How to Divide the 66 Books of the Bible into Groups
Start with the Old and New Testaments.
Old Testament
The Old Testament is made up of 39 books. These 39 books can be divided into four main groups.
Law
The law includes Genesis through Deuteronomy. This section discusses how God brought Israel into existence and the law He gave them.
History
The history section begins with Joshua and ends with Esther. These books cover hundreds of years, from when Israel entered Canaan until they were carried into captivity.
Poetry
The books of poetry begin with Job and end with the Song of Solomon. These books give a detailed glimpse into what servants of God felt as they went through various situations in life.
Prophecy
The books of prophecy are usually divided into the Major Prophets and Minor Prophets. God sent the prophets with a specific message - usually urging Israel to change their sinful ways and turn back to God before it was too late. They also include many prophecies about Jesus Christ.
New Testament
The New Testament is made up of 27 books. These 27 books are usually divided into four main groups as well.
Gospels
The Gospel accounts, or the Life of Christ, include Matthew through John. These four books tell about the life of Jesus while emphasizing certain aspects of His nature. For example, Matthew emphasizes that Jesus is King, and He has a kingdom.
History
The book of Acts is the history of the beginning and growth of Jesus’ church. It also tells a great deal about the work of Peter and Paul - two apostles of Jesus Christ. Several sermons are recorded in this book, and we also read how people responded to the preaching of Christ.
Letters
The letters - or epistles - include Romans through Jude. These letters are all about how to live and grow as a Christian. Some confront false teachings in the church; some encourage suffering Christians; some are teaching new Christians to grow in their faith.
Prophecy
The book of Revelation is a book of prophecy of “things which must shortly take place” (Revelation 1:1) written to the seven churches of Asia near the end of the first century. The emphasis of the book is God wins. It encourages Christians to remain faithful through difficult times (Revelation 2:10).