The books of the Bible in order
The Bible has 66 books: 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. Here they are in order and in their groups, which makes them much easier to remember.
▶ Practise with Books in OrderTap the books in the right order. Rounds get harder as you go.Old Testament (39 books)
Law (the Torah) (5 books)
- Genesis
- Exodus
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Deuteronomy
History (12 books)
- Joshua
- Judges
- Ruth
- 1 Samuel
- 2 Samuel
- 1 Kings
- 2 Kings
- 1 Chronicles
- 2 Chronicles
- Ezra
- Nehemiah
- Esther
Poetry and Wisdom (5 books)
- Job
- Psalms
- Proverbs
- Ecclesiastes
- Song of Solomon
Major Prophets (5 books)
- Isaiah
- Jeremiah
- Lamentations
- Ezekiel
- Daniel
Minor Prophets (12 books)
- Hosea
- Joel
- Amos
- Obadiah
- Jonah
- Micah
- Nahum
- Habakkuk
- Zephaniah
- Haggai
- Zechariah
- Malachi
New Testament (27 books)
Gospels (4 books)
- Matthew
- Mark
- Luke
- John
History (1 book)
- Acts
Paul's Letters (13 books)
- Romans
- 1 Corinthians
- 2 Corinthians
- Galatians
- Ephesians
- Philippians
- Colossians
- 1 Thessalonians
- 2 Thessalonians
- 1 Timothy
- 2 Timothy
- Titus
- Philemon
General Letters (8 books)
- Hebrews
- James
- 1 Peter
- 2 Peter
- 1 John
- 2 John
- 3 John
- Jude
Prophecy (1 book)
- Revelation
Tips for memorizing the books
- Learn the groups first. Five books of Law, twelve of History, five of Poetry, five Major Prophets, twelve Minor Prophets.
- The Gospels come first in the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. Then Acts, then the letters.
- Paul's letters go from letters to churches (Romans to 2 Thessalonians) to letters to people (1 Timothy to Philemon).
- Practise a little every day. Two minutes of Books in Order beats an hour once a month.
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.
What is the first book of the Bible?
Genesis. It begins, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1).
What is the last book of the Bible?
Revelation, written by John on the island of Patmos (Revelation 1:9).
What are the four Gospels?
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They tell the story of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Why are some prophets called "major" and "minor"?
It is about the length of their books, not how important they are. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel and Daniel are longer, and the twelve shorter books from Hosea to Malachi are the Minor Prophets.
What is the best way to learn the books of the Bible?
Learn them in groups (Law, History, Poetry, Prophets, Gospels, Letters), say them out loud, and practise with a game like Books in Order a few minutes a day.