Whether you’re brand new to the Bible or have been a believer for years, understanding the books of the Bible is foundational to your spiritual growth. It helps you keep things in their right perspective.

What Are The Books Of The Bible?

The Bible isn’t just one big book. It’s a library of 66 books, written by over 40 different authors, over a span of 1,500 years—yet it all tells one unified story: God’s plan to redeem mankind through Jesus Christ. Read more about The Holy Bible and why I believe it is the true word of God here.
The books are divided into two main parts:

Old Testament – 39 Books

These were written before Jesus was born. They cover the creation of the world we live in and the creation of mankind, the first sin and the fall of man,
God’s law for fallen man, Israel’s history, prophecies about the future, poetry, and promises of the coming Messiah.
They include books like:

• Genesis (The beginning of creation)
• Exodus (God rescues His people)
• Psalms (Songs and prayers)
• Isaiah (Prophecies of Jesus)

The Old Testament is further divided into 5 categories.

• Pentateuch (Law) – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy – These 5 books covers the beginning of the world, the fall of man, God’s covenant with Israel, and the law given through Moses.
• Historical Books – Joshua to Esther – These books cover the history of Israel from the conquest of Canaan through to the exile of Israel, and the return of Israel back to its land.
• Wisdom & Poetry – Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Songs of Solomon – These books are poetry and wise teachings on worship and living a godly life in general.
• Major Prophets – Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel – These books are prophecies concerning Israel and the nations. These books are a call to repentance and hope. Lamentations is considered a major prophet and grouped together here mainly due to the length of the book. 
• Minor Prophets – Hosea to Malachi – These books are shorter prophetic writings about God’s judgement ror unrighteousness and restoration.

New Testament – 27 Books

These were written after Jesus came. They focus on His life, death, resurrection, the early church, and what it means to live as a follower of Christ. As a Christian, it pays to spend much of your time in the New Testament. In fact, Christians were called “Christians” only in Antioch AFTER the early church was established. There were no “Christians” in the days of the Old Testament.
They include books like:

• Matthew, Mark, Luke, John (The Gospels)
• Acts (The early church)
• Romans to Jude (Letters to churches and believers)
• Revelation (Vision of the end times)

The New Testament is also further divided into 5 categories.

• The Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, John – These books cover the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Church History – Acts – This one book covers the history of the birth and expansion of the early church. We learn a lot about how churches should ideally be planted and expanded from this book. If you are keen on evangelism and church planting, you should ideally get your foundational principles from the book of Acts. Bible League International is one such organization that has built its evangelism and church planting programs based on the book of Acts.
• Pauline Epistles – Romans to Philemon – These books are letters from the apostle Paul to churches and individuals about Christian living and doctrine.
• General Epistles – Hebrews to Jude – These books address broader church concerns and teachings.
• Prophecy – Revelation – This one book gives us a glimpse about the end times, return of Jesus Christ, and final victory as we enter Jesus Christ’s Kingdom.

Knowing the books of the bible matters to us as believers because:

It gives us clarity. We can understand the Bible better when we know where things are and what type of writing we are reading.

It gives us context. We can recognize if we are reading a law, a poem, a prophecy, or a gospel. We can understand to whom it was written historically, and what the core message is for us today. Understanding the context helps us avoid confusion and misinterpretation.

It give us confidence. We grow more confident as we progress through the Bible and actually know what we are looking at.

A Simple Tip for Remembering

• The Old Testament has 39 books.
• The New Testament has 27 books.
• Total = 66 books.

And here’s a fun one:
3 x 9 = 27 → The Old Testament points toward the 27 books of the New Testament! This is nothing spiritual, but just a fun way to help you remember.

I hope I have helped you understand the books of the Bible a bit more and encouraged you to start reading the bible for yourself. The more you know the books of the Bible, the more confident and equipped you’ll become in your walk with God. Don’t rush it. Start small. Maybe one book at a time.
Let God speak to you, guide you, and transform your life as you open His Word.

Feel free to browse through simple Bible Reading Plans or Study Tools here and make a start. It is my prayer that you grow in the knowledge of our savior Jesus Christ and become a bold witness for Him as you go about sharing the gospel with a lost world.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” – Psalm 119:105