As a divine document, the words and message of the Bible ultimately come from God. Second Timothy 3:16 teaches that the Bible is God-breathed. Second Peter 1:20-21 adds that the prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit as they spoke (and wrote) from God. God directed the human authors of the Bible, using their own writing styles and personalities to produce His words.
The human authors include approximately forty writers of diverse backgrounds and locations over the course of fifteen hundred years. Isaiah was a prophet, Ezra was a priest, Matthew was a tax collector, John was a fisherman, Moses was a shepherd, and Luke was a physician. Despite such variety, the Bible teaches consistently and without contradiction on a wide range of issues. The authors each present different perspectives, yet they all proclaim the same God and the same singular path of salvation—Jesus Christ (John 3:16; 14:6; Acts 4:12). Some books of the Bible specify their author by name. Below is a list of each book followed by the name of its author and the approximate date of its writing.
Some authors are auto-buys for readers. Readers like their writing style, and trust them enough to buy their work, perhaps without even skimming the description.
The Bible should be an auto-buy for everyone as its Author is One in Whom we can put complete trust. No other collection of books could cover such a wide span of history, be penned by so many authors from different times and cultures, yet still have a coherent message: Christ is the Solution to humankind’s sin problem. That in itself is miraculous.
Though the list below shows who penned the various books of Scripture, the real answer to “Who wrote the Bible” can be expressed in one word: God.
Old Testament Authors
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy = Moses – 1440-1400 B.C.
Joshua = Joshua - 1350 B.C.
Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel = Samuel/Nathan/Gad - 1000 - 900 B.C.
1 Kings, 2 Kings = Jeremiah - 600 B.C.
1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah = Ezra - 450 B.C.
Esther = Mordecai - 400 B.C.
Job = Moses? - 1400 B.C. (author and date uncertain)
Psalms = several different authors, approximately half by David around 1000 B.C. (the earliest psalm is from Moses around 1400 B.C.; the latest around 400 B.C.)
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon = Solomon - 900 B.C.
Isaiah = Isaiah - 700 B.C.
Jeremiah, Lamentations = Jeremiah - 600 B.C.
Ezekiel = Ezekiel - 550 B.C.
Daniel = Daniel - 550 B.C.
Hosea = Hosea - 750 B.C.
Joel = Joel - 850 B.C.
Amos = Amos - 750 B.C.
Obadiah = Obadiah - 600 B.C.
Jonah = Jonah - 700 B.C.
Micah = Micah - 700 B.C.
Nahum = Nahum - 650 B.C.
Habakkuk = Habakkuk - 600 B.C.
Zephaniah = Zephaniah - 650 B.C.
Haggai = Haggai - 520 B.C.
Zechariah = Zechariah - 500 B.C.
Malachi = Malachi - 430 B.C.
New Testament Authors
Matthew = Matthew - A.D. 55-70
Mark = John Mark - A.D. 50-65
Luke = Luke - A.D. 60-65
John = John - A.D. 90
Acts = Luke - A.D. 60-65
Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon = Paul - A.D. 50-67
Hebrews = unknown; most likely Paul; possibly Luke, Barnabas, or Apollos - AD 65
James = James - A.D. 45-50
1 Peter, 2 Peter = Peter - A.D. 60s
1 John, 2 John, 3 John = John - A.D. 90 (some suggest a pre-A.D. 70 date)
Jude = Jude - A.D. 60
Revelation = John - A.D. 90-96 (some suggest a date prior to A.D. 70)
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