The Bible is made up of 66 books written by approximately 40 authors over a span of roughly 1,500 years. From Genesis to Revelation, each book has its own voice, genre, and purpose — yet together they tell one unified story of God's relationship with humanity.

Most Christians can rattle off a handful of their favorites — Psalms, John, Romans — but how many can name all 66? More importantly, how many know which books belong to which category, and why each one matters?

This guide walks you through all 66 books organized by testament and category. By the time you're done reading, you'll have a much clearer picture of how the Bible is structured — and you'll be ready to put your knowledge to the test with our daily BookFix puzzle.

The Old Testament — 39 Books

The Old Testament was written primarily in Hebrew (with small portions in Aramaic) over more than a thousand years. It covers the creation of the world, the history of the nation of Israel, poetry and wisdom literature, and the writings of the prophets.

The Law (Torah) — 5 Books

Also called the Pentateuch, these five books were traditionally authored by Moses. They cover creation, the fall of humanity, the lives of the patriarchs, the Exodus from Egypt, and the laws God gave to Israel.

GenesisThe beginning of everything
ExodusDeliverance from Egypt
LeviticusLaws and worship
NumbersWilderness wandering
DeuteronomyMoses's final words

History — 12 Books

These books trace Israel's history from entering the Promised Land through the conquest, the period of the judges, the united and divided kingdoms, and finally the exile and return.

JoshuaConquering Canaan
JudgesCycles of sin and rescue
RuthLoyalty and redemption
1 SamuelSaul and David rise
2 SamuelDavid's reign
1 KingsSolomon to division
2 KingsDecline and exile
1 ChroniclesDavid's legacy
2 ChroniclesTemple to exile
EzraReturn from exile
NehemiahRebuilding Jerusalem
EstherCourage in Persia

Poetry and Wisdom — 5 Books

These books explore the deepest questions of human experience — suffering, praise, wisdom, love, and the meaning of life. They remain among the most beloved books in all of scripture.

JobSuffering and faith
PsalmsSongs and prayers
ProverbsPractical wisdom
EcclesiastesMeaning of life
Song of SolomonLove and devotion

Major Prophets — 5 Books

These five books are called "major" not because they are more important, but because they are longer. They contain some of the most detailed prophecies in the Old Testament — many of which point directly to Jesus Christ.

IsaiahThe gospel prophet
JeremiahThe weeping prophet
LamentationsGrief over Jerusalem
EzekielVisions and restoration
DanielDreams and lions

Minor Prophets — 12 Books

The twelve minor prophets are shorter books but no less powerful. They call Israel back to faithfulness, warn of coming judgment, and point toward the coming of the Messiah.

Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi

The New Testament — 27 Books

The New Testament was written in Greek in the first century AD. It records the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the birth and growth of the early church, and letters of instruction to believers.

The Gospels — 4 Books

The four Gospels each tell the story of Jesus from a different perspective — Matthew for a Jewish audience, Mark for urgency and action, Luke with detail and compassion, and John with theological depth.

MatthewJesus the King
MarkJesus the Servant
LukeJesus the Son of Man
JohnJesus the Son of God

History — 1 Book

Acts — written by Luke as a sequel to his Gospel, Acts traces the spread of the gospel from Jerusalem to Rome through the work of the Holy Spirit and the apostles, especially Paul.

Paul's Letters — 13 Books

Paul wrote 13 of the 27 New Testament books — letters to churches and individuals that form the theological backbone of Christian doctrine.

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

General Epistles — 8 Books

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

Prophecy — 1 Book

Revelation — written by the apostle John while exiled on the island of Patmos, Revelation contains visions of the end times, the return of Christ, and the ultimate triumph of God over evil.

Tips for Learning All 66 Books

Learning all 66 books in order takes practice but it's very achievable. Here are some approaches that work well:

Ready to Test Your Knowledge?

Play today's free BookFix puzzle — unscramble today's Book of the Bible before the clock runs out. All 66 books in rotation, a new one every day.

Play BookFix Now →

Did You Know?

Psalms is the longest book in the Bible with 150 chapters. 3 John is the shortest with only 219 words in the original Greek. The Bible contains 1,189 chapters, 31,102 verses, and approximately 783,137 words in the King James Version alone.

The word "Bible" comes from the Greek word biblia, meaning "books" — a fitting name for this library of 66 interconnected writings that together tell one grand story of redemption.