Bible Outline
Book-by-book summaries of all 66 books — from Genesis to Revelation. Click any book title to read it on Bible Hub.
Old Testament (39 books)
Law
Answers 'How did God's relationship with the world begin?' and 'Where did the nation of Israel come from?'
💡 Most famous Bible stories are here: Adam and Eve, Noah's Ark, Tower of Babel, Abraham, Jacob's ladder, Joseph's coat of many colors.
God saves Israel from slavery in Egypt, then enters a special relationship with them.
God gives Israel instructions for how to worship Him.
Israel fails to trust and obey God, and wanders in the wilderness for 40 years.
Moses gives Israel instructions for how to love and obey God in the Promised Land.
History
Joshua leads Israel to conquer the Promised Land, then parcels out territories to the twelve tribes.
💡 Famous stories: the Battle of Jericho and the day the sun stood still.
Israel enters a cycle of turning from God, falling captive, calling out to God, and being rescued by judges.
Two widows lose everything and find hope in Israel — leading to the birth of the future King David.
Israel demands a king, who turns out to be quite a disappointment.
David, a man after God's own heart, becomes king of Israel.
The kingdom has peace under Solomon, but afterward splits and both lines of kings turn away from God.
Both kingdoms ignore God and his prophets, until they both fall captive to other world empires.
A brief history of Israel from Adam to David, culminating with David commissioning the temple.
Solomon builds the temple, but after centuries of rejecting God, the Babylonians destroy it.
The Israelites rebuild the temple, and Ezra teaches the people to obey God's laws.
Jerusalem is in bad shape, so Nehemiah rebuilds the city wall.
Someone hatches a genocidal plot against Israel, and Esther must face the emperor to ask for help.
Poetry
Satan attacks a righteous man named Job, and Job and his friends argue about why terrible things are happening to him.
A collection of 150 songs that Israel sang to God — kind of like a hymnal for the ancient Israelites.
A collection of sayings to help people make wise decisions that bring about justice.
A philosophical exploration of the meaning of life — with a surprisingly nihilistic tone.
A love song (or collection of love songs) celebrating love, desire, and marriage.
Prophecy
God sends Isaiah to warn Israel of future judgment — and to tell them about a coming king and servant who will 'bear the sins of many.'
God sends a prophet to warn Israel about the coming Babylonian captivity, but the people don't take the news very well.
A collection of dirges lamenting the fall of Jerusalem after the Babylonian attacks.
God chooses Ezekiel to speak for Him to Israel, to tell them the error of their ways and teach them justice.
Daniel becomes a high-ranking wise man in the Babylonian and Persian empires, and has prophetic visions about Israel's future.
Hosea is told to marry a prostitute who leaves him — a picture of God's relationship with Israel.
God sends a plague of locusts to judge Israel, but His judgment on the surrounding nations is coming too.
A shepherd named Amos preaches against the injustice of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
Obadiah warns the neighboring nation of Edom that they will be judged for plundering Jerusalem.
A disobedient prophet runs from God, is swallowed by a great fish, and then preaches God's message to Nineveh.
Micah confronts the leaders of Israel and Judah regarding their injustice, and prophesies that God himself will one day rule in perfect justice.
Nahum foretells of God's judgment on Nineveh, the capital of Assyria.
Habakkuk pleads with God to stop injustice, but is surprised to find God will use the even more violent Babylonians.
God warns He will judge Israel and the surrounding nations, but also that He will restore them in peace and justice.
The people have abandoned restoring God's temple, so Haggai takes them to task.
Zechariah calls Israel to return to God, and records prophetic visions that show what's happening behind the scenes.
God has been faithful to Israel, but they continue to live disconnected from Him — so God sends Malachi to call them out.
New Testament (27 books)
Gospels & Acts
An account of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, focusing on Jesus' role as the true king of the Jews.
This brief account of Jesus' earthly ministry highlights Jesus' authority and servanthood.
Luke writes the most thorough account of Jesus' life, pulling together eyewitness testimonies.
John lists stories of signs and miracles with the hope that readers will believe in Jesus.
Jesus returns to the Father, the Holy Spirit comes to the church, and the gospel spreads throughout the world.
Paul's Epistles
Paul summarizes how the gospel of Jesus works in a letter to the churches at Rome.
Paul writes a disciplinary letter to a fractured church in Corinth, and answers questions about how Christians should behave.
Paul writes a letter of reconciliation to the church at Corinth, and clears up some concerns.
Paul writes to the Galatian churches who had been led to think salvation comes from the law of Moses.
Paul writes to the church at Ephesus about how to walk in grace, peace, and love.
An encouraging letter to the church of Philippi from Paul, telling them how to have joy in Christ.
Paul writes the church at Colossae a letter about who they are in Christ, and how to walk in Christ.
Paul has heard a good report on the church at Thessalonica, and encourages them to 'excel still more.'
Paul instructs the Thessalonians on how to stand firm until the coming of Jesus.
Paul gives his protégé Timothy instruction on how to lead a church with sound teaching and a godly example.
Paul is nearing the end of his life, and encourages Timothy to continue preaching the word.
Paul advises Titus on how to lead orderly, counter-cultural churches on the island of Crete.
Paul strongly recommends that Philemon accept his runaway slave as a brother, not a slave.
General Epistles
A letter encouraging Christians to cling to Christ despite persecution, because He is greater.
A letter telling Christians to live in ways that demonstrate their faith in action.
Peter writes to persecuted Christians, encouraging them to testify to the truth and live accordingly.
Peter writes reminding Christians about the truth of Jesus, and warning that false teachers will come.
John writes about keeping Jesus' commands, loving one another, and important things Christians should know.
A very brief letter about walking in truth, love, and obedience.
An even shorter letter about Christian fellowship.
A letter encouraging Christians to contend for the faith, even though ungodly persons have crept in.
Prophecy
John sees visions of things that have been, things that are, and things that are yet to come.