Books of the Bible
Sixty-six overviews, in progress — author, date, outline, and where to begin, so you never open a book cold.
Genesis opens the Bible with the creation of the world, the early history of humanity, and the story of one family — Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph — through whom the rest of the Bible's story unfolds.
Psalms is a collection of 150 prayers and songs — praise, lament, thanksgiving, and confession — written to be read, prayed, and sung rather than read straight through as narrative.
John is the most theologically reflective of the four Gospels, built around seven miracle 'signs' and long discourses, written with the explicit purpose of leading readers to believe Jesus is the Christ.
Exodus tells the story of Israel's slavery in Egypt, their deliverance under Moses, and the giving of the law at Mount Sinai — the founding story the rest of the Old Testament keeps referring back to.
Proverbs is a collection of short, practical sayings about wisdom for everyday life — money, speech, friendship, and work — organized so that each of its 31 chapters roughly matches a day of the month.
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised king from David's line, written with a Jewish audience in mind and structured around five major blocks of teaching, including the Sermon on the Mount.
Luke is written as an orderly historical account for a named reader, Theophilus, with particular attention to the poor, women, and outsiders, and contains some of the best-known parables, including the Prodigal Son.
Romans is Paul's most systematic letter, laying out how people are made right with God through faith rather than through keeping the law, before turning in its second half to how that belief should shape daily life.
Philippians is a short, warm letter written from prison, notable for repeatedly returning to joy and contentment despite Paul's circumstances — the source of "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."