The AIT Bible · A Reader's Reference
Eighty books — and not one as simple as a name on the cover. Where the old tradition and modern scholarship part ways, both are kept side by side.
Traditionally the five books of Moses; most scholars read a compilation of older sources given final shape after the exile.
| Book | Attributed to · Author | When | Where | Why it was written | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genesis | Mosesscholars: anonymous; woven from older sources, final form ~5th c. BC | ~15th c. BC (trad.) · sources 10th–6th c. | Israel / Babylon | Origins: creation, the Flood, and God's covenant with Abraham's family. | About › |
| Exodus | Mosesscholars: composite (same sources) | sources through 6th c. BC | Israel / Babylon | Liberation from Egypt; the covenant and law given at Sinai. | About › |
| Leviticus | Mosesscholars: largely the Priestly source, exilic/post-exilic | ~6th–5th c. BC | Judah / Babylon | Priestly law: sacrifice, purity, and holiness. | About › |
| Numbers | Mosesscholars: composite (JE + Priestly) | sources 10th–5th c. BC | Israel / Babylon | Israel's wilderness journey from Sinai toward Canaan. | About › |
| Deuteronomy | Mosesscholars: the “D” source; core tied to Josiah's 621 BC reform | core ~7th c. BC | Judah | Moses' farewell speeches and the renewal of the covenant. | About › |
Joshua–Kings, the “Deuteronomistic History,” shaped in exile; Chronicles–Esther are later reflections.
| Book | Attributed to · Author | When | Where | Why it was written | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua | Joshuascholars: part of the Deuteronomistic History | ~6th c. BC (final) | Judah / Babylon | The conquest and settlement of Canaan. | About › |
| Judges | Samuelscholars: Deuteronomistic History | ~6th c. BC (final) | Judah | The cycle of apostasy, oppression, and rescue under the judges. | About › |
| Ruth | Samuelscholars: anonymous; often dated post-exilic | ~5th c. BC (?) | Judah | Loyalty and redemption — and David's Moabite ancestry. | About › |
| 1 Samuel | Samuel, Nathan, Gadscholars: Deuteronomistic History | ~6th c. BC (final) | Judah / Babylon | Samuel, the rise of Saul, and the young David. | About › |
| 2 Samuel | Samuel, Nathan, Gadscholars: Deuteronomistic History | ~6th c. BC (final) | Judah / Babylon | The reign of King David. | About › |
| 1 Kings | Jeremiah (trad.)scholars: Deuteronomistic History | ~6th c. BC (exilic) | Judah / Babylon | Solomon, the temple, and the kingdom's split. | About › |
| 2 Kings | Jeremiah (trad.)scholars: Deuteronomistic History | ~6th c. BC (exilic) | Judah / Babylon | The kings of Israel and Judah down to the Babylonian exile. | About › |
| 1 Chronicles | Ezra (trad.)scholars: “the Chronicler,” anonymous | ~4th c. BC | Jerusalem | Retells Israel's story for the returned community. | About › |
| 2 Chronicles | Ezra (trad.)scholars: “the Chronicler,” anonymous | ~4th c. BC | Jerusalem | Solomon to exile, closing with Cyrus's decree to return. | About › |
| Ezra | Ezrascholars: Chronicler / compiler | ~4th c. BC | Jerusalem | The return from exile and the rebuilding of the temple. | About › |
| Nehemiah | Nehemiahscholars: incorporates Nehemiah's memoir | ~4th c. BC | Jerusalem | Rebuilding Jerusalem's walls and renewing the covenant. | About › |
| Esther | Mordecai (trad.)scholars: anonymous | ~4th–3rd c. BC | Persia (diaspora) | How Persian Jews were saved — the origin of Purim. | About › |
Attributed largely to David and Solomon, built up over centuries.
| Book | Attributed to · Author | When | Where | Why it was written | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Job | Moses / Job (trad.)scholars: anonymous; long debated | ~6th–4th c. BC | uncertain (set in “Uz”) | Why do the innocent suffer? The question of divine justice. | About › |
| Psalms | David (many)scholars: many authors over centuries | collected by ~3rd c. BC | Israel / Judah | Israel's songbook: praise, lament, and thanksgiving. | About › |
| Proverbs | Solomonscholars: several collections, compiled post-exilic | ~10th–5th c. BC | Judah | Practical wisdom for a well-lived life. | About › |
| Ecclesiastes | Solomonscholars: anonymous “Qoheleth” | ~3rd c. BC | Judah | The search for meaning “under the sun.” | About › |
| Song of Songs | Solomonscholars: anonymous; final form late | ~3rd c. BC (?) | Judah | Love poetry — read allegorically in tradition. | About › |
Great prophetic collections — some grew well beyond their namesake's lifetime.
