Genesis Genesis speaks of beginnings and is foundational

to the understanding of the rest of the Bible. It is

supremely a book that speaks about
relationships, highlighting those between God
and his creation, between God and humankind,
and between human beings.

Exodus Exodus describes the history of the Israelites

leaving Egypt after slavery. The book lays a
foundational theology in which God reveals his
name, his attributes, his redemption, his law and
how he is to be worshiped.

Leviticus Leviticus receives its name from the Septuagint

(the pre-Christian Greek translation of the Old
Testament) and means "concerning the Levites"
(the priests of Israel). It serves as a manual of
regulations enabling the holy King to set up his
earthly throne among the people of his kingdom.
It explains how they are to be his holy people and
to worship him in a holy manner.

Numbers Numbers relates the story of Israel's journey from

Mount Sinai to the plains of Moab on the border
of Canaan. The book tells of the murmuring and
rebellion of God's people and of their subsequent
judgment.

Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy ("repetition of the Law") serves as
a reminder to God's people about His covenant.
The book is a "pause" before Joshua's conquest
begins and a reminder of what God required.

Joshua
Joshua is a story of conquest and fulfillment for
the people of God. After many years of slavery in
Egypt and 40 years in the desert, the Israelites
were finally allowed to enter the land promised
to their fathers.

Judges The book of Judges depicts the life of Israel in the

Promised Land—from the death of Joshua to the
rise of the monarchy. It tells of urgent appeals to
God in times of crisis and apostasy, moving the
Lord to raise up leaders (judges) through whom
He throws off foreign oppressors and restores the
 land to peace.

Ruth The book of Ruth has been called one of the best
examples of short narrative ever written. It
presents an account of the remnant of true faith
and piety in the period of the judges through the
fall and restoration of Naomi and her daughter-
in-law Ruth (an ancestor of King David and Jesus).

Samuel relates God's establishment of a political

1 Samuel system in Israel headed by a human king.
Through Samuel's life, we see the rise of the
monarchy and the tragedy of its first king, Saul.

2 Samuel After the failure of King Saul, 2 Samuel depicts

David as a true (though imperfect) representative
of the ideal theocratic king. Under David's rule
the Lord caused the nation to prosper, to defeat
its enemies, and to realize the fulfillment of His
promises.

1 Kings 1 Kings continues the account of the monarchy in

Israel and God's involvement through the
prophets. After David, his son Solomon ascends
the throne of a united kingdom, but this unity
only lasts during his reign. The book explores how
each subsequent king in Israel and Judah answers
God's call—or, as often happens, fails to listen.

2 Kings 2 Kings carries the historical account of Judah and

Israel forward. The kings of each nation are
judged in light of their obedience to the covenant
with God. Ultimately, the people of both nations
are exiled for disobedience.

1 Chronicles Just as the author of Kings had organized and

interpreted Israel's history to address the needs
of the exiled community, so the writer of 1
Chronicles wrote for the restored community
another history.

2 Chronicles 2 Chronicles continues the account of Israel's

history with an eye for restoration of those who
had returned from exile.

Ezra The book of Ezra relates how God's covenant

people were restored from Babylonian exile to
 the covenant land as a theocratic (kingdom of
God) community even while continuing under
foreign rule.

Nehemiah Closely related to the book of Ezra, Nehemiah

chronicles the return of this "cupbearer to the
king" and the challenges he and the other
Israelites face in their restored homeland.

Esther Esther records the institution of the annual

festival of Purim through the historical account of
Esther, a Jewish girl who becomes queen of
Persia and saves her people from destruction.

Job Through a series of monologues, the book of Job

relates the account of a righteous man who
suffers under terrible circumstances. The book's
profound insights, its literary structures, and the
quality of its rhetoric display the author's genius.

Psalms The Psalms are collected songs and poems that

represent centuries worth of praises and prayers
to God on a number of themes and
circumstances. The Psalms are impassioned, vivid
and concrete; they are rich in images, in simile
and metaphor.

