The Bible is a collection of inspired, sacred writings composed by many authors over hundreds of years. For Christians, its books are divided into the Old and New Testaments, which together tell the story of God’s relationship with humanity — from creation and covenant to Jesus Christ, the early church, and the promise of new creation.
But if you’ve tried reading the Bible (or reading about the Bible), you know it’s not that simple.
The Bible is an ancient, complex library containing history, poetry, laws, letters, prophecy, wisdom, and some visions strange enough to keep scholars debating for millennia. Even the most basic questions can quickly get complicated: Who wrote the Bible? How old is it? Why do some Bibles have more books than others? Has its text changed? And with so many translations available, which one should you read?
This guide provides clear, concise answers to many of the most common questions about the Bible. Whether you’re opening its pages for the first time or have been reading them for years, you’ll find quick answers below — along with links to more detailed guides whenever you’re ready to dig deeper.
Bible Basics
If you’re new to the Bible, this section will introduce you to some of the most basic questions about what the Bible is.
What is the Bible?
The Bible is an ancient collection or library of sacred writings — not simply one modern book. For Christians, the Bible is divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament contains the story of God’s creation of the world and covenant with the Jewish people, while the New Testament introduces Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah and Son of God promised in the Old Testament.
What does the word ‘Bible’ mean?
The word “Bible” comes from the ancient Greek ta biblia, meaning “books.” In other words, the Bible is a book of books.
What is the Bible about?
At its most basic, the Bible is the story of God’s relationship with the world, from creation and fall to redemption and restoration. Zooming in a bit, it follows a storyline that begins with God creating the universe, then traces the “fall” or rebellion of humanity, God’s covenant with Israel and their struggles to uphold it through great hardship, and finally the birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus and his promise of the coming new creation.
Why is the Bible important and still relevant today?
The Bible is considered the inspired and infallible direct revelation (or “Word”) of God to his people by over 2 billion Christians around the world. It is also considered sacred by Jews, Muslims, and other minority faiths.
Aside from its religious authority, the Bible is the often cited as the best-selling and most-read book in history, with enormous and profound influence on global and especially Western culture, language, art, law, ethics, literature, government, and more. It continues to be used in both communal worship and personal spiritual practice by hundreds of millions of people every day.
The Bible’s Books and Structure
The Bible is a big, complex work. This section will help you understand the contents and organization of the Bible, and how it differs across major Christian denominations.
How many books are in the Bible, and why do traditions count them differently?
The Bible contains 66 books agreed upon by nearly every Christian denomination. In addition, there are some disputed books, known as the Deuterocanonical books or Apocrypha, that appear in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles, but not in most Protestant Bibles.
Catholic Bibles contain 73 books total, while Orthodox Bibles contain around 76 books, though they sometimes count books differently than western (Protestant and Catholic) Bibles. Jewish Bibles contain the same 39 books in the Protestant Old Testament, though they count and arrange them differently.
How many books are in the Old and New Testaments?
The Protestant Old Testament contains 39 books, while the Catholic Old Testament contains 46 books, and the Orthodox Old Testament contains around 49 books (depending on the particular branch of Orthodoxy). The New Testament contains 27 books, which are counted the same across all traditions.
What is the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament?
Sometimes called the Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament contains the books given to the Israelite people in the centuries before Christ. Written mostly in Hebrew over a period of hundreds of years, it includes the account of creation, God’s call and covenant with the Israelites, and their history up until about 400 BC.
The New Testament, written in Greek over about half a century, contains the account of the “new” covenant through Jesus Christ. It follows Jesus’ birth, life, death, resurrection, and the aftermath of his ascension.
Christians understand both testaments to be necessary parts of one continuous story.
What are the major sections and genres of the Bible?
The Bible is organized into thematic sections or “genres” rather than a strict chronology. The Old Testament sections include law, history, poetry and wisdom, and prophecy. The New Testament sections include gospels and letters. Within these sections are many additional genres, often mixed into a single book. Understanding which genre you are reading will help you interpret a passage the way its original author intended.
How many chapters and verses are in the Bible?
The Bible contains 1,189 chapters across its 66 core books — 929 chapters in the Old Testament and 260 chapters in the New Testament. Catholic Bibles contain an additional 145 chapters across the Deuterocanonical books.
There are approximately 31,102 verses across the Bible’s 66 books, though this number can vary depending on the translation method and versification system.
Importantly, chapters and verses were not part of the original Bible texts. They were added in the medieval period (over 1,000 years after the New Testament was written) to help scholars search and cite Bible passages.
