The Book Of Books
Byblos was the Greek-language name (used by both Greeks and Romans - see Ancient Empires - Greece and Ancient Empires - Rome) for Gebal, an ancient seaport in Lebanon (see also Phoenicia). It was a major manufacturer and exporter of papyrus, a tall reed-like plant that grows in swamps and along rivers, that was used to make writing material - and hence, books. While the English word Bible is derived from Byblos, meaning "the papyrus," or "the book," the Holy Bible is actually a Book of Books.
The Hebrew Scriptures, or Old Testament
The Old Testament is composed of 39 books - 17 historical, 5 poetic, 17 prophetic. Their order, relative size, and authors are:
Historical (47% of the Old Testament)
- Genesis - 50 chapters, Moses
- Exodus - 40 chapters, Moses
- Leviticus - 27 chapters, Moses
- Numbers - 36 chapters, Moses
- Deuteronomy - 34 chapters, Moses
- Joshua - 24 chapters, author not identified
- Judges - 21 chapters, author not identified
- Ruth - 4 chapters, author not identified
- 1 Samuel - 31 chapters, author not identified
- 2 Samuel - 24 chapters, author not identified
- 1 Kings - 22 chapters, author not identified
- 2 Kings - 25 chapters, author not identified
- 1 Chronicles - 29 chapters, author not identified, possibly Ezra
- 2 Chronicles - 36 chapters, author not identified, possibly Ezra
- Ezra - 10 chapters, Ezra
- Nehemiah - 13 chapters, author not identified, possibly Nehemiah or Ezra
- Esther - 10 chapters, author not identified
Poetic (22% of the Old Testament)
Prophetic (31% of the Old Testament)
- Isaiah - 66 chapters, Isaiah
- Jeremiah - 52 chapters, Jeremiah
- Lamentations - 5 chapters, Jeremiah
- Ezekiel - 48 chapters, Ezekiel
- Daniel - 12 chapters, Daniel
- Hosea - 14 chapters, Hosea
- Joel - 3 chapters, Joel
- Amos - 9 chapters, Amos
- Obadiah - 1 chapter, Obadiah
- Jonah - 4 chapters, Jonah
- Micah - 7 chapters, Micah
- Nahum - 3 chapters, Nahum
- Habakkuk - 3 chapters, Habakkuk
- Zephaniah - 3 chapters, Zephaniah
- Haggai - 2 chapters, Haggai
- Zechariah - 14 chapters, Zechariah
- Malachi - 4 chapters, Malachi
The New Testament
The New Testament is composed of the 4 Gospels, the Book of Acts, 21
Epistles (letters), and the Book of Revelation. Their order, relative size, and
authors are:
The 4 Gospels (43% of the New Testament)
The Book of Acts (12% of the New Testament)
- Acts - 28 chapters, probably Luke
The 21 Epistles (38% of the New Testament)
- Romans - 16 chapters, Paul
- 1 Corinthians - 16 chapters, Paul
- 2 Corinthians -13 chapters, Paul
- Galatians - 6 chapters, Paul
- Ephesians - 6 chapters, Paul
- Philippians - 4 chapters, Paul
- Colossians - 4 chapters, Paul
- 1 Thessalonians - 5 chapters, Paul
- 2 Thessalonians - 3 chapters, Paul
- 1 Timothy - 6 chapters, Paul
- 2 Timothy - 4 chapters, Paul
- Titus - 3 chapters, Paul
- Philemon - 1 chapter, Paul
- Hebrews - 13 chapters, probably Paul
- James - 5 chapters, James
- 1 Peter - 5 chapters, Peter
- 2 Peter - 3 chapters, Peter
- 1 John - 5 chapters, John
- 2 John - 1 chapter, John
- 3 John - 1 chapter, John
- Jude - 1 chapter, Jude
The Book of Revelation (7% of the New Testament)
Fact Finder: What Bible did Jesus Christ use?
See Jesus Christ's Bible
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