Books of the Bible: Genres & Chronology
The Bible contains 66 distinct books written by over 40 authors over 1,500 years. Exploring the books by genre and time helps reveal the progressive story of God's redemption.
The 66 Books Grouped by Genre
Law (Pentateuch)
The books of beginnings, covenant, and the early law given to Israel.
Historical Books
Tracing the story of Israel from conquering the Promised Land to the exile.
Poetry & Wisdom
Prayers, songs of worship, and practical wisdom for daily life.
Major Prophets
Large prophetic books warning Israel and proclaiming the Messiah's coming.
Minor Prophets
Shorter prophetic messages warning of judgment and declaring hope.
Gospels
The life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
History (Acts)
The story of the early church and the spread of the Gospel.
Pauline Epistles
Letters written by Paul to early churches and leaders explaining theology.
General Epistles
Letters addressing faith, perseverance, and life in the church, including Hebrews, whose author is unknown.
Prophecy (Revelation)
Apocalyptic prophecy detailing final judgments and the new creation.
Chronology of the New Testament Writing
The New Testament books are not compiled in chronological order. This overview covers all 27 books using approximate dates and traditional author attributions. Dates and authorship are debated; Jude is listed separately because its date is uncertain.
James
Written by: James (Jesus' brother)
Galatians
Written by: Paul
1 & 2 Thessalonians
Written by: Paul
1 & 2 Corinthians
Written by: Paul
Romans
Written by: Paul
Gospel of Mark
Written by: John Mark
Prison Epistles (Col, Eph, Phm, Phil)
Written by: Paul
Gospel of Matthew & Luke
Written by: Matthew / Luke
Acts of the Apostles
Written by: Luke
Pastoral Epistles (1 & 2 Tim, Titus)
Written by: Paul
Hebrews & 1 & 2 Peter
Written by: Unknown / Peter
Gospel of John
Written by: John
John's Epistles (1, 2, 3 John)
Written by: John
Revelation
Written by: John
Jude
Written by: Jude
Explore a Book's Summary in Scripture Chat
Want to understand the key characters, themes, or historical background of a specific book? Ask the AI study companion for a starting summary, then check its references against the Bible text.
Analyze Book of Galatians with AIEmbed this books list
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<a href="https://scriptureside.app/resources/books-of-the-bible" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Books of the Bible List Timeline | ScriptureSide</a>