OLD TESTAMENT
The Law / Pentateuch / Torah
Genesis (Gen.)
Author: Moses
Date of Writing: Most likely ~ 1445-1406 BC during Israel’s wandering in the wilderness
Time Period: Genesis covers events from beginning of time to Joseph’s death ~1805 BC
Exodus (Ex.)
Author: Traditionally attributed to Moses (Ex. 34:27 & Mk 12:26)
Date: ~mid-1400s BC
Leviticus (Lev.)
Author: Traditionally attributed to Moses.
Date: ~mid-1400s BC
Numbers (Num.)
Author: Traditionally attributed to Moses.
Date: ~mid-1400s BC
Deuteronomy (Deut.)
Author: Traditionally attributed to Moses (Deut. 31:9)
Date: ~mid-1400s BC
Historical Books
Joshua (Josh.)
Author: attributed to Joshua except for the final five verses describing his death (Josh. 24:29-33)
Date: ~1375 BC
Judges (Judg.)
Author: unknown, possibly the prophet Samuel
Date: Written ~1050 BC but cover events back to 1375 BC
Ruth
Author: unknown, possibly the prophet Samuel
Date: Most likely ~1100 BC as Ruth is the great grandmother of King David (who reigned ~1010-970 BC)
1 Samuel (1 Sam.)
Author: unknown, Samuel was likely involved
Date: ~1100-1000 BC
2 Samuel (2 Sam.)
Author: unknown, maybe Abiathar the priest (2 Sam. 15:35)
Date: ~1100-1000 BC
1 Kings
Author: unknown, maybe Jeremiah
Date: Probably written sometime after the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem ~586. Covers events from 970-850 BC.
2 Kings
Author: unknown, maybe Jeremiah
Date: Probably written sometime after the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem ~586. Covers events from ~800 – 500BC.
1 Chronicles (1 Chr.)
Author: attributed to Ezra the priest
Date: Covers ~ 1010 BC (death of King Saul) – 970 BC (death of King David)
2 Chronicles (2 Chr.)
Author: attributed to Ezra the priest
Date: Covers ~ 970 BC (accession of King Solomon) – 500 BC (Jewish return to Jerusalem from exile)
Ezra
Author: attributed to Ezra the priest (Ezra 7:11)
Date: ~530 – mid 400s BC
Nehemiah (Neh.)
Author: Nehemiah 1:1 states these are “the words of Nehemiah”, though Jewish tradition states Ezra wrote them.
Date: ~445 BC
Esther (Esth.)
Author: unknown, maybe Ezra or Nehemiah
Date: ~486 – 465 BC (reign of King Ahasuerus of Persia. Ezra became queen ~479 BC)
Poetry & Wisdom
Job
Author: unknown
Date: unknown, though it is believed to be one of the oldest books of the Bible, maybe even ~2000 BC
Psalms (Ps.)
Author: mostly King David. Also Solomon, Moses, Asaph, Ethan, sons of Korah, and others unauthored
Date: ~1400 (Moses’ time) BC – 500 BC (time of the Babylonian Exile)
Proverbs (Prov.)
Author: mostly Solomon (Prov. 1:1, 22:17). Also Agur (Prov. 30:1) & King Lemuel (Prov. 31:1).
Date: ~970 – 930 BC the reign of Solomon
Ecclesiastes (Ecc.)
Author: Likely Solomon (Ecc. 1:1, 1:12, 1:16)
Date: ~900s BC
Song of Solomon (Song)
Author: Solomon (Song 1:1)
Date: 970-930 BC
Major Prophets
Isaiah (Isa.)
Author: Isaiah, son of Amoz (Isa. 1:1)
Date: ~740-700 BC the year King Uzziah died (Isa. 6:1)
Jeremiah (Jer.)
Author: Jeremiah (Jer. 1:1) with the assistance of scribe Baruch (Jer. 36:4)
Date: ~585 BC
Lamentations (Lam.)
Author: traditionally attributed to Jeremiah
Date: ~586 BC probably after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians
Ezekiel (Ezek.)
Author: Ezekiel the priest (Ezek. 1:1-3)
Date: ~586 BC probably after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians
Daniel (Dan.)
Author: Most likely Daniel
Date: ~605 – 538 BC, the period of Babylonian captivity
Minor Prophets
Hosea (Hos.)
Author: Most likely Hosea
Date: ~750 – 722 BC, sometime between when Hosea began ministering and when Assyria overran Israel
Joel
Author: Joel, son of Pethuel (Joel 1:1)
Date: unclear but possibly 586 BC, just before the Babylonian invasion of Judah
Amos
Author: Amos, a shepherd from Tekoa near Bethlehem (Amos 1:1)
Date: ~760s BC
Obadiah (Ob.)
Author: Obadiah which could be the name or a title for a prophet, as Obadiah means “servant of God”.
Date: unclear but likely within 30 years after the Babylonian invasion of Juda in 586 BC
Jonah
Author: unclear
Date: ~760 BC, during the reign of Israel’s King Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14:23-25) who ruled from 793 – 753 BC
Micah
Author: Micah (Micah 1:1)
Date: ~700 BC
Nahum (Nah.)
