Books of the Bible

This study on the divisions of the books of the Bible begins with understanding the canon of Scripture, or the list of books officially accepted as "divinely inspired" and thus rightfully belonging in the Bible.

The word apocrypha means "hidden." The Apocrypha denotes a set of books not considered authoritative, or divinely inspired, in Judaism or in Protestant Christian churches, and therefore, not accepted into the canon of Scripture. These books were written primarily in the time period between the Old and New Testaments.

Written more than 3,000 years ago, the first five books of the Bible (Genesis - Deuteronomy) are called the Pentateuch. For the most part, both Jewish and Christian tradition credit Moses with primary authorship of the Pentateuch. These five books form the theological foundation of the Bible.

The Historical Books books record the events of Israel's history, beginning with Joshua and the nation's entry into the Promised Land until the time of its return from exile some 1,000 years later.

The writing of the Poetry and Wisdom Books spanned from the time of Abraham through the end of the Old Testament period. Also referred to as "wisdom literature," these books deal precisely with our human struggles and real-life experiences.

The Prophetic Books address the "classical" period of prophecy during the later years of the divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel, throughout the time of exile, and into the years of Israel's return from exile.

The Gospels recount the story of Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah. Each book gives us a unique perspective on his life. They were written between A.D. 55-65, with the exception of John's Gospel, which was written around A.D. 85-90.

The Epistles are letters written to the fledgling churches and individual believers in the earliest days of Christianity. The Apostle Paul wrote the first 13 of the Epistles, each addressing a specific situation or problem.

Trace the history of the Bible down through the ages. Learn about the various manuscripts, scrolls, translations, codices, canons, printings, and versions of Scripture.