The whole Bible at a glance

• Law
• History
• Wisdom and Poetry
• Major Prophets
• Minor Prophets
• Gospels
• Church History
• Paul's Letters
• General Letters
• Prophecy

Tap a book to open its notes. A dashed outline means the date is unknown.

1. Old Testament39 books

2. Beginnings

   Creation to about 1800 BC

   • GenesisCreation to about 1805 BC

   Abraham called about 2091 BCGod’s promise to one family

   God told Abraham to leave his homeland for the land He would show him. He promised to make Abraham’s family a great nation and to bless all the families of the earth through him. Genesis 12:1–3

   Before 2091 BC, shown above

   Genesis 1–11 tells of creation, the first sin, the flood, and the tower of Babel. Genesis 1:1Genesis 3:6Genesis 7:23Genesis 11:9

   After 2091 BC

   Genesis 12–50 follows Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, the family God promised to bless. Genesis 50:24

   Job is probably set in this same age of the patriarchs, though its date is unknown. Like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Job lived a very long life. Job 42:16

   • JobDate unknown

3. Rescue from Egypt

   About 1446–1406 BC

   • ExodusAbout 1805–1445 BC
   • LeviticusAbout 1445 BC
   • NumbersAbout 1445–1406 BC
   • DeuteronomyAbout 1406 BC

4. The Promised Land

   About 1406–1050 BC

   • JoshuaAbout 1406–1386 BC
   • JudgesAbout 1375–1050 BC
   • RuthDate unknown

5. The Kingdom

   About 1050–931 BC

   • 1 SamuelAbout 1100–1010 BC

   David becomes king about 1010 BCGod promises a lasting throne

   David became king, first over Judah and then over all Israel. God promised that his kingdom would last forever, a promise that points to Jesus. 2 Samuel 5:4–52 Samuel 7:16Luke 1:32–33

   Before 1010 BC, shown above

   Ruth ends with David’s family line. Ruth 4:22

   1 Samuel tells of Samuel, King Saul, and how God chose David. 1 Samuel 16:13

   After 1010 BC, shown below

   2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles tell the story of David’s reign. 2 Samuel 5:31 Chronicles 11:3

   Psalms gathers many songs David wrote, along with songs by others from Moses’ day to after the exile. Psalm 51:1Psalm 90:1–2Psalm 126:1

   • 2 SamuelAbout 1010–970 BC
   • 1 ChroniclesAbout 1010–970 BC
   • PsalmsAbout 1446–450 BC
   • ProverbsAbout 970–686 BC
   • Song of SongsAbout 970–931 BC

   First temple built about 959 BCSolomon builds God’s temple

   King Solomon began building the temple in Jerusalem in the fourth year of his reign (about 966 BC), 480 years after Israel left Egypt. It took seven years, and when it was dedicated, the Lord’s glory filled it. 1 Kings 6:11 Kings 6:381 Kings 8:10–11

   Before 959 BC, shown above

   2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles tell how God promised that David’s son would build it, and how David prepared for it. 2 Samuel 7:131 Chronicles 22:5

   After 959 BC, shown below

   1 Kings and 2 Chronicles tell how Solomon built and dedicated it. 1 Kings 6:142 Chronicles 5:13–14

   • EcclesiastesAbout 970–931 BC

6. A Kingdom Divided

   931–586 BC

   • 1 KingsAbout 970–853 BC
   • 2 ChroniclesAbout 970–538 BC
   • 2 KingsAbout 853–561 BC
   • JonahAbout 760 BC
   • AmosAbout 760–753 BC
   • HoseaAbout 753–722 BC
   • IsaiahAbout 740–681 BC
   • MicahAbout 735–700 BC

   Samaria falls 722 BCThe northern kingdom ends

   Assyria captured Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, and took its people away. Only Judah, the southern kingdom, was left. 2 Kings 17:62 Kings 17:18

   Before 722 BC, shown above

   Jonah, Amos, and Hosea were prophets to the northern kingdom. 2 Kings 14:25Amos 1:1Hosea 4:1

   Isaiah and Micah were prophets in Judah who warned that Samaria would fall. Isaiah 8:4Micah 1:6

   After 722 BC, shown below

   Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, and Jeremiah spoke to Judah, the only kingdom left, and about Assyria’s fall and Babylon’s rise. Zephaniah 1:1Nahum 1:15Habakkuk 1:6Jeremiah 1:2–3

   • NahumAbout 664–612 BC
   • ZephaniahAbout 640–609 BC
   • JeremiahAbout 627–561 BC
   • HabakkukAbout 620–605 BC

