Understanding the Bible can be daunting. We often look up books of the Bible from the Table of Contents, but may not understand how those books fit into the bigger story of the Bible. Well this is the place for you!

Below is a brief narrative of how the books of the Bible line up with the full story of the Bible. This is key to understanding the Context, History and Authors of the passages you’re reading. But before we get there, let’s back up to make sure we outline how the Bible is laid out.

The Bible is divided into two main parts, the Old Testament and the New Testament. In simple terms the, the Old Testament tells the story of God’s people, Israel, leading up to Jesus Christ. And the New Testament tells of Jesus’ life and ministry and the early church.

Within the two main sections, the Old and New Testament, we find four subcategories within each. Take a look…

The Layout of the Bible

While the Bible is in “order” by timeline, starting with the beginning in Genesis and ending in Revelation, it isn’t 100% in chronological order throughout the middle. Books overlap each other and can often cover the same time period from different perspectives. For example, the book of Psalms, which are collected and grouped in the center of the Bible, actually spans the entire Old Testament.

For those interested in reading the Bible in chronological order, there are specific chronological Bibles, or reading plans available on the YouVersion Bible App or we feature a physical copy on our Recommended Resources page.

You may have questions along the way as you read the Bible. But don’t get discouraged. We’re here as a support to you. Reach out to The Chara Project team at hello@thecharaproject.com at any point to ask questions or share what you’re learning. You have a community of people cheering you on as you discover the Bible!