Proverbs Proverbs was written to give "prudence to the

simple, knowledge and discretion to the young,"
and to make the wise even wiser. The frequent
references to "my son(s)" emphasize instructing
the young and guiding them in a way of life that
yields rewarding results.

Ecclesiastes The author of Ecclesiastes puts his powers of

wisdom to work to examine the human
experience and assess the human situation. His
perspective is limited to what happens "under
the sun" (as is that of all human teachers).

Song of Songs In ancient Israel everything human came to

expression in words: reverence, gratitude, anger,
sorrow, suffering, trust, friendship, commitment.
In the Song of Solomon, it is love that finds
words–inspired words that disclose its exquisite
charm and beauty as one of God's choicest gifts.
Isaiah Isaiah son of Amoz is often thought of as the
greatest of the writing prophets. His name means
"The Lord saves." Isaiah is a book that unveils the
full dimensions of God's judgment and salvation.

Jeremiah
This book preserves an account of the prophetic
ministry of Jeremiah, whose personal life and
struggles are shown to us in greater depth and
detail than those of any other Old Testament
prophet.

Lamentations Lamentations consists of a series of poetic and

powerful laments over the destruction of
Jerusalem (the royal city of the Lord's kingdom) in
586 B.C.

Ezekiel The Old Testament in general and the prophets in

particular presuppose and teach God's
sovereignty over all creation and the course of
history. And nowhere in the Bible are God's
initiative and control expressed more clearly and
pervasively than in the book of the prophet
Ezekiel.

Daniel Daniel captures the major events in the life of the

prophet Daniel during Israel's exile. His life and
visions point to God's plans of redemption and
sovereign control of history.

Hosea The prophet Hosea son of Beeri lived in the tragic

final days of the northern kingdom. His life served
as a parable of God's faithfulness to an unfaithful
Israel.

Joel The prophet Joel warned the people of Judah

about God's coming judgment—and the coming
restoration and blessing that will come through
repentance.

Amos Amos prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah over

Judah (792-740 B.C.) and Jeroboam II over Israel
(793-753).

Obadiah The prophet Obadiah warned the proud people

of Edom about the impending judgment coming
upon them.
Jonah Jonah is unusual as a prophetic book in that it is a
narrative account of Jonah's mission to the city of
Nineveh, his resistance, his imprisonment in a
great fish, his visit to the city, and the subsequent
outcome.

Micah Micah prophesied sometime between 750 and

686 B.C. during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and
Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Israel was in an
apostate condition. Micah predicted the fall of
her capital, Samaria, and also foretold the
inevitable desolation of Judah.

Nahum The book contains the "vision of Nahum," whose

name means "comfort." The focal point of the
entire book is the Lord's judgment on Nineveh for
her oppression, cruelty, idolatry, and wickedness.

Habakkuk Little is known about Habakkuk except that he

was a contemporary of Jeremiah and a man of
vigorous faith. The book bearing his name
contains a dialogue between the prophet and
God concerning injustice and suffering.

Zephaniah The prophet Zephaniah was evidently a person of

considerable social standing in Judah and was
probably related to the royal line. The intent of
the author was to announce to Judah God's
approaching judgment.

Haggai Haggai was a prophet who, along with Zechariah,

encouraged the returned exiles to rebuild the
temple. His prophecies clearly show the
consequences of disobedience. When the people
give priority to God and his house, they are
blessed.

Zechariah Like Jeremiah and Ezekiel, Zechariah was not only

a prophet, but also a member of a priestly family.
The chief purpose of Zechariah (and Haggai) was
to rebuke the people of Judah and to encourage
and motivate them to complete the rebuilding of
the temple.

Malachi Malachi, whose name means "my messenger,"

spoke to the Israelites after their return from
 exile. The theological message of the book can be
summed up in one sentence: The Great King will
come not only to judge his people, but also to
bless and restore them.