7. Exile

   605–538 BC

   • DanielAbout 605–536 BC
   • EzekielAbout 593–571 BC

   First temple destroyed 586 BCBabylon burns Jerusalem

   The Babylonian army burned the Lord’s temple, the royal palace, and the houses of Jerusalem, and took more of Judah’s people into exile. God had warned them again and again through His prophets. 2 Kings 25:92 Kings 25:112 Chronicles 36:15–16

   Before 586 BC, shown above

   Jeremiah warned for years that God would destroy the temple the people trusted to protect them. Jeremiah 7:14

   Daniel had already been taken to Babylon in an earlier wave of exile. Daniel 1:1–6

   Ezekiel warned the exiles in Babylon that the city would fall, and heard the news when it did. Ezekiel 24:21–23Ezekiel 33:21

   After 586 BC, shown below

   Lamentations mourns the ruined city. Lamentations 1:1

   Obadiah condemns Edom for siding with Jerusalem’s enemies, probably when Babylon took the city, though the book’s date is debated. Obadiah 1:11

   • LamentationsAbout 588–586 BC
   • ObadiahAbout 586 BC

8. Return and Rebuilding

   538 to about 430 BC

   • EzraAbout 538–457 BC
   • HaggaiAbout 520 BC
   • ZechariahAbout 520–518 BC

   Second temple built about 516 BCGod’s temple stands again

   The Jews who came home from exile finished rebuilding God’s temple in Jerusalem, in the sixth year of King Darius of Persia. Ezra 6:15

   Before 516 BC, shown above

   Ezra 1–6 tells of the first exiles going home and starting to rebuild. Ezra 1:3Ezra 3:10

   Haggai and Zechariah urged the people to finish the temple. Ezra 6:14Haggai 1:8

   After 516 BC, shown below

   Esther is set later, in Persia under King Ahasuerus (Xerxes). Esther 1:1

   Nehemiah leads the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls. Nehemiah 6:15

   Malachi calls the priests at the rebuilt temple back to faithful worship. Malachi 1:6–7

   • JoelDate unknown
   • EstherAbout 483–473 BC
   • MalachiAbout 460–400 BC
   • NehemiahAbout 445–423 BC

9. Four hundred quiet years

   About 430–5 BC. No new books of Scripture between Malachi and Jesus.

10. New Testament27 books

11. Jesus

    About 6–4 BC to AD 30 or 33

    • MatthewAbout 6 BC–AD 33
    • MarkAbout AD 28–33
    • LukeAbout 6 BC–AD 33
    • JohnAbout AD 28–33

    Cross and resurrection AD 30 or 33Jesus dies for sins and rises

    Jesus gave His life on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead on the third day, just as He and the Scriptures had said. 1 Corinthians 15:3–4John 10:18Mark 8:31

    Before AD 30 or 33, shown above

    Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John tell of Jesus’ life and teaching, leading up to His death and resurrection. John 20:31

    After AD 30 or 33, shown below

    Acts tells how the risen Jesus sent His followers to spread the good news. Acts 1:8

    The letters explain what His death and resurrection mean for those who believe. Romans 4:251 Peter 1:3

12. The Church Begins

    About AD 30 or 33 to 62

    • ActsAbout AD 33–62
    • JamesAbout AD 40–45
    • GalatiansAbout AD 48–50
    • 1 ThessaloniansAbout AD 51
    • 2 ThessaloniansAbout AD 51
    • 1 CorinthiansAbout AD 53–55
    • 2 CorinthiansAbout AD 55–56
    • RomansAbout AD 56–57
    • EphesiansAbout AD 60–62
    • PhilippiansAbout AD 60–62
    • ColossiansAbout AD 60–62
    • PhilemonAbout AD 60–62

13. The Last Apostolic Writings

    About AD 62–95

    • 1 PeterAbout AD 60–65
    • 1 TimothyAbout AD 62–66
    • TitusAbout AD 62–66
    • 2 TimothyAbout AD 64–67
    • HebrewsAbout AD 55–70
    • JudeAbout AD 60–80
    • 2 PeterAbout AD 64–67

    Second temple destroyed AD 70Rome destroys Jerusalem

    Roman armies destroyed Jerusalem and its temple, just as Jesus had foretold about forty years earlier. Luke 19:43–44Luke 21:5–6

    Before AD 70, shown above

    1 Peter, 2 Peter, and 2 Timothy were written near the end of Peter’s and Paul’s lives, before this. 2 Peter 1:142 Timothy 4:6

    Hebrews was probably written before this too, since it speaks of the old sacrifices as still being offered. Hebrews 10:1–2

    After AD 70, shown below

    1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Revelation were probably written later, about AD 85–95.

    • 1 JohnAbout AD 85–95
    • 2 JohnAbout AD 85–95
    • 3 JohnAbout AD 85–95
    • RevelationAbout AD 95