The Bible has 66 books -- 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. That sounds like a lot, but here is the encouraging part: with a song, a few hand motions, and about ten minutes a day, most kids ages 7-12 can memorize all 66 book names in order within a few weeks. Below you will find every book listed in canonical order, what each one is about in a single kid-friendly line, and a trivia quiz for every single book.
The secret that makes 66 books manageable is that they were never meant to be memorized as one giant stack. The Bible is organized into small groups -- 5 books of Law, 12 of History, 5 of Poetry, 17 of Prophets, then 4 Gospels, 1 book of church history, 21 Letters, and 1 book of Prophecy. A 7-year-old who learns seven small "shelves" instead of one enormous list suddenly finds the whole thing doable. Learn the shelves first, then fill in the books.
How Many Books Are in the Bible?
There are 66 books in the Protestant Bible: 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. A handy way for kids to remember the split: the word "Old" has 3 letters and "Testament" has 9, so the Old Testament has 39 books. "New" has 3 letters and "Testament" has 9, and 3 x 9 = 27 -- the number of New Testament books.
These 66 books were written by about 40 different authors over roughly 1,500 years -- kings, shepherds, fishermen, a doctor, and a tax collector among them. Yet together they tell one connected story: God made the world, people wandered away from Him, and God made a way to bring them back through Jesus.
What Are the Old Testament Books (In Order)?
Here are all 39 Old Testament books in canonical order -- the same order they appear in your Bible. The first 5 are the Law, the next 12 are History, then 5 books of Poetry and Wisdom, 5 Major Prophets, and 12 Minor Prophets.
- Genesis -- Creation, Noah's ark, Abraham, and Joseph
- Exodus -- Moses, the ten plagues, and the Red Sea
- Leviticus -- God's rules for worship and holy living
- Numbers -- 40 years wandering in the wilderness
- Deuteronomy -- Moses' farewell speeches to Israel
- Joshua -- Entering the Promised Land and the walls of Jericho
- Judges -- Deborah, Gideon, and Samson rescue Israel
- Ruth -- A loyal woman becomes King David's great-grandmother
- 1 Samuel -- Israel's first king, and David defeats Goliath
- 2 Samuel -- David becomes king, with triumphs and failures
- 1 Kings -- Wise King Solomon, and the kingdom splits in two
- 2 Kings -- Elisha's miracles and the fall of both kingdoms
- 1 Chronicles -- Israel's story retold, from Adam to David
- 2 Chronicles -- The kings of Judah, from Solomon to exile
- Ezra -- The exiles come home and rebuild the Temple
- Nehemiah -- Rebuilding Jerusalem's walls in just 52 days
- Esther -- A brave queen saves her people
- Job -- Trusting God through terrible suffering
- Psalms -- 150 songs and prayers, many by David
- Proverbs -- Solomon's wise sayings for everyday life
- Ecclesiastes -- Life without God is meaningless; with God it has purpose
- Song of Solomon -- A poem celebrating love as God designed it
- Isaiah -- Warnings of judgment and promises of a coming Savior
- Jeremiah -- The weeping prophet warns Judah for 40 years
- Lamentations -- Sad poems after Jerusalem falls; God's mercies are new every morning
- Ezekiel -- Amazing visions and the promise of new hearts
- Daniel -- The fiery furnace and the lions' den
- Hosea -- A picture of God's relentless love for unfaithful Israel
- Joel -- The Day of the Lord and the promise of God's Spirit
- Amos -- A shepherd calls Israel to justice for the poor
- Obadiah -- The shortest Old Testament book, a warning to Edom
- Jonah -- A runaway prophet, a great fish, and God's mercy
- Micah -- Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God
- Nahum -- The fall of Nineveh, the city Jonah once warned
- Habakkuk -- A prophet asks God hard questions about evil
- Zephaniah -- Judgment is coming, but God rejoices over His people with singing
- Haggai -- Encouragement to finish rebuilding the Temple
- Zechariah -- Visions of the Messiah, riding on a donkey
- Malachi -- The last prophet before 400 years of silence
Tap any book for a kid-friendly trivia quiz on it -- answers included.
What Are the New Testament Books (In Order)?
Here are all 27 New Testament books in canonical order: 4 Gospels, the book of Acts, 13 letters from Paul, 8 general letters, and Revelation.
- Matthew -- Jesus is the promised King; the Sermon on the Mount
- Mark -- The shortest, fastest-paced Gospel
- Luke -- A doctor's detailed account; Jesus loves the outsider
- John -- Jesus is the Son of God; the seven "I am" statements
- Acts -- The Holy Spirit comes and the church begins
- Romans -- Paul explains the gospel of grace
- 1 Corinthians -- Fixing church problems; the famous love chapter
- 2 Corinthians -- God's power is made perfect in weakness
- Galatians -- Saved by faith in Jesus, not by following rules
- Ephesians -- One church, one body, and the armor of God
- Philippians -- A joyful letter written from prison
- Colossians -- Jesus is supreme over all creation
- 1 Thessalonians -- Hope in Jesus' return
- 2 Thessalonians -- Keep working faithfully while you wait
- 1 Timothy -- Paul coaches young Timothy on leading a church
- 2 Timothy -- Paul's final letter: fight the good fight
- Titus -- Organizing churches on the island of Crete
- Philemon -- A plea to forgive and welcome back Onesimus
- Hebrews -- Jesus is greater than everything that came before
- James -- Faith without deeds is dead
- 1 Peter -- Courage for Christians who are suffering
- 2 Peter -- Watch out for false teachers
- 1 John -- God is love, so love one another
- 2 John -- Walk in truth and love
- 3 John -- The shortest book in the Bible, about hospitality
- Jude -- Contend for the faith against false teaching
- Revelation -- John's visions of Jesus' victory and a new heaven and earth
Tap any book for a kid-friendly trivia quiz on it -- answers included.
