Whole-Bible reference
Bible timeline
All 66 books of the Bible on one timeline, each shown over the span of history it covers and coloured by its division, from the patriarchs to the early church.
How to read this
Each bar is one book, placed over the stretch of history it covers, and coloured by its division. Hover or tap a bar (or open the table) for its dates. Genesis and Exodus link to their full studies.
Dates are approximate and follow the traditional chronology used across this site (Abraham c. 2000 BC, the exodus 1446 BC). The bars show the time each book covers, not when it was written; for the wisdom books and the epistles, which do not narrate a span, the bar marks the period the book belongs to. The New Testament is compressed at the right because it all falls within a single century after millennia of Old Testament history.
The books of the Bible over time
The Law (Pentateuch)HistoryWisdom & PoetryProphetsGospels & ActsEpistlesApocalypticUncertain / debated date
View the same data as a table
| Book | Division | Timeframe covered | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genesis | The Law (Pentateuch) | Creation – c. 1805 BC | Also covers the undated primeval history (creation, flood, Babel) before the window shown. |
| Exodus | The Law (Pentateuch) | c. 1876–1446 BC | Israel's growth and slavery in Egypt through the exodus and Sinai. |
| Leviticus | The Law (Pentateuch) | c. 1446 BC | Law given at Sinai over about a month. |
| Numbers | The Law (Pentateuch) | c. 1446–1406 BC | The wilderness wanderings. |
| Deuteronomy | The Law (Pentateuch) | c. 1406 BC | Moses' final addresses on the plains of Moab. |
| Joshua | History | c. 1406–1375 BC | The conquest and division of Canaan. |
| Judges | History | c. 1375–1050 BC | The cycles of the judges. |
| Ruth | History | During the judges, c. 1100 BC | |
| 1 Samuel | History | c. 1100–1010 BC | Samuel, Saul, and the young David. |
| 2 Samuel | History | c. 1010–970 BC | The reign of David. |
| 1 Kings | History | c. 970–853 BC | Solomon to the divided kingdom and Elijah. |
| 2 Kings | History | c. 853–560 BC | The kingdoms' decline to the exile. |
| 1 Chronicles | History | c. 1010–970 BC | Retells David's reign (written c. 430 BC). |
| 2 Chronicles | History | c. 970–538 BC | Solomon to the decree of return. |
| Ezra | History | c. 538–457 BC | The return from exile and rebuilding. |
| Nehemiah | History | c. 445–432 BC | Rebuilding Jerusalem's walls. |
| Esther | History | c. 483–473 BC | Israel in the Persian court under Xerxes. |
| Job | Wisdom & Poetry | Patriarchal age, c. 2000 BC | Setting is debated. |
| Psalms | Wisdom & Poetry | Written c. 1010–430 BC | A collection spanning centuries. |
| Proverbs | Wisdom & Poetry | c. 950–700 BC | Chiefly Solomon; collected over time. |
| Ecclesiastes | Wisdom & Poetry | c. 940 BC | Attributed to Solomon. |
| Song of Solomon | Wisdom & Poetry | c. 960 BC | Attributed to Solomon. |
| Isaiah | Prophets | c. 740–680 BC | |
| Jeremiah | Prophets | c. 627–580 BC | |
| Lamentations | Prophets | c. 586 BC | Written over the fall of Jerusalem. |
| Ezekiel | Prophets | c. 593–570 BC | Prophet of the exile in Babylon. |
| Daniel | Prophets | c. 605–536 BC | The Babylonian and Persian exile. |
| Hosea | Prophets | c. 750–715 BC | |
| Joel | Prophets | c. 835 BC | Date is debated. |
| Amos | Prophets | c. 760 BC | |
| Obadiah | Prophets | c. 586 BC | |
| Jonah | Prophets | c. 760 BC | |
| Micah | Prophets | c. 735–700 BC | |
| Nahum | Prophets | c. 650–630 BC | |
| Habakkuk | Prophets | c. 605 BC | |
| Zephaniah | Prophets | c. 630 BC | |
| Haggai | Prophets | 520 BC | |
| Zechariah | Prophets | c. 520–480 BC | |
| Malachi | Prophets | c. 430 BC | The last Old Testament prophet. |
| Matthew | Gospels & Acts | c. 4 BC–AD 33 | The life of Christ. |
| Mark | Gospels & Acts | AD 27–33 | The ministry of Christ. |
| Luke | Gospels & Acts | c. 4 BC–AD 33 | The life of Christ. |
| John | Gospels & Acts | AD 27–33 | The ministry of Christ. |
| Acts | Gospels & Acts | AD 30–62 | The early church, from Pentecost to Paul in Rome. |
| Romans | Epistles | c. AD 57 | |
| 1 Corinthians | Epistles | c. AD 55 | |
| 2 Corinthians | Epistles | c. AD 56 | |
| Galatians | Epistles | c. AD 49 | |
| Ephesians | Epistles | c. AD 62 | |
| Philippians | Epistles | c. AD 62 | |
| Colossians | Epistles | c. AD 62 | |
| 1 Thessalonians | Epistles | c. AD 51 | |
| 2 Thessalonians | Epistles | c. AD 51 | |
| 1 Timothy | Epistles | c. AD 63 | |
| 2 Timothy | Epistles | c. AD 67 | |
| Titus | Epistles | c. AD 63 | |
| Philemon | Epistles | c. AD 62 | |
| Hebrews | Epistles | c. AD 67 | |
| James | Epistles | c. AD 47 | |
| 1 Peter | Epistles | c. AD 63 | |
| 2 Peter | Epistles | c. AD 66 | |
| 1 John | Epistles | c. AD 90 | |
| 2 John | Epistles | c. AD 90 | |
| 3 John | Epistles | c. AD 90 | |
| Jude | Epistles | c. AD 68 | |
| Revelation | Apocalyptic | c. AD 95 | Addresses the present and the future consummation. |