Question 1

Who wrote the Bible?

Accepted Answer

The Bible was written by many people over many centuries - kings and prophets, priests and fishermen - and Scripture says the writers were moved by God: "holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (2 Peter 1:21). 43 of its 66 books name their writer, 16 are credited by Jewish or Christian tradition, and 7 are anonymous.

Question 2

Who wrote the book of Genesis?

Accepted Answer

Jewish and Christian tradition credits Moses with writing Genesis, the first of the five books of the Law, though Genesis itself never names its author.

Question 3

Who wrote the book of Exodus?

Accepted Answer

Moses. Exodus records that Moses wrote down the words of the LORD, and Jesus quoted Exodus as "the book of Moses."

Question 4

Who wrote the book of Leviticus?

Accepted Answer

Tradition credits Moses with Leviticus. The book does not say who wrote it down, but nearly all of it is presented as words the LORD spoke to Moses.

Question 5

Who wrote the book of Numbers?

Accepted Answer

Moses. Numbers says Moses recorded Israel's journeys in the wilderness, and tradition credits him with the whole book.

Question 6

Who wrote the book of Deuteronomy?

Accepted Answer

Moses. Deuteronomy says Moses wrote this law in a book and gave it to the priests; the account of his death in the final chapter was added by another hand, traditionally Joshua.

Question 7

Who wrote the book of Joshua?

Accepted Answer

Tradition credits Joshua with most of the book. The text says Joshua wrote words in the book of the law of God, and the closing verses about his death were added after him.

Question 8

Who wrote the book of Judges?

Accepted Answer

The book of Judges does not name its author. Jewish tradition credits the prophet Samuel.

Question 9

Who wrote the book of Ruth?

Accepted Answer

The book of Ruth does not name its author. Jewish tradition credits the prophet Samuel.

Question 10

Who wrote the book of 1 Samuel?

Accepted Answer

1 Samuel does not name its author. Tradition credits Samuel with the early chapters and the prophets Nathan and Gad with the rest, since Samuel dies in chapter 25.

Question 11

Who wrote the book of 2 Samuel?

Accepted Answer

2 Samuel does not name its author. Tradition credits the prophets Nathan and Gad, who recorded the acts of David.

Question 12

Who wrote the book of 1 Kings?

Accepted Answer

1 Kings does not name its author. Jewish tradition credits Jeremiah; the writer cites the royal records he worked from.

Question 13

Who wrote the book of 2 Kings?

Accepted Answer

2 Kings does not name its author. Jewish tradition credits Jeremiah; it was one book with 1 Kings and draws on the royal chronicles it names.

Question 14

Who wrote the book of 1 Chronicles?

Accepted Answer

1 Chronicles does not name its author. Jewish tradition credits Ezra the scribe, writing after the return from exile.

Question 15

Who wrote the book of 2 Chronicles?

Accepted Answer

2 Chronicles does not name its author. Jewish tradition credits Ezra the scribe; it ends with Cyrus's decree that let the exiles go home.

Question 16

Who wrote the book of Ezra?

Accepted Answer

Ezra, the priest and scribe. From chapter 7 the book speaks in Ezra's own voice, and tradition credits him with the whole of it.

Question 17

Who wrote the book of Nehemiah?

Accepted Answer

Nehemiah. The book opens "The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah" and is told largely in his own first-person voice.

Question 18

Who wrote the book of Esther?

Accepted Answer

The author of Esther is unknown. Some traditions suggest Mordecai, who the book says wrote letters about the feast of Purim, but it never says he wrote the book.

Question 19

Who wrote the book of Job?

Accepted Answer

The author of Job is unknown. Its setting is ancient, in the age of the patriarchs, and suggestions have ranged from Moses to Job himself.

Question 20

Who wrote the book of Psalms?

Accepted Answer

Many writers. David wrote about half of the 150 psalms; others are credited to Asaph, the sons of Korah, Solomon, Moses (Psalm 90), Heman and Ethan, and about fifty are anonymous.

Question 21

Who wrote the book of Proverbs?

Accepted Answer

Mostly Solomon. Proverbs names Solomon, with collections from Agur and King Lemuel at the end, and some of Solomon's proverbs copied out by the men of King Hezekiah.

Question 22

Who wrote the book of Ecclesiastes?

Accepted Answer

"The Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem" - traditionally identified as Solomon, the only son of David who reigned over all Israel from Jerusalem.

Question 23

Who wrote the book of Song of Solomon?

Accepted Answer

Solomon. The book opens "The song of songs, which is Solomon's," and Solomon is said to have written over a thousand songs.

Question 24

Who wrote the book of Isaiah?

Accepted Answer

The prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz. The book names him, and the New Testament quotes both the first and second halves of Isaiah as the words of Isaiah (Esaias).

Question 25

Who wrote the book of Jeremiah?

Accepted Answer

The prophet Jeremiah, who dictated his words to his scribe Baruch.

Question 26

Who wrote the book of Lamentations?

Accepted Answer

Lamentations does not name its author. Tradition credits Jeremiah, who saw the fall of Jerusalem, and the book follows his in our Bibles.

Question 27

Who wrote the book of Ezekiel?

Accepted Answer

The prophet Ezekiel, a priest among the exiles in Babylon. The book is written in his first-person voice.

