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If you’re new to the Bible, one of the first things you might wonder is, how many books are actually in the Bible?
You might have heard someone say there are 66 books. Maybe you’ve also heard someone mention 73 books, or even more. So which number is right?
The answer depends on which Christian Bible you’re talking about.
For the Bible most commonly used in Protestant churches, there are 66 books in total — 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament.
But the Bible isn’t one single book in the way we normally think of a book. It is a collection of many different books, written by different human authors, in different times and circumstances, yet brought together as God’s Word.
Let’s take a look at how the Bible is organised and what each section contains.
Quick Answer: How Many Books Are in the Bible?
The Protestant Bible contains 66 books.
- 39 books in the Old Testament
- 27 books in the New Testament
- 66 books altogether
The Old Testament begins with Genesis and ends with Malachi.
The New Testament begins with Matthew and ends with Revelation.
So the Bible begins with Genesis and ends with Revelation, telling the story of God’s work in creation, humanity’s fall into sin, God’s relationship with His people, the coming of Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection, the growth of the early Church, and the hope of Christ’s return.
Why Is the Bible Made Up of 66 Books?
The Bible isn’t one long book written by one person.
It is a collection of books written by many different human authors over a long period of history.
These books include different types of writing. There is history, poetry, wisdom literature, prophecy, the four Gospel accounts, letters to churches and individuals, and apocalyptic prophecy.
Although the books have different styles and human authors, Christians believe the Scriptures are inspired by God.
Paul wrote:
**“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”**
— 2 Timothy 3:16–17
So when you open the Bible, you’re not simply opening a collection of unrelated ancient writings.
You’re reading a collection of Scriptures that together tell the story of God’s relationship with humanity and His plan of salvation.
The 39 Books of the Old Testament
The Old Testament contains 39 books in the Protestant Bible.
These books cover God’s creation of the world, the fall of humanity, God’s covenant with His people, the history of Israel, wisdom and poetry, and the messages of the prophets.
The books are commonly divided into several groups.
The Law — 5 Books
The first five books of the Bible are known as the Law, or the Pentateuch.
They are:
- Genesis
- Exodus
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Deuteronomy
Genesis begins with creation and introduces us to humanity’s fall into sin, the flood, and the patriarchs, including Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph.
Exodus tells us about God bringing the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and establishing His covenant with them.
Leviticus contains many of the laws and instructions God gave Israel concerning worship, sacrifices, holiness and living as His people.
Numbers follows Israel’s journey through the wilderness.
Deuteronomy records Moses’ final teachings to Israel before they entered the Promised Land.
The Historical Books — 12 Books
The next twelve books are generally called the Historical Books because they record important parts of Israel’s history.
They are:
- Joshua
- Judges
- Ruth
- 1 Samuel
- 2 Samuel
- 1 Kings
- 2 Kings
- 1 Chronicles
- 2 Chronicles
- Ezra
- Nehemiah
- Esther
These books tell the story of Israel as they entered the Promised Land, lived under judges and kings, experienced division and exile, and eventually saw some of the people return and rebuild.
They include familiar people such as Joshua, Samson, Ruth, Samuel, David, Solomon, Elijah, Esther, Ezra and Nehemiah.
Poetry and Wisdom — 5 Books
The Bible also contains books of poetry and wisdom.
They are:
- Job
- Psalms
- Proverbs
- Ecclesiastes
- Song of Solomon
These books deal with some of the deepest parts of human life.
They talk about suffering, worship, wisdom, relationships, work, love, fear, grief, joy and what it means to live in a right relationship with God.
Psalms, for example, contains prayers and songs that express a huge range of emotions.
You can find someone crying out to God in the middle of suffering, praising Him with joy, asking for forgiveness, seeking protection and simply reminding their soul to trust Him.
The Major Prophets — 5 Books
The next group is called the Major Prophets.
They are:
- Isaiah
- Jeremiah
- Lamentations
- Ezekiel
- Daniel
The word major doesn’t mean these prophets were more important than the others.
It mainly refers to the length and scope of their books.
These prophets spoke God’s messages to His people, often calling them to repent and return to Him. They also spoke about God’s judgment, restoration and His promises concerning the future.
The Minor Prophets — 12 Books
The final twelve books of the Old Testament are called the Minor Prophets.
They are:
- Hosea
- Joel
- Amos
- Obadiah
- Jonah
- Micah
- Nahum
- Habakkuk
- Zephaniah
- Haggai
- Zechariah
- Malachi
Again, minor doesn’t mean unimportant.
These books are generally shorter than the Major Prophets, but they contain important messages from God.
They address sin, repentance, judgment, God’s faithfulness, restoration and the hope of what God would do in the future.
Malachi is the final book of the Old Testament in the Protestant Bible.
The 27 Books of the New Testament
The New Testament contains 27 books.
While the Old Testament looks forward to God’s promises and the coming Messiah, the New Testament centres on Jesus Christ and the salvation He brings.
The New Testament begins with the four Gospels and then continues through Acts, the letters and Revelation.
The Gospels — 4 Books
The first four books are:
- Matthew
- Mark
- Luke
- John
These are called the Gospels.
Each one tells us about the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Matthew, Mark and Luke are often called the Synoptic Gospels because they share many similarities in the way they present Jesus’ life.
John has a distinct style and places a strong emphasis on Jesus’ identity as the Son of God.
Together, the four Gospels give us four accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
Acts — 1 Book
The fifth book of the New Testament is Acts.
Acts tells us about the growth of the early Church following Jesus’ resurrection and ascension.
It begins with Jesus’ followers receiving the Holy Spirit and then follows the spread of the Gospel through the early Christians.
