scholars alike.

By exploring the Bible books of the New Testament in chronological order, we can gain a deeper understanding of the history and teachings of the Christian faith, as well as the cultural and historical context in which they emerged. Join us on a journey through the books of the New Testament and discover the rich tapestry of stories, teachings, and insights that make up this foundational text.

What Are the 27 Books of the New Testament in Order?

Digging into the text of Christian scriptures can be an immensely satisfying adventure, depending on your perspective. From a scholarly standpoint to that of a devout believer, exploring the stories and lessons within provides perspective into centuries of unwritten living history.

The Compilation of the New Testament

The New Testament was compiled over several centuries and was not initially recognized as a single canon of literature. The earliest writings of the New Testament were the letters of the apostle Paul , which he wrote in the 50s A.D. Around the same time, the four Gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John — were written. These texts were circulated among early Christian communities and gradually gained acceptance as authoritative.

By the end of the second century, most Christians accepted a core canon of books that included the Gospels, Acts, and the letters of Paul. Other books, such as Hebrews, James, and Revelation, were debated but eventually accepted into the canon as well. The final list of New Testament books was formally adopted by the Councils of Hippo and Carthage in the late 4th century.

An Overview of the Books of the Bible: New Testament

The New Testament is a collection of 27 books that form the second part of the Christian Bible. These books were written in Greek between the first and second centuries A.D. and provide an account of the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, as well as the establishment and growth of the early Christian church. Now, let's explore the books of the New Testament in chronological order, providing a brief overview of each book's content.

The Gospels

The first four books of the New Testament are known as the Gospels and are the primary source of information about the life, teachings, and ministry of Jesus Christ. They are:

Matthew: This gospel is written to a Jewish audience and focuses on Jesus' fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. It includes the Sermon on the Mount, the parables of Jesus, and the Great Commission.

Mark: This gospel is the shortest of the four and is believed to be the earliest. It emphasizes Jesus' actions rather than his teachings and includes many miracles and healings.

Luke: This gospel is written to a Gentile audience and enhances Jesus' compassion for the poor and marginalized. It includes the parables of the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son, as well as the birth narrative of Jesus.

John: This gospel is the most theological of the four and revolves Jesus' divinity. It includes the famous verse, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Fun Fact:  Each of the four gospels in the New Testament has a unique symbol associated with it. These symbols are known as the Four Evangelists' symbols and are represented in art and literature.

History: The Book of Acts

The next book of the New Testament is the book of Acts, which provides a history of the early Christian church. It begins with the ascension of Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and follows the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. It includes the conversion of Saul of Tarsus (who later became Paul the Apostle) and the establishment of the first Christian communities amidst the Jews.

Fun Fact:  Did you know that the Acts of the Apostles is the only book in the New Testament that is a sequel? It follows the Gospel of Luke and tells the story of the early Christian church after the death and resurrection of Jesus.

The Letters or Epistles

The rest of the New Testament consists of 21 letters, or epistles, written by various authors to specific audiences. They can be divided into two categories: Pauline and General.

Pauline Epistles

Paul, also known as Saint Paul or Saul of Tarsus, was an apostle who played a crucial role in the spreading of Christianity during the first century. Born in Tarsus, Paul initially persecuted Christians, but later had a powerful conversion experience on the road to Damascus, which led him to devote his life to the service of Christ.

Throughout his ministry, Paul wrote thirteen of the 21 epistles that make up the New Testament of the Christian Bible. These letters provide guidance to early Christian communities, addressing issues ranging from faith and doctrine to practical matters of everyday life. Paul's epistles have been studied and analyzed for centuries, and their influence can be seen in the development of Christian theology and practice over the last two thousand years. These epistles include the following books.

Romans: This epistle is a theological work and emphasizes salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. It includes the famous verse, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

1 Corinthians: This epistle addresses issues in the Corinthian church, including divisions, immorality, and the proper use of spiritual gifts.

2 Corinthians: This epistle is a personal letter from Paul to the Corinthian church and includes a defense of his apostleship.

Galatians: This epistle revolves around the idea of salvation by faith alone and not by following the law of Moses. It includes the famous verse, "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."

Ephesians: This epistle focuses the unity of the church and the importance of living a holy life. It includes the famous verse, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God."

Philippians: This epistle is a personal letter from Paul to the church in Philippi and emphasizes the joy that comes from knowing Christ.

Colossians: This epistle emphasizes the supremacy of Christ and warns against false teachings.

1 Thessalonians: This epistle encourages the Thessalonian church to remain faithful despite persecution and includes a description of the second coming of Christ.

2 Thessalonians: This epistle addresses false teachings about the second coming of Christ and encourages the Thessalonians to continue living a godly life.

1 Timothy: This epistle is a personal letter from Paul to Timothy and includes instructions on church leadership and the conduct of believers.

2 Timothy: This epistle is a second letter from Paul to Timothy and focuses on a call to persevere in the face of persecution.

Titus: This epistle is a personal letter from Paul to Titus and contains knowledge on the qualifications of church leaders.

Philemon: This epistle is a personal letter from Paul to Philemon and includes a request to forgive a runaway slave named Onesimus.

Fun Fact:  These letters written by Paul cover a wide range of topics, from theological debates to practical advice for living a Christian life.

General Epistles

The next eight books of the New Testament are referred to as the general letters or general epistles. These letters were written to a wider audience and address various issues facing the early church, such as false teaching and persecution.

Hebrews: This epistle describes the superiority of Christ over the Old Testament law and includes a warning against apostasy. This book also is part of the Pseudepigrapha , alongside some of the other Apocryphal books in the Old Testament, like the Psalms of Solomon. 

James: This epistle emphasizes the importance of faith and works and includes practical advice on Christian living.

1 Peter: This epistle encourages believers to endure persecution and includes instructions on Christian behavior in the midst of suffering.

2 Peter: This epistle warns against false teachers and revolves around the certainty of Christ's return.

1 John: This epistle calls attention to the importance of love and includes warnings against false teachings.

2 John: This epistle warns against false teachers and emphasizes the importance of remaining in the truth.

3 John: This epistle is a personal letter from John to Gaius and includes instructions on hospitality and support for traveling missionaries.

Jude: This epistle warns against false teachers and highlights the importance of contending for the faith.

Fun Fact:  The term "general Epistles" has its origins in the Greek word "katholikos," which means "universal" or "general."

The Book of Revelation

The final book of the New Testament is the book of Revelation, which is also known as the Apocalypse of John. This book is a highly symbolic and metaphorical work, filled with vivid imagery of fantastical creatures, natural disasters, and supernatural phenomena. It is believed to have been written during a time of great persecution of early Christians, and it contains messages of both warning and hope to believers.

The book of Revelation emphasizes the ultimate victory of Christ over evil, and it portrays a cosmic battle between the forces of good and evil. It includes a description of the end times and the final judgment, as well as a depiction of the new heaven and earth that will be created after the final battle is won.

Apart from its religious significance, the book of Revelation has also been the subject of much scholarly debate and interpretation over the years. Some scholars see it as a political commentary on the Roman Empire , while others view it as a guide to spiritual enlightenment. Regardless of one's interpretation, Revelation remains a powerful and influential work of literature that continues to inspire and challenge readers to this day.

Fun Fact:  Some of the most famous and mysterious passages in the Bible are found in the Book of Revelation, including the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the Beast with seven heads and 10 horns, and the Whore of Babylon.

Summing Up the New Testament

The books of the New Testament provide a canonical account of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, as well as the establishment and growth of the early Christian church. By understanding the order and content of these 27 books in chronological order, we can gain a deeper understanding of the Christian faith and its history. The early church in Jerusalem and Judah spread the Gospel of Messiah throughout Israel and Rome, and through these texts, we continue to learn from and be inspired by their faith today.

And if you are interested in the books of the Old Testament in order, from Genesis to Ecclesiastes, Leviticus to Lamentations, check out Infoplease’s exploration of the Old Testament’s chronological order ! Or test your biblical knowledge with a Creatures from the Bible quiz.

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  • usccb.org. Books of the Bible. 2023. https://www.usccb.org/offices/new-american-bible/books-bible
  • Maxwell, Paul. The New Testament Books: What You Need to Know. 2020. https://get.tithe.ly/blog/new-testament-books

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A Complete List of New Testament Books in Order: Bible Summary Guide

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The editors at Lord’s Library compiled this resource to guide you through the Bible’s New Testament books in order with a summary of each.

There are many reasons to learn about the New Testament books in order, especially if you are serious about learning the Bible. Although it’s not important to know the New Testament books word-for-word in the beginning of your spiritual journey, it does help to gain a summary introduction to each. In this resource, our editors provide a fill list of the New Testament books in order to help you expand your basic knowledge of the Christian Bible, and ultimately grow your faith in Jesus Christ.

The New Testament consists of 27 different books originally written in the Greek language can be divided into four categories, including The Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, The Epistles, and The Apocalypse. The central theme of the Bible’s New Testament is Jesus Christ, and chronicle God’s covenant (or promise) through the death and resurrection of Jesus. It also describes Christ’s life, teachings, and works. Several New Testament books were written by Jesus’ primary disciples who we know as The Apostles.