Question 28

Who wrote the book of Daniel?

Accepted Answer

Daniel. The second half of the book is written in Daniel's own voice, and Jesus referred to "Daniel the prophet."

Question 29

Who wrote the book of Hosea?

Accepted Answer

The prophet Hosea, the son of Beeri.

Question 30

Who wrote the book of Joel?

Accepted Answer

The prophet Joel, the son of Pethuel.

Question 31

Who wrote the book of Amos?

Accepted Answer

Amos, a herdsman from Tekoa whom God called to prophesy.

Question 32

Who wrote the book of Obadiah?

Accepted Answer

The prophet Obadiah. Nothing else is known about him.

Question 33

Who wrote the book of Jonah?

Accepted Answer

Tradition credits the prophet Jonah himself, though the book tells his story in the third person and does not name its writer.

Question 34

Who wrote the book of Micah?

Accepted Answer

The prophet Micah of Moresheth.

Question 35

Who wrote the book of Nahum?

Accepted Answer

The prophet Nahum the Elkoshite.

Question 36

Who wrote the book of Habakkuk?

Accepted Answer

The prophet Habakkuk.

Question 37

Who wrote the book of Zephaniah?

Accepted Answer

The prophet Zephaniah, a descendant of King Hezekiah.

Question 38

Who wrote the book of Haggai?

Accepted Answer

The prophet Haggai, who urged the returned exiles to rebuild the temple.

Question 39

Who wrote the book of Zechariah?

Accepted Answer

The prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah.

Question 40

Who wrote the book of Malachi?

Accepted Answer

The prophet Malachi, the last of the Old Testament prophets.

Question 41

Who wrote the book of Matthew?

Accepted Answer

The Gospel does not name its author. Church tradition credits Matthew, the tax collector Jesus called to be one of the twelve apostles.

Question 42

Who wrote the book of Mark?

Accepted Answer

The Gospel does not name its author. Church tradition credits John Mark, a companion of Paul and later of Peter, who calls him "Marcus my son."

Question 43

Who wrote the book of Luke?

Accepted Answer

The Gospel does not name its author, but it is addressed to Theophilus by the same writer as Acts. Tradition credits Luke, the physician who traveled with Paul.

Question 44

Who wrote the book of John?

Accepted Answer

"The disciple whom Jesus loved," who the Gospel says wrote these things. Tradition identifies him as the apostle John, the son of Zebedee.

Question 45

Who wrote the book of Acts?

Accepted Answer

Acts does not name its author, but it is the second volume of the Gospel of Luke, addressed to the same Theophilus. Tradition credits Luke, who joins the story in the "we" passages.

Question 46

Who wrote the book of Romans?

Accepted Answer

The apostle Paul. A scribe named Tertius wrote it down, and greets the readers himself near the end.

Question 47

Who wrote the book of 1 Corinthians?

Accepted Answer

The apostle Paul, with Sosthenes, signing the greeting in his own hand.

Question 48

Who wrote the book of 2 Corinthians?

Accepted Answer

The apostle Paul, with Timothy.

Question 49

Who wrote the book of Galatians?

Accepted Answer

The apostle Paul, who wrote the end of it in large letters with his own hand.

Question 50

Who wrote the book of Ephesians?

Accepted Answer

The apostle Paul, writing as "the prisoner of the Lord."

Question 51

Who wrote the book of Philippians?

Accepted Answer

The apostle Paul, with Timothy.

Question 52

Who wrote the book of Colossians?

Accepted Answer

The apostle Paul, with Timothy, signing it in his own hand.

Question 53

Who wrote the book of 1 Thessalonians?

Accepted Answer

The apostle Paul, with Silas (Silvanus) and Timothy.

Question 54

Who wrote the book of 2 Thessalonians?

Accepted Answer

The apostle Paul, who signed it in his own hand as the mark of a genuine letter.

Question 55

Who wrote the book of 1 Timothy?

Accepted Answer

The apostle Paul, writing to Timothy, "my own son in the faith."

Question 56

Who wrote the book of 2 Timothy?

Accepted Answer

The apostle Paul, writing from prison near the end of his life.

Question 57

Who wrote the book of Titus?

Accepted Answer

The apostle Paul, writing to Titus in Crete.

Question 58

Who wrote the book of Philemon?

Accepted Answer

The apostle Paul, who wrote it in his own hand from prison.

Question 59

Who wrote the book of Hebrews?

Accepted Answer

No one knows. Hebrews never names its author. Paul, Barnabas, Apollos and others have all been suggested; the writer knew Timothy.

Question 60

Who wrote the book of James?

Accepted Answer

James, "a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" - traditionally James the brother of the Lord, leader of the church in Jerusalem.

Question 61

Who wrote the book of 1 Peter?

Accepted Answer

The apostle Peter, with Silvanus (Silas) as his scribe.

Question 62

Who wrote the book of 2 Peter?

Accepted Answer

The apostle Simon Peter, who says he was an eyewitness of the transfiguration.

Question 63

Who wrote the book of 1 John?

Accepted Answer

1 John does not name its author, who writes as an eyewitness of Jesus. Tradition credits the apostle John, writer of the Gospel of John.

Question 64

Who wrote the book of 2 John?

Accepted Answer

"The elder." The letter does not give his name; tradition identifies him as the apostle John.