What are the longest and shortest books, chapters, and verses in the Bible?
These are the longest and shortest books, chapters, and verses in the Bible:
- Books
- Chapters
- Longest: Psalm 119 (176 verses)
- Shortest: Psalm 117 (2 verses)
- Verses:
- Longest: Esther 8:9 (78-90 words, depending on translation)
- Shortest: John 11:35 or Job 3:2 (in English)
As you can see, calculating the longest and shortest books, chapters, and verses in the Bible can depend on the translation, versification, and counting method. The shortest verse is especially complicated, as it can vary across several options depending on which manuscript and translation you use and how you count English, Greek, and Hebrew letters.
Who Wrote the Bible and How It Was Formed
This section addresses how the Bible came to be in its final form.
Who wrote the Bible?
The Bible was written by many authors — and possibly editors — over many centuries, and the count can vary widely between traditional attributions and more recent scholarship. Tradition holds that about 40 people wrote the books of the Bible, though many of them are anonymous. Modern scholarship would place that number much higher, though who wrote each book continues to be a matter of intense debate.
When was the Bible written, how old is it, and how long did it take to write?
The Bible was written over a period of approximately 1,200 to 1,600 years. The oldest books, such as Genesis and Exodus, may have been composed as early as 1400 BC, and may have been transmitted orally for hundreds of years before being written down. The most recent books of the Bible, such as the letters and gospel of John, were written just before 100 AD.
What languages was the Bible originally written in?
The Bible was written in the ancient languages of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. The Old Testament was written primarily in Hebrew, with a few passages in Daniel and Ezra in Aramaic. The New Testament was written entirely in Greek, though a few books, like the gospel of Mark, were likely told by word-of-mouth in Aramaic first. The Apocrypha or Deuterocanon was also written in Greek.
Who decided which books belong in the Bible, and what does “canon” mean?
The word “canon” refers to a definitive, recognized collection of authoritative books — in other words, the Bible’s canon is its final, approved table of contents.
But who approved them? With a few exceptions of the most hotly debated books, the Old Testament canon was finalized by Jewish authorities by the time of Jesus. The New Testament canon was finalized by the late 4th century AD. In both cases, decisions were not made by a single council or authority but developed organically over several centuries.
What are the Apocrypha and the Deuterocanonical books?
The Apocrypha and Deuterocanonical books are both terms used to describe the books written in Greek during the “intertestamental period” — that is, between the time of the Old Testament and the New Testament.
These books were not commonly used by Jewish authorities, but they were included in the Greek translation of the Old Testament that was used by most early Christians, known as the Septuagint. So they were included in the Christian canon but not in the Jewish canon.
However, when biblical scholars rediscovered the original Hebrew manuscripts (still being used by the Jews) during the Protestant Reformation, they excised those additional books to return to the original Jewish list.
Today, Catholic and Orthodox Bibles still integrate these books into their Old Testaments. Most Protestants reject them, though a few Protestant denominations (such as Anglican and Lutheran) will often include them in a separate section between the Old and New Testaments.
Are there missing or lost books of the Bible?
There are several types of books “missing” from the Bible, though none of them were “left out” the way people often imagine.
- The Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical books are “missing” from Protestant Bibles. These books are considered canonical by Catholic and Orthodox Christians, but not by Protestants or Jews. You can still find them easily, including on Bible Gateway.
- Some books, like the Shepherd of Hermas and Didache, were considered edifying but not inspired, so they did not earn a place in the official canon.
- Other books, like the “Gnostic gospels” and other late apocalyptic literature, were used by certain fringe communities but not popular enough to warrant inclusion in the whole church’s canon.
- Finally, there are a few books mentioned in the Bible that are sadly lost to us, such as the Annals of the Kings of Judah and Israel and some of Paul’s letters. These probably disappeared early in their lifecycles, and it’s unlikely they contained any revelations not found elsewhere in Scripture.
The most commonly cited “lost” book is Enoch, a popular apocalyptic text that is quoted in 2 Peter and Jude and included in the Ethiopian Bible, but not other canons. Enoch was believed by many Jewish and Christian authorities to contain both wisdom and error, so it didn’t earn a place in most canons.
Bible Translations
Get to know the different Bible versions available, and how to choose between them.
How many Bible translations are there (and why are there so many)?
