By James The Bible is a collection of sacred texts revered in Christianity, composed of two main parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The number of books in the Bible varies slightly depending on the specific religious tradition. Still, the most widely recognized version is the Protestant Bible, which contains 73 books. The books are divided into the following categories:
Old Testament (46 books):
- Genesis
- Exodus
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Deuteronomy
- Joshua
- Judges
- Ruth
- 1 Samuel
- 2 Samuel
- 1 Kings
- 2 Kings
- 1 Chronicles
- 2 Chronicles
- Ezra
- Nehemiah
- Tobit
- Judith
- Esther
- Job
- Psalms
- Proverbs
- Ecclesiastes
- Song of Solomon
- Wisdom
- Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)
- Isaiah
- Jeremiah
- Lamentations
- Baruch
- Ezekiel
- Daniel
- Hosea
- Joel
- Amos
- Obadiah
- Jonah
- Micah
- Nahum
- Habakkuk
- Zephaniah
- Haggai
- Zechariah
- Malachi
New Testament (27 books):
- Matthew
- Mark
- Luke
- John
- Acts of the Apostles
- Romans
- 1 Corinthians
- 2 Corinthians
- Galatians
- Ephesians
- Philippians
- Colossians
- 1 Thessalonians
- 2 Thessalonians
- 1 Timothy
- 2 Timothy
- Titus
- Philemon
- Hebrews
- James
- 1 Peter
- 2 Peter
- 1 John
- 2 John
- 3 John
- Jude
- Revelation
FAQs
What is the significance of the number 73 in the Bible?
73 refers to the total number of books in the Catholic Bible. It includes seven books not found in Protestant Bibles, which have 66 books.
What are the seven books that are unique to the Catholic Bible?
The seven books not found in Protestant Bibles are Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Baruch, and 1 and 2 Maccabees.
Why do Catholic and Protestant Bibles have different numbers of books?
The Protestant Reformation in the 16th century caused the difference in the number of books between Catholic and Protestant Bibles. The reformers rejected several books in the Catholic Old Testament, arguing that they were not part of the Hebrew Scriptures and were, therefore, not divinely inspired.
Are the books in the Bible arranged in chronological order?
No, the books in the Bible are not set in strict chronological order. Instead, they are grouped by category and genre. For example, the books of the Old Testament are generally arranged by type: historical books, wisdom literature, and prophetic books.
How was the canon of the Bible decided?
In the first few centuries BCE, the Jewish leaders primarily established the canon of the Old Testament, and in the fourth century CE, early Christian leaders finalized the canon of the New Testament after much debate and discussion. It took several centuries to decide which books should be included in the Bible, through a complex and gradual process.
Are there other versions of the Bible with different numbers of books?
Yes, several other versions of the Bible have varying numbers of readers. For example, the Eastern Orthodox Church includes several additional books in its Old Testament, while some Ethiopian Orthodox churches have a canon that provides even more books. Some religious traditions consider several apocryphal or deuterocanonical books as scripture, but not others.