If you have ever wondered what are the books of the Bible in order, the answer depends on whether you are looking at the Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, or Hebrew Bible canon.
This guide breaks down the sequence clearly so you can understand the structure, names, and differences without confusion.
How the Bible Is Organized
The Bible is not one single book written at one time.
It is a library of books written over many centuries in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, then arranged into sections by theme, covenant, and tradition.
Most Christian Bibles are divided into two major parts:
- Old Testament: books written before the life of Jesus Christ, centered on creation, covenant, law, prophecy, wisdom, and history.
- New Testament: books written after the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, centered on the Gospels, the early church, letters, and prophecy.
The exact order of books varies by tradition, but the broad structure is consistent.
Understanding that structure makes the list much easier to remember.
What Are the Books of the Bible in Order in the Protestant Canon?
The Protestant Bible contains 66 books: 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.
This is the most familiar order for many English-speaking readers.
Old Testament Books in Order
- Genesis
- Exodus
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Deuteronomy
- Joshua
- Judges
- Ruth
- 1 Samuel
- 2 Samuel
- 1 Kings
- 2 Kings
- 1 Chronicles
- 2 Chronicles
- Ezra
- Nehemiah
- Esther
- Job
- Psalms
- Proverbs
- Ecclesiastes
- Song of Solomon
- Isaiah
- Jeremiah
- Lamentations
- Ezekiel
- Daniel
- Hosea
- Joel
- Amos
- Obadiah
- Jonah
- Micah
- Nahum
- Habakkuk
- Zephaniah
- Haggai
- Zechariah
- Malachi
New Testament Books in Order
- Matthew
- Mark
- Luke
- John
- 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
What Are the Books of the Bible in Order in the Catholic Canon?
The Catholic Bible includes the 66 Protestant books plus seven deuterocanonical books and additions to Esther and Daniel.
These books are part of the Old Testament in Catholic tradition and are found in the Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures.
Additional Catholic Old Testament Books
- Tobit
- Judith
- Wisdom
- Sirach
- Baruch
- 1 Maccabees
- 2 Maccabees
Catholic Old Testament ordering often places these books among the historical and wisdom literature, though exact placement can vary slightly by edition.
Catholic editions also include additions to Esther and Daniel.
What Are the Books of the Bible in Order in the Orthodox Canon?
Eastern Orthodox Bibles generally contain more books than Protestant Bibles and may include several texts not found in Catholic editions.
The Orthodox canon is not identical across all national churches, but it commonly includes additional books such as 3 Maccabees, Psalm 151, and sometimes 1 Esdras and Prayer of Manasseh.
Because Orthodox canons vary, readers should check the specific Bible edition used by a Greek, Russian, Serbian, or other Orthodox tradition.
The core structure still follows the same biblical storyline: Law, History, Wisdom, Prophets, Gospels, Acts, Letters, and Revelation.
What Are the Five Main Sections of the Bible?
Many readers learn the Bible more easily by section rather than by memorizing every book at once.
- Law: Genesis through Deuteronomy
- History: Joshua through Esther
- Wisdom and Poetry: Job through Song of Solomon
- Major and Minor Prophets: Isaiah through Malachi
- New Testament: Gospels, Acts, Epistles, Revelation
This layout is helpful because the order reflects literary type as much as chronology.
For example, the Psalms are grouped as worship literature, while the prophets are grouped by message rather than exact historical date.
Why Is the Bible Not Strictly in Chronological Order?
Many people assume the Bible follows a straight timeline, but it does not.
The books were arranged to help worship, teaching, and theology, not only to tell history in sequence.
For example, the Book of Job may be among the oldest writings, yet it appears in the wisdom section, not at the start of the Bible.
The prophetic books are also grouped by length in many English Bibles, with Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel before the twelve shorter prophets.
If you want chronological reading, you will need a different reading plan than the standard printed order.
How to Memorize the Books of the Bible in Order?
Memorizing the Bible books becomes much easier when you break them into smaller groups.
- Learn the first five books first: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.
- Memorize historical books in chunks of five to seven.
- Group the poetry books together: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon.
- Learn the prophets in two groups: major prophets and minor prophets.
- Memorize the New Testament in order from the Gospels to Revelation.
Using flashcards, Bible tabs, and reading plans can also reinforce the sequence.
Many church programs and Christian education curricula use the same grouping strategy.
Books of the Bible in Order by Testament
Here is a quick reference list for easy scanning.
Old Testament
- Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
- Historical Books: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
- Poetry and Wisdom: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
- Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel
- Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
New Testament
- Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
- History: Acts
- Pauline Epistles: Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon
- General Epistles: Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude
- Prophecy: Revelation
Which Bible Order Should You Use?
If you want the most common English reading sequence, use the Protestant order.
If you study Catholic theology or liturgy, use a Catholic Bible.
If you are reading within Eastern Orthodox Christianity, follow the canon used by your specific jurisdiction.
For academic study, comparing canons can be valuable because it shows how Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox traditions developed around the same core scriptures.
That comparison also helps explain why some books appear in certain Bibles and not others.
Related Terms That Help Searchers Understand the Topic
People searching for what are the books of the bible in order often also want related information such as biblical canon, Old Testament books, New Testament books, deuterocanonical books, apocrypha, and Bible reading order.
These terms point to the same core question from different angles and are useful for study, teaching, and navigation.
