Who Wrote the Bible?
The Writers of the Bible
Some 35 writers — shepherds and kings, fishermen and a doctor, a tax collector and a tentmaker — across 1,500 years, three languages, and three continents. One story.
“Who wrote this book?” is one of the first questions every reader of the Bible asks — and one of the best. Behind each of the 66 books stands a human life: a prince of Egypt in exile, a herdsman summoned from his flock, a prisoner dictating letters in chains. Christians confess that these very human pens were carried along by the Holy Spirit — which makes the writers not less interesting, but more.
This collection tells each writer’s whole life — and is honest about how each book’s authorship is known: some writers are named in the text itself, some rest on ancient tradition, a few are genuinely debated, and two books never name their writer at all. That honesty is not a weakness of the Bible; it is part of its credibility.
The Law · Pentateuch1
Historical Books4
Joshua
c. 15th–14th century BCSlave in Egypt · Moses' aide · army commander · leader into the promised land
Joshua
Samuel
c. 1100–1010 BCPrayed-for child · last of the judges · prophet and kingmaker · lifelong intercessor
Judges · Ruth · 1 Samuel · 2 Samuel
Ezra
5th century BC (arrived Jerusalem 458 BC)Priest of Aaron's line · scribe of the Law · teacher of a broken people · rebuilder by the Book
1 Chronicles · 2 Chronicles · Ezra
Nehemiah
5th century BC (wall rebuilt 445 BC)Cupbearer to the king of Persia · wall builder · governor of Judah · man of instant prayer
Nehemiah
Wisdom & Poetry2
Major Prophets4
Isaiah
c. 740–681 BCJerusalem aristocrat · counselor to four kings · prophet-poet of the Holy One
Isaiah
Jeremiah
c. 650–580 BCPriest's son from Anathoth · the weeping prophet · prisoner of kings · unwilling exile
Jeremiah · Lamentations · 1 Kings · 2 Kings
Ezekiel
c. 622–570 BC (ministry 593–571 BC)Priest without a temple · exile by the Kebar Canal · watchman of Israel · visionary of God's glory
Ezekiel
Daniel
c. 620–536 BCDeported nobleman · interpreter of dreams · statesman under four kings · man of the open window
Daniel
Minor Prophets12
Hosea
c. 755–715 BCBetrayed husband · father of three · redeemer of Gomer · last prophet to the northern kingdom
Hosea
Joel
date uncertain — perhaps 9th–5th century BCProphet of Judah · interpreter of a locust plague · herald of the Day of the LORD · promiser of the poured-out Spirit
Joel
Amos
c. 760–750 BCShepherd of Tekoa · sycamore-fig farmer · unschooled prophet · champion of the trampled poor
Amos
Obadiah
probably shortly after 586 BCUnknown servant of the LORD · witness to Jerusalem's fall · prosecutor of a brother's betrayal
Obadiah
Jonah
8th century BC (reign of Jeroboam II)Galilean prophet · patriot preacher · runaway from God · Nineveh's reluctant missionary
Jonah
Micah
c. 740–690 BCVillage prophet of Moresheth · defender of the evicted poor · Isaiah's country contemporary · foreteller of Bethlehem
Micah
Nahum
c. 663–612 BCMan from a lost village · poet of the siege · comforter of the crushed
Nahum
Habakkuk
c. 609–598 BCProphet who questioned God · watchman on the tower · temple musician, perhaps · singer in the dark
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
c. 640–620 BCGreat-great-grandson of a king · preacher against his own class · herald of the Day of the LORD
Zephaniah
Haggai
520 BCElder of the return · rouser of a stalled nation · prophet of four months
Haggai
Zechariah
520–480 BCPriest and prophet · child of the exile · seer of night visions · sketcher of the coming King
Zechariah
Malachi
c. 430 BCLast prophet of the Old Testament · cross-examiner of a tired faith · voice before four centuries of silence
Malachi
Gospel Writers4
Matthew
1st century AD (Gospel c. AD 55–65)Tax collector · one of the Twelve · scribe of the kingdom · gospel writer
Matthew
Mark
c. AD 15–68 (Gospel c. AD 55–65)Son of a praying house · deserter at Perga · Peter's interpreter · gospel writer
Mark
Luke
1st century AD (Gospel c. AD 60–62)Physician · Gentile convert · careful historian · Paul's last companion
Luke · Acts
John
c. AD 6–100 (writings c. AD 85–95)Galilean fisherman · son of thunder · the disciple Jesus loved · apostle of love
John · 1 John · 2 John · 3 John · Revelation
Paul’s Letters1
General Epistles4
The Unknown Author of Hebrews
Writing before AD 70Master teacher of the Scriptures · pastor to wavering believers
Hebrews
James
d. AD 62Carpenter's household of Nazareth · brother of Jesus · pillar of the Jerusalem church · "James the Just"
James
Peter
c. AD 1–68Galilean fisherman · spokesman of the Twelve · restored denier · shepherd of Christ's flock
1 Peter · 2 Peter
Jude
1st century AD (letter c. AD 65–80)Brother of Jesus · latecomer to faith · servant of Christ · contender for the faith
Jude
The Unnamed Writers
Two books never tell us who held the pen — and their authority never depended on it.
The writer of Job never gives his name, and the book offers almost no clues — its events belong to the age of the patriarchs, while its Hebrew poetry is among the most sophisticated in the Old Testament. Jewish tradition guessed Moses; others have suggested Solomon or an unknown wisdom teacher. Its authority never rested on a byline: Scripture itself cites Job as a real man (Ezekiel 14:14; James 5:11), and the book's answer to suffering has proved itself for three thousand years.
The Book of Esther is unsigned. Jewish tradition points to Mordecai — Esther 9:20 says he "recorded these events" — while others suggest a later Persian-era Jewish writer with access to the royal chronicles the book cites. Whoever held the pen wrote the Bible's great study of hidden providence: God's name never appears in the book, yet his hand moves in every scene.