How Many Books Are in the Bible?

The Holy Bible contains a total of 66 books, according to the canon accepted by most Protestant denominations. These books are divided into two main sections:

The Old Testament – 39 books
The New Testament – 27 books

List of the Old Testament Books:

Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi

List of the New Testament Books:

Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation

Other Christian Bibles

Some Christian traditions include additional books not found in the Protestant Bible. For example:

The Roman Catholic Bible includes 73 books. It contains all 66 books of the Protestant Bible plus 7 additional books (known as the Deuterocanonical books) such as Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Baruch, and 1 & 2 Maccabees, as well as additions to Daniel and Esther.
Eastern Orthodox Bibles include even more books depending on the branch, sometimes totaling 76 or more. These include other writings like 3 Maccabees, Psalm 151, and 1 Esdras.

These additional books are referred to by Protestants as the Apocrypha, meaning “hidden” or “non-canonical.” Protestants generally do not consider them divinely inspired or authoritative for establishing doctrine.

Why Do Protestants Use Only 66 Books?

The Protestant Reformation in the 16th century emphasized returning to the Hebrew Scriptures for the Old Testament, which did not include the Deuterocanonical books. Reformers like Martin Luther questioned the authority and divine inspiration of the Apocryphal writings, resulting in their exclusion from the Protestant canon.

The 66 books used by Protestants are widely recognized as divinely inspired and authoritative. As stated in 2 Timothy 3:16–17 (ESV):

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Final Note

While different Christian traditions have differing biblical canons, the 66-book canon used by Protestants remains central to their faith and practice. Believers are encouraged to read, study, and live by these Scriptures, trusting that they are the inspired Word of God.