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A Complete List of Old Testament Books in Order: Bible Summary Guide

Note: We recommend pairing this resource with our Complete List of Old Testament Books in Order Bible summary guide.

A Complete List of New Testament Books in Order

The book of matthew (the gospel of matthew).

The Gospel of Matthew is compared to the Pentateuch, or Moses’ five biblical books, since it is divided into five parts and instructs on Jesus’ teachings. This is a synoptic gospel, one of the three synoptic gospels, including Mark and Luke. Matthew is a Jew who was known as Levi when called by Christ. He was a tax collector, one of the most despised professions at that period for Jews. Matthew was one of Jesus’ twelve apostles. Because he began recording the book in the lineage of Jesus’ ancestors, it was written for the church in Israel. Matthew instructed them on how to live a godly life and encouraged them to be steadfast in their beliefs during persecution. In the end, one of the high points of this book is Jesus’ famous “Great Commission” to go and make disciples of all nations.

Book Summary: The book of Matthew is the first Gospel of the New Testament, which highlights Jesus’ life and ministry. Matthew discusses the “good news” of Christ, and what it means to be apart of his “Kingdom of Heaven.”

The Book of Mark (The Gospel of Mark)

The Gospel of Mark is the oldest synoptic gospel is Mark since Matthew and Luke essentially incorporated the story in their books. It’s also the shortest. Because he was not one of Jesus’ twelve apostles, some scholars claimed his version came from Apostle Peter. This book is also known as a book of action, and the phrase “at once” appears numerous times throughout the text. Mark was written for non-Jew believers known as Gentile converts, especially those who were in Rome. The book’s focus is on answering the question, “Who is Jesus?” The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is used as a starting point. The second message focuses on what it means to be a follower of Jesus. “Whoever wants to be my disciple must renounce their desires and take up the cross.” Mark 8:34, NIV.

Book Summary: The second Gospel of the New Testament, Mark also chronicles Jesus’ life and teachings. In this book, there is an emphasis on the works of Jesus and his miracles. The book of Mark is written as a motivational sermon, summoning readers to action.

The Book of Luke (The Gospel of Luke)

The Gospel of Luke is the first installment in a two-part series that includes the book of Acts. It has familiar stories like “The Good Samaritan” that can only be found in the book. Luke was a Gentile (non-Jew) and a physician who traveled with Apostle Paul for most of his journey. Luke wrote the book for a particular individual known as Theophilus, but his identity is unknown. The book’s theme is to explain why Jesus came to Earth and for whom. It quotes Luke 19:10, stating, “The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.”

Book Summary: Perhaps the most different of the four Gospels, the book of John highlights accounts of Jesus’ life that are not written in Matthew, Mark, or Luke. not detailed in the others. The primary theme of this book is to provide evidence that Jesus is the Son of God and what all who believe in Him will have everlasting life.

The Book of John (The Gospel of John)

The Gospel of John is the fourth canonical gospel and contains John’s account of the ministry of Jesus. John the Beloved was the youngest of the disciples, and he was close to Jesus because it is thought that they were relatives. John is commonly the first suggested book to read since it emphasizes God’s love for his creation. John 3:16; For God so loved the world that he gave his only son… John is focused on the divine nature of Jesus, thus encouraging his readers to put their faith in Jesus Christ, the son of God. “I am,” Jesus states many times throughout the book, as in, “I am the bread of life” (6:35), “I am the good shepherd” (10:14), and so on.

Book Summary: Perhaps the most different of the four Gospels, the book of John highlights accounts of Jesus’ life that are not written in Matthew, Mark, or Luke. The primary theme of this book is to provide evidence that Jesus is the Son of God and what all who believe in Him will have everlasting life.

The Book of Acts (The Acts of the Apostles)

The Book of Acts , known as the Acts of the Apostles, continues Luke’s Gospel written by the same author. This is also referred to as the Act of the Holy Spirit because it recorded the Holy Spirit baptism, which was given to early Christians to be effective witnesses in sharing the gospel. Luke described how the church expanded from a small number of them at the start. The book’s final substantial section is Paul’s missionary journey. Although Luke did not describe what happened to Paul at the end of his life, it may be that he intended for readers to know that the church would continue to expand.

Book Summary: Acts describes the founding of the Christian church and its growth across the Roman Empire through the Apostle’s preaching.

The Book of Romans (The Epistle (Letter) to the Romans)

The Book of Romans is Apostle Paul wrote this epistle (letter) to his Roman Christian, with whom he longed to travel and meet in person. This book is known as the “Obra Maestra” of all Paul’s writings by drawing all his learned theology and expounding on how a person can be justified by putting their faith in Jesus. Nonetheless, this is also a financial request letter supporting the ministry he planted for the church to grow even more. Paul was brave enough to declare that he would do anything for the sake of the gospel when he stated, ” I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes…” Romans 1:16, NIV.

Book Summary: Romans was written by Paul to the Gentile and Jewish Christians in Rome. The major themes highlight the importance of God’s righteousness and His plan for salvation.

1 Corinthians (The First Epistle (Letter) of Paul to the Corinthians)

The Book of 1 Corinthians is Corinth was a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece’s south-central region. Paul wrote this letter to address concerns surfacing in the church, such as division and immorality, since he had founded the congregation in Corinth. He emphasized the importance of the cross, which is a standard and source of true wisdom because life is full of choices. As Paul said, “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus who has become for us wisdom, righteousness, holiness, and redemption.” 1 Corinthians 1:30, NIV.

Book Summary: Pauls’ first letter to the Corinthians describes the issues and corruption in the Church. He not only highlights the misconduct of the Church, but also emphasizes ways to change and cleanse of sinful ways.

2 Corinthians (The Second Epistle (Letter) of Paul to the Corinthians)

The Book of 2 Corinthians is From 1 Corinthians to 2 Corinthians, this book covers roughly a year or two. Paul composed this second letter to the Corinthian church to express his gratitude and strengthen those who had responded favorably to his first letter and a personal visit there. Sadly Corinth has deteriorated from bad to worse. Paul had to dispel false prophets from among them. There were false allegations made against Paul, but God had given him to proclaim the gospel in response through humility and authority. Despite unlawful accusations, we may still choose to honor God. 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness…’”

Book Summary: Since Paul’s first letter to the time the second was written, many of the Corinthian believers had repented and changed their ways. However because many still doubted his authority, Paul felt it necessary to further articulate his message and remind them of his own apostleship and high calling of Christian ministry.

The Book of Galatians (The Epistle (Letter) of Paul to the Galations)

The Book of Galatians is Galatia was a region in north-central Anatolia that is now known as Turkey. The Apostle Paul established the church in Galatia, but false prophets and teachers infiltrated and blatantly opposed the gospel when he departed. But Paul urged them, however, to keep the teaching they had received from him. He emphasized that a person is justified by faith in Christ’s death and resurrection, not by works or obeying the law. Paul reminded the Galatians of his life testimony, from persecutor of Christians to becoming a gospel preacher. Though he was persecuted, he urged them to remain steadfast in their devotion to God. As he said in Galatians 6:9, Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Book Summary: This book is a letter from Paul to the early Christian communities of Galatia. In his letter Paul speaks about the controversy between the Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles. Paul explains that people are not judged based on Mosaic law or their racial distinctions, but rather justified by their faith in Jesus Christ.

The Book of Ephesians (The Epistle (Letter) of Paul to the Ephesians)

The Book of Ephesians is A letter from the Apostle Paul to the Ephesus church while he was in jail. Ephesus was the most significant Greek city in Ionian Asia Minor, located near Selcuk in Western Turkey. Ephesus was famous for its goddess Artemis, which nearly cost Paul his life in Acts 19. Paul reminded the Ephesian congregation that no matter their race or nationality, there is only one Lord, one Faith, and one Baptism. Having different gifts but one body in Jesus Christ. He then admonished the believers to always put on the spiritual armor because our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces. Ephesians 6:12, NIV.

Book Summary: While Paul’s letters to the Corinthians and Galatians focused on formal instruction, in Ephesians Paul writes about what it means to be Christian. He discusses ways that readers can better understand the vastness of God’s grace and purpose for the Church.

The Book of Philippians (The Epistle (Letter) of Paul to the Philippians)

The Book of Philippians is This is a letter from Paul to the church in Philippi, which he composed while imprisoned. Philippi is a Greek archaeological site located at the base of an acropolis in northern Greece. Despite the trials and afflictions of the church, Paul’s message to the Philippians was to remain steadfast in Christ. The central theme of his letter to the Philippians is contentment, even in the middle of difficulties and suffering. Philippians 1:21 wrote, For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. He also expressed his gratitude for their gifts and prayers.

Book Summary: Paul’s letter to the Philippians is one of appreciation and affection for to their people for the support in his ministry. He encourages them to continue their faithful and gracious ways.

