GENESIS

“How did God’s relationship with the world begin and where

did the nation of Israel come from?”

EXODUS

God saves Israel from slavery in Egypt, and then enters

into a special relationship with them.

LEVITICUS

God gives Israel instructions for how to worship Him.

NUMBERS

Israel fails to trust and obey God, and wanders in the wilderness for 40 years.

Deuteronomy

Moses gives Israel instructions (in some ways, a recap of the laws in Exodus–Numbers) for how to love and obey God in the Promised Land.

JOSHUA

Joshua (Israel’s new leader) leads Israel to conquer the Promised land, then parcels out territories to the twelve tribes of Israel.

JUDGES

Israel enters a cycle of turning from God, falling captive to oppressive nations, calling out to God, and being rescued by leaders God sends  (called “judges”).

RUTH

Two widows lose everything, and find hope in Israel—which leads

to the birth of the future King David.

1 SAMUEL

Israel demands a king, who turns out to be quite a disappointment.

2 SAMUEL

David, a man after God’s own heart, becomes king of Israel.

1 KINGS

The kingdom of Israel has a time of peace and prosperity under King Solomon, but afterward splits, and the two lines of kings turn away from God.

2 KINGS

Both kingdoms ignore God and his prophets, until they

both fall captive to other world empires.

1 CHRONICLES

This is a brief history of Israel from Adam to David, culminating with David commissioning the temple of God in Jerusalem.

2 CHRONICLES

David’s son Solomon builds the temple, but after centuries of rejecting God, the Babylonians take the southern Israelites captive and destroy the temple.

EZRA

The Israelites rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, and a scribe named

Ezra teaches the people to once again obey God’s laws.

NEHEMIAH

The city of Jerusalem is in bad shape, so Nehemiah rebuilds

the wall around the city.

ESTHER

Someone hatches a genocidal plot to bring about Israel’s extinction, and Esther must face the emperor to ask for help.

HOSEA

Hosea is told to marry a prostitute who leaves him, and he must

bring her back: a picture of God’s relationship with Israel.

JOEL

God sends a plague of locusts to Judge Israel, but his

judgment on the surrounding nations is coming, too.

AMOS

A shepherd named Amos preaches against the

injustice of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

OBADIAH

Obadiah warns the neighboring nation of Edom that

they will be judged for plundering Jerusalem.

JONAH

A disobedient prophet runs from God, is swallowed by a greatfish, and then preaches God’s message to the city of Nineveh.

MICAH

Micah confronts the leaders of Israel and Judah regarding their injustice, and prophecies that one day the Lord himself will rule in perfect justice.

NAHUM

Nahum foretells of God’s judgment on Nineveh, the capital of Assyria.

HABAKKUK

Habakkuk pleads with God to stop the injustice and violence in Judah, but is surprised to find that God will use the even more violent Babylonians to do so.

ZEPHANIAH

God warns that he will judge Israel and the surrounding nations, but also

that he will restore them in peace and justice.

HAGGAI

The people have abandoned the work of restoring God’s temple

in Jerusalem, and so Haggai takes them to task.

ZECHARIAH

The prophet Zechariah calls Israel to return to God, and records prophetic

visions that show what’s happening behind the scenes.

MALACHI

God has been faithful to Israel, but they continue to live disconnected

from him—so God sends Malachi to call them out.

MATTHEW

This is an account of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, focusing

on Jesus’ role as the true king of the Jews.

MARK

This brief account of Jesus’ earthly ministry

highlights Jesus’ authority and servanthood.

LUKE

Luke writes the most thorough account of Jesus’ life, pulling

together eyewitness testimonies to tell the full story of Jesus.

JOHN

John lists stories of signs and miracles with the

hope that readers will believe in Jesus.

ACTS

Jesus returns to the Father, the Holy Spirit comes to the church, and the

gospel of Jesus spreads throughout the world.

ROMANS

Paul summarizes how the gospel of Jesus works in a letter to

the churches at Rome, where he plans to visit.

1 CORINTHIANS

Paul writes a disciplinary letter to a fractured church in Corinth, and answers

some questions that they’ve had about how Christians should behave.

2 CORINTHIANS

Paul writes a letter of reconciliation to the church at Corinth, and clears

up some concerns that they have.

GALATIANS

Paul hears that the Galatian churches have been lead to think that salvation comes from the law of Moses, and writes a (rather heated) letter telling them where the false teachers have it wrong.

EPHESIANS

Paul writes to the church at Ephesus about how to walk in grace, peace, and love.

PHILIPPIANS

An encouraging letter to the church of Philippi from Paul, telling

them how to have joy in Christ.

COLOSSIANS

Paul writes the church at Colossae a letter about who they

are in Christ, and how to walk in Christ.

1 THESSALONIANS

Paul has heard a good report on the church at Thessalonica, and encourages them to “excel still more” in faith, hope, and love.

2 THESSALONIANS

Paul instructs the Thessalonians on how to stand firm until the coming of Jesus.

1 TIMOTHY

Paul gives his protegé Timothy instruction on how to lead a

church with sound teaching and a godly example.

2 TIMOTHY

Paul is nearing the end of his life, and encourages

Timothy to continue preaching the word.

TITUS

Paul advises Titus on how to lead orderly, counter-cultural

churches on the island of Crete.

PHILEMON

Paul strongly recommends that Philemon accept

his runaway slave as a brother, not a slave.

HEBREWS

A letter encouraging Christians to cling to Christ

despite persecution, because He is greater.

JAMES

A letter telling Christians to live in ways that demonstrate their faith in action.

1 PETER

Peter writes to Christians who are being persecuted, encouraging

them to testify to the truth and live accordingly.

2 PETER

Peter writes a letter reminding Christians about the truth of

Jesus, and warning them that false teachers will come.

1 JOHN

John writes a letter to Christians about keeping Jesus’ commands, loving one another, and important things they should know.

2 JOHN

A very brief letter about walking in truth, love, and obedience.

3 JOHN

An even shorter letter about Christian fellowship.

JUDE

A letter encouraging Christians to content for the faith, even though

ungodly persons have crept in unnoticed.

REVELATION

John sees visions of things that have been, things

that are, and things that are yet to come.