A Very Short Description Of The 66 Books Of The Bible
Old Testament (Also called the: Jewish Bible (Tanakh): make of the: Torah (1st 5 books), Prophets and Writings )
Genesis: The book of beginnings; Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob-Israel, and Joseph.
Exodus: ‘The Way Out’; God Delivers His People from Egypt. Passover.
Leviticus: Priestly Laws; Worship through Sacrifice and Purification.
Numbers: The Wandering; continual disobedience of God’s People.
Deuteronomy: ‘or Retelling’; Preparing to enter the promised land.
The above are also called the five books of Moses. The Law-Torha.
Joshua: Entering and occupying the promised land.
Judges: Holding onto the Land. Bad and good leaders. Disobedience.
Ruth: A Godly and faithful Gentile (non-Jew). David’s great-grandmother.
1 Samuel: Priest Samuel calls Israel back to God. Anoints King Saul.
2 Samuel: Life of King David, his successes, love of God, sins, & failures.
1 Kings: Life of King Solomon, His Wisdom, Sin, and Failures. The Kingdom.
2 Kings Kingdom is divided into Israel and Judah. The fall, captivity to Babylon.
1 Chronicles: Recap of the Kings and Kingdom of Israel, their importance.
2 Chronicles: Recap of the Kings and Kingdom of Judah, & Temple worship.
Ezra: Babylon to Israel in two groups. The rebuilding of the Temple.
Nehemiah: The third group returns, rebuilding the Walls of Jerusalem.
Esther: This Queen in Babylon-Persia delivers God’s children.
Job: The suffering and loyal trust of a man who loved God. Creation.
Psalm: Songs of praise and instruction. Many by King David.
Proverbs: God’s practical Wisdom for Successful living.
Ecclesiastes: ‘The Preacher’; Emptiness of life without God.
Song of Solomon: Picture of God’s love and that of Husband & Wife.
The preceding five are poetic in the original Hebrew.
Isaiah: Judgment, God’s restoration promise, Messianic Hope to come.
Jeremiah: Judgment, God’s restoration promise, Messianic Hope.
Lamentations: ‘Cry Out Loud’; By Jeremiah, the weeping prophet over the exile.
Ezekiel: Judgment, God’s restoration promise, Messianic Hope.
Daniel: Faith servant in Babylon, End times, Messianic Hope.
Hosea: Prophet of Israel, Judgment, God’s Continual love, His marriage.
Joel: Prophet of Judah, Judgment, End times, Blessing to the faithful.
Amos: Prophet of Judah & farmer, Judgment, call to repentance.
Obadiah: Prophet of Israel: Judgment of Edom and sin.
Jonah: Reluctant prophet of Israel, the repentance of Nineveh.
Micah: Prophet of Judah & Israel, Judgment, repentance, restoration.
Nahum: Prophet of Judah, Judgment against Nineveh-Assyria sin.
Habakkuk: Prophet of Judah, Judgment against Judah to Babylon exile.
Zephaniah: Prophet of Judah, Judgment, the coming Messianic hope.
Haggai: Return from exile, call to rebuild Jerusalem and be holy.
Zechariah: Return from exile, Call to rebuild Jerusalem, Messianic Hope.
Malachi: Judgment, call to repentance through Q&A. This is the last prophet till John the Baptist comes, 400 years later.
New Testament
The four Gospels, recording the life of Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Son of God:
Matthew: Written to Jews. The Savior-King is here. (Matthew stated as a tax collector)
Mark: Written to Romans. Jesus, the obedient Servant of God.
Luke: To the Greeks. Jesus, the perfect Man, God among us. (Luke was a physician and a Historian)
John: To Christians. Jesus the Son of God, proclaiming His Deity. (John started as a fisherman, the only one to die a natural death)
Acts: The history of the early Church, the acts of the holy spirit. (Written by Luke)
Paul’s Letters to: (Paul was a religious scholar, lawyer, and later a tentmaker)
Romans: Salvation through the Grace of God, Jesus His Son, what is sin?
1 Corinthians: Paul’s instructions and counsel to the Church.
2 Corinthians: Paul continues instruction and exhortation.
Galatians: Salvation by Grace, not works. Live by faith, fruit of Spirit.
Ephesians: The position and privileges of the Christian. Christian walk.
Philippians: Encouragement to praise God even in suffering. Exhortation.
Colossians: What Christ has done for us. What Christ can do thru us.
1 Thessalonians: Excel in new life, hope, faith and love. Return of the Lord.
2 Thessalonians: Thanksgiving, Hope, encouragement, Return of the Lord.
1 Timothy: Worship, Dangers of false Doctrine, Duty, wealth.
2 Timothy: Power of the gospel, Marks of a leader, apostasy, exhortation to teach
Titus: Marks of a leader, Rebuke false teachers, speak sound doctrine, Faith.
Philemon: A short personal letter to Philemon and a house church.
Hebrews: The Majesty and Ministry of Jesus Christ. Faith and Love.