The Book of Colossians (The Epistle (Letter) of Paul to the Colossians)

The Book of Colossians is Paul wrote the letter to the church in Colossae while he was imprisoned. Colossae, an ancient Phrygian city in Anatolia, now Turkey, was a prominent city of Phrygia in Asia Minor. The primary message of this epistle is that Christ has supremacy over the entire universe. Jesus is the head of the church, instructing his followers to live their lives in accordance with God’s glory and to experience true life in fullness through Jesus Christ. Continue to follow Christ Jesus as you have accepted him as Lord. Paul also remarks on slaves who became followers of Christ to work for the Lord and not for men.

Book Summary: In the book of Colossians, Paul writes to the Church at Colossae to warn them of false teachers; he clarifies to them that Jesus Christ is sole sustainer of all things and made in the image of God, his Creator.

The Book of 1 Thessalonians (The First Epistle (Letter) of Paul to the Thessalonians)

The Book of 1 Thessalonians is Apostle Paul penned this epistle to the church in Thessalonica, an ancient city of Macedon in northern Greece. The church was primarily Greek and used to worship idols. Because of the misconception that Christ’s second coming will occur soon, the book’s primary topic is about what happens when people die, about their loved ones who have died, and about how Christ finally returns. Because of this misconception, the idleness of the followers became an issue; these people tended to depend on the church. In conclusion, Paul reminded the congregation to rejoice, pray constantly, and remain loyal in the face of persecution.

Book Summary: Paul wrote the first letter to the Thessalonians to encourage Christians to continue building their faith. In several instances throughout this book, Paul motivates readers of the importance of spiritual growth with the hope of the ultimate return of Jesus Christ in his second coming.

The Book of 2 Thessalonians (The Second Epistle (Letter) of Paul to the Thessalonians)

The Book of 2 Thessalonians is Paul’s teaching from 1 Thessalonians is reinforced in this letter, addressed to a church at Thessalonica. People were claiming that Jesus had already returned. He gave further information about Christ’s return and how to get ready for it. Paul thanked God for the spiritual growth of believers despite their difficulties and suffering. He urged them to set an excellent example for other congregations and to work hard and be a burden to no one.

Book Summary: Similar to his first letter, Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians continues to encourage to be steadfast in their faithfulness. He also clarifies to them a misunderstanding that Christ has not yet returned but that they should continue to live responsibly for Him.

The Book of 1 Timothy (The First Epistle (Letter) of Paul to Timothy)

The Book of 1 Timothy is 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus are referred to as the Pastoral Epistles. Paul and Timothy were in Lystra, Asia Minor, where they encountered one another. When Paul wrote this letter, he was in Macedonia, but Timothy was in Ephesus. Paul’s letters discuss the duties of their ministry responsibility, including defending their faith and observing godly discipline. The epistle to Timothy was concerned mainly with warning the young pastor about false teachers like Hymenaeus and Alexander, who Paul had expelled from the church. Paul’s command for the church to keep the faith passed down by the apostles has endured.

Book Summary: Timothy was a protégé of Paul and in this letter, Paul instructed him to continuing spreading God’s message and how to care for the church. Specifically, he describes what Christians should and should not teach, as well as what ‘godliness’ looks like.  This book is known as the first “Pastoral Epistle” because it instructs readers on many challenges pastors still face today.

The Book of 2 Timothy (The Second Epistle (Letter) of Paul to Timothy)

The Book of 2 Timothy is Paul’s 1 Timothy was written to an individual. Paul wrote it to an individual he calls “my dear son” at the beginning of the first chapter. Because Paul was nearing the conclusion of his life when he composed it, it is more personal than 2 Timothy. Full of emotions, he prayed for Timothy every day and night with tears. He compares believers’ efforts to soldiers, athletes, and farmers. He affirmed that all scripture is God-inspired and helpful in instructing. The key verse is;  All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16, NASB.

Book Summary: Just before Paul’s death, he writes the second “Pastoral Epistle” in his final letter to Timothy where he urges him to continue to good fight–to preach the gospel and remain righteous at all costs.

The Book of Titus (The Epistle (Letter) of Paul to Titus)

The Book of Titus is The shortest of the Pauline epistles. Paul wrote this letter to assure Titus’ church in Crete that he supported his leadership. Crete is the most oversized island in the Mediterranean, lying on the western coast of Greece. Titus was mentioned in Galatians 2:1-3 as the uncircumcised young Greek whom Paul took with him to Jerusalem to prove his calling to the Gentiles. He delegated the task of supervising the church in Crete to Titus when he left. The focus of the message is the responsibilities of a church leader and a good relationship.

Book Summary: In his past journeys, Paul had appointed a man named Titus in Crete to help lead the corruption of its peoples and restore order. In his letter to Titus, Paul gives instructions on how to set up local churches and appoint elders, but but wary of false teachers. He also teaches Titus how to guide the people to live sensibly and behave righteously.

The Book of Philemon (The Epistle (Letter) of Paul to Philemon)

The Book of Philemon is Paul wrote to Philemon about how to demonstrate Christ-like love practically. It is the briefest and most personal of Paul’s writings. This is a letter to Philemon, Paul’s close friend (and Onesimus’ master), appealing for Onesimus’ return. Through the ministry of Paul in Ephesus, he became a believer. Paul appealed to Philemon to take him back not as a slave but as a co-worker in Christ. Paul intervened on behalf of the reunion of Philemon and Onesimus. This letter explains how Christians should respond when members of the church have conflict.

Book Summary: Philemon had a slave named Onesimus that ran away and crossed paths with Paul. When Paul was in prison, Onesimus helped him and Paul shared with him the Gospel. Upon his return, Onesimus delivers a letter from Paul to Philemon encouraging him to accept Onesimus as a brother rather than a slave, and forgiving him for running away.

The Book of Hebrews (The Epistle (Letter) to the Hebrews)

The Book of Hebrews is It is suggested that Hebrews was written by the Apostle Paul or Apollos (a colleague who helped Paul in the church of Ephesus and Corinth). This letter was intended to encourage people who were about to abandon their Christian beliefs due to doubt and suffering by reminding them that Jesus Christ is the Lord of all creation. The author claims that only through Jesus may man have direct contact with God since Jesus has been chosen to be the bridge between God and humanity. The key verse is Hebrews 4:16: Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need. The author went on to list the people who were honored for their faith, known as the hall of faith.

Book Summary: The book of Hebrews describes Jesus Christ as mightier than all things, higher than all angels. The book also describes the importance of faith in Jesus Christ and that He alone will bring salvation to humanity, rather than simply following the Mosaic Law from the Old Testament.

The Book of James (The Epistle (Letter) of James)

The Book of James is According to tradition, this epistle was composed by James, one of Jesus’s brothers. The letter’s central theme is true religion. According to James, true religion can control one’s tongue, providing for the needs of orphans and widows, avoiding being polluted by the world. The second theme is faith that never strays from action, for a body without a soul is merely lifeless. Faith and action are mutually dependent.

Book Summary: The book of James is a letter  characterizing practical Christian living. He describes how wisdom comes from God alone and a religious lifestyle is made up of true faith and good deeds.

The Book of 1 Peter (The First Epistle (Letter) of Peter)

The Book of 1 Peter is In his first letter, Peter the apostle wrote to the five Roman provinces of Asia Minor, Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. Peter wrote this letter to encourage persecuted Christians, instructing them on how they might follow the example of Christ while suffering. Peter employs a variety of terms to distinguish Christians: strangers and foreigners on this earth, followers, and infants thirsty for spiritual milk who are obedient, God’s chosen people, holy nation, group of royal priests, and so on. They were reminded that they are blessed if they endure doing the right thing, following Christ’s example, who suffered even without sin. The glory of Christ will be shared by believers who endure hardship until the end.

Book Summary: In his first letter, Peter provides a brief summary of the importance of Jesus’ death and resurrection for believers.  He encourages readers to be strong in their faith and preserver in the face of adversity and suffering.

The Book of 2 Peter (The Second Epistle (Letter) of Peter)

The Book of 2 Peter is Peter was certain that he would die when he wrote this letter. 2 Peter has a comprehensive section dedicated to the end of the world. He explained what constitutes genuine knowledge and what we are going to do in the last days as followers of Christ. He told them that new heaven and new earth will exist, where justice will reign. Live a holy life in this world that is coming to an end. Nevertheless, God is patient, giving individuals time to change their minds so that no one may perish. In his last appeal, Peter instructs them to be on their guard, urging them to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus and Savior.

Book Summary: In his second letter, Peter warns again false teachers who may try to mislead believers who attack the truth of the Gospel and Jesus Christ.

The Book of 1 John (The First Epistle (Letter) of John)

The Book of 1 John is considered a letter, though it lacks many characteristics seen in ancient Greek letters, such as a formal salutation. It is still connected to the book of John, which repeats the words, “Jesus is the ‘Word of God’ and believers are instructed to love one another.” The book, which includes the second and third John, was written to encourage Christians to stick with Jesus’ teachings since some people said that Jesus was merely human. John reminded them that those who confess and expose their sins by asking forgiveness are the children of light, while those who deny him and his truth are the children of darkness. Second, because God is love, they were able to live a life full of love. “We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19, NIV.

