How many Books are in the Bible?

The Bible, regarded as the holy scripture by Christians worldwide, is divided into two main sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament. In total, there are 66 books in the Protestant Bible. The Catholic and Orthodox Bibles include additional books known as the Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical books, bringing their totals to 73 and 78 books, respectively.

Old Testament

The Old Testament is traditionally divided into four main categories:

1. The Law (Torah or Pentateuch) – These are the first five books, traditionally ascribed to Moses.

• Genesis
• Exodus
• Leviticus
• Numbers
• Deuteronomy

1. History – These books cover the history of the Israelite people from their entrance into the Promised Land through their exile and return.

• Joshua
• Judges
• Ruth
• 1 Samuel
• 2 Samuel
• 1 Kings
• 2 Kings
• 1 Chronicles
• 2 Chronicles
• Ezra
• Nehemiah
• Esther

1. Wisdom Literature (Poetical Books) – These books include poetry, proverbs, and wisdom literature.

• Job
• Psalms
• Proverbs
• Ecclesiastes
• Song of Solomon

1. Prophets – This category is divided into the Major and Minor Prophets, based not on their importance but on the length of the texts.

• Major Prophets:
  • Isaiah
  • Jeremiah
  • Lamentations
  • Ezekiel
  • Daniel
• Minor Prophets (The Twelve):
  • Hosea
  • Joel
  • Amos
  • Obadiah
  • Jonah
  • Micah
  • Nahum
  • Habakkuk
  • Zephaniah
  • Haggai
  • Zechariah
  • Malachi

New Testament

The New Testament is divided into categories that reflect different aspects of Christian faith and history.

1. The Gospels – These are narratives of Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.

• Matthew
• Mark
• Luke
• John

1. History – This category includes the Acts of the Apostles, a history of the early Christian church.

• Acts

1. Pauline Epistles – Letters written by Apostle Paul to various churches and individuals.

• Romans
• 1 Corinthians
• 2 Corinthians
• Galatians
• Ephesians
• Philippians
• Colossians
• 1 Thessalonians
• 2 Thessalonians
• 1 Timothy
• 2 Timothy
• Titus
• Philemon

1. General Epistles – Letters written to the Christian church at large, not by Paul.

• Hebrews
• James
• 1 Peter
• 2 Peter
• 1 John
• 2 John
• 3 John
• Jude

1. Prophecy – The Book of Revelation, a prophetic view of the end times and the coming kingdom of God.

• Revelation

This categorization and listing help provide a structural overview of the Bible, facilitating better understanding and navigation through its teachings.