Letters from:
James: True faith will bring forth works, the power of faith. (James, the half-brother of Jesus and leader of the Jerusalem church)
1 Peter: Salvation, sanctification, responsibility, humility, suffering. (Peter started as a fisherman)(originally named Simon)
2 Peter: True prophecy, false prophets, End times, Christ’s Return.
1 John: Abiding in God’s love and light. Fellowship.
2 John: Walk in truth and love, Avoid false teachers and doctrine.
3 John: A short personal letter. Hospitality, Servanthood.
Jude: Contend for the faith. (Jude started a carpenter)(also called Judas, Judah, or Thaddaeus)(half-brothers of Jesus, alongside James, Joseph, and Simon)
Revelation: By John, End Times and a glimpse into Heaven – New Creation.
Biblical Canon
Canon meaning 'is a rule' or 'measuring stick'.
Hebrew Bible (Old Testament - OT): The Torah (first five books) was accepted around 400 BC, the Prophets around 200 BC, and the Writings around 100 AD, forming the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible. There are 39 Books in the Protestant OT (Despite the different counts, the actual text and content are exactly the same in the Protestant and Hebrew Bible).
There are 46 Books in the Catholic Bible, if including the Apocrypha (deuterocanonical works, see below).
New Testament Canon - NT: 27 books: The first list was made in 170 AD. The Council of Hippo (393 AD) in North Africa and the Council of Carthage (397 AD) formally affirmed the 27-book New Testament canon.
Protestant Bible 66 Books. A standard Catholic (and Orthodox ) Bible contains 73 books, if including the Apocrypha (deuterocanonical works)
Apocrypha
66 Books? Do some Bibles have more books?
"Canon" or "adopted" books of the Bible are only 66 Books. Other "Books" may be interesting, but should NEVER be quoted as Bible Scripture, the Word of God. Apocrypha (deuterocanonical) books are of doubtful authenticity, unverified, and some are most likely fake.
Some Bibles have Apocrypha books. Apocrypha means writings not forming part of the accepted canon of Scripture. Some Catholic and Orthodox Bibles include the Apocrypha books. Apocrypha includes: Tobit, Judith, 1 & 2 Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Baruch (including the Letter of Jeremiah), and additions to Esther and Daniel.
Apocrypha books:
1 & 2 Maccabees are historical books. About 2nd-century BC Maccabean Revolt. Written in Greek. Historical, not by a prophet of God.
Tobit: A righteous Israelite living in exile. In Greek. Not by a prophet of God. (200 to 350 BC)
Book of Judith: A dramatic, fictional narrative about a brave and pious Jewish widow. (not found in Dead Sea Scrolls or Jews Bibles)
Wisdom of Solomon: Composed in Greek between the 2nd century BC. Not by Solomon, written ~50BC
Sirach or Book of Ecclesiasticus or Wisdom of Ben Sira, is a Jewish wisdom book written in the early 2nd century BC. It is a collection of ethical teachings, maxims, and religious instructions. Historical, not by a prophet of God. Written about 190BC.
Book of Baruch : It is attributed to Baruch ben Neriah, the scribe of the prophet Jeremiah. Historical, not by a prophet of God. Not in any Jews Bible. Most likely written about 100 BC.
Additions to Esther, in Greek, written about 100 BC
Additions to Daniel (The Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Youths) (Susanna and the Elders) (Bel and the Dragon), in Greek, written about 100 BC.
Some other books are sometimes cited:
1 Esdras: A Greek book that retells the story of the return of the Jewish people from Babylon. Not by a prophet of God. Written ~150 BC
1 Esdras: Visions of the prophet Ezra, Hebrew. Not by a prophet of God. Written ~150 BC by Egyptian Jew.
Prayer of Manasseh: a short, 15-verse repentance attributed to King Manasseh of Judah. Not by a prophet of God. Written ~150 BC in Greek.
The Rejected Books
Book of Enoch: Protestant Christianity and Judaism excluded it because of its speculative nature, questionable authorship, and contradictions with other scriptures. (It is falsely attributed, not written by Enoch) (Found in Ethiopian Orthodox in Ethiopic Bible). Not by a prophet of God. Written about 200 BC, written primarily in Aramaic.
Ethiopian Orthodox has 81-book canon of the Bible.
1, 2, and 3 Meqabyan (Ethiopian Maccabees): Not by a prophet of God. Written in the ancient classical language of Ethiopia.
The Book of Jubilees (Ethiopian Metsihafe Kufale) (Also known as Little Genesis or the Book of Division): Not by a prophet of God. Written about 150 BC.
Ethiopian Orthodox books:
Sirate Tsion (Book of Order): A text detailing church order and apostolic law. Not by the Apostles
Tizaz (Book of Commandments): A collection of Apostolic injunctions. Not by the Apostles, written in 1300s AD
Gitsew (Gitw): Another text focusing on church order and law. Not by the Apostles
Abtilis: A treatise on ecclesiastical matters. Not by the Apostles
The Books of Dominos (I & II Book of Dominos): Specific, localized ecclesiastical canon. Not by the Apostles
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Some claim there are Lost Books of the Bible, but these are rejected Books, rejected for many reasons: (Like written centuries after the Apostles): Books of Eden, Gospel of Mary Magdalene, Gnostic Gospels (e.g., Book of Thomas, Gospel of Judas and Philip), Apocalypse of Peter and others.
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