The 66 Books of the Bible
The Bible is a library of 66 books written over many centuries: 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. Together they contain 1,189 chapters and 31,086 verses. Below, every book is grouped by section — Law, History, Wisdom, Prophets, Gospels, Acts, Letters and Revelation — with a short summary, outline, key themes and key verses on each book’s page.
New to the difference between the two halves? Start with Old Testament vs New Testament, or see the books in historical order on the Bible timeline.
Start here
Four good first books
Genesis
Where the story begins: creation, Abraham and the promise.
Psalms
The Bible’s prayer book — honest words for joy and grief.
John
A clear, deep portrait of who Jesus is.
Revelation
How the story ends: God makes all things new.
Old Testament 39 books · 929 chapters · 23,145 verses
5 books
Law (Pentateuch)
The Pentateuch or Torah: creation, the patriarchs, the Exodus and the covenant at Sinai.
Genesis
Creation, the fall, the flood and Abraham’s family.
Exodus
Rescue from Egypt and the covenant at Sinai.
Leviticus
Holiness, sacrifice and worship for a people near God.
Numbers
Forty years in the wilderness between Sinai and Canaan.
Deuteronomy
Moses’ farewell sermons before Israel enters the land.
12 books
History
Israel in the land: judges, kings, exile and return.
Joshua
Israel crosses the Jordan and settles Canaan.
Judges
Cycles of failure and rescue before Israel had kings.
Ruth
A Moabite widow’s loyalty and a kinsman-redeemer.
1 Samuel
Samuel, Saul and the rise of young David.
2 Samuel
David’s reign: triumphs, failures and God’s promise.
1 Kings
Solomon’s temple and a kingdom split in two.
2 Kings
Kings of Israel and Judah until the exile.
1 Chronicles
Israel’s story retold with David and worship at the center.
2 Chronicles
Judah’s kings from Solomon to the call to return.
Ezra
Exiles return and rebuild the temple.
Nehemiah
Jerusalem’s walls rebuilt and the covenant renewed.
Esther
A Jewish queen in Persia saves her people.
5 books
Wisdom & Poetry
Prayers, songs and reflections on how to live well before God.
Job
A righteous man’s suffering and his questions for God.
Psalms
150 songs and prayers for every season of life.
Proverbs
Short sayings on wisdom for everyday life.
Ecclesiastes
A search for meaning in a fleeting world.
Song of Songs
A poetic celebration of love between bride and groom.
17 books
Prophets
Messengers who called Israel back to God and looked ahead to restoration.
Isaiah
Judgment, comfort and the coming Servant-King.
Jeremiah
A weeping prophet warns Judah before Babylon falls.
Lamentations
Five poems of grief over fallen Jerusalem.
Ezekiel
Visions of God’s glory in exile and a new temple.
Daniel
Faithfulness in Babylon and visions of God’s kingdom.
Hosea
A prophet’s marriage pictures God’s faithful love.
Joel
A locust plague and the promised outpouring of the Spirit.
Amos
A shepherd calls Israel to justice.
Obadiah
The shortest Old Testament book: judgment on Edom.
Jonah
A reluctant prophet, a great fish and a mercy-filled God.
Micah
Justice, mercy and a ruler from Bethlehem.
Nahum
The fall of Nineveh and God’s justice.
Habakkuk
A prophet’s questions and a song of trust.
Zephaniah
The day of the Lord and a joyful remnant.
Haggai
A call to finish rebuilding the temple.
Zechariah
Visions of restoration and a humble coming king.
Malachi
The last Old Testament prophet calls for wholehearted worship.
New Testament 27 books · 260 chapters · 7,941 verses
4 books
Gospels
Four portraits of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Matthew
Jesus as the promised Messiah and teacher.
Mark
The fast-paced Gospel of Jesus the servant.
Luke
An orderly account of Jesus, friend of outsiders.
John
Signs and sayings that reveal who Jesus is.
1 book
Acts
How the message about Jesus spread from Jerusalem to Rome.
21 books
Letters
Letters from Paul and other apostles to churches and individuals.
Romans
Paul’s fullest explanation of the gospel.
1 Corinthians
Paul addresses a divided, gifted church.
2 Corinthians
Strength in weakness and a defense of Paul’s ministry.
Galatians
Freedom in Christ, not by keeping the law.
Ephesians
One new people in Christ and the armor of God.
Philippians
Joy and contentment, written from prison.
Colossians
Christ above all things.
1 Thessalonians
Encouragement for a young church and hope in Christ’s return.
2 Thessalonians
Clearing up confusion about the day of the Lord.
1 Timothy
Guidance for leading a local church.
2 Timothy
Paul’s last letter: guard the gospel.
Titus
Sound teaching and good works in Crete.
Philemon
A personal appeal on behalf of Onesimus, a slave turned believer.
Hebrews
Jesus as the greater priest and better covenant.
James
Practical faith that shows itself in action.
1 Peter
Hope and holiness for believers who suffer.
2 Peter
Grow in grace and beware false teachers.
1 John
Love, truth and assurance of eternal life.
2 John
A short note on truth and love.
3 John
A short note on hospitality to traveling teachers.
Jude
Contend for the faith against false teachers.
1 book
Revelation
A visionary book about the victory of God and the renewal of all things.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in the Bible?
The Protestant Bible has 66 books: 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament, with 1,189 chapters in all. Catholic and Orthodox Bibles include additional Old Testament books (often called the Deuterocanonical books or Apocrypha), so their totals are higher.
What does Pentateuch mean?
Pentateuch comes from Greek words meaning “five scrolls.” It is the name for the first five books of the Bible — Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In Jewish tradition they are called the Torah (“instruction” or “law”), and tradition links them with Moses.
What are the books of the Bible in order?
The Old Testament runs from Genesis to Malachi in five groups: Law, History, Wisdom and Poetry, Major Prophets and Minor Prophets. The New Testament runs from Matthew to Revelation: four Gospels, Acts, Paul’s letters, the General Letters and Revelation. The grid on this page follows that order.
Which is the longest and the shortest book of the Bible?
By chapters, Psalms is the longest book (150 chapters). By verses, the shortest is 2 John (13 verses in the BSB numbering). In the Old Testament, Obadiah is the shortest, with a single chapter.
Is the Bible in chronological order?
Not exactly. The books are grouped by type — law, history, poetry, prophecy, gospels, letters — rather than by date. Some prophets lived during events described in Kings, and Paul’s letters were written during the period covered by Acts. A timeline helps put them side by side.