Chapter 14: A Survey of the Sixty-Six Books
The table below gives each book’s main theme and a key verse reference. It can be used as a reading guide.
The Old Testament
| Book | Theme | Key verse |
| Genesis | Beginnings: creation, fall, and the promise | Genesis 1:1 |
| Exodus | Redemption from Egypt; the covenant at Sinai | Exodus 12:13 |
| Leviticus | Holiness and sacrifice | Leviticus 19:2 |
| Numbers | The wilderness journey | Numbers 23:19 |
| Deuteronomy | The covenant renewed | Deuteronomy 6:4-5 |
| Joshua | Entering the promised land | Joshua 1:8 |
| Judges | Sin, judgment, and deliverance | Judges 21:25 |
| Ruth | The kinsman-redeemer | Ruth 1:16 |
| 1 Samuel | The rise of kingship | 1 Samuel 16:7 |
| 2 Samuel | David’s reign and covenant | 2 Samuel 7:16 |
| 1 Kings | Solomon and the divided kingdom | 1 Kings 18:21 |
| 2 Kings | The exile of Israel and Judah | 2 Kings 17:23 |
| 1 Chronicles | David’s line and worship | 1 Chronicles 16:34 |
| 2 Chronicles | The temple and revival | 2 Chronicles 7:14 |
| Ezra | Return and rebuilding the temple | Ezra 7:10 |
| Nehemiah | Rebuilding the walls | Nehemiah 8:10 |
| Esther | God’s providence | Esther 4:14 |
| Job | Suffering and the sovereignty of God | Job 19:25 |
| Psalms | The songs of worship | Psalm 150:6 |
| Proverbs | Wisdom for life | Proverbs 1:7 |
| Ecclesiastes | Meaning and the fear of God | Ecclesiastes 12:13 |
| Song of Solomon | Love and marriage | Song of Solomon 2:16 |
| Isaiah | Judgment and the coming Messiah | Isaiah 9:6 |
| Jeremiah | Judgment and the new covenant | Jeremiah 31:31 |
| Lamentations | Grief and hope | Lamentations 3:22-23 |
| Ezekiel | God’s glory and the renewal of his people | Ezekiel 36:26 |
| Daniel | God rules the nations | Daniel 2:44 |
| Hosea | God’s faithful love | Hosea 14:4 |
| Joel | The day of the LORD and the Spirit | Joel 2:28 |
| Amos | Justice | Amos 5:24 |
| Obadiah | Judgment on Edom | Obadiah 15 |
| Jonah | God’s mercy to the nations | Jonah 2:9 |
| Micah | Justice, mercy, and Bethlehem | Micah 6:8 |
| Nahum | The fall of Nineveh | Nahum 1:7 |
| Habakkuk | The just shall live by faith | Habakkuk 2:4 |
| Zephaniah | The day of the LORD | Zephaniah 3:17 |
| Haggai | Rebuild the temple | Haggai 2:9 |
| Zechariah | The coming King | Zechariah 9:9 |
| Malachi | Covenant faithfulness | Malachi 3:6 |
The New Testament
| Book | Theme | Key verse |
| Matthew | Jesus the King and Messiah | Matthew 16:16 |
| Mark | Jesus the Servant | Mark 10:45 |
| Luke | Jesus the Son of Man and Saviour | Luke 19:10 |
| John | Jesus the Son of God | John 20:31 |
| Acts | The church spreads in the power of the Spirit | Acts 1:8 |
| Romans | Righteousness by faith | Romans 1:16-17 |
| 1 Corinthians | Order and love in the church | 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 |
| 2 Corinthians | Ministry and strength in weakness | 2 Corinthians 12:9 |
| Galatians | Freedom in Christ | Galatians 2:20 |
| Ephesians | The church as Christ’s body | Ephesians 1:3 |
| Philippians | Joy in Christ | Philippians 1:21 |
| Colossians | The supremacy of Christ | Colossians 1:18 |
| 1 Thessalonians | The hope of Christ’s return | 1 Thessalonians 4:13 |
| 2 Thessalonians | Standing firm until the Day | 2 Thessalonians 3:3 |
| 1 Timothy | Order in the church | 1 Timothy 3:15 |
| 2 Timothy | Faithfulness to the end | 2 Timothy 3:16 |
| Titus | Sound doctrine and good works | Titus 2:11-12 |
| Philemon | Forgiveness and brotherhood | Philemon 16 |
| Hebrews | Christ superior to all | Hebrews 11:1 |
| James | Faith that works | James 2:17 |
| 1 Peter | Hope in suffering | 1 Peter 1:3 |
| 2 Peter | Truth against false teachers | 2 Peter 3:18 |
| 1 John | Fellowship and assurance | 1 John 5:13 |
| 2 John | Truth and love | 2 John 6 |
| 3 John | Hospitality to the truth | 3 John 4 |
| Jude | Contend for the faith | Jude 3 |
| Revelation | The victory of Christ | Revelation 1:8 |
One story
Seen together, the sixty-six books tell one story. Creation (Genesis 1–2); fall (Genesis 3); redemption promised (Genesis 3:15 through the Prophets); redemption accomplished (the Gospels); the church sent out (Acts and the Epistles); and all things made new (Revelation 21–22).