Book Summary: The book of John confirms the importance of Jesus Christ as God’s only Son in the flesh, and that he will provide salvation. Similar to other books, he also warns against false teachers and encourages reader’s to follow the Gospel of the Lord.

The Book of 2 John (The Second Epistle (Letter) of John)

The Book of 2 John urged the believers to love one another and live by the truth as a result of it. He warned the church to be wary of people who claim that Jesus isn’t real. He informed them that loving Jesus entails doing what he says because love and truth are inseparable, like if we truly care about individuals, we assist them in obeying the truth.

Book Summary: In the second book, John again warns against persistent heresy and false teachings. He supports the Commandment to “love one another” and “walk in truth.” This book contains miracles of Jesus, including the story of the wedding at Cana where He turns water into wine.

The Book of 3 John (The Second Epistle (Letter) of John)

The Book of 3 John wrote this letter to Gaius, a specific individual who had received the followers of the Lord and traveled to his place. Diotrephes took precisely the opposite action, refusing to welcome any of them and encouraging others to follow the same. John urged Gaius to continue what he was doing. In verse 11, he added, “Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has never seen God.” He also informed them how they may contribute to spreading the gospel by providing generous support to God’s workers.

Book Summary: In the shortest book in the New Testament, John writes a letter to Gaius and Demetrius praising them for their faithful service, and indirectly warns and condemns the behavior of Diotrephes.

The Book of Jude (Letter of Jude)

The Book of Jude is Jude is the writer of this book, the brother of James, and he might be Jesus’ brother as you look at Matthew 13:15 and Mark 6:3. Jude was disturbed by the false teachers’ success, and he directed his readers to combat God’s inherited faith. Rescue people from everlasting punishment. God will pass judgment on them. These false preachers were described by Jude as unethical both morally and spiritually. Jude reassured the followers of God’s enabling power to keep them from falling, and God will keep them by his love. Through Christ, we may stand before the glory of God without fault and with exceeding joy when we face him.

Book Summary: In this book, Jude warns against immoral men who will bring false teachings against God and try to deceive them. He contrasts the differences between these teachings and those of Jesus Christ saying that it is faith in Him alone that will secure salvation.

The Book of Revelation (Revelation to John)

The Book of Revelation (or Apocalypse) is the final book of the Bible. John the Apostle penned this book while incarcerated on the island of Patmos for his Christian convictions. Patmos is an island located on the west coast of Turkey, the continent of Asia. This book is not just a prophetic book, but mainly a letter to the seven churches in the province of Asia. John may intentionally make it mysterious so that the non-believers may not understand the actual message. Moreover, John used Old Testament imagery that may appear to be a strange mystery, but its primary function is to stir up courage and faith in the early church; to strengthen the Christian faith as a result of persecution. There is a God who will reward the faith of His people.

Book Summary: In this final book of the Bible, John unveils to readers of the apocalyptic times to come. He describes the imminent day when Christ will return and there will be a final battle of good verses evil, between God and Satan. Those who remain steadfast and faithful to God, despite persecution, will be blessed by God’s eternal glory in Heaven with Him.

NOW READ: A Complete List of Old Testament Books in Order

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Timothy Andrew

Timothy Andrew

Tim is the Founder of Lord's Library. He believes the Bible commands us to minister "as of the ability which God giveth" (1 Peter 4:11). Tim aspires to be as The Lord's mouth by "taking forth the precious from the vile" (Jeremiah 15:19) and witnessing The Gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15: 1-4) to the whole world.

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  • New Testament Books In Order (Canonical Order)

Explore the New Testament books in order. This list includes the New Testament Canon of the Bible as it appears in canonical order in modern Bible translations.

New Testament Books In Order

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

Go Beyond the New Testament In Canonical Order

While this list focused on the New Testament books in order from Matthew to Revelation, there are more ways to view the books of the Bible that make up the New and Old Testament Canons of Scripture. Browse through these additional guides to go beyond the New Testament books in canonical order.

  • All Books of the Bible In Order
  • Books of the Bible In Alphabetical Order
  • Old Testament Books In Order (Canonical Order)
  • Old Testament Books In Chronological Order
  • Old Testament Books In Alphabetical Order
  • New Testament Books In Alphabetical Order
  • New Testament Books In Chronological Order
  • Chronological Order of the Gospels

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The New Testament Books

by Jeffrey Kranz | Jan 12, 2014 | Bible Books

Guide to the books of the Bible

If you look at your Bible’s table of contents, you’ll find that the Bible has two main divisions: the Old Testament and the New Testament. While the Old Testament is bigger ( about 77% of the whole Bible ), the New Testament is the part with the stories of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and followers. To Christians, that’s pretty important.

The New Testament is a collection of 27 smaller documents, called “books.” And while the Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox branches of Christianity disagree on how many books should be included in the Old Testament, the New Testament books are the same across the board. Here’s a quick, high-level look at how all these books are arranged in the New Testament.

whiteboard.new-testament-books

The New Testament: 27 books in 5 categories

The New Testament books fall into five general categories: the Gospels, the single book of Acts, Paul’s letters to churches, Paul’s letters to church leaders, and a collection of letters sent out (mostly) to large groups of people. Let’s take a quick tour of how these books are grouped together in our Bibles.

The 4 Gospels

If you’ve spent much time around Christians, you’ve probably heard the word “gospel.” It’s a word that means “good news.”  Christians through the centuries have used it primarily to refer to a very specific bit of good news: Jesus, the Son of God, rose from the dead and will one day return to govern the whole world in peace and justice.

So it’s no wonder that the four books of the New Testament which tell the story of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are called “the gospels.” They are as follows:

The book of Acts is a sequel to the gospel of Luke (Acts 1:1–2; Luke 1:1–4). It’s the author’s account of how the followers of Jesus grew from a small group of witnesses to a movement that spread throughout the Roman empire. The central characters in this narrative are Peter and Paul: two prominent leaders in the early church.

You can learn more about the book of Acts here .

Paul’s letters to local churches

In the book of Acts, we see how Paul spread the good news about Jesus throughout the first-century Roman empire. As he did this, he and his associates established gatherings of people (“churches”) who regularly met. Paul kept tabs on how these churches developed, and on several occasions sent letters to local churches to educate and instruct them on, just what it meant to be a church, and how churches should conduct themselves.

For the most part, these letters were sent to churches in individual cities—which is where they get their names:

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

This isn’t the complete works of Paul—there’s evidence in the Bible that he wrote other letters, too. These are just the ones Christians preserved long enough and spread wide enough for them to make it into the Bible … but that’s another story.

The Pastoral Epistles: Paul’s letters to church leaders

Paul didn’t just write to congregations. Four of our New Testament books are correspondence from Paul to individual church leaders. These letters are named after the people Paul sent them to:

A quick note on Philemon: this is a tricky book to categorize. It’s an open letter to the man Philemon, but also to his church. There’s a good chance that it was delivered at the same time as the letter to the Colossians.

The General Epistles: Letters to large groups

For the most part, the following letters were written to large groups of Christians living in the first-century Roman empire. These letters address a wide array of topics important to Christians of the time. With the exceptions of Hebrews and Revelation, these letters are named after their traditional authors.

Those are all 27 books of the New Testament. You can check out my summaries of every book of the Bible here.

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February 11, 2019

27 Snapshots of New Testament Books of the Bible

the new testament books in order

Here is a list that offers a snapshot of all 27 New Testament books of the Bible. I hope you see Jesus Christ is at the center of each book . And, I hope you grow in worship of our Lord and Savior.

The first of all the new testament books of the Bible. The first of four gospels. It begins with a genealogy proving Jesus is the promised Messiah, and contains the beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount 

The second of four gospels—and the shortest read stretching only 16 chapters. Mark describes many of Jesus’s miracles and healings. 

The third of the four gospels. Luke was a doctor and so his account of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection is very precise, often using higher vocabulary words and sometimes giving more detailed depictions of events.

The final gospel. John’s gospel offers an intimate portrait of Jesus’s life, and how much he loves us, something also seen in all New Testament books of the Bible. Here you will find Jesus’s 7 “I Am” statements.

Written by Luke, Acts is a detailed history of believers and the early church after Christ’s ascension into heaven. Not only does this book include the story of the Pentecost, it also tells of Paul’s conversion, and the effort to spread the Gospel of Jesus to the gentiles as well as the Jews.

Of all the New Testament books of the Bible Paul wrote, Romans letter to believers in Rome is perhaps his most comprehensive. Paul says all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). As a result of this truth, salvation comes by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 

A letter from Paul to the church in Corinth which experienced some spiritual immaturity. Having a heart for the church, Paul wrote this letter to address church conduct and other topics to spur them on to a greater faithfulness in Jesus Christ. 

2 Corinthians 

A second letter from Paul to the Corinthian church, in which Paul speaks of his communication with them, his changing itinerary, and his plans to come visit them. 