There are thousands of at least partial translations of the Bible in over 4,000 languages around the world, including hundreds in English alone. The number of complete Bible translations of both Old and New Testaments is much lower, though. Bible Gateway, the world’s most-visited Bible lookup website, hosts over 200 different translations, including dozens in English.
Of course every language deserves its own Bible translation — but why so many in English? The original languages of the Bible are very different from modern English, and there are many ways they can be translated. Each Bible version has a different translation philosophy. For instance, some try to adhere as closely as possible to the original structure and wording of the Bible, while others prefer to adjust the structure to better convey the intended meaning.
What is the most accurate or best Bible translation?
There is no single “best” Bible translation for every purpose, and scholars disagree on which is the most accurate. Although all Bible versions strive for a balance between accuracy and readability, most prioritize either “formal” or “functional” equivalence:
- Formal equivalence emphasizes word-for-word precision, even (if necessary) at the expense of clarity. Examples include the NASB, ESV, NRSVue, NKJV, and NABRE.
- Functional equivalence emphasizes “thought-for-thought” original meaning, even if it means changing the words. Examples include the NIV, CSB, NET, NLT, and CEB.
In general, formal equivalence translations are considered more accurate, but even they have to make concessions. Ultimately, the “best” Bible version is the one that keeps you reading.
What is the King James Version, and when was it written?
The King James Version (or KJV) is an English Bible translation commissioned in 1604 by King James I of England, produced by a team of 50 scholars, and published in 1611. Though not the first English Bible translation, it was the first to have royal backing, and gradually grew to become the definitive English-language Bible, deeply influencing thought, culture, and language across the English-speaking world.
Reading and Studying the Bible
Want to read the Bible, but not sure where to start? Well, start here.
How should a beginner read the Bible, and where should they start?
The best way for a beginner to start reading the Bible is to pick a single book — probably one of the gospels — and read a few chapters every day.
Although reading the Bible from start to finish can be profoundly meaningful, it can also be daunting for a newcomer, often leaving readers bored, frustrated, or discouraged by the time they get through Leviticus. It’s better to start with a manageable chunk and build a regular habit. Once you’re comfortable with the language and feel of the Bible, you can take on a fuller reading project.
In what order should the Bible be read?
The Bible can be read in many ways, including canonical, chronological, and thematic orders. Canonical order is the way it’s presented in most Bibles. Chronological order means reading it in order of the events, which requires a guide. Thematic means following a specific concept or theme throughout the Bible, using a tool like the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible.
Beginners should generally start with the gospels, then move on to Paul’s letters or back to Genesis. Once you’re ready to read it through, you can choose to do so either canonically or chronologically. Thematic reading is best reserved for seminary students, scholars, or deep Bible study.
How can I study and understand the Bible?
The best way to study and understand the Bible is through community, as it was originally designed to be read. But it’s still incredibly valuable to read on your own. If you want to move deeper into the text, start by reading a short passage.
Observe how you respond to it, how it makes you feel. Then ask yourself some questions about it — what is happening and in what context, who is involved, why it’s significant in the text and today. Finally, pray for understanding and for God to help you apply it in your life.
A good study Bible can help you ask, answer, and ponder these questions.
How long does it take to read the Bible?
Reading the Bible can take anywhere from a few months to a lifetime (and maybe both). Many people set out to read through the Bible in a year, but others choose 6 months, 2 years, or another schedule. You can set a goal and use a reading plan to help you stick to it.
Most important is developing a daily reading habit that includes enough time for you to process and pray over what you are reading. It’s better to read the Bible over 10 years with attention, care, and devotion than to blaze through it in a year without letting it take root.
Conclusion: These Questions Are Only the Beginning
Of course, these questions are only a starting point. The Bible has inspired faith, scholarship, art, culture, debate, and more than a few very long commentaries for thousands of years — so don’t worry if one answer simply leads to another question. (Indeed, it should!)
Whether you’re reading the Bible for the first time or rediscovering its incredible depth, keep exploring, asking questions, and following the links above as you dig deeper into this unparalleled collection of books and the story they tell.
Want to go deeper into every book of the Bible right from your phone or computer? Bible Gateway Plus offers dozens of study Bibles, dictionaries, commentaries, and other resources to go deeper into every aspect of God’s Word. Start your free trial today!
Jacob Edson is Editorial Director of Bible Gateway. He holds a Master of Theological Studies in Early Christian Thought from Harvard Divinity School, and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious History from Memorial University of Newfoundland, though with most of his coursework from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. His work has previously appeared in Ekstasis and Geez Magazine. He lives with his wife and children in New England.
