The Bible is comprised of 2 divisions- the Old Testament and the New Testament. It contains 66 books written by around 40 "authors" over a period of about 1500 years. The Old Testament was originally written primarily in Hebrew, the New Testament is primarily Koine (common) Greek; portions of both were written in Aramaic.
Within the two divisions are groupings of books, commonly referred to as follows:
- Pentateuch (The Law or Torah) = Genesis - Deuteronomy
- History = Joshua - Esther
- Poetry & Wisdom = Job - Song of Songs (Song of Solomon)
- Major Prophets (longer) = Isaiah - Daniel
- Minor Prophets (shorter) = Hosea - Malachi
- The Gospels = Matthew - Mark
- Acts of the Apostles = Acts
- Epistles (Letters) = Romans - Jude
- The Revelation (Apocalypse) = Revelation
Although there were around 40 different writers over such a long period of time, the Bible is one book, authored by God Himself, telling one story.
So we have the prophetic word made more sure,
2 Peter 1:19-21
to which you do well to pay attention
as to a lamp shining in a dark place,
until the day dawns and the morning star
arises in your hearts.
But know this first of all,
that no prophecy of Scripture
is a matter of one’s own interpretation,
for no prophecy was ever made
by an act of human will,
but men moved by the Holy Spirit
spoke from God.
For many novices, reading the Bible "cover to cover" can seem to be a daunting task. There are many approaches to reading the Bible and many "reading plans" available online. Many people like to read the Bible over the course of a year, others read chronologically, and still others will alternate between the Old and New Testaments.
My Recommendation: The beginning of the Bible, the book of Genesis, tells the story of creation, the fall of man, and the promise of a Savior. The Gospel of John in the New Testament shares the identity of the promised Savior. If you begin with these two books, you will have a good grasp on the rest of the Bible.
A story of Creation. A story of a Fall.
A story of a People. A Story of a Call.
A story of a Savior. A story of His Life.
A story of His Victory.
A Promise of Eternal Life.
Hope for all who read.
Hope to those with faith.
Hope if we receive.
Hope if we believe.
A Promise of Eternal Life.
For a more in-depth discussion on the origins of the Bible, visit GotQuestions.org.