A letter from Paul to the church in Galatia rebuking them for “quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and… turning to a different gospel” (1:6). They had been listening to false teachers claiming their salvation in Christ was dependent on their fulfillment of certain rituals and law. Paul uses this letter to remind everyone that:  

“A person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.” (2:16) 

This letter from Paul is a loving encouragement “to the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus” (1:1). Paul explains how we are unified in Christ, discusses the “mystery of the Gospel” (3:1-13), and talks about how we live in light of putting on the “new self” (4:24).  

Philippians 

All of Paul’s letters proclaim the gospel of Jesus and this one is no different. Paul discusses his own suffering in detail, and he does this to show how Christ’s name has been proclaimed through it. Paul says his famous line:

“For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (1:21).

Colossians 

A response to heretical teaching threatening the church at Colossae, Paul’s letter warns the Colossians against several things such as the worship of angels and asceticism. Paul encourages believers again to put away all sinfulness and instead put on the new self that comes as a result of faith in Jesus (3:1-17).   

1 Thessalonians 

Back in Acts we read how Paul needed to leave Thessalonica before he would have liked (see Acts 17:5-10), and new believers now needed his further instruction and support amid incoming persecution. This letter instructs them on how to live a godly life.  

2 Thessalonians 

This second letter came as further encouragement to the church of the Thessalonians, writing to encourage those who were afflicted with persecution due to their faith in Jesus (1:5-12) and to remind believers about the importance of work (3:6-15).

A letter from Paul to Timothy, saying that he should stay at the church of Ephesus to guard the church against false teaching. Paul wanted the church to know that Christ came to saves sinners, not righteous people. 

Paul’s letter to Timothy displays his close friendship with Timothy, hoping to encourage him in the Gospel work he had been doing. This letter contains one of the most famous lines about the nature of Scripture:  

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” (3:16) 

A letter from Paul to Titus, who Paul placed in Crete for the Gospel of Jesus to spread there. This letter provides instructions for him on how to fulfill his duty in the Lord Jesus. 

Paul writes to Philemon to thank him for the love he showed him. He also writes that he is sending Onesimus to them, who though was once “was useless” is now “indeed useful” (v. 11) to all including Christ Jesus.

Like many other New Testament books of the Bible, Hebrews deals directly with Old Testament passages, showing the unity of Scripture. One of the main goals of the book is to depict Christ Jesus as our Great High Priest. Jesus is greater than Moses (Ch. 3) and greater than Melchizedek (Ch. 7).  

Hebrews 11 is called the “ Hall of Faith ” because it shows how Old Testament figures gained righteousness through faith, not by works.  

Like Paul’s repeated encouragement to put on the new self that comes with faith in Jesus, James reminds his readers that faith in Jesus Christ produces great usefulness and fruitfulness!  

Peter writes to the “elect exiles” (1:1), the believers in Christ who are spread throughout the region. He seeks to encourage them as they face trials of various kinds. He says that these trials will bring glory to Jesus as they produce a “tested genuineness of [their] faith” (1:7). Peter urges believers to strive after holiness. 

Peter writes in this letter to encourage believers to “make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue” (1:5). And he writes for them to be cautious of false teachers (Ch. 2), and to remind them about the teaching concerning Christ’s coming (Ch. 3).

John writes here to encourage believers to walk in the light. He speaks to how Christ is our Advocate (Ch. 2), and that we demonstrate God’s love through our love for others. 

John, in what may be the shortest of all the New Testament books of the Bible, wonderfully connects following Christ’s commandments with loving another: “And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments” (v. 6). 

John writes: “Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God” (v. 11)  

Jude writes in response to false teachers spreading an enticing lie. This lie said Jesus’s grace provides greater opportunity to live a sinful life. Jude writes that these are teachers “for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever” (v. 13).

Revelation 

Compared to other New Testament books of the Bible, Revelation apocalyptic nature relies more heavily on symbolic language. John’s vision may not give us every fact we could want. But, it does gives us the full truth we need : Jesus is Lord forever and ever!

Davis Wetherell

Timeline of the Books of the New Testament

Podcast Episodes: 2.21 on.

Back to Show Notes Contents.

Introduction to the Timeline

This is a timeline and table of the New Testament books. Many early church fathers regarded some books as canon that did not make into the final cut. I have included them in my table below, preceded with a cloud symbol ☁. Read this in conjunction with my page on the early church fathers .

The dates cited are the broadest accepted by scholars. The dates of many books are disputed. Notes on the authenticity of books are according to modern scholarship.

Most of the documents in the New Testament are letters. Those books that are not letters are shown in bold like this .

The Table and Timeline

Earliest literary and physical evidence.

Here I give the earliest evidence we have for each book. Evidence consists of two forms.

First, citations of a book or letter by an early church father. Hear all about them in my episode 2.21 Battle for the New Testament I: Earliest Times . There are seven earliest attestors:

  • Clement of Rome (85-100)
  • Polycarp (100-155)
  • Marcion (140-160)
  • Justin Martyr (150-165)
  • Irenaeus (150-200)
  • Clement of Alexandria (180-215)
  • Origen (200-250)
  • Eusebius (310-340)

Second, physical evidence we have in the form of papyri. Almost all the earliest physical evidence for books and letters comes from scraps of papyri, for which I give dates. There are a few exceptions. In those cases, the earliest manuscript evidence we have is that of great Codex Sinaiticus, the earliest complete New Testament. This is dated to 325–360. For more on that, listen to my episode 2.17 Recovering the Bible: A Century of Revelations .

Table of Earliest Evidence

chapter vii the bible canon

New Testament Timeline

The following chart provides a detailed New Testament timeline. Most of the dates can be determined precisely by correlating biblical events with extensive historical documents and archaeological evidence. Dates with an asterisk denote approximate or alternative dates. The extensive external confirmation of New Testament dates and events encourages great confidence in the truth and historicity of both the Old and New Testaments.

* denotes approximate date; / signifies either/or

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The New Testament Books: What You Need to Know

The New Testament books of the bible contain the most profound truth + message in the world. Here’s a must-know breakdown of every book.

the new testament books in order

The New Testament books contain the most life-changing truths in the world.

However, it can often be difficult for a 21st century reader to understand how to read the new testament, which was written in the 1st century, without first understanding the context, central themes, and key texts of each book. We're not going deep on four horsemen of the apocalypse, but I guarantee you'll walk away from this post with some great insights.

But hang tight.

In this article on New Testament Books of the Bible , I’m going to share:

  • new testament books in order ;
  • summary of the new testament books ; and a
  • breakdown of every book

After reading this post, you’ll know the purpose and nature of each book.

You will also gain answers to questions about the New Testament like:

  • What are the books of the new testament?
  • What are the first 10 books of the New Testament?
  • How many books are in the new testament?
  • What is the first book of the new testament?
  • What language was the New Testament written in?
  • Who wrote the New Testament?
  • What are the 27 books of the New Testament?
  • What is the New Testament in the Bible?
  • Why is the New Testament important?
  • Where does the new testament start?
  • What is the last book of the New Testament?

As a result, you will be able to read, understand, apply, and preach from each book with a better grasp of its true meaning. Use this breakdown of New Testament books as a way to more fluently and thoroughly understand each text you encounter.

New Testament Books

First, if you’re wondering how many books in the new testament there are, there are 27. It may also be helpful to understand that the Bible breaks down the new testament into 5 main sections:

  • 4 Canonical Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John)
  • the Acts of the Apostles
  • 14 Epistles of Paul
  • 7 General Epistles, and
  • the Book of Revelation.

Understanding the main sections of the new testament gives you immediate context into what you're reading. Now on to summary of each New Testament Book in the Bible.

The book of Matthew was written between 70 and 80 AD by the Apostle Matthew.

Matthew drew on the Gospel of Mark as source material for his own work, as did Luke. Scholars refer to these three gospels as “The Synoptic Gospels.” This term comes from the word “synopsis,” meaning “summary,” because all of these authors drew on many of the same summary source materials—even one another—when writing the Gospels.

The reason that there are four gospels is that the early church needed different ways to explain the life and work of Jesus from multiple angles to understand the entire history in a cohesive way.

Luke’s expansive historical prose would have made the Gospel of Mark unsightly, disorganized, asymmetrical in its content structure, and confusing in its style, voice, and purpose. Matthew ideally establishes the relationship between the Old and New testaments because he emphasizes the Jewishness of Jesus as a central feature of the nature and purpose of his work, beginning with a genealogical prequel in Chapter 1, followed by a retelling of the life of Jesus in a way that mirrors the story of the Old Testament itself in order to highlight by way of genre the manner in which Jesus fulfilled the major prophecies and themes of the Old Testament. ‍

Key verse: “And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.’” (Matt 22:37-40)

Key theme: Jesus is the promised messiah; the kingdom of God.

Mark is considered by scholars to be the first gospel. Its brevity (only 16 short chapters) should not be confused with sparsity or lack of substance. Mark intended this work to be a terse, potent, and forceful assertion of both the historical credibility of the stories about Jesus and the radically transformative irruption which his life and work catalyzed in human history.

