Appendix: A Chronological Listing of the Biblical Books
This appendix is for those who might wish to read the biblical books in a chronological order. Some of this is guesswork, of course, especially in the case of the Old Testament works, since some books (e.g., Joel) are not easily dated. Our list is related primarily to their content, not to date of composition — although even in this case some exceptions are made: We have put 1 – 2 Chronicles before Malachi and Ezra-Nehemiah, and the Gospel of John with 1 – 3 John and the Revelation. Moreover, bear in mind that some books overlap each other in ways that a simple chronological listing cannot fully represent (e.g., Daniel and Ezekiel). The OT books that cover various times or contain few specific chronological clues have been grouped separately at the end of the OT list.
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 – 2 Samuel
1 – 2 Kings
Jonah
Amos
Hosea
Isaiah
Micah
Zephaniah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Joel
Jeremiah
Ezekiel
Obadiah
Lamentations
Daniel
Haggai
Zechariah
Esther
1 – 2 Chronicles
Malachi
Ezra- Nehemiah
Job
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Songs
Psalms
Mark
Matthew
Luke
Acts
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
James
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Romans
Colossians
Philemon
Ephesians
Philippians
1 Timothy
Titus
2 Timothy
1 Peter
2 Peter
Jude
Hebrews
1 John
2 John
Gospel of John
3 John
The Revelation