Books of the Bible

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#### Old Testament

**Genesis** - Genesis means origin or beginnings. Ranging from the cosmos to the family, this wide-sweeping book tells of the creation of the universe, the origin of the human race, the beginning of sin and suffering in the world, and about God's way of dealing with humanity. Genesis can be divided into two main parts: (1) The creation of the world and the early history of the human race. Here are the accounts of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah and the flood, and the Tower of Babel (chapters 1-11). (2) The history of the early ancestors of the Israelites. The first is Abraham, who was notable for his faith and his obedience to God. Then follow the stories of his son Isaac, and grandson Jacob (also called Israel), and of Jacob's twelve sons, who were the founders of the twelve tribes of Israel. Particular attention is given to one of the sons, Joseph, and the events that brought Jacob and his other sons with their families to live in Egypt (chapters 12-50). While the Book of Genesis tells stories about people, it is first and foremost an account of what God has done, introducing the drama of redemption, it begins with the affirmation that God created the universe, and it ends with a promise that God will continue to show his concern for his people. Throughout the book the main character is God, who creates human beings to live in his world, leads and helps his people, judges and punishes those who do wrong, and shapes their history. This ancient book was written to record the story of a people's faith and to help keep that faith alive.

**Exodus** - Exodus means departure, and refers to the most important event in Israel's history, which is described in this book - the freeing of the Israelites from bondage and their departure from Egypt, where they had been enslaved by the Pharaoh. The Book of Exodus has four main parts: (1) The miraculous freeing of the Hebrews from slavery; (2) Their dramatic journey to Mount Sinai; (3) God's covenant with his people at Sinai, which gave them moral, civil, and religious laws to live by; (4) The building and furnishing of a place of worship for Israel, and laws regarding the priests and the worship of God. Above all, Exodus describes what God did, liberating his enslaved people and forming them into a nation with hope for the future. The Lord is shown to be the one true God, ruler of the universe, whose will is unstoppable. The central human figure in the book is Moses, the man whom God chose to lead his people from Egypt. The most widely known part of the book is the list of the 'Ten Commandments' (20:1-17).

**Leviticus** - Leviticus is named after the tribe of Levi, from which came all the priests and all those who looked after the religious ceremonies associated with the Tent of Meeting (and later the Temple). The Book of Leviticus contains the regulators for worship and religious ceremonies in ancient Israel, and for the priests who were responsible for carrying out these instructions. The main theme of the book is the holiness of God and the ways in which his people were to worship and live so as to maintain their relationship with him. The best known words from the book are those which Jesus called the second great commandment: "love your neighbour as yourself". (19:18)

**Numbers** - The Book of Numbers is the account of the Israelite's life in the desert from the time they left Mount Sinai until they reached the eastern border of Canaan, the land that God had promised to give them, a journey which took them nearly forty years. Numbers, the name of the book, emphasises an important feature of the story, the two censuses of the Israelites which Moses organised, first at Mount Sinai before their departure, and again in Moab, east of the Jordan, about a generation later. In the period between Moses' two censuses, the Israelites went to Kadesh Barnea on the southern border of Canaan, but they failed to enter the promised land from there. They spent many years in that area before proceeding to the region east of the River Jordan, where some of the people settled while the others prepared to cross the river in Canaan, their promised land. Numbers tells of people who were often discouraged and afraid in the face of hardship, people who rebelled against God and Moses, the man God appointed to lead them. Yet it is also the story of God's faithfulness, his persistent care for his people in spite of their weakness and disobedience. It is also the record of Moses' steadfast, if sometimes impatient, devotion both to God and his people.

**Deuteronomy** - The framework of the Book of Deuteronomy ('second law") is a series of addresses given by Moses to the people of Israel in Moab, where they had stopped at the end of their long desert journey and were about to enter Canaan, the land God had promised them. Some of the most important matters recorded in Deuteronomy are: (1) Moses' retelling of the great events of the past forty years in the desert, appealing to the people to remember how God ked them through their long journey and to be loyal and obedient to God: (2) Moses' review of the Law given to him on Mount Sinai, the 'Ten Commandments', emphasising the meaning of the 'First Commandment' which calls the people to be devoted to God alone. Moses then reviews the various laws which are to govern Israel's life in their promised land. (3) Moses' powerful reminder to the people of the serious meaning of God's covenant with them. Moses calls upon them to renew their commitment to it and to their obligations to God. (4) Joshua's commissioning as the next leader of God's people. After singing a song celebrating God's faithfulness and pronouncing a blessing upon the tribes of Israel, Moses dies in Moab, east of the Jordan River. The great theme of Deuteronomy is that God has saved and blessed his chosen people whom he loves. His people must remember this and love and obey God so that they may have life and continued blessing. The key verses of this book contain the words that Jesus called the greatest of all commandments: "Love the Lord your God will all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" (6:5).

**Joshua**

**Judges**

**Ruth**

**1 Samuel**

**2 Samuel**

**1 Kings**

**2 Kings**

**1 Chronicles**

**2 Chronicles**

**Ezra**

**Nehemiah**

**Esther**

**Job**

**Psalms**

**Proverbs**

**Ecclesiastes**

**Song of Songs**

**Isaiah**

**Jeremiah**

**Lamentations**

**Ezekiel**

**Daniel**

**Hosea**

**Joel**

**Amos**

**Obadiah**

**Jonah**

**Micah**

**Nahum**

**Habakkuk**

**Zephaniah**

**Haggai**

**Zechariah**

**Malachi**

#### **New Testament**

**Matthew**

**Mark**

**Luke**

**John**

**The Acts**

**Romans**

**1 Corinthians**

**2 Corinthians**

**Galatians**

**Ephesians**

**Philippians**

**Colossians**

**1 Thessalonians**

**2 Thessalonians**

**1 Timothy**

**2 Timothy**

**Titus**

**Philemon**

**Hebrews**

**James**

**1 Peter**

**2 Peter**

**1 John**

**2 John**

**3 John**

**Jude**

**Revelation**