A: The Bible is a collection of 66 books (39 Old Testament – 27 New Testament), written by about 40 “human” authors over a period of between 1500 to 1600 years. It is important to note, however, that while these men may have written the words in the Bible, they were given the words to write down by God Himself. God sovereignly provided these words to them through the Holy Spirit. There are three key verses in the Bible that best explain this:

(2 Tim 3:16) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

(2 Pet 1:20-21) knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. (21) For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

*** For more on how God inspired these authors, see Q: #175.

     Below, I am listing the author or possible author(s) that the majority of scholars believe wrote each book. It should be noted that, except for a few books, there is rarely TOTAL agreement on any author. There are also quite a few proofs to support the authorship of some that I don’t list here. You can often find some of these proofs at the beginning of each book in many study Bibles. I go into much more depth for New Testament author proofs in my New Testament Survey. (I do not yet have an Old Testament Survey as of this writing.)

OLD TESTAMENT

Book: Genesis
Author: Moses
Verse Proofs: Verses Pointing At Moses Writing The 1st 5 Books: (Lk 24:27,44)(Deut 31:24-26)(Mk 12:26)(Josh 1:7-8)(2 Cor 3:15)

Book: Exodus
Author: Moses
Verse Proofs: (Mk 12:26)(Mk 7:10)(Lk 20:37)

Book: Leviticus
Author: Moses
Verse Proofs: (Rom 10:5)(Mt 8:4)(Lev 27:34)

Book: Numbers
Author: Moses
Verse Proofs: (Num 36:13)

Book: Deuteronomy
Author: Moses (Except For Ch. 34, Likely Joshua)
Verse Proofs: (Mt 19:7-8)(Acts 3:22)(Rom 10:5)(2 Kin 14:6)

Book: Joshua
Author: (Except for 24:29-33, Possibly Eliazar Or Phinehas)
Verse Proofs: (Josh 24:26-27)

Book: Judges
Author: Unknown (Likely Samuel, Possible Nathan, Gad)
Verse Proofs: ———-

Book: Ruth
Author: Unknown (Samuel Likely)
Verse Proofs: ———-

Book: 1 Samuel
Author: Unknown (Samuel, Nathan, Gad, Ezra Proposed But All Unlikely)
Verse Proofs: ———-

Book: 2 Samuel
Author: Unknown (Same As 1 Samuel)
Verse Proofs: ———-

Book: 1 Kings
Author: Unknown (Jewish Tradition Says Jeremiah, But This Is Unlikely)
Verse Proofs: ———-

Book: 2 Kings
Author: Unknown (Same As 1 Kings)
Verse Proofs: ———-

Book: 1 Chronicles
Author: Unknown (Ezra Very likely)
Verse Proofs: ———-

Book: 2 Chronicles
Author: Unknown (Same As 1 Chronicles)
Verse Proofs: ———-

Book: Ezra
Author: Ezra (Possibly Nehemiah)
Verse Proofs: ———-

Book: Nehemiah
Author: Ezra (Possibly Nehemiah) **Ezra/Nehemiah Originally One Book So Two Diff Authors Unlikely
Verse Proofs: ———-

Book: Esther
Author: Unknown (Mordecai Proposed, Possibly Ezra, Nehemiah)
Verse Proofs: Possible Mordecai Support (Est 9:20,32)

Book: Job
Author: Unknown (Job Unlikely, Moses, Solomon Proposed)
Verse Proofs: ———-

Book: Psalms
Author: Different Authors: David, Asaph, Sons Of Korah, Solomon, and more… About 50 Authors Unknown.
Verse Proofs: Openings Of Chapters Name Authors

Book: Proverbs
Author: Solomon (Prov 30 – Agur)(Prov 31 – Lemuel)
Verse Proofs: (Prov 1:1)(Prov 10:1)(Prov 25:1)

Book: Ecclesiastes
Author: Solomon
Verse Proofs: (Ecc 1:1,12,16)(1 Kin 3:12)

Book: Song Of Solomon
Author: Solomon
Verse Proofs: (Song 1:1,5)(Song 3:7,9,11)(Song 8:11,12)

Book: Isaiah
Author: Isaiah
Verse Proofs: (Mt 3:3)(Mt 12:17-21)(Jn 12:38-41)(Isa 1:1)

Book: Jeremiah
Author: Jeremiah
Verse Proofs: (Jer 1:1)

Book: Lamentations
Author: Jeremiah
Verse Proofs: The Introduction To This Book In The LXX Points To Jeremiah Writing It.

