Most people are familiar with the names of the 12 authors of the New Testament and the most important letters in Christianity. However, there are other authors who have also made their mark in history, though not so much as to be well known. Let’s take a look at them.
The Bible is a book that many people take very seriously. It’s also a book that many people don’t take seriously enough. The truth is that the Bible is an incredible piece of literature—it has survived thousands of years, and it continues to thrive today.
But how do we know which parts of the Bible are true? Which parts are fake? And why are there so many versions of the Bible at all? These questions are important for Christians, as well as for non-Christians who want to understand what makes this book so special.
We’re going to answer these questions in our upcoming series on The Top 40 Authors Of The Bible! In this series, we’ll explore the lives and works of 40 different authors whose work made up part of what we now call the Bible—and who influenced its development over time. We hope you’ll join us!
Right here on Churchgists, you are privy to a litany of relevant information on list of 40 authors of the bible, bible authors and their occupations, how many authors wrote the bible, and so much more. Take out time to visit our Website for more information on similar topics.
Download 40 Authors Of The Bible PDF Here
How Many Authors Wrote the Bible and Their names?
Old Testament
New Testament
- Matthew
- Mark
- Luke
- John
- Paul
- James
- Peter
- Jude
Authors of the Bible
| Category | Number of Authors |
|---|---|
| Old Testament | 9 |
| New Testament | 8 |
As seen from the list above, the Bible was written by a total of 17 authors. These authors were divinely inspired by God to pen down the various books that make up the Bible. Each author contributed their unique perspectives, experiences, and messages to the overall narrative of the Bible.
Who Are The 40 Authors Of The Bible
list of 40 authors of the bible
The Book Of Genesis Was Written By Moses
The Book Of Exodus Was Written By Moses
The Book Of Leviticus Was Written By Moses
The Book Of Numbers Was Written By Moses
The Book Of Deuteronomy Was Written By Moses
The Book Of Joshua Was Written By Joshua
The Book Of Judges Was Written By Samuel
The Book Of Ruth Was Written By Samuel
The Book Of 1 Samuel Was Written By Samuel; Gad; Nathan
The Book Of 2 Samuel Was Written By Gad; Nathan
The Book Of 1 Kings Was Written By Jeremiah
The Book Of 2 Kings Was Written By Jeremiah
The Book Of 1 Chronicles Was Written By Ezra
The Book Of 2 Chronicles Was Written By Ezra
The Book Of Ezra Was Written By Ezra
The Book Of Nehemiah Was Written By Nehemiah
The Book Of Esther Was Written By Mordecai
The Book Of Job Was Written By Moses
The Book Of Psalms Was Written By David and others
The Book Of Proverbs Was Written By Solomon; Agur; Lemuel
The Book Of Ecclesiastes Was Written By Solomon
The Book Of Song Of Solomon Was Written By Solomon
The Book Of Isaiah Was Written By Isaiah
The Book Of Jeremiah Was Written By Jeremiah
The Book Of Lamentations Was Written By Jeremiah
The Book Of Ezekiel Was Written By Ezekiel
The Book Of Daniel Was Written By Daniel
The Book Of Hosea Was Written By Hosea
The Book Of Joel Was Written By Joel
The Book Of Amos Was Written By Amos
The Book Of Obadiah Was Written By Obadiah
The Book Of Jonah Was Written By Jonah
The Book Of Micah Was Written By Micah
The Book Of Nahum Was Written By Nahum
The Book Of Habakkuk Was Written By Habakkuk
The Book Of Zephaniah Was Written By Zephaniah
The Book Of Haggai Was Written By Haggai
The Book Of Zechariah Was Written By Zechariah
The Book Of Malachi Was Written By Malachi
The Book Of Matthew Was Written By Matthew
The Book Of Mark Was Written By Mark
The Book Of Luke Was Written By Luke
The Book Of John Was Written By Apostle John
The Book Of Acts Was Written By Luke
The Book Of Romans Was Written By Paul
The Book Of 1 Corinthians Was Written By Paul
The Book Of 2 Corinthians Was Written By Paul
The Book Of Galatians Was Written By Paul
The Book Of Ephesians Was Written By Paul
The Book Of Philippians Was Written By Paul
The Book Of Colossians Was Written By Paul
The Book Of 1 Thessalonians Was Written By Paul
The Book Of 2 Thessalonians Was Written By Paul
The Book Of 1 Timothy Was Written By Paul
The Book Of 2 Timothy Was Written By Paul
The Book Of Titus Was Written By Paul
The Book Of Philemon Was Written By Paul
The Book Of Hebrews Was Written By Unknown
The Book Of James Was Written By James (Jesus’ brother)
The Book Of 1 Peter Was Written By Peter
The Book Of 2 Peter Was Written By Peter
The Book Of 1 John Was Written By Apostle John
The Book Of 2 John Was Written By Apostle John
The Book Of 3 John Was Written By Apostle John
The Book Of Jude Was Written By Jude (Jesus’ brother)
The Book Of Revelation Was Written By Apostle John
List of the 40 Authors of the Bible
1. Moses
2. Joshua
3. Samuel
4. Solomon
5. David
6. Isaiah
7. Jeremiah
8. Ezekiel
9. Daniel
10. Hosea
11. Joel
12. Amos
13. Obadiah
14. Jonah
15. Micah
16. Nahum
17. Habakkuk
18. Zephaniah
19. Haggai
20. Zechariah
21. Malachi
22. Matthew
23. Mark
24. Luke
25. John
26. Paul
27. Peter
28. James
29. Jude
30. Ethan the Ezrahite
31. Asaph
32. Sons of Korah
33. Heman the Ezrahite
34. Hemdan the Ezrahite
35. Ethan the Ezrahite
36. Hezekiah
37. Agur
38. Lemuel
39. Solomon
40. Moses
Illustration Table
| Author | Books Written |
|---|---|
| Moses | Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy |
| David | Psalm |
| Isaiah | Isaiah |
| Matthew | Matthew |
| Paul | Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, etc. |
Authors of the Bible and Their Occupation
The authors of the Bible come from various backgrounds and occupations, reflecting the diversity of human experiences and the ways in which God works through people from all walks of life. These occupations give us insight into the unique perspectives and insights that each author brings to their writings.
