{"id":7167,"date":"2025-08-18T06:33:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T10:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/?p=7167"},"modified":"2025-09-18T17:04:59","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T21:04:59","slug":"old-vs-new-testament","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/bible-101\/about-the-bible\/old-vs-new-testament\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s the Difference Between the Old Testament and the New Testament?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If you\u2019ve ever cracked open a Bible, you\u2019ve probably noticed that it\u2019s split into two parts, or \u201ctestaments.\u201d Here\u2019s a super-quick summary of each of them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong>Old Testament<\/strong> is the story of God\u2019s relationship with the Israelite people, often called the \u201cOld Covenant.\u201d It begins with the creation of the universe, moves through a vast amount of history, and ends with the building of the Second Temple in Jerusalem about 400 years before Jesus.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>New Testament<\/strong> is the story of the New Covenant through Jesus Christ, God in human form. It covers a much smaller period \u2014 less than a hundred years \u2014 including Jesus\u2019 life, death, and resurrection, and the first few decades of the church. And it ends with a vision of the new creation to come.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The word \u201ctestament\u201d is often said to come from a Greek word meaning \u201ccovenant.\u201d That\u2019s not exactly true, but the two terms are related. It actually comes from a Latin word (<em>testamentum<\/em>) referring to a personal legal document, specifically a will.<sup data-fn=\"48491eda-b609-4a9b-95ec-a67f5c3e113c\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"48491eda-b609-4a9b-95ec-a67f5c3e113c-link\" href=\"#48491eda-b609-4a9b-95ec-a67f5c3e113c\">1<\/a><\/sup> It\u2019s related to the word \u201ctestify\u201d \u2014 what a witness does in court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So you can think of each testament as a \u201cwitness\u201d or official account of God\u2019s relationship with his people. But you will also see that each testament is closely related to a covenant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/plus\/?utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"728\" height=\"90\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/staticblog.bgcdn.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/25121420\/BG_FallMemDr24_728x90b.jpg?fit=728%2C90&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"Banner reading &quot;Bible Gateway Plus, Less Than $5.00 per month, Free Trial&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-4558\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staticblog.bgcdn.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/25121420\/BG_FallMemDr24_728x90b.jpg 728w, https:\/\/staticblog.bgcdn.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/25121420\/BG_FallMemDr24_728x90b.jpg 300w, https:\/\/staticblog.bgcdn.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/25121420\/BG_FallMemDr24_728x90b.jpg 150w, https:\/\/staticblog.bgcdn.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/25121420\/BG_FallMemDr24_728x90b.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But why do we have two separate testaments, anyway? How are they related? Does the Old Testament still matter for Christians?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To answer these questions, let\u2019s take a closer look at the two testaments, how they connect to each other, and \u2014 yes \u2014 why the Old Testament still matters very much to Christians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Old Testament vs. New Testament at a Glance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1144\" height=\"1313\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/staticblog.bgcdn.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/18170357\/BG-Comparison-of-OT-and-NT.jpg?fit=1144%2C1313&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"Chart comparing the Old and New Testaments\" class=\"wp-image-7378\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staticblog.bgcdn.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/18170357\/BG-Comparison-of-OT-and-NT.jpg 1144w, https:\/\/staticblog.bgcdn.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/18170357\/BG-Comparison-of-OT-and-NT.jpg 261w, https:\/\/staticblog.bgcdn.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/18170357\/BG-Comparison-of-OT-and-NT.jpg 892w, https:\/\/staticblog.bgcdn.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/18170357\/BG-Comparison-of-OT-and-NT.jpg 768w, https:\/\/staticblog.bgcdn.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/18170357\/BG-Comparison-of-OT-and-NT.jpg 366w, https:\/\/staticblog.bgcdn.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/18170357\/BG-Comparison-of-OT-and-NT.jpg 150w, https:\/\/staticblog.bgcdn.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/18170357\/BG-Comparison-of-OT-and-NT.jpg 300w, https:\/\/staticblog.bgcdn.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/18170357\/BG-Comparison-of-OT-and-NT.jpg 696w, https:\/\/staticblog.bgcdn.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/18170357\/BG-Comparison-of-OT-and-NT.jpg 1068w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is the Old Testament?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Old Testament \u2014 often also called the Hebrew Bible \u2014 is the account of God creating the world and forming a special covenant (or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/voices\/holy-mending-covenantal-tapestry\/\">series of covenants<\/a>) with the Israelite people. Even setting aside the creation story, it covers thousands of years from God\u2019s first covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, through giving the Law to Moses, through blessing David\u2019s kingship, through the division and fall of his kingdom, Israel&#8217;s exile in Babylon, and their eventual return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because of the amount of time and material it covers, the Old Testament makes up about three-quarters of the entire Bible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Language, Dates, and Authors of the Old Testament<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Language:<\/strong> The Old Testament is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/bible-101\/about-the-bible\/original-language-of-the-bible\/\">written almost entirely in Hebrew<\/a>, except for a few short passages in Daniel and Ezra that are written in Aramaic, a later descendant of Hebrew and the language spoken by Jesus and his disciples.