If small hands need something to do while you read, the free journey to Bethlehem coloring page is made for exactly that.
How Do Kids Memorize the Books of the Bible?
Sing them. Music is by far the fastest route into a child's memory. There are dozens of "Books of the Bible" songs online -- pick one your child likes and play it in the car for a week. Most kids absorb the melody (and the book names with it) almost without trying.
Learn the shelves, then the books. Do not start with book 1 and grind to book 66. Teach the group names first: Law, History, Poetry, Prophets, Gospels, Letters, Revelation. Then memorize one group at a time -- five Law books this week, twelve History books over the next two weeks. Every group is a small, winnable challenge. A printable books of the Bible chart helps kids see the shelves at a glance.
Add hand motions. Give each group a gesture kids can feel: hands held up like stone tablets for Law, marching feet for History, hands over the heart for Poetry, a hand shading the eyes (looking ahead) for Prophets, an open book for Gospels, a writing motion for Letters, and hands bursting open like fireworks for Revelation. Moving while reciting locks the order into muscle memory. The same memory verse strategies that work for Scripture work for book names too.
Quiz them in the gaps. Car rides and dinner tables are perfect: "What comes after Nehemiah?" "Which shelf is Philippians on?" Small rewards -- a sticker, picking dessert -- keep it a game instead of a chore. Our collection of Bible trivia for kids is full of ready-made questions for those moments.
Connect names to stories. A book name sticks when it means something. That is exactly how Faithful Kids works: short animated video lessons walk kids ages 7-15 through the stories inside every book -- from Genesis to Revelation -- with quizzes and reflections after each episode, so "Exodus" stops being a word on a list and becomes the story of the Red Sea.
What Is Each Group of Books About?
The Law (Genesis-Deuteronomy). The first five books, written by Moses, tell how God created the world, chose Abraham's family, rescued them from slavery in Egypt, and gave them His rules for living. If your child is just starting out, our kid-friendly guides to the book of Genesis and the book of Exodus walk through these foundational stories.
History (Joshua-Esther). These twelve books follow Israel into the Promised Land, through the era of judges and kings, into exile in Babylon, and finally back home again. They are packed with the characters kids love most: Joshua, Gideon, Samson, Ruth, David, Elijah, and Esther.
Poetry and Wisdom (Job-Song of Solomon). Five books of songs, prayers, and wise sayings that explore life's biggest feelings and questions. Psalms is the Bible's songbook, and Proverbs is its book of practical advice -- both are wonderful first reads for kids.
The Prophets (Isaiah-Malachi). Seventeen books of messengers God sent to warn His people and point them home. The five Major Prophets are simply the longer books; the twelve Minor Prophets are shorter, not less important. Many of their promises -- like a Savior born in Bethlehem -- point straight to Jesus.
The Gospels (Matthew-John). Four accounts of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, each from a different angle: Matthew shows the King, Mark the servant, Luke the friend of outsiders, and John the Son of God. Acts follows as the sequel, telling how the church exploded across the world.
The Letters (Romans-Jude). Twenty-one letters -- thirteen from Paul, eight from other leaders like Peter, James, and John -- written to young churches to explain what Jesus did and how to live it out. Think of them as coaching mail for the first Christians.
Revelation. The final book is John's vision of the end of the story: evil defeated, every tear wiped away, and God living with His people forever in a new heaven and new earth. The Bible starts in a garden and ends in a city where everything is made new.
Older children who find coloring dull usually take to the books of the Bible word search instead. It plays in the browser or prints on one sheet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books are in the Bible?
The Protestant Bible has 66 books: 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. An easy memory trick: "Old" has 3 letters and "Testament" has 9, giving you 39; and 3 x 9 = 27 for the New Testament.
What is the shortest book of the Bible?
3 John is the shortest book in the whole Bible by word count, at just one chapter about hospitality and truth. Its neighbor 2 John actually has the fewest verses (13). In the Old Testament, the shortest book is Obadiah, with only 21 verses.
What is the longest book of the Bible?
Psalms is the longest book by chapters, with 150 of them, including the longest chapter in the Bible (Psalm 119). By total word count, Jeremiah is actually the longest. Either one gives kids plenty to explore.
How long does it take a kid to memorize all 66 books?
With about ten minutes of daily practice, most kids ages 7-12 can recite all 66 books in order within two to three months -- and kids who use a song often get there in a few weeks. Learn the group names first, then fill in the books one group at a time.
Who wrote the books of the Bible?
About 40 different human authors wrote the Bible over roughly 1,500 years, including Moses, David, Solomon, prophets like Isaiah, and apostles like Paul, Peter, and John. Christians believe God inspired all of them, which is why 66 books by 40 writers still tell one unified story.
Do Catholic Bibles have more books?
Yes. Catholic Bibles contain 73 books, adding 7 Deuterocanonical books (Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach, and Baruch) plus some additions to Esther and Daniel. Protestant Bibles have the 66 books listed on this page.