Prophets and Seers
Many authors of the Bible held the prophetic office, receiving direct revelation from God and acting as His mouthpieces to deliver His messages to the people. Prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel were called to proclaim divine warnings, deliver comforting promises, and reveal God’s plans for His people.
Kings and Rulers
Some authors of the Bible were also rulers of nations. King Solomon, known for his wisdom, penned many proverbs and wrote the Song of Solomon. King David, a man after God’s own heart, composed numerous Psalms that express a range of emotions, from praise and thanksgiving to sorrow and lament.
Disciples and Apostles
The New Testament includes writings from disciples and apostles who were close companions of Jesus. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were known as the four evangelists, responsible for penning the Gospels that chronicle the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul, originally a persecutor of Christians, became a leading figure in the early Christian church and wrote many letters to the churches he founded.
Fishermen and Laborers
Some of the authors of the Bible were ordinary individuals, engaging in everyday occupations such as fishing or manual labor. Peter and John, disciples of Jesus, were fishermen before being called to follow Christ. Peter later wrote two letters included in the New Testament, while John authored several epistles and the Book of Revelation.
Books of the Bible Categorized
40 Authors Of The Bible PDF
Moses wrote the first five books of the bible, known as the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy).
Moses was a prophet who led the Israelites out of Egypt and into the promised land of Canaan. In Judaism, he is considered to be one of their most important prophets and he is mentioned in their Torah (the first five books of their Bible). The Quran also refers to him as a prophet who brought them guidance from God.
David is believed to have written 73 psalms in the Old Testament.
David is believed to have written 73 psalms in the Old Testament. These were recorded in the book of Psalms, and David was considered a king of Israel and a prophet. He was also a shepherd, musician, warrior and poet.
John of Patmos wrote the Book of Revelation.
The Book of Revelation is the only book in the New Testament that doesn’t name its author. The tradition, however, is that John of Patmos wrote it. If so, he was also the author of another book in the New Testament: The Gospel of John.
John was known as an apostle who lived on Patmos Island during a time when Christians were being persecuted by Roman authorities throughout Asia Minor—the area now known as Turkey.
Daniel was a prophet who lived during the neo-Babylonian empire in 6th century BC and his book is set during this time.
Daniel is a prophet who lived during the neo-Babylonian empire in 6th century BC and his book is set during this time. Daniel was taken captive in Jerusalem and made a servant to King Nebuchadnezzar, though he was later promoted to a high position within the Babylonian court. He had many visions about what would happen in the future, including one of four beasts that eat up all nations before being destroyed by God himself (Daniel 7).
Jeremiah was a prophet living in Jerusalem while it was under siege by Babylonian forces.
Jeremiah was a prophet living in Jerusalem while it was under siege by Babylonian forces. He was called to be a prophet at a young age, and he had an important task: he had to tell the people of Judah to stop worshipping idols and turn back to God. This message did not go over well with the king or his officials; they persecuted Jeremiah and imprisoned him as punishment for his preaching.
Paul of Tarsus is believed to have been the author of Romans and Corinthians in the New Testament.
Paul’s letters are believed to have been written by Paul of Tarsus.
Paul was born in Tarsus, a city in present-day southern Turkey. He was educated in Jerusalem, but he was not raised as a Jew. In fact, he hated Judaism and the Jews until God called him to be an apostle. After his conversion experience on the road to Damascus (see Acts 9), Paul spent at least three years traveling around Syria and Cilicia spreading the gospel message with Barnabas and Mark (Acts 13:1–4). He then went first to Cyprus then later went to Galatia where he preached for two years before returning up north into Asia Minor (modern Turkey) finally ending up in Greece where he wrote most of his letters from there before going back down south again where he died under Nero’s persecution order during 64–68 AD
Jesus Christ is considered by Christians to be both God and man, with two natures united in one person, who lived on earth about 2,000 years ago.
Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem, where he lived for about 30 years. He had 12 disciples and many followers. Jesus healed the sick, preached the gospel and died on a cross. The Bible describes him as being both God and man, with two natures united in one person. He is considered by Christians to be the savior of humanity because he died for our sins so that we can go to heaven when we die.
Matthew is also known as Levi and was one of Jesus’ 12 apostles.
Matthew is also known as Levi and was one of Jesus’ 12 apostles. He wrote the Gospel of Matthew, which describes Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection. Matthew 9:9 says: “When Jesus heard what they said [about their illness], he told them, ‘Don’t worry about it! Believe me when I say that even though you may be sickly now you will be healthy again.’ Then he touched their eyes and ears.”
Luke was also an apostle who wrote the Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles.
Luke was also an apostle who wrote the Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles. Luke, a physician by trade, was a companion of Paul, who was also his patron. Paul refers to him as “the beloved physician” (Colossians 4:14).
In addition to being an apostle, Luke wrote two books:
- The Gospel According To Luke
- The Acts Of The Apostles
Mark was not one of Jesus’ disciples, but he had good knowledge of Peter’s life. He wrote the Gospel of Mark.
Mark was not one of Jesus’ disciples, but he had good knowledge of Peter’s life. He wrote the Gospel of Mark. Mark recorded Peter’s memories from his own point of view and drew together several oral traditions that existed in the church at Rome. Some parts of this gospel are written in Aramaic, another language spoken by Jesus and his followers.
Mark was the nephew of Barnabas and he traveled with Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. Later, when Paul went to Rome as a prisoner, Mark stayed there with him (Acts 13:13-14). When Paul left Rome to go back to Greece, he asked Timothy “to come back soon…and bring Mark with you” (2 Timothy 4:11). It seems that Timothy did as requested because we read later: “But I will stay at Ephesus until Pentecost; for a great door has opened to me” (1 Corinthians 16:10). This means that after the apostle left Ephesus for Corinth through Macedonia or Achaia , he would return again via Macedonia to Ephesus .
James wrote Epistle of James which discusses how faith leads to action and how rewards are based on deeds.
James was the brother of Jesus and one of the first leaders at the Jerusalem church. He wrote James, which explains how faith leads to action and how rewards are based on deeds.
James was written somewhere between A.D. 45-65 during a time of persecution when many Christians were scattered among different places around the Roman Empire as refugees from Israel (the old homeland). It was also written in Greek rather than Aramaic because it seems that James wanted to reach out to all nations with his letter.
Peter wrote 1st and 2nd Peter which gave instructions on how to live a holy life under persecution.
Peter, often called Simon Peter or Cephas (which means “stone”) was a fisherman by trade. He was also a friend of John the Baptist who baptized him when he first came to Jesus. Peter was one of the twelve disciples and traveled with Jesus during his ministry on earth. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, Peter went to Rome where he preached about Jesus as Lord until his death at an old age.
Peter wrote 1st and 2nd Peter which gave instructions on how to live a holy life under persecution. He warned them not to be ashamed of their faith in Christ even if they were suffering greatly for it because God had prepared eternal glory for those who endure such trials without complaining (1:6-7).
Who Wrote the Bible God or Humans
The Bible’s origin is both human and divine—not just from God and not just from humans. The Bible’s narratives, poems, histories, letters, prophecies, and other writings come from a profound collaboration between humanity and God.
It is very likely that all biblical books were initially written on scrolls. Only in the second or third century C.E. did scribes begin to write on papyrus or parchment that was folded and stitched into a codex, which more closely resembles our modern print book.
Moses was the first person to write portions of Scripture while John, the disciple of Jesus, was the last. Other famous people who wrote the Bible include: Daniel, Peter, Paul, Jonah, Isaiah, Solomon and David.
The Scripture says in 2 Peter 1:20-21, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
The Holy Spirit revealed to the prophets the messages of Scripture. The writers of the Bible wrote not according to their own will or whim, but only as they were moved, or controlled, by the Spirit of God. The Bible is God’s own book!
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” The Holy Bible affects human beings so profoundly, because “all” the Bible is “God-breathed.” It’s more than a nice collection of moral principles; it’s more than a great book; it’s an inspired document, God’s book. The prophets who wrote the Bible related what they saw and heard in human language, but their message came directly from God.
Diversity of Bible writers
Those who wrote the Bible lived at different times, some separated by hundreds of years. In many cases they were complete strangers to one another. Some Bible writers were businessmen or traders; others were shepherds, fishermen, soldiers, physicians, preachers, kings—human beings from all walks of life. They served under different governments and lived within contrasting cultures and systems of philosophy.
All 66 books of the Bible agree
But here is the wonder of it all: When the 66 books of the Bible with their 1,189 chapters made up of 31,173 verses are brought together (KJV), we find perfect harmony in the message they convey. As the great scholar F. F. Bruce noted: “The Bible is not simply an anthology; there is a unity which binds the whole together.”
The Bible writers gave God’s messages by voice and pen while they lived, and when they died, their writings lived after them. These prophetic messages were then gathered together, under God’s leading, in the book we call the Bible.