| Book | Attributed to · Author | When | Where | Why it was written | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isaiah | Isaiah of Jerusalemscholars: multi-authored (chs. 1–39, 40–55, 56–66) | 8th c. → post-exilic | Jerusalem / Babylon | Judgment, then comfort and restoration; the Servant. | About › |
| Jeremiah | Jeremiah (w/ scribe Baruch)scholars: oracles + Deuteronomistic editing | late 7th–6th c. BC | Judah / Egypt | Warning of Babylon, and the promise of a new covenant. | About › |
| Lamentations | Jeremiahscholars: anonymous | ~586 BC | Judah | Grief over the fall of Jerusalem. | About › |
| Ezekiel | Ezekiel (priest)scholars: largely Ezekiel, later editing | 6th c. BC | Babylon (exile) | Judgment and future restoration; the dry bones, the new temple. | About › |
| Daniel | Danielscholars: final form ~165 BC (Maccabean) | 6th c. (setting) · ~165 BC (form) | Babylon / Judah | Faithfulness under persecution; apocalyptic visions. | About › |
Twelve shorter prophets — one scroll in the Hebrew Bible — across four centuries.
| Book | Attributed to · Author | When | Where | Why it was written | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hosea | Hosea | 8th c. BC | Northern Israel | Israel's unfaithfulness, told through a marriage. | About › |
| Joel | Joelscholars: often dated post-exilic | ~5th–4th c. BC (?) | Judah | A locust plague as the Day of the Lord; the Spirit poured out. | About › |
| Amos | Amos of Tekoa | ~760 BC | preached in N. Israel | Social justice and judgment on a complacent Israel. | About › |
| Obadiah | Obadiah | ~6th c. BC | Judah | Judgment on Edom for betraying Judah. | About › |
| Jonah | Jonahscholars: anonymous didactic tale, post-exilic | ~5th–4th c. BC | Israel → Nineveh | God's mercy reaches even Nineveh. | About › |
| Micah | Micah of Moresheth | 8th c. BC | Judah | Judgment and hope: do justice; Bethlehem foretold. | About › |
| Nahum | Nahum | ~7th c. BC (bef. 612) | Judah | The fall of Nineveh and Assyria. | About › |
| Habakkuk | Habakkuk | late 7th c. BC | Judah | Why does God use Babylon? “The righteous shall live by faith.” | About › |
| Zephaniah | Zephaniah | ~7th c. BC (Josiah) | Judah | The Day of the Lord — judgment and a remnant. | About › |
| Haggai | Haggai | 520 BC | Jerusalem | Urging the returned exiles to rebuild the temple. | About › |
| Zechariah | Zechariahscholars: chs. 9–14 likely later | ~520–518 BC (+ later) | Jerusalem | Temple rebuilding and messianic, apocalyptic visions. | About › |
| Malachi | “Malachi” (= my messenger)scholars: possibly an anonymous title | ~5th c. BC | Jerusalem | Covenant faithfulness and a coming messenger. | About › |
All anonymous in the text; the names come from 2nd-century tradition. Mark is generally read as earliest.
| Book | Attributed to · Author | When | Where | Why it was written | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew | the apostle Matthewscholars: anonymous; uses Mark + “Q” | ~80–90 AD | Syria (Antioch?) | Jesus as the Jewish Messiah who fulfills the prophets. | About › |
| Mark | John Mark (Peter's interpreter)scholars: anonymous | ~65–70 AD | Rome (trad.) | The earliest Gospel: Jesus the suffering Son of God. | About › |
| Luke | Luke the physicianscholars: anonymous; uses Mark + “Q” | ~80–90 AD | uncertain | An orderly account for “Theophilus”; Jesus for the outsider. | About › |
| John | the apostle Johnscholars: the “Johannine” circle | ~90–100 AD | Ephesus (trad.) | Jesus as the eternal Word — “that you may believe.” | About › |
| Acts | Lukescholars: same author as Luke | ~80–90 AD | uncertain | The church spreads from Jerusalem to Rome by the Spirit. | About › |
Seven are undisputed as Paul's; six are debated on grounds of style and theology.
| Book | Attributed to · Author | When | Where | Why it was written | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Romans | Paulscholars: undisputed | ~57 AD | from Corinth | The gospel in full: sin, grace, faith, Jew and Gentile. | About › |
| 1 Corinthians | Paulscholars: undisputed | ~54 AD | Ephesus | Healing a divided church: morality, worship, resurrection. | About › |
| 2 Corinthians | Paulscholars: undisputed | ~55–56 AD | Macedonia | A defense of Paul's ministry; a call to reconciliation. | About › |
| Galatians | Paulscholars: undisputed | ~48–55 AD | — | Justified by faith, not the law — freedom from the law. | About › |
| Ephesians | Paulscholars: disputed (deutero-Pauline) | ~60 AD, or ~80–90 | prison (if Paul) | The church as Christ's body; Jew and Gentile made one. | About › |
| Philippians | Paulscholars: undisputed | ~60–62 AD | prison | Joy and partnership; the “he emptied himself” hymn. | About › |
| Colossians | Paulscholars: disputed | ~60 AD, or ~80 | prison (if Paul) | The supremacy of Christ against a rival teaching. | About › |
| 1 Thessalonians | Paulscholars: undisputed | ~50–51 AD | Corinth | Encouragement and hope in Christ's return. | About › |
| 2 Thessalonians | Paulscholars: disputed | ~51 AD, or later | — | Correcting confusion about the end times. | About › |
| 1 Timothy | Paulscholars: disputed (Pastoral) | ~63 AD, or ~100 | — | Church order, leadership, and sound teaching. | About › |
| 2 Timothy | Paulscholars: disputed (Pastoral) | ~64 AD, or ~100 | prison (if Paul) | Paul's farewell charge to Timothy. | About › |
| Titus | Paulscholars: disputed (Pastoral) | ~63 AD, or ~100 | — | Ordering the young church on Crete. | About › |
| Philemon | Paulscholars: undisputed | ~60 AD | prison | A personal appeal for the runaway slave Onesimus. | About › |
Letters attributed to other apostles, plus the New Testament's lone apocalypse.
