The Bible

The books of the Bible, one line each

Sixty-six books, in order — what each one is, in a sentence. Click any title to begin reading.

The Old Testament

Genesis 50 chapters

The book of beginnings — creation, the fall, the flood, and the covenant God makes with Abraham's family.

Exodus 40 chapters

God delivers Israel from slavery in Egypt, gives the law at Sinai, and comes to dwell among His people.

Leviticus 27 chapters

The holiness code of Israel — sacrifice, priesthood, and the call to be holy as the Lord is holy.

Numbers 36 chapters

Israel's forty years in the wilderness — counted, tested, and carried by God despite their unbelief.

Deuteronomy 34 chapters

Moses' farewell sermons — the law repeated for a new generation about to enter the promised land.

Joshua 24 chapters

Israel crosses the Jordan and takes the land God promised — "as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

Judges 21 chapters

The dark cycle of sin, oppression, and deliverance — when every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Ruth 4 chapters

A Moabite widow's loyalty and a kinsman-redeemer's kindness — grace woven into the line of David.

1 Samuel 31 chapters

Israel demands a king — Samuel anoints Saul, and then David, the shepherd after God's own heart.

2 Samuel 24 chapters

David's reign — his triumphs, his great sin, and God's covenant promise of an everlasting throne.

1 Kings 22 chapters

Solomon's glory and the kingdom's division — and the prophet Elijah standing alone against Baal.

2 Kings 25 chapters

Elisha's miracles and the slow collapse of two kingdoms, ending in exile to Assyria and Babylon.

1 Chronicles 29 chapters

Israel's story retold from Adam to David, with the worship of the temple at the center.

2 Chronicles 36 chapters

From Solomon's temple to the Babylonian exile — the kings of Judah measured by their faithfulness.

Ezra 10 chapters

The exiles return to rebuild the temple, and Ezra calls the people back to the book of the law.

Nehemiah 13 chapters

The walls of Jerusalem rebuilt in fifty-two days by a praying man with a trowel in one hand.

Esther 10 chapters

God's unseen hand preserves His people through a queen raised up "for such a time as this."

Job 42 chapters

A righteous man suffers and demands answers — and God answers him out of the whirlwind.

Psalms 150 chapters

Israel's prayer book and ours — praise, lament, and trust for every season of the soul.

Proverbs 31 chapters

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom — short sayings for the long walk of life.

Ecclesiastes 12 chapters

The Preacher searches everything under the sun and finds the whole duty of man: fear God, and keep his commandments.

Song of Solomon 8 chapters

A wedding song of love sought, found, and treasured — for love is strong as death.

Isaiah 66 chapters

The prophet of the suffering servant — judgment and comfort, and salvation reaching to the nations.

Jeremiah 52 chapters

The weeping prophet pleads with Judah before the fall, and God promises a new covenant.

Lamentations 5 chapters

Five funeral poems over fallen Jerusalem — yet his compassions fail not; they are new every morning.

Ezekiel 48 chapters

Visions by the rivers of Babylon — dry bones living, and the glory of God departing and returning.

Daniel 12 chapters

Faithfulness in a foreign court — lions, furnaces, and kingdoms that rise and fall under heaven's rule.

Hosea 14 chapters

A prophet commanded to love an unfaithful wife — a living picture of God's love for wandering Israel.

Joel 3 chapters

The locust plague and the day of the LORD — "I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh."

Amos 9 chapters

A shepherd from Tekoa thunders against comfortable injustice: let judgment run down as waters.

Obadiah 1 chapter

The shortest book of the prophets — Edom's pride brought down, and the kingdom given to the LORD.

Jonah 4 chapters

A runaway prophet, a great fish, and a city that repented — mercy wider than Jonah wanted it to be.

Micah 7 chapters

What doth the LORD require of thee? To do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.

Nahum 3 chapters

The fall of Nineveh foretold — the LORD is slow to anger, but will not at all acquit the wicked.

Habakkuk 3 chapters

A prophet argues with God about evil and learns to live by faith — and to rejoice whatever comes.

Zephaniah 3 chapters

The day of the LORD is near — judgment first, and then singing over a restored remnant.

Haggai 2 chapters

Consider your ways: the returned exiles are stirred to stop building their own houses and build God's.

Zechariah 14 chapters

Night visions and Messianic promise — the King coming lowly, riding upon a colt, the foal of an ass.

Malachi 4 chapters

The last word of the Old Testament — robbed tithes, weary worship, and the promised Sun of righteousness.

The New Testament

Matthew 28 chapters

Jesus the promised King — the gospel written to Israel, from the genealogy to the Great Commission.

Mark 16 chapters

The servant gospel — swift and urgent, the Son of man come to give his life a ransom for many.

Luke 24 chapters

The physician's careful account — the Savior of sinners, come to seek and to save that which was lost.

John 21 chapters

Written that ye might believe — the Word made flesh, full of grace and truth.

Acts 28 chapters

The risen Lord builds His church — from an upper room in Jerusalem to the heart of Rome.

Romans 16 chapters

The gospel laid out in full — all have sinned; the just shall live by faith; and nothing can separate us.

1 Corinthians 16 chapters

A divided, gifted, struggling church — and the more excellent way of love.

2 Corinthians 13 chapters

Paul's most personal letter — strength made perfect in weakness, and treasure in earthen vessels.

Galatians 6 chapters

No other gospel — justified by faith in Christ, not by the works of the law; stand fast in liberty.

Ephesians 6 chapters

Seated with Christ in heavenly places — the church as His body, and the whole armour of God.

Philippians 4 chapters

A letter of joy from a prison cell — for to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Colossians 4 chapters

Christ preeminent over all things — and ye are complete in him, rooted and built up in the faith.

1 Thessalonians 5 chapters

Comfort for a young church — holy living, brotherly love, and the hope of the Lord's return.

2 Thessalonians 3 chapters

Steadying a shaken church — the day of the Lord, and the call to stand fast and keep working.

1 Timothy 6 chapters

A father in the faith instructs his son — sound doctrine, godly order, and the good fight of faith.

2 Timothy 4 chapters

Paul's last letter — I have fought a good fight; preach the word, in season and out of season.

Titus 3 chapters

Order for the churches of Crete — sound doctrine adorned by good works.

Philemon 1 chapter

One runaway slave, received again — no longer as a servant, but a brother beloved.

Hebrews 13 chapters

Christ better than angels, Moses, and every sacrifice — the great high priest of a better covenant.

James 5 chapters

Faith that works — be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.

1 Peter 5 chapters

Hope for scattered strangers — suffering now, glory to follow, and a living hope through the resurrection.

2 Peter 3 chapters

Remember, and beware — exceeding great and precious promises, rising scoffers, and the patience of the Lord.

1 John 5 chapters

That ye may know — God is light, God is love, and his commandments are not grievous.

2 John 1 chapter

Walk in truth and love — and receive not those who bring any other doctrine.

3 John 1 chapter

A note to faithful Gaius — be a fellowhelper to the truth, and follow not that which is evil.

Jude 1 chapter

Earnestly contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints — kept by Him who is able to keep you from falling.

Revelation 22 chapters

The unveiling of Jesus Christ — the Lamb upon the throne, and all things made new.