Book: Ezekiel
Author: Ezekiel
Verse Proofs: (Ezek 1:1,3)

Book: Daniel
Author: Daniel
Verse Proofs: (Mt 24:15)(Mk 13:14)(Dan 8:15,27)

Book: Hosea
Author: Hosea
Verse Proofs: (Hos 1:1-2)

Book: Joel
Author: Joel
Verse Proofs: (Joel 1:1)(Acts 2:16-21)

Book: Amos
Author: Amos
Verse Proofs: (Amos 1:1)(Amos 7:8)(Amos 8:1-2)

Book: Obadiah
Author: Obadiah
Verse Proofs: (Obad 1:1)

Book: Jonah
Author: Jonah
Verse Proofs: (Jon 1:1)

Book: Micah
Author: Micah
Verse Proofs: (Mic 1:1)

Book: Nahum
Author: Nahum
Verse Proofs: (Nah 1:1)

Book: Habakkuk
Author: Habbakuk
Verse Proofs: (Hab 1:1)

Book: Zephaniah
Author: Zephaniah
Verse Proofs: (Zeph 1:1)

Book: Haggai
Author: Haggai
Verse Proofs: (Hag 1:1,3,12-13)(Hag 2:1,10,20)

Book: Zechariah
Author: Zechariah
Verse Proofs: (Zech 1:1,7)

Book: Malachi
Author: Malachi
Verse Proofs: (Mal 1:1)

NEW TESTAMENT

Book: Matthew
Author: Matthew
Verse Proofs: ———-

Book: Mark
Author: Mark
Verse Proofs: Possible Clue (Mk 14:51-52)

Book: Luke
Author: Luke
Verse Proofs: ———-

Book: John
Author: John
Verse Proofs: (Jn 21:20-24)

Book: Acts
Author: Luke
Verse Proofs: ———-

Book: Romans
Author: Paul
Verse Proofs: (Rom 1:1)

Book: 1 Corinthians
Author: Paul
Verse Proofs: (1 Cor 1:1-2,13)(1 Cor 3:4-6)(1 Cor 4:15)(1 Cor 16:21)

Book: 2 Corinthians
Author: Paul
Verse Proofs: (2 Cor 1:1)(2 Cor 2:1-4)(2 Cor 10:1)

Book: Galatians
Author: Paul
Verse Proofs: (Gal 1:1)(Gal 5:2)

Book: Ephesians
Author: Paul
Verse Proofs: (Eph 1:1)(Eph 3:1)

Book: Philippians
Author: Paul
Verse Proofs: (Phil 1:1)(Phil 3:4-7)

Book: Colossians
Author: Paul
Verse Proofs: (Col 1:1,23)(Col 4:18)

Book: 1 Thessalonians
Author: Paul
Verse Proofs: (1 Th 1:1)(1 Th 2:18)

Book: 2 Thessalonians
Author: Paul
Verse Proofs: (2 Th 2:1)(2 Th 3:17)

Book: 1 Timothy
Author: Paul
Verse Proofs: (1 Tim 1:1-2)(1 Tim 1:12-13 see: Acts 9:1-5)

Book: 2 Timothy
Author: Paul
Verse Proofs: (2 Tim 1:1-2)(2 Tim 3:10-11)

Book: Titus
Author: Paul
Verse Proofs: (Titus 1:1)

Book: Philemon
Author: Paul
Verse Proofs: (Philem 1:1,9,19)

Book: Hebrews
Author: Unknown (Paul, Barnabas, Apollos, Silas, And Others Proposed)
Verse Proofs: ———-

Book: James
Author: James (Jesus’ half-brother)
Verse Proofs: (James 1:1)(Jude 1:1)

Book: 1 Peter
Author: Peter
Verse Proofs: (1 Pet 1:1)(2 Pet 3:1)(1 Pet 5:1)

Book: 2 Peter
Author: Peter
Verse Proofs: (2 Pet 1:1)(2 Pet 3:1)(2 Pet 1:14 see: Jn 21:18-19)(2 Pet 1:16-18 see: Mt 17:1-4)

Book: 1 John
Author: John
Verse Proofs: ———-

Book: 2 John
Author: John
Verse Proofs: ———-

Book: 3 John
Author: John
Verse Proofs: ———-

Book: Jude
Author: Jude (Jesus’ half-brother)
Verse Proofs: (Jude 1:1)

Book: Revelation
Author: John
Verse Proofs: (Rev 1:1,4,9)(Rev 21:2)(Rev 22:8)

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