Mark ends on a somber note: “Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid” (Mark 16:8). Some later manuscripts add 11 verses which summarize what occurred afterward—namely, the fallout of the resurrection of Christ and the institution of the church.

Mark is centrally about the new shape that the kingdom of God has taken through Christ and how it clashes violently with the evil, corruptive, and oppressive forces of the world. After centuries of waiting, Mark’s Gospel is a “tell it like it is” story of the central elements of Jesus’s life and work.

Key verse: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

Key theme: Jesus is the great servant preacher who announces the good news of God's saving reign.

Luke wrote both the Gospel of Luke and Acts as a two-part work, commissioned by the wealthy benefactor Theophilus. Luke was a medical doctor who, by his training, was gifted with the intellectual capacity to engage in ancient journalism to produce the Gospel account with the highest degree of investigative rigor.

Luke’s account is considered by scholars to contain the largest amount of information with the least amount of artistic flare by the writer.

The purpose of Luke was to give an account of the life and work of Jesus that dovetailed thematically and historically into an account of the early church. In that regard, Acts is not so much a sequel to Luke as much as Luke is a prequel to Acts. There are other Gospel accounts, but there is only one Acts. Luke had the foresight to understand that it would be critical for the political integrity of Christianity as a new religion to have a researched, first-hand account of the founding and rationale of their organization, which had its first official general council meeting in Jerusalem (Acts 15).

In other words, Luke was written to give a comprehensive account of the life of Christ in a way that was intelligible and preachable as Scripture in the early church. We might put it crudely in this way: Matthew, Mark, and John are meant to be understood as communicating many important features of the life of Christ, but Luke was intended to serve as a public document that drew on theological themes insofar as it served to illuminate to the Roman republic and Greek-speaking world the historic rationale for the founding of the church itself.

Key verse: “Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’” (Luke 24:44)

Key theme: God has decisively revealed himself in Jesus Christ and it has changed the world.

The Gospel of John is a rich work that does recount the historical events of the life of Christ, but the Apostle John saturates this historical narrative with theological themes such as the love of God, divine illumination, the importance of fellowship among believers, and the deeper resonances of Christ’s relationship to the world, with an emphasis on his divine lordship and eternal nature.

Key verse: “But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31)

Key theme: Jesus is the Christ, the eternal Son of God who gives eternal life to all who believe.

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Acts is Luke’s second work, which is meant to show how the ministry of the Spirit in the life of Christ is transformed through his crucifixion and resurrection into the ministry of the church. What Christ accomplished in his life by the power of the Spirit would be dispensed at scale to the entire church in Acts 2. The rest of the book of Acts is about what the Spirit does to fulfill Christ’s charge to reach Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Key verse: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Key theme: God has given the church the Spirit to continue the mission of Jesus on earth.

Romans was written by the Apostle Paul in 57 A.D. in order to help the Roman church navigate the difficult relationship between the Jewish and Roman communities. The context is that the Roman church was primarily Jewish, initially, until the Jews were exiled from Rome. However, they were later allowed to return, yet when they returned, the church had become primarily Gentile, meaning that the Roman church came to practice Christianity in a way that was not distinctively Jewish.

This sparked deep debate about the continuing relevance of the Old Testament for Christian practice and threatened to divide the church in Rome. Paul wrote the book of Romans to settle this theological controversy as well as to promote unity among the church, encouraging them to love one another and to place unity in Christ above minor theological questions about the Old Testament, important as they are (Paul devotes the first 11 chapters of Romans to resolving this issue for the church in Rome).

Key verse: “For all have sinned and fall short of the flory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.” (Romans 3:23-25)

Key theme: The Gospel; The righteousness of God

7. 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians was written by the Apostle Paul to rebuke the church in Corinth for integrating too much pagan culture into the church, which sparked abuse, licentiousness, heinous sexual sin, arrogance, and the oppression of believers based on what spiritual gifts they had. Paul wrote to tell the Corinthians that their church had merely taken on Christian language, but made the church into an essentially pagan institution by their practices.

This is where the famous passage on love in 1 Corinthians 13 becomes relevant. Love in Christ, properly conceived, would resolve the tensions the Corinthians were experiencing—the social factions, the social hierarchies, the lawsuits against one another, and even the moral self-righteousness of those who were condemning Christians who ate meat sacrificed to idols.

Paul wears two hats in this letter—one as a referee, and the other as a spiritual parent. He is concerned both with reunifying the church and helping them to keep their eyes set on Christ in order to grow in maturity and love for one another without losing the theological insights that changed their community. He is careful not to take the side of any political faction in the church, yet makes the necessary rebukes, for example, toward a man who was sleeping with his step mother (1 Corinthians 5).

Key verse: “According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no on can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which if Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:10-11)

Key theme: Undo political factions in the church through love from Christ.

8. 2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians was Paul’s later letter to the Corinthian church. While they had matured since Paul’s first letter, there were other leaders who claimed to be apostles that questioned Paul’s spiritual authority. He defends his credibility with the Corinthian church (2 Cor 6) by recalling all that he suffered for their sake and the fact that he never took any money from them.

Key theme: Paul is a true Apostle from Jesus; Faith teaches us how to suffer, but doesn’t save us from suffering

9. Galatians

The Apostle Paul wrote the book of Galatians in order to dispel a particular heresy in the church in Galatia. There was a group called “Judaizers” who were teaching that, in order to receive Christ properly, individuals must first become Jews and then Christians. For example, they taught that Christians must be circumcised first in order to receive the forgiveness of Christ.

Paul was so frustrated by the spiritual disruption of this heresy that he wrote to the Galatians: “As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!” (Galatians 5:12).

Paul took the relationship between faith and works very seriously, because it represented a critical transition in history between a time when the people of God were made right with God by obedience to the law and a new era inaugurated by Christ in which people were made right with God by receiving his love through spirit-wrought faith in Christ.

He framed Christian behavior, not in terms of “acting good” or “acting bad,” but living “according to the Spirit” and “according to the flesh” (Galatians 5). While the Judaizers were incorrect, Paul didn’t want to over-communicate his point and mislead the Galatians to become licentious like the Corinthians.

Key verse: “Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.” (Galatians 3:23-25)

Key theme: Justification with God by grace through faith, not by works

10. Ephesians

The Apostle Paul wrote the book of Ephesians in order to communicate the lordship of Christ over creation, the exact benefits of the gospel, how the message of Christ relates to works in the Christian life, and what Christian household and civil life should look like in this new era of Christ’s resurrected reign.

Key verse: “Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” (Ephesians 1:4-7)

Key theme: The unity of the church under the headship of Christ.

11. Philippians

The Apostle Paul wrote the book of Philippians in order to express his deep gratitude to the Philippian church for a gift they had sent him. This town, with a large veteran population, was committed and loyal to Paul, and supported his ministry.

This kingly gift of an Apostolic letter was Paul’s way of giving this church an expression of gratitude, along with very helpful theological instruction on the nature of Christ and how his life promotes generosity in the church.

Key verse: “That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:10-11)

Key theme: Gratitude to God for partnership; faithful endurance by the power of Christ

12. Colossians

Paul wrote the book of Colossians in order to dispel a heresy in the early church that downplayed the divinity of Jesus (properly conceived) and taught odd things about how to connect with Christ via quasi-mystical spiritual practices. Paul wanted to impress upon the Colossians the reality of Christ’s lordship over creation and how such a reality changed Christian behavior.

Key verse: “If then you have been raised with Christ seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Col 3:1-4)

Key theme: Christians are a new creation, no longer under demonic powers

13. 1 Thessalonians

The Apostle Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians to help the church in Thessalonica to properly understand the future return of Christ to earth. Some in this church were persuaded that Christ would either not return for a long time, or would never return in a literal fashion.

Paul impressed upon them the open possibility of Christ’s imminent return and the definitive fact of that impending return in order to supply the church with encouragement and hope.

Key verse: “Aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)

Key theme: Be encouraged; Christ will return soon.

14. 2 Thessalonians

The Apostle Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians because his earlier letter was misconstrued by some to mean that Christ was definitely going to return in the next few days.

Paul rounded out his theology of the future with a commendation to continue working, and to express the open possibility that Christ may in fact not return immediately , though its possibility should prompt us to be expectant, prepared, and waiting in such a way that does not diminish our daily activity on the earth.

Key verse: “May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.” (2 Thesalonnians 3:5)

Key theme: Be encouraged; Christ may not return today.

15. 1 Timothy

The Apostle Paul wrote 1 Timothy in order to shepherd a young pastor through the trials of church planting amidst theological controversy in the early church.

Because Christianity was such a young movement at the time, Timothy was operating with very little precedent, and therefore needed apostolic oversight from Paul to deal with more complicated issues in church governance and leadership.

Key verse: “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1:15-16)

Key theme: Encouragement and advice to a young pastor facing heavy responsibility.

16. 2 Timothy

2 Timothy is Paul’s last letter. He writes it to Timothy in order to hand off the baton of his legacy-building initiative to Timothy, vesting him with the task of planting and overseeing churches in his respective region.