| Book | Attributed to · Author | When | Where | Why it was written | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hebrews | Paul (KJV title)scholars: anonymous — author unknown | ~60–90 AD | uncertain | Christ greater than angels, Moses, the priesthood — hold fast. | About › |
| James | James, brother of Jesusscholars: debated | ~50–90 AD | Jerusalem (if James) | Faith proven by works; practical wisdom. | About › |
| 1 Peter | the apostle Peterscholars: Peter or a disciple | ~60–90 AD | Rome (“Babylon”) | Hope and endurance under persecution. | About › |
| 2 Peter | the apostle Peterscholars: widely held pseudonymous | ~100–150 AD | — | Against false teachers; the delay of Christ's return. | About › |
| 1 John | the apostle Johnscholars: the “Johannine” circle | ~90–100 AD | Ephesus (trad.) | Assurance and love, against those who denied Christ's humanity. | About › |
| 2 John | the apostle Johnscholars: the “Johannine” circle | ~90–100 AD | Ephesus (trad.) | A brief warning against deceivers. | About › |
| 3 John | the apostle Johnscholars: the “Johannine” circle | ~90–100 AD | Ephesus (trad.) | A note on hospitality and a church quarrel. | About › |
| Jude | Jude, brother of Jesusscholars: debated | ~1st c. AD | — | Contend for the faith against false teachers. | About › |
| Revelation | the apostle Johnscholars: John of Patmos (likely not the apostle) | ~95 AD (Domitian) | Patmos | A vision of judgment and hope for persecuted churches. | About › |
Books that came through the Greek Old Testament rather than the Hebrew canon. Received as Scripture by Catholic and Orthodox churches; the AIT carries them, each labeled.
| Book | Attributed to · Author | When | Where | Why it was written | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tobit | anonymous | ~3rd–2nd c. BC | diaspora (east) | A tale of piety, providence, and almsgiving. | About › |
| Judith | anonymous | ~2nd c. BC | Judea | God delivers his people through a courageous widow. | About › |
| Additions to Esther | anonymous | ~2nd–1st c. BC | — | Adds prayers and open reference to God to Esther. | About › |
| Wisdom of Solomon | attributed to Solomonscholars: anonymous | ~1st c. BC | Alexandria | Wisdom, the immortality of the righteous, against idolatry. | About › |
| Sirach | Ben Sira | ~180 BC; Greek ~132 BC | Jerusalem | Practical wisdom rooted in the fear of the Lord. | About › |
| Baruch | Baruch (Jeremiah's scribe)scholars: anonymous | ~2nd c. BC | — | Confession, wisdom, and consolation for the exiles. | About › |
| Letter of Jeremiah | attributed to Jeremiahscholars: anonymous | ~4th–2nd c. BC | — | A sharp polemic against idols. | About › |
| Prayer of Azariah & Song of the Three | anonymous | ~2nd c. BC | — | A prayer and hymn in the fiery furnace (added to Daniel 3). | About › |
| Susanna | anonymous | ~2nd–1st c. BC | — | Young Daniel vindicates the falsely accused Susanna. | About › |
| Bel and the Dragon | anonymous | ~2nd–1st c. BC | — | Daniel exposes idols and a “living” dragon as frauds. | About › |
| 1 Maccabees | anonymous | ~100 BC | Judea | The Maccabean revolt and Jewish independence. | About › |
| 2 Maccabees | anonymous (abridging Jason of Cyrene) | ~124 BC | — | The revolt retold: martyrdom, resurrection, prayer for the dead. | About › |
| 3 Maccabees | anonymous | ~1st c. BC | Alexandria | The rescue of Egypt's Jews under Ptolemy IV. | About › |
| 1 Esdras | anonymous | ~2nd c. BC | — | An alternate Greek account of the temple's restoration. | About › |
Scripture in one living church — the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo — and nowhere else. Not yet in the AIT; shown here transparently. (1 Enoch is quoted in Jude.)
| Book | Attributed to · Author | When | Where | Why it was written | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Enoch | the patriarch Enoch (pseudonymous)scholars: several anonymous authors | ~300 BC – 100 AD | Judea | The Watchers, the coming judgment, apocalyptic visions. | not yet in the AIT |
| Jubilees | Moses / an angel (pseudonymous)scholars: anonymous | ~160–150 BC | Judea | Retells Genesis–Exodus on a 364-day solar calendar. | not yet in the AIT |