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dates: <\/strong>The Old Testament begins at the very beginning of time. Though it doesn\u2019t provide dates (there was no unified calendar back then to do so!), scholars have calculated that Abraham lived approximately 2,000 years before Christ, and Moses about 1500 BC. We have better dates for David (roughly 1010-970 BC) and the Exile (586-538 BC).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Authors: <\/strong>The Old Testament was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/bible-101\/about-the-bible\/who-wrote-the-bible\/\">written by dozens of different people<\/a>, though scholars disagree widely on how many and how the composition took place. Traditionally, Moses is considered the author of the first five books (known as the Torah or Pentateuch), and most other books are ascribed to the person bearing their name \u2014 although aside from the Psalms and most of the prophets, few of the books actually name their author.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Books and Categories of the Old Testament<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Old Testament <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/bible-101\/choosing-a-bible\/books-of-the-bible-in-order\/\">contains 39 books<\/a>. In Christian Bibles, they are typically divided into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/bible-101\/about-the-bible\/biblical-genres\/\">four categories<\/a>: the Torah\/Pentateuch, Narrative or Historical books, Wisdom Literature, and Prophets. The Prophets are further divided into the Major and Minor prophets (that\u2019s not a judgment of importance, it\u2019s just based on how long their books are.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although the Torah and Narrative books are mostly chronological, the remaining books are sorted thematically, with the prophets more or less from longest to shortest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jewish Bibles are organized somewhat differently: they\u2019re divided into Torah (Law), Nevi\u2019im (Prophets, which include many of the narrative books), and Ketuvim (Writings, which include the wisdom books, Ruth, and the post-exilic books).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td colspan=\"5\"><strong>BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Pentateuch<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Narrative<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Wisdom<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Major Prophets<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Minor Prophets<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Genesis<\/td><td>Joshua<\/td><td>Job<\/td><td>Isaiah<\/td><td>Hosea<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Exodus<\/td><td>Judges<\/td><td>Psalms<\/td><td>Jeremiah<\/td><td>Joel<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Leviticus<\/td><td>Ruth<\/td><td>Proverbs<\/td><td>Lamentations<\/td><td>Amos<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Numbers<\/td><td>1 &amp; 2 Samuel<\/td><td>Ecclesiastes<\/td><td>Ezekiel<\/td><td>Obadiah<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Deuteronomy<\/td><td>1 &amp; 2 Kings<\/td><td>Song of Songs<\/td><td>Daniel<\/td><td>Jonah<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>1 &amp; 2 Chronicles<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Micah<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Ezra<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Nahum<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Nehemiah<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Habakkuk<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Esther<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Zephaniah<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Haggai<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Zechariah<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Malachi<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Plot Summary and Themes of the Old Testament<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As mentioned, the Old Testament takes us through an incredible journey comprising <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/topics-themes\/explainers\/major-events-bible-storyline\/\">many important events<\/a>. Here is a very quick overview:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Creation and Fall:<\/strong> God creates the world, then humanity. But Adam and Eve disobey God and are exiled from Eden, introducing sin and death into the world. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Genesis%201-3&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Genesis 1-3<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>First Covenant: <\/strong>God forms a close relationship with Abraham, his son Isaac, and his grandson Jacob. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Genesis%2012&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Genesis 12<\/a>, etc.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Second Covenant, Exodus, and the Promised Land:<\/strong> God forms a second covenant with Moses through the Law and leads his people out of slavery in Egypt, ultimately reclaiming the land he promised them in Canaan. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Exodus%201&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Exodus<\/a> through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Joshua%201&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Joshua<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Third Covenant, Davidic Kingdom, and Temple:<\/strong> Following a period of increasing descent into sin and chaos, God blesses David to unite and rule over the Israelite people to help them uphold the Law. David\u2019s son Solomon builds an elaborate temple to worship God in Jerusalem. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=1+Samuel%2016&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1 Samuel 16<\/a> through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=1+Kings%2011&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1 Kings 11<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Divided Kingdom and Exile:<\/strong> When David dies, his kingdom soon breaks apart and again spirals into ever greater sin and chaos, repeatedly failing to maintain the Law. Finally, God allows Assyria and Babylon to conquer both kingdoms, destroy the temple, and carry the people off into exile. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=1+Kings%2012&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1 Kings 12<\/a> through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=2+Kings%201&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2 Kings<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Return and Rebuilding the Temple:<\/strong> After 70 years, the king of Persia (who had conquered Babylon) allows the Israelites to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Ezra%201&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ezra<\/a>\/<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Nehemiah%201&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Nehemiah<\/a>)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of the wisdom writings come from the time of David and Solomon, when the kingdom was flourishing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of the prophets, however, come from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/topics-themes\/explainers\/kings-prophets-israel-judah\/\">divided kingdom<\/a> (and a few from during and after the exile). They constantly warn the Israelites to put aside sinful practices such as child sacrifice and oppression of the poor, but aside from a few great kings (such as Hezekiah and Josiah) who try to right their fathers\u2019 wrongs, the prophets warnings to unheeded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A few of the prophets (e.g., Ezekiel, Daniel) also engage in a genre known as \u201capocalyptic\u201d or visionary literature. Finally, other prophets (e.g., Isaiah, Malachi) tell the people that someday, a savior (Messiah, \u201canointed one\u201d) will come to deliver Israel and institute an everlasting reign of peace and justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is the New Testament?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The New Testament is the story (four versions of the story, in fact) of Jesus Christ, God incarnate as a man, from his birth to his death and resurrection, as well as the first few decades of the church after his ascension to the \u201cright hand of God,\u201d including the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/topics-themes\/explainers\/twelve-apostles\/\">early apostles<\/a>\u2019 explanations of Jesus\u2019 teachings and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/topics-themes\/commentaries\/atonement-2-corinthians\/\">what he accomplished through the Cross<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike the thousands of years covered by the Old Testament, the New Testament deals with a period of less than 100 years, and makes up only about a quarter of the Bible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Language, Dates, and Authors of the New Testament<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Language: <\/strong>The New Testament is written entirely in Greek.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dates: <\/strong>Scholars now believe that Jesus was born a few years before 0, probably around 4 BC. He was crucified about 30 AD. The book of Acts begins with his ascension (30 AD) and ends with Paul\u2019s imprisonment in Rome, probably around 62 AD. Some of the other books were written later, toward the end of the first century.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Authors: <\/strong>The New Testament was written by about 12 authors, with the authorship of a few of the books having been disputed among scholars all the way back to the second century AD. The Gospels were presumably each written by the person bearing their name, and Acts was written by Luke. Paul wrote most of the rest of the books, with the exception of those bearing other apostles\u2019 names, and Hebrews, which is anonymous.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Books and Categories of the New Testament<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are 27 books in the New Testament. Four of them are gospels. Acts, as the sequel to Luke, is the only narrative book in the New Testament that is <em>not<\/em> a gospel. The remaining books are all letters, with Revelation being an epistolary (\u201cepistle\u201d = letter) account of John\u2019s visions \u201crevealed\u201d by God (or an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/topics-themes\/explainers\/biblically-accurate-angels\/\">angel of God<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The letters are often divided into those written by Paul and the \u201cgeneral\u201d epistles by everyone else. As with the Old Testament prophets, they aren\u2019t organized chronologically, but more or less by length, longest to shortest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td colspan=\"3\"><strong>BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Gospels &amp; Acts<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Paul\u2019s Letters<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>General Epistles &amp; Revelation<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Matthew<\/td><td>Romans<\/td><td>Hebrews<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Mark<\/td><td>1 &amp; 2 Corinthians<\/td><td>James<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Luke<\/td><td>Galatians<\/td><td>1 &amp; 2 Peter<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>John<\/td><td>Ephesians<\/td><td>1, 2, &amp; 3 John<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Acts<\/td><td>Philippians<\/td><td>Jude<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Colossians<\/td><td>Revelation<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>1 &amp; 2 Thessalonians<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>1 &amp; 2 Timothy*<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Titus*<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Philemon<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td colspan=\"3\">*Some scholars question whether these books were written by Paul.