NEW TESTAMENTS

Matthew Matthew's main purpose in writing his Gospel

(the "good news") is to prove to his Jewish
readers that Jesus is their Messiah. He does this
primarily by showing how Jesus in his life and
ministry fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures.

Mark Since Mark's Gospel (the "good news") is

traditionally associated with Rome, it may have
been occasioned by the persecutions of the
Roman church in the period c. A.D. 64-67. Mark
may be writing to prepare his readers for such
suffering by placing before them the life of our
Lord.

Luke Luke's Gospel (the "good news") was written to

strengthen the faith of all believers and to
answer the attacks of unbelievers. It was
presented to debunk some disconnected and ill-
founded reports about Jesus. Luke wanted to
show that the place of the Gentile (non-Jewish)
Christian in God's kingdom is based on the
teaching of Jesus.

John John's Gospel (the "good news") is rather

different from the other three, highlighting
events not detailed in the others. The author
himself states his main purpose clearly in 20:31:
"that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God, and that by believing you may have
life in his name."

Acts The book of Acts provides a bridge for the

writings of the New Testament. As a second
volume to Luke's Gospel, it joins what Jesus
"began to do and to teach" as told in the Gospels
with what he continued to do and teach through
the apostles' preaching and the establishment of
the church.
Romans Paul's primary theme in Romans is presenting the
gospel (the "good news"), God's plan of salvation
and righteousness for all humankind, Jew and
non-Jew alike.

1 Corinthians The first letter to the Corinthians revolves around

the theme of problems in Christian conduct in the
church. It thus has to do with progressive
sanctification, the continuing development of a
holy character. Obviously Paul was personally
concerned with the Corinthians' problems,
revealing a true pastor's (shepherd's) heart.

2 Corinthians Because of the occasion that prompted this

letter, Paul had a number of purposes in mind: to
express the comfort and joy Paul felt because the
Corinthians had responded favorably to his
painful letter; to let them know about the trouble
he went through in the province of Asia; and to
explain to them the true nature (its joys,
sufferings and rewards) and high calling of
Christian ministry.

Galatians Galatians stands as an eloquent and vigorous

apologetic for the essential New Testament truth
that people are justified by faith in Jesus Christ—
by nothing less and nothing more—and that they
are sanctified not by legalistic works but by the
obedience that comes from faith in God's work
for them.

Ephesians Unlike several of the other letters Paul wrote,

Ephesians does not address any particular error
or heresy. Paul wrote to expand the horizons of
his readers, so that they might understand better
the dimensions of God's eternal purpose and
grace and come to appreciate the high goals God
has for the church.

Philippians Paul's primary purpose in writing this letter was

to thank the Philippians for the gift they had sent
him upon learning of his detention at Rome.
However, he makes use of this occasion to fulfill
several other desires: (1) to report on his own
circumstances; (2) to encourage the Philippians
to stand firm in the face of persecution and
rejoice regardless of circumstances; and (3) to
 exhort them to humility and unity.

Colossians Paul's purpose is to refute the Colossian heresy.

To accomplish this goal, he exalts Christ as the
very image of God, the Creator, the preexistent
sustainer of all things, the head of the church, the
first to be resurrected, the fullness of deity (God)
in bodily form, and the reconciler.

1 Thessalonians Although the thrust of the letter is varied, the

subject of eschatology (doctrine of last things)
seems to be predominant in both Thessalonian
letters. Every chapter of 1 Thessalonians ends
with a reference to the second coming of Christ.

2 Thessalonians Since the situation in the Thessalonian church has

not changed substantially, Paul's purpose in
writing is very much the same as in his first letter
to them. He writes (1) to encourage persecuted
believers, (2) to correct a misunderstanding
concerning the Lord's return, and (3) to exhort
the Thessalonians to be steadfast and to work for
a living.