Acts also introduces us to important figures such as Peter and Paul.
Paul’s Letters — 13 Books
The New Testament contains thirteen letters traditionally associated with the apostle Paul.
They are:
- Romans
- 1 Corinthians
- 2 Corinthians
- Galatians
- Ephesians
- Philippians
- Colossians
- 1 Thessalonians
- 2 Thessalonians
- 1 Timothy
- 2 Timothy
- Titus
- Philemon
These letters were written to churches and individuals and cover many important areas of Christian faith and living.
Paul writes about salvation, faith, grace, sin, the Church, Christian relationships, spiritual gifts, suffering, resurrection and living for Christ.
The General Letters — 8 Books
The next group is commonly called the General Letters.
They are:
- Hebrews
- James
- 1 Peter
- 2 Peter
- 1 John
- 2 John
- 3 John
- Jude
These letters were written to Christians and address different aspects of following Jesus.
They speak about faith, perseverance, suffering, false teaching, love, obedience and remaining faithful to Christ.
The author of Hebrews is not identified within the letter itself, so it is better not to confidently attribute it to Paul.
Revelation — 1 Book
The final book of the Bible is Revelation.
Revelation is a book of prophecy and contains visions given to John.
It speaks about Christ’s victory, judgment, the return of Jesus, and the ultimate defeat of evil.
The Bible ends with the promise of a new heaven and a new earth.
**“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.”**
— Revelation 21:1–3
The 66 Books at a Glance
Here’s a simple way to remember how the 66 books are divided:
| Section | Number of Books |
|---|---|
| Old Testament | 39 |
| New Testament | 27 |
| Total | 66 |
The Old Testament can then be remembered as:
5 Law + 12 History + 5 Poetry/Wisdom + 5 Major Prophets + 12 Minor Prophets = 39 books
And the New Testament:
4 Gospels + 1 History + 13 Paul’s Letters + 8 General Letters + 1 Prophecy = 27 books
Why Do Some Bibles Have More Than 66 Books?
This is where things can get a little confusing.
If you’ve ever opened a Catholic Bible and noticed that it contains more books, you haven’t discovered a mistake.
Different Christian traditions recognise different Old Testament collections.
The Catholic Bible contains 73 books — 46 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. The additional Old Testament books are commonly called the Deuterocanonical books.
Eastern Orthodox Bibles also contain additional Old Testament writings, although the exact number can vary between Orthodox traditions.
So when someone asks, “How many books are in the Bible?”, the answer depends on which biblical canon they’re referring to.
For the Protestant Bible, the answer is 66.
Why Does the Jewish Bible Have 24 Books?
You might also come across another number: 24 books.
The Jewish Bible, known as the Tanakh, contains the same basic collection of Old Testament writings found in the Protestant Old Testament, but the books are grouped and counted differently.
For example, books that are separated into 1 and 2 Samuel in a Protestant Bible are counted together in the Jewish arrangement.
The twelve Minor Prophets are also counted together as one collection.
So the difference between 24 and 39 doesn’t mean that one has fewer Scriptures.
The books are simply organised and counted differently.
Is the Bible One Story?
Although the Bible contains 66 individual books in the Protestant canon, it isn’t 66 completely separate stories.
There is a bigger story running throughout Scripture.
Genesis begins with God creating the heavens and the earth.
Humanity falls into sin.
God begins His covenant relationship with His people.
The Old Testament points forward to God’s promises and the coming Messiah.
Then the New Testament begins with Jesus.
Jesus comes into the world, teaches, performs miracles, dies for our sins and rises again.
The Gospel spreads.
The early Church grows.
And the Bible ultimately points forward to Christ’s return and the restoration of all things.
Jesus Himself taught that the Scriptures point toward Him.
After His resurrection, He said:
“These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.”
— Luke 24:44
When you begin to understand the Bible as one unfolding story, the individual books begin to make much more sense.
Does It Matter How Many Books Are in the Bible?
It can be helpful to know how the Bible is organised, especially if you’re new to reading it.
When someone says, “Turn to Habakkuk,” you need to know where to find it.
When someone refers to Paul’s letter to the Romans, you’ll know that it’s in the New Testament.
And when you’re studying the Bible, understanding whether you’re reading history, poetry, prophecy, a Gospel or a letter can help you understand what you’re reading.
But don’t let the number of books overwhelm you.
You don’t have to read all 66 books at once.
You don’t need to understand everything before you begin.
Start reading.
Ask God to help you understand His Word.
Take your time.
And allow yourself to grow in your understanding as you go.
Where Should I Start Reading the Bible?
If you’re completely new to the Bible, you don’t necessarily have to start by trying to read all 66 books from beginning to end.
Genesis is a wonderful place to begin because it introduces creation, humanity, sin, God’s covenant and the beginning of the story.
The Gospel of John is also a wonderful place to start because it focuses strongly on who Jesus is and why He came.
As you become more familiar with Scripture, you can work your way through more of the Bible and begin studying different books in greater depth.
The important thing is to start reading God’s Word.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
— Psalm 119:105
Final Thoughts
So, how many books are in the Bible?
If you’re reading the standard Protestant Bible, there are 66 books — 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.
But don’t let that number make the Bible feel intimidating.
The Bible is a collection of many books, but together they tell the story of God’s work in the world and His plan of redemption through Jesus Christ.
There is history to learn, wisdom to discover, prayers to pray, promises to understand, warnings to take seriously and, above all, a Saviour to know.
You don’t need to understand all 66 books today.
Just start with one.
Open God’s Word.
Read it.
Study it.
And keep going.
“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
— Psalm 119:11
✨ Still Have a Question?
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