Author: Nahum (Nah 1:1)
Date: ~663 – 612 BC
Habakkuk (Hab.)
Author: Habakkuk (Hab. 1:1)
Date: ~600 BC
Zephaniah (Zeph.)
Author: Zephaniah (Zeph. 1:1)
Date: ~640 – 620 BC, during the reign of King Josiah (Zeph. 1:1)
Haggai (Hag.)
Author: Haggai (Hag. 1:1)
Date: 520 BC (Hag. 1:1)
Zechariah (Zech.)
Author: Zechariah (Zech. 1:1)
Date: ~520 – 475 BC
Malachi (Mal.)
Author: Malachi (Mal. 1:1)
Date: ~450 BC
NEW TESTAMENT
Gospels
Matthew (Matt.)
Author: Matthew, a tax collector (Matt. 9:9); AKA Levi (Mark 2:14)
Date: ~AD 70 when Romans destroyed the temple in Jerusalem
Mark
Author: John Mark, a missionary and companion of Paul and Barnabas (Acts 12:25) and an associate of the apostle Peter (1 Peter 5:13)
Date: ~AD 60s during the Roman persecution of the Christians
Luke
Author: Luke, a Gentile physician (Col. 4:14) and a missionary companion of the apostle Paul (2 Tim. 4:11)
Date: ~AD 70s – 80s as the gospel was spreading throughout the Roman Empire
John
Author: John (John 21:7), brother of James and son of Zebedee (Matt 4:21)
Date: ~AD 90s, as the lost Gospel written
History
Acts
Author: attributed to Luke, a Gentile physician (Col. 4:14) and a missionary companion of the apostle Paul (2 Tim. 4:11)
Date: ~AD 62 – 80 but covers events from AD 30s-60s
Letters of Paul
Romans (Rom.)
Author: The apostle Paul (Rom. 1:1) with the secretarial assistance of Tertius (Rom. 16:22)
Date: ~AD 57, near the conclusion of Paul’s third missionary journey
1 Corinthians (1 Cor.)
Author: The apostle Paul with the assistance of Sosthenes (1 Cor. 1:1)
Date: ~AD 55 – 57
2 Corinthians (2 Cor.)
Author: The apostle Paul with the assistance of Timothy (2 Cor. 1:1)
Date: ~AD 55 – 57, shortly after 1 Cor.
Galatians (Gal.)
Author: The apostle Paul
Date: ~AD 49, one of Paul’s earliest letters
Ephesians (Eph.)
Author: The apostle Paul (Eph. 1:1)
Date: ~AD 62, toward the end of Paul’s life
Philippians (Phil.)
Author: The apostle Paul, along with Timothy (Phil. 1:1)
Date: ~60s AD
Colossians (Col.)
Author: The apostle Paul, along with Timothy (Col. 1:1)
Date: ~60s AD
1 Thessalonians (1 Th.)
Author: The apostle Paul, along with Silvanus AKA. Silas, and Timothy (1 Th. 1:1)
Date: ~early 50s AD, perhaps Paul’s earliest letters
2 Thessalonians (2 Th.)
Author: The apostle Paul, along with Silvanus AKA. Silas, and Timothy (2 Th. 1:1)
Date: ~early 50s AD
1 Timothy (1 Tim.)
Author: The apostle Paul (1 Tim. 1:1)
Date: ~AD 63
2 Timothy (2 Tim.)
Author: The apostle Paul (2 Tim. 1:1)
Date: ~mid-60s AD
Titus
Author: The apostle Paul (Titus 1:1)
Date: ~AD 63
Philemon (Philem.)
Author: The apostle Paul (Philem. 1:1)
Date: ~AD 63, when Paul was imprisoned in Rome
General Letters
Hebrews (Heb.)
Author: unknown, possible Paul, Luke, Barnabas, or Apollos
Date: Probably before the destruction of the Jerusalem temple in AD 70, since it contains references to temple sacrifices.
James
Author: James (James 1:1), probably a half-brother of Jesus (Matt 13:55, Mk 6:3)
Date: ~AD 60
1 Peter (1 Pt.)
Author: The apostle Peter (1 Pt. 1:1) with the assistance of Silvanus AKA Silas (1 Pt. 5:12)
Date: ~AD 65
2 Peter (2 Pt.)
Author: The apostle Peter (2 Pt. 1:1)
Date: ~late 60s AD, shortly before Peter’s execution
1 John
Author: traditionally attributed to the apostle John
Date: ~AD 92
2 John
Author: traditionally attributed to the apostle John. The author is identified as “the elder” (2 John 1:1)
Date: ~AD 92
3 John
Author: traditionally attributed to the apostle John. The author is identified as “the elder” (3 John 1:1)
Date: ~AD 92
Jude
Author: Jude (Jude 1:1), possibly Jesus’ half brother (Matt 13:55, Mk 6:3)
Date: ~AD 82
Prophecy
Revelation (Rev.)
Author: John (Rev. 1:1)
Date: ~AD 95
Reference
- Know Your Bible All 66 Books Explained and Applied