1 Timothy During his fourth missionary journey, Paul had

instructed Timothy to care for the church at
Ephesus while he went on to Macedonia. When
he realized that he might not return to Ephesus in
the near future, he wrote this first letter to
Timothy to develop the charge he had given his
young assistant. This is the first of the "Pastoral
Epistles."

2 Timothy Paul was concerned about the welfare of the

churches during this time of persecution under
Nero, and he admonishes Timothy to guard the
gospel, to persevere in it, to keep on preaching it,
and, if necessary, to suffer for it. This is the
second "Pastoral Epistle."

Titus Apparently Paul introduced Christianity in Crete

when he and Titus visited the island, after which
he left Titus there to organize the converts. Paul
sent the letter with Zenas and Apollos, who were
on a journey that took them through Crete, to
give Titus personal authorization and guidance in
meeting opposition, instructions about faith and
 conduct, and warnings about false teachers. This
is the last of the "Pastoral Epistles."

Philemon To win Philemon's willing acceptance of the

runaway slave Onesimus, Paul writes very
tactfully and in a lighthearted tone, which he
creates with wordplay. The appeal is organized in
a way prescribed by ancient Greek and Roman
teachers: to build rapport, to persuade the mind,
and to move the emotions.

Hebrews
The theme of Hebrews is the absolute supremacy
and sufficiency of Jesus Christ as revealer and as
mediator of God's grace. A striking feature of this
presentation of the gospel is the unique manner
in which the author employs expositions of eight
specific passages of the Old Testament
Scriptures.

James Characteristics that make the letter distinctive

are: (1) its unmistakably Jewish nature; (2) its
emphasis on vital Christianity, characterized by
good deeds and a faith that works (genuine faith
must and will be accompanied by a consistent
lifestyle); (3) its simple organization; (4) and its
familiarity with Jesus' teachings preserved in the
Sermon on the Mount.

1 Peter Although 1 Peter is a short letter, it touches on

various doctrines and has much to say about
Christian life and duties. It is not surprising that
different readers have found it to have different
principal themes. For example, it has been
characterized as a letter of separation, of
suffering and persecution, of suffering and glory,
of hope, of pilgrimage, of courage, and as a letter
dealing with the true grace of God.

2 Peter In his first letter Peter feeds Christ's sheep by

instructing them how to deal with persecution
from outside the church; in this second letter he
teaches them how to deal with false teachers and
evildoers who have come into the church.

1 John John's readers were confronted with an early

form of Gnostic teaching of the Cerinthian
 variety. This heresy was also libertine, throwing
off all moral restraints. Consequently, John wrote
this letter with two basic purposes in mind: (1) to
expose false teachers and (2) to give believers
assurance of salvation.

2 John During the first two centuries the gospel was

taken from place to place by traveling evangelists
and teachers. Believers customarily took these
missionaries into their homes and gave them
provisions for their journey when they left. Since
Gnostic teachers also relied on this practice, 2
John was written to urge discernment in
supporting traveling teachers

3 John Itinerant teachers sent out by John were rejected

in one of the churches in the province of Asia by a
dictatorial leader, Diotrephes, who even
excommunicated members who showed
hospitality to John's messengers. John wrote this
letter to commend Gaius for supporting the
teachers and, indirectly, to warn Diotrephes.

Jude Although Jude was very eager to write to his

readers about salvation, he felt that he must
instead warn them about certain immoral men
circulating among them who were perverting the
grace of God. Apparently these false teachers
were trying to convince believers that being
saved by grace gave them license to sin since
their sins would no longer be held against them.

Revelation John writes to encourage the faithful to resist

staunchly the demands of emperor worship. He
informs his readers that the final showdown
between God and Satan is imminent. Satan will
increase his persecution of believers, but they
must stand fast, even to death. They are sealed
against any spiritual harm and will soon be
vindicated when Christ returns, when the wicked
are forever destroyed, and when God's people
enter an eternity of glory and blessedness.

OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS: https://www.pleacher.com/forwards/religion/biblelst.pdf