Test Your Knowledge from Genesis to Revelation - 50 Questions on Book Names, Order & Categories
Knowing the books of the Bible isn't just about memorizing 66 names—it's about understanding how God's Word is organized and how each book fits into His redemptive story. The Law establishes God's standards. History shows His faithfulness across generations. Poetry expresses worship and wisdom. Prophets call people back to covenant. Gospels reveal Jesus. Epistles explain the faith. Revelation promises His return. Each book has a purpose.
This comprehensive 50-question quiz tests your knowledge across three difficulty levels. Easy questions (1-15) cover well-known books that every Christian recognizes: Genesis, Psalms, Matthew, John, Romans. Medium questions (16-35) test your knowledge of book order, categories, and less-familiar books like Haggai, Philemon, or 2 Chronicles. Hard questions (36-50) challenge even Bible scholars with detailed knowledge of authorship, original languages, and obscure books like Obadiah, Jude, or 3 John.
Whether you're a Sunday School student memorizing books for the first time, a homeschool parent teaching your children Bible structure, or an adult wanting to strengthen your Scripture knowledge, this quiz will help you master the foundation of biblical literacy. You can't find what you're looking for in God's Word if you don't know where to look—and that starts with knowing the books.
It helps you navigate Scripture quickly. Imagine your pastor references Haggai during a sermon, or a friend mentions Colossians in conversation. If you don't know where these books are, you'll spend precious minutes flipping pages while everyone else follows along. When you know that Haggai is a Minor Prophet near the end of the Old Testament, or that Colossians is one of Paul's epistles after Philippians, you can find them in seconds. Navigation speed matters for study, worship, and conversation.
It reveals how the Bible is structured. The Bible isn't randomly arranged. The Old Testament follows a deliberate pattern: Law (foundation), History (application), Poetry (expression), Prophets (correction). The New Testament mirrors this: Gospels (foundation of Christ), Acts (history of the church), Epistles (doctrine and application), Revelation (prophetic conclusion). Understanding this structure helps you grasp each book's purpose and how it connects to God's overall revelation.
It shows you where to find different types of truth. Need wisdom? Go to Proverbs or James. Wrestling with suffering? Read Job or 1 Peter. Want to understand salvation? Study Romans or Galatians. Seeking prophecy about Christ? Check Isaiah or Daniel. When you know which books contain which themes, you become more effective at applying Scripture to life's questions. The Bible is a library of 66 books, and knowing their contents makes you a better librarian of truth.
It deepens your appreciation for God's Word. When you realize that Moses wrote the first five books establishing God's covenant, that David wrote many Psalms expressing worship, that Solomon contributed wisdom literature, that Isaiah prophesied about Jesus 700 years early, that Matthew wrote to Jews while Luke wrote to Gentiles, that Paul penned 13 epistles explaining doctrine—suddenly the Bible becomes more than a book. It becomes a symphony of voices across 1,500 years, all harmonizing around one theme: God's redemption of humanity through Jesus Christ.
It's a fundamental skill for spiritual maturity. Just as you'd expect an American to know the 50 states, or a musician to know the musical scale, Christians should know the 66 books of the Bible. This isn't legalism—it's basic literacy in our faith. How can we teach our children Scripture if we can't locate it ourselves? How can we defend our beliefs if we don't know where doctrines are found? Knowing the books is spiritual maturity 101, and it's never too late to learn.
If you want to ace this quiz (and more importantly, actually learn all 66 books), here's how to study effectively:
Learn the categories first, then the books within each category. Don't try to memorize all 66 books at once. Break them into chunks: Old Testament Law (5 books), History (12), Poetry (5), Major Prophets (5), Minor Prophets (12). New Testament Gospels (4), Acts (1), Paul's letters (13), General Epistles (8), Revelation (1). Master one category before moving to the next. This makes a daunting task manageable.
Use memory songs and mnemonics. Many Christians learned the books through songs set to familiar tunes. There are dozens of "Books of the Bible" songs on YouTube—find one that works for you and sing it daily. For tricky sequences, create mnemonics. For example, the Minor Prophets: "Happy Harry Jogged Anxiously Away, Observing John Making New Houses Zipping Zippers Mindlessly" (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi). Silly? Yes. Effective? Absolutely.
Understand the flow of each testament. In the Old Testament, you move from Creation (Genesis) through Israel's history (Exodus-Esther), to worship literature (Job-Song of Solomon), to prophetic warnings and hope (Isaiah-Malachi). In the New Testament, you start with Jesus's life (Gospels), the church's birth (Acts), instructions to churches (Epistles), and end with Jesus's return (Revelation). This narrative flow helps books stick in your memory because they tell a story.
Focus on book order, not just names. Knowing that Exodus exists is good. Knowing that it comes after Genesis and before Leviticus is better. Practice reciting books in sequence: "Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy..." Sequence knowledge helps you find books quickly and understand how the biblical narrative unfolds chronologically and thematically.
Use this quiz as both test and teacher. Don't wait until you've "mastered" all 66 books to take this quiz. Jump in now and let the quiz teach you. Pay attention to the questions you miss—those are your weak spots. After completing the quiz once, focus your study on the categories where you struggled most. Then retake the quiz. Most people see dramatic improvement on their second attempt because the quiz itself is a learning tool.
How many books are in the Bible? The Protestant Bible contains 66 books: 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. (Catholic and Orthodox Bibles include additional books called the Apocrypha/Deuterocanon, but this quiz focuses on the 66 books common to all Christian traditions.)
Do I need to know books in perfect order? Not for all questions! Some test order (Which book comes after Judges?), but many test other knowledge like categories, authors, or testament. However, knowing general order definitely helps you score higher, especially on Medium and Hard questions.
What's the difference between Major and Minor Prophets? "Major" and "Minor" refer to length, not importance. Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel) are longer books. Minor Prophets (Hosea through Malachi—12 books) are shorter. All were chosen by God and carry His authoritative word; the labels just help with organization.
Is this quiz suitable for children? Absolutely! The Easy questions (1-15) are perfect for children ages 8-12 learning the books for Sunday School or homeschool. The full 50-question quiz works well for teenagers and adults. Many families use this quiz as a fun competitive game during devotional time.
How long does it take? Most people complete all 50 questions in 15-20 minutes. The quiz progresses one question at a time with immediate feedback. You can see how you're doing as you go, which makes it more engaging than a traditional written test.
Can I use this for Sunday School or homeschool curriculum? Yes! This quiz is completely free and perfect for educational use. Many Sunday School teachers use it as a pre-test at the beginning of a Bible books unit, then as a post-test to measure learning. Homeschool parents use it as ongoing assessment throughout the year. Youth group leaders make it into a competitive game with prizes.
What if I score poorly? Don't be discouraged! Most adults struggle with this quiz at first, especially the order of Minor Prophets or Paul's shorter epistles. Use your score as a baseline, identify your weak areas (Old Testament History? New Testament Epistles?), study those books specifically, then retake the quiz. Progress, not perfection, is the goal.
Why does knowing the books matter? Because the Bible is a library, not a single book. When someone references Habakkuk or Philemon, you should know generally where those are and what they contain. It's like knowing the layout of your own house—you can find things faster, you appreciate the structure better, and you feel more at home in God's Word. Biblical literacy starts with knowing the books.