While Timothy was not granted apostolic authority as Paul had, Timothy was an officer in the church who was operating on behalf of the Jerusalem council and carried out the mission of Jesus through the Apostle Paul’s careful oversight.

Key verse: “And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 2:24-25)

Key theme: Continue to be faithful, even when it’s hard.

Titus was a key asset for the Apostle Paul, and Paul’s epistle to Titus, similar to his epistles to Timothy, was meant to guide him in his work. Titus journeyed with Paul through Jerusalem with Barnabas, and was later dispatched to Corinth, where he helped Paul to reconcile the divided community there.

Because Titus had experience with conflict management, Paul used Titus in a very different way than he did Timothy. Paul write this letter to help Titus to manage theological controversy in the church in order to guard it from division, while at the same time being ruthless with false teachers in the church promoting a gospel of salvation on the basis of works.

Key verse: “And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.” (Titus 3:14)

Key theme: Qualifications for church leadership

18. Philemon

The Apostle Paul wrote the book of Philemon to a wealthy Christian whom Paul had brought to Christ. Later, Paul met a runaway slave named Onesimus, who also became a Christian. Paul learned that Onesimus was a slave who ran away from Philemon. Paul wrote to Philemon in order to request that Philemon take back Onesimus without punishment, in respect for and recognition of the work God had done in his heart.

Key verse: “I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.” (Philemon 1:6)

Key theme: Models prudence, courtesy, and compassionate care for the forgiveness of one who faces serious consequences.

19. Hebrews

The book of Hebrews is mysterious. There is no consensus about the authorship of Hebrews. It bears the style of many other New Testament biblical writers, including both Paul and Luke. Most scholars recognize that Hebrews is a distinctively Pauline work, though its style is sufficiently different from Paul’s style that it is likely not his direct product.

The purpose of the book of Hebrews is to encourage Jewish Christians who are tempted to deconvert back to Judaism to remain in Christ. The author warns that not only will they put themselves back under the yoke of slavery to the law, but that deconversion bears serious spiritual consequences.

The author of Hebrews seeks to accomplish not primarily by way of warning (though HEbrews is famous for its warning passages in chapters 6, 9, and 10), but by highlighting the majesty and glorious benefits Christians have in Christ .

Key verse: “The former priests were many in number because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:23-25)

Key theme: Remain in the faith even when your community pressures you to leave.

The book of James is written by James, the brother of Jesus, to Christians who believe that forgiveness for sin through Christ means that Christians are no longer obligated to do good in the world. James makes the definitive point: Faith without works is dead.

By this, James means that all genuine faith manifests itself in good works, because the same Spirit that unites us to Christ for the sake of salvation is the Spirit that works through us to love others.

The Epistle of James bears many thematic similarities to the sermon on the mount, and feels very much more like the writings of Matthew and Mark than it does the writings of Paul and Peter.

Key verse: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27)

Key theme: Faith should always manifest itself through works.

21. 1 Peter

The Apostle Peter wrote his first letter in order to encourage persecuted Christians who had been dispersed throughout the world. Unlike the Apostle Paul’s epistles, which were written to a specific local audience with the intent of being circulated for the sake of proper Christian instruction, Peter’s intended audience is simply: Christians everywhere.

As long as there are Christians, those Christians will be persecuted and they will be tempted to leave the faith (John 15:18-25). Peter understands and experiences this on a personal level, and he leverages his apostolic authority in 1 Peter to encourage the saints who are exhausted from the suffering that came with believing in Jesus in the first century.

Key verse: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)

Key theme: Remind Christians of their present identity and future inheritance in Christ in light of persecution.

22. 2 Peter

The style and message of 2 Peter is very different from 1 Peter. Peter himself says that he is writing the epistle before his imminent death (2 Peter 1:14). The epistle is saturated with Old Testament references and imagery, and shares significant stylistic similarities with the book of Jude, because both epistles are dealing with odd views among Christians about fallen angels.

Some scholars have used the differences between 1 and 2 Peter to indicate that Peter did not write the epistle, although there is sufficient time between the writing of these two letters to indicate that Peter’s circumstances and resources inhibited him from writing better Greek prose (good, not great) in his second Epistle.

Key verse: “You, therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.” (2 Peter 3:17-18) Key theme: Warning against false teachers who seek to divide the church for selfish gain.

The Apostle John was concerned in his gospel to articulate, beautify, highlight, and defend the pre-existent divinity of Jesus as the eternal Son of God. 1 John was written to dispel myths circulated by some Jewish Christian circles that Jesus was not the pre-existent Son of God.

John makes the case because Christ is the Son of God, his sacrifice is a maximal example of love that we should emulate, tying tightly together the Christian doctrines of Christ’s divinity with the doctrine of neighborly love.

Key verse: “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (1 John 3:1)

Key theme: Fellowship in Christ, encouragement in maturity, the nature of eternal life

The Apostle John composed his second epistle in order to dispel the myth of a heresy called “gnosticism,” which taught that one only comes to know Jesus through mystical practices and initiations that guard and safely dispense “secret knowledge” (Greek: Gnosis) in order to receive salvation.

He argues that by accepting gnosticism, we dilute and destroy the love of God for us in Christ.

Key verse: “And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.” (2 John 6)

Key theme: Jesus Christ is both God and man, and this changes how we relate to others.

3 John is a strictly personal letter that encourages hospitality, missional work, and the need for prudence when accepting new members and teachers into the church.

John warns that by guarding the church from false teachers, we guard the church from evil, abuse, and hatred.

Key verse: “Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.” (3 John 11)

Key theme: Fellowship with other believers and show hospitality to those in genuine need.

Jude writes this letter under Jamesian apostolic authority to warn against false teaching in the church. Jude is concerned to guard the church from malicious parties who would take advantage of her, yet also expresses the notion that Christians should have an instinct of hospitality and love toward those who undergo seasons of doubt.

He strives to articulate strict boundaries for church belonging, but not so strict that it cannot accommodate the realities of human life.

Key verse: “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 24-25)

Key theme: Vigilantly preserve the faith in love.

27. Revelation

The Apostle John wrote the book of Revelation while exiled for his faith on the island of Patmos. He wrote it in order to give Christians a vision of the future that helped them to live faithfully in the present.

While it is full of imagery that many find confusing, it is important to understand that he gets much of his imagery from the Old Testament. So, while other New Testament writers will explicitly cite Scripture, John does something more subtly—he takes imagery from Daniel, Ezekiel, and many other prophets and books to paint a more vivid picture of Christ’s work in the world today and how it relates to our hope for the future which will be fulfilled by Christ himself.

Key verse: “Behold I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (Revelation 22:12-13)

Key theme: Christ is the king of the universe and will fulfill all his promises throughout Scripture.

For easy printing, you can click here to download our free Summary of the 27 Books of the New Testament PDF.

Over to you

Use this survey, books of the new testament , to enrich your reading of the Bible and engage with the text of Scripture at a deeper level.

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Books of the bible, books of the bible in canonical order.

What Is the Chronological Order of the 66 Books 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.

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ESV Global Study Bible :: New Testament Timeline

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New Testament Timeline

The following chart provides a detailed New Testament timeline. Most of the dates can be determined precisely by correlating biblical events with extensive historical documents and archaeological evidence. Dates with an asterisk denote approximate or alternative dates. The extensive external confirmation of New Testament dates and events encourages great confidence in the truth and historicity of both the Old and New Testaments.

* denotes approximate date / signifies either / or

The ESV Global Study Bible Copyright © 2012 by Crossway . All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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Old Testament

New testament.

Blog / When Was Each Book of the Bible Written?

Jonathan Petersen

When Was Each Book of the Bible Written?

Old Testament

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  • Job : Considered earliest, but date unknown
  • Genesis : 1445-1405 BC
  • Exodus : 1445-1405 BC
  • Leviticus : 1445-1405 BC
  • Numbers : 1445-1405 BC
  • Deuteronomy : 1445-1405 BC
  • Psalms : 1410-450 BC
  • Joshua : 1405-1385 BC
  • Judges : 1043 BC

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  • Song of Songs : 971-965 BC
  • Proverbs : 971-686 BC
  • Ecclesiastes : 940-931 BC
  • 1 Samuel : 931-722 BC
  • 2 Samuel : 931-722 BC
  • Obadiah : 850-840 BC
  • Joel : 835-796 BC
  • Jonah : 775 BC

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  • Hosea : 750-710 BC
  • Micah : 735-710 BC
  • Isaiah : 700-681 BC
  • Nahum : 650 BC
  • Zephaniah : 635-625 BC
  • Habakkuk : 615-605 BC
  • Ezekiel : 590-570 BC
  • Lamentations : 586 BC

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  • 1 Kings : 561-538 BC
  • 2 Kings : 561-538 BC
  • Judith* : Uncertain (538 BC-AD 70)
  • Daniel : 536-530 BC
  • Haggai : 520 BC
  • Baruch* : 500-100 BC
  • Zechariah : 480-470 BC
  • Ezra : 457-444 BC