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Plot Summary and Themes of the New Testament<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As mentioned above, the New Testament mostly follows Jesus\u2019 life, ministry, death, and resurrection, and the acts of his apostles in the following few decades. Here are some of the top events and teachings:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Jesus\u2019 Birth, Baptism, and Temptation in the Wilderness: <\/strong>The eternal Word is born to a poor migrant family in Roman-occupied Israel. Much of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/topics-themes\/who-is-jesus\/boy-jesus\/\">Jesus\u2019 childhood<\/a> is left out, leaving us to speculate and wonder. When he comes of age and is ready to begin his ministry, he first is baptized by his cousin John in the Jordan River, and then <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/voices\/how-why-lent\/\">spends 40 days praying alone<\/a> in the desert. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Matthew%201-4&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Matthew 1-4<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Luke%201-4&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Luke 1-4<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Mark%201&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mark 1<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=John%201&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">John 1<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sermon on the Mount: <\/strong>Often considered Jesus\u2019 most important ethical lesson, it includes teachings on how to interpret the Law, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/voices\/pray-like-jesus\/\">how to pray<\/a>, and the danger of hypocrisy as people of faith. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Matthew%205-7&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Matthew 5-7<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Luke%206&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Luke 6<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Jesus Feeds the 5,000: <\/strong>Jesus performs many miracles scattered throughout the four gospels, but this is the only one that occurs in all of them: though he has only five loaves of bread and two fish, he feeds a crowd of thousands of people until they are full. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Matthew%2014&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Matthew 14<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Mark%206&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mark 6<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Luke%209&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Luke 9<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=John%206&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">John 6<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Parables of Jesus: <\/strong>Jesus\u2019 favorite method of teaching was using parables: short, symbolic stories with an important but often subtle moral lesson. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Luke%2012-16&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Luke 12-16<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Matthew%2013&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Matthew 13<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Mark%204&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mark 4<\/a>, and scattered throughout)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Christ&#8217;s Passion and Resurrection: <\/strong>Beginning with the Last Supper, through Jesus\u2019 arrest, trial, crucifixion, and ultimate resurrection, these are the final days of Jesus\u2019 physical presence on Earth and the culmination not only of his own life but of God\u2019s eternal plan for the redemption of humankind. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=John%2013-20&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">John 13-20<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Matthew%2026-28&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Matthew 26-28<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Mark%2014-16&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mark 14-16<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Luke%2022-24&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Luke 22-24<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ascension, Pentecost, and the Conversion of Saul: <\/strong>Following his resurrection, Jesus appears to his disciples a final few times to provide comfort and instruction before ascending to heaven. Then he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/topics-themes\/character-of-god\/holy-spirit-scripture-engagement\/\">sends the Holy Spirit<\/a> upon them to consecrate their apostolic missions throughout the world. Later, Jesus appears to a Roman Jew named Saul\/Paul, who was persecuting his followers but would go on to become his most important apostle. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Acts%201-2,9&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Acts 1-2, 9<\/a>)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>The book of Acts follows the disciples, especially Peter and Paul, as they spread the Good News (gospel) of Jesus Christ throughout the Roman empire and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the message spread and the church grew, they had to deal with many questions of interpretation. Should Jewish followers of Jesus continue to practice the Law? What about non-Jewish converts \u2014 should <em>they <\/em>follow it? Who is welcome in God\u2019s kingdom? What exactly did the Cross accomplish?