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  • 2 Chronicles : 450-430 BC
  • Esther : 450-331 BC
  • Malachi : 433-424 BC
  • Nehemiah : 424-400 BC
  • Susanna* : 400 BC-AD 70
  • Psalm 151* : 400 BC-AD 100
  • Letter of Jeremiah* : 307-317 BC

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  • Ben Sira (Sirach)* : 200-175 BC
  • Bel and the Dragon* : 200-100 BC
  • Greek Esther* : 200-1 BC
  • Prayer of Azariah* : 200-1 BC
  • 1 Maccabees* : 150-100 BC
  • 2 Maccabees* : 150-100 BC
  • 1 Esdras* : 100 BC-AD 100

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  • 3 Maccabees** : 100-1 BC
  • 4 Maccabees** : 100-1 BC
  • Wisdom* : 50-20 BC
  • 2 Esdras** : AD 100-200

*A deuterocanonical/apocryphal book **A pseudepigrapha book

New Testament

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  • Galatians : AD 49-50
  • Mark : AD 50-60
  • Matthew : AD 50-60
  • 1 Thessalonians : AD 51
  • 2 Thessalonians : AD 51-52
  • 1 Corinthians : AD 55
  • 2 Corinthians : AD 55-56

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  • Luke : AD 60-61
  • Ephesians : AD 60-62
  • Philippians : AD 60-62
  • Philemon : AD 60-62
  • Colossians : AD 60-62
  • Acts : AD 62
  • 1 Timothy : AD 62-64
  • Titus : AD 62-64
  • 1 Peter : AD 64-65

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  • 2 Peter : AD 67-68
  • Hebrews : AD 67-69
  • Jude : AD 68-70
  • John : AD 80-90
  • 1 John : AD 90-95
  • 2 John : AD 90-95
  • 3 John : AD 90-95
  • Revelation : AD 94-96

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Order Up: Top 10 Known Books of the New Testament

Can you put these ten new testament books of the bible in order of most to least remembered (known)*.

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COMMENTS

  1. New Testament Books

    Table of Contents. This is a list of the 27 books of the New Testament, ordered canonically according to most Christian traditions. See also Bible and biblical literature. Gospel According to Matthew. Gospel According to Mark. Gospel According to Luke. Gospel According to John. Acts of the Apostles. Letter of Paul to the Romans.

  2. Books of the Bible in Order: The New and Old Testament

    The theological message of the book can be summed up in one sentence: The Great King will come not only to judge his people, but also to bless and restore them. Browse the Books of the Bible in order with introductions and summaries for both the Old and New Testament. Read all Bible books online in over 50 translations.

  3. Appendix 8: Chronological Order of the Books of the New Testament

    While no arrangement of these books can be made with absolute confidence, the following dates are sufficiently reliable to serve the purpose of the Bible student. James - 50 A.D. First Thessalonians - 52-53. Second Thessalonians - 52-53. Galatians - 55.

  4. The New Testament in Order

    Pauline Epistles: Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon 3. General Epistles: Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude 4. Revelation 5. This order was popularized by the time of Athanasius of Alexandria's ...

  5. The Books of the New Testament

    The New Testament contains 27 different books written by nine different authors. Every author of the New Testament was Jewish except for Luke. Three of the writers: Matthew, Peter, and John were among the 12 disciples who walked with Christ during his earthly ministry. Jesus promised his disciples that the Holy Spirit would bring all things to ...

  6. Books of the Bible: New Testament Books in Order

    The New Testament is a collection of 27 books that form the second part of the Christian Bible. These books were written in Greek between the first and second centuries A.D. and provide an account of the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, as well as the establishment and growth of the early Christian church.

  7. A Complete List of New Testament Books in Order: Bible Summary

    Learn about the New Testament books in order with a summary of each book's theme, author, and content. The New Testament consists of 27 books, including four gospels, four epistles, and one apocalypse. The central theme is Jesus Christ and his life, teachings, and works.

  8. New Testament Books In Order (Canonical Order)

    Go Beyond the New Testament In Canonical Order. While this list focused on the New Testament books in order from Matthew to Revelation, there are more ways to view the books of the Bible that make up the New and Old Testament Canons of Scripture. Browse through these additional guides to go beyond the New Testament books in canonical order.

  9. The New Testament Books

    The New Testament: 27 books in 5 categories. The New Testament books fall into five general categories: the Gospels, the single book of Acts, Paul's letters to churches, Paul's letters to church leaders, and a collection of letters sent out (mostly) to large groups of people. Let's take a quick tour of how these books are grouped together ...

  10. PDF The 27 Books of the New Testament

    NEW TESTAMENT • Matthew • Mark • Luke • John • Acts • Romans • 1 Corinthians • 2 Corinthians • Galatians • Hebrews • James • 1 Peter • 2 Peter ... • 2 Thessalonians • 1 Timothy • 2 Timothy • Titus • Philemon. Title: The 27 Books of the New Testament.pmd Author: Dr. Donnie S. Barnes Created Date:

  11. New Testament Books in Chronological Order

    A chart that shows the order of the New Testament books by date of authorship, from James to Revelation. The dates are based on various sources and opinions, and may vary among scholars. The chart is for personal use and benefit only.

  12. 27 Snapshots of New Testament Books of the Bible

    1 Peter. Peter writes to the "elect exiles" (1:1), the believers in Christ who are spread throughout the region. He seeks to encourage them as they face trials of various kinds. He says that these trials will bring glory to Jesus as they produce a "tested genuineness of [their] faith" (1:7).

  13. New Testament

    The order in which the books of the New Testament appear differs between some collections and ecclesiastical traditions. In the Latin West, prior to the Vulgate (an early 5th-century Latin version of the Bible), the four Gospels were arranged in the following order: Matthew, John, Luke, and Mark.

  14. Timeline of the Books of the New Testament

    Here I give the earliest evidence we have for each book. Evidence consists of two forms. First, citations of a book or letter by an early church father. Hear all about them in my episode 2.21 Battle for the New Testament I: Earliest Times. There are seven earliest attestors: Clement of Rome (85-100) Polycarp (100-155)

  15. Order of the New Testament Books.

    Order of the New Testament Books. I. The arrangement of the various parts comprising the New Testament was fluctuating in the second century; less so in the third. In the fourth century the order which the books had commonly assumed in Greek MSS. and writers was; the Gospels, the Acts, the Catholic Epistles, the Pauline, and the Apocalypse.

  16. New Testament Timeline

    Jesus (age 12) interacts with the teachers in the temple ( Luke 2:41-50 ). 8*-28/30. Jesus works as a carpenter in Nazareth ( Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3) and probably in neighboring villages and Sepphoris, which was being rebuilt. 28-29 *. John the Baptist begins his ministry around the Jordan River ( John 1:19 ). 28-30 *.

  17. The Chronology of the New Testament

    New Testament Events from A .D. 30 to A .D. 50. Acts is the only New Testament book which records how much time elapsed between Jesus' death and his ascension: "During the forty days after his crucifixion he appeared to the apostles from time to time" (1:3). The next key event after the ascension of Jesus into heaven was Pentecost (Acts 2:1).

  18. The New Testament Books: What You Need to Know

    First, if you're wondering how many books in the new testament there are, there are 27. It may also be helpful to understand that the Bible breaks down the new testament into 5 main sections: 4 Canonical Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) the Acts of the Apostles. 14 Epistles of Paul. 7 General Epistles, and.

  19. Books of the Bible

    New American Bible. Books of the Bible. SORT ORDER: Canonical | Alphabetical Books of the Bible in Canonical Order Old Testament Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Sa...

  20. 2. Introduction to the New Testament

    The New Testament is a record of historical events, the 'good news' events of the saving life of the Lord Jesus Christ—His life, death, resurrection, ascension, and the continuation of His work in the world—which is explained and applied by the apostles whom He chose and sent into the world. It is also the fulfillment of those events ...

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

    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 ...

  22. New Testament Timeline

    The following chart provides a detailed New Testament timeline. Most of the dates can be determined precisely by correlating biblical events with extensive historical documents and archaeological evidence. Dates with an asterisk denote approximate or alternative dates. The extensive external confirmation of New Testament dates and events ...

  23. When was each book of the Bible written?

    Filed under Bible, Bible Reference, History, Introduction to the Bible, Literacy, New Testament, Old Testament. The books of the Bible are estimated to have been written between 1500 BC & AD 96. This article tells the approximate dates of each book of the Bible.

  24. Hayley Reese Chow on Instagram: "Um… just me? . Honestly, it's a

    Honestly, it's a testament to how much I love my books that my introvert..." Hayley Reese Chow on Instagram: "Um… just me? 😅 . Honestly, it's a testament to how much I love my books that my introvert-self goes through the pre-release self-promo marathon for them.

  25. Order Up: Top 10 Known Books of the New Testament

    *According to the Sporcle community's stats on "Bible Books - New Testament" by Matt Nota bene: Tied books (any within 1%) are omitted, with one book representing that percentage range for any ties. Order Up: Drag the answers to attempt to put them in the correct order