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The remainder of the New Testament is almost entirely letters sent from Paul and other apostles to churches or occasionally individual recipients to address these sorts of questions. They provide admonishment, exhortation, encouragement, and above all doctrinal clarity to the nascent church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, in Revelation, John of Patmos (who may or may not be the same apostle John who wrote the gospel and letters) received some astonishing \u2014 and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/bible-101\/about-the-bible\/antilegomena-books-that-barely-made-it\/\">quite controversial<\/a> \u2014 visions of Christ\u2019s eventual Second Coming, judgment, and restoration of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Are the Old and New Testaments Connected?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are several important ways that the New Testament is connected to the Old Testament, making the Old Testament indispensable reading for Christians wanting to understand Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The Old Testament Was Jesus\u2019 Bible:<\/strong> Jesus himself was a Bible teacher who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/topics-themes\/who-is-jesus\/how-the-bible-interprets-itself\/\">taught constantly<\/a> from the Scriptures. And remember \u2014 in his day the New Testament hadn\u2019t been written yet! The Old Testament <em>was<\/em> the Bible for Jesus and his disciples, full stop. The New Testament didn\u2019t get added until over a hundred years later.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Jesus\u2019 Ancestors: <\/strong>Those long genealogies such as the one opening Matthew\u2019s gospel aren\u2019t there just to bore you. They show that Jesus was directly linked to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and other important Old Testament figures.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Old Testament Quotes and References: <\/strong>To illustrate the previous point, the New Testament directly quotes the Old Testament over 300 times, and indirectly alludes to it another 500-600 times on top of that. The writers of the New Testament lived and breathed the Old.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Jesus Fulfilled Old Testament Prophecies and Symbols: <\/strong>Jesus fulfilled <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/biblical-living\/spiritual-warfare\/submit-thoughts-christlike-thinking\/\">hundreds of prophecies<\/a> from the Old Testament (the exact number varies depending on interpretation). Even aside from those, the Old Testament is positively stuffed with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/topics-themes\/explainers\/jesus-old-testament-symbols\/\">symbols that prefigure and point to Jesus<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Continuity of God\u2019s Covenantal Plan: <\/strong>Just as God\u2019s covenant through David didn\u2019t supplant his covenant with Moses, the arrival of Jesus didn\u2019t wipe away God\u2019s earlier covenants. The Lord is faithful. Jesus said he came to fulfill rather than abolish the Law. In other words, the New Covenant through Jesus expands and enriches \u2014 but doesn&#8217;t replace or remove \u2014 the Old Covenant.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Should Christians Read the Old Testament?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, absolutely. Just as careful readers will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/topics-themes\/who-is-jesus\/jesus-cameo-genesis\/\">find Jesus showing up<\/a> everywhere in the Old Testament, every page of the New is chock-full of prophecies, quotes, references, allusions, and stylistic callbacks to the Old Testament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In short, if you want to know Jesus, you need to read the Old Testament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQ: Settling Common Misconceptions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: Did Jesus Abolish the Old Testament Law?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A: <\/strong>No. Jesus came to fulfill, not to abolish the Law. \u201cFor truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.\u201d (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Matthew%205%3A18-19&amp;version=NIV&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Matt. 5:18-19<\/a> NIV).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Paul and other New Testament authors write extensively about whether and how Christians should interpret and apply the Law in their lives. But one thing is clear: we can\u2019t afford to be ignorant of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: Is God different in the Old Testament and New Testament?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A: <\/strong>No, the Lord is one (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Deuteronomy%206%3A4&amp;version=NIV&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Deut. 6:4<\/a>). He is faithful, constant, and unchanging. Some have misinterpreted God in the Old Testament to be a different, lesser god than in the New Testament \u2014 a belief known as Marcionism after the teacher who propagated it \u2014 but this belief was universally condemned as heresy by the early church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: What Old Testament prophecies did Jesus fulfill?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A: <\/strong>Jesus fulfilled hundreds of Old Testament prophecies. Though the exact number varies depending on your interpretation, the number is typically over 300. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/bible-101\/choosing-a-bible\/niv-application-bible\/\"><em>NIV Application Bible<\/em><\/a> boils them down to 38 core prophecies. Here are a few examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td colspan=\"3\"><strong>MESSIANIC PROPHECIES AND THEIR FULFILLMENT<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Summary<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Old Testament Prophecy<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>New Testament Fulfillment<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Will Descend From the Tribe of Judah<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Genesis%2049%3A10&amp;version=NIV&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Genesis 49:10<\/a><\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Luke%203%3A23,33&amp;version=NIV&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Luke 3:23, 33<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Place of Birth<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Micah%205%3A2&amp;version=NIV&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Micah 5:2<\/a><\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Matthew%202%3A1&amp;version=NIV&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Matthew 2:1<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>His Triumphal Entry<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Zechariah%209%3A9&amp;version=NIV&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Zechariah 9:9<\/a><\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=John%2012%3A13-14&amp;version=NIV&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">John 12:13-14<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Suffered Vicariously<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Isaiah%2053%3A4-5&amp;version=NIV&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Isaiah 53:4-5<\/a><\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Matthew%208%3A16-17&amp;version=NIV&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Matthew 8:16-17<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Hands and Feet Pierced<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Psalm%2022%3A16&amp;version=NIV&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Psalm 22:16<\/a><\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=John%2020%3A27&amp;version=NIV&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">John 20:27<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td colspan=\"3\"><em>Source: <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/faithgateway.com\/products\/niv-application-bible-red-letter-comfort-print?variant=43050282385544&amp;utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NIV Application Bible<\/a><em>, Zondervan, 2025.<\/em><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion: Two Testaments, One Story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ultimately, the reason the Bible is split into two testaments is more about context than content. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew hundreds of years before Christ, while the New Testament was written in Greek in the decades after his coming. But they are both <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/bible-101\/bible-study-tips\/reading-bible-as-literature\/\">part of the same larger story<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like your favorite series, this story can be broken into different parts. But each part can only be truly understood if you know the whole thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike your favorite series, though, the Bible is a <em>living <\/em>story. And every time you open it, you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/bible-101\/about-the-bible\/story-of-the-bible-changes-everything\/\">participate in the story God is telling<\/a>, the \u201cgreatest story ever told\u201d \u2014 the story of God\u2019s relationship with his people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Go deeper into the living story of the Bible with&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/plus\/?utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Bible Gateway Plus<\/strong><\/a><strong>. You&#8217;ll get instant access to&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/bible-gateway-updates\/bible-gateway-plus-resources\/\"><strong>dozens of trusted study tools<\/strong><\/a><strong>&nbsp;and commentaries that can help you explore genre, context, and meaning with greater depth and clarity. (Indeed \u2014 it\u2019s where I did most of my research for this article.)&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/plus\/?utm_source=bg&amp;utm_medium=bglearn&amp;utm_campaign=old-vs-new-testament\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Get started with a free trial today!<\/strong><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/author\/jacob-edson\/\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-footnotes\"><li id=\"48491eda-b609-4a9b-95ec-a67f5c3e113c\">The Latin <em>testamentum<\/em> was used to translate the Greek word \u03b4\u03b9\u03b1\u03b8\u03ae\u03ba\u03b7 (<em>diatheke<\/em>), which had more of the meaning we now think of as \u201ccovenant.\u201d <a href=\"#48491eda-b609-4a9b-95ec-a67f5c3e113c-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 1\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><\/ol>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why is the Bible split into an Old Testament and New Testament? How are they related? And do Christians still need to read the Old Testament?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7169,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"[{\"content\":\"The Latin <em>testamentum<\/em> was used to translate the Greek word \u03b4\u03b9\u03b1\u03b8\u03ae\u03ba\u03b7 (<em>diatheke<\/em>), which had more of the meaning we now think of as \u201ccovenant.\u201d\",\"id\":\"48491eda-b609-4a9b-95ec-a67f5c3e113c\"}]"},"categories":[181],"tags":[288,476,475,142],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.4 (Yoast SEO v24.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What\u2019s the Difference Between the Old Testament and the New Testament? | Bible Gateway News &amp; Knowledge<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Why is the Bible split into an Old Testament and New Testament? How are they related? 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