An Outline of the Bible
A Survey of the Books of the Law
A. Genesis
I. The Primeval History 1:1-11:26
A. Creation of the Universe 1:1-2:4a
B. Early Humanity 2:4b-4:26
C. Antediluvian Age 5:1-6:8
D. Noah 6:9-9:29
E. The Nations 10:1-11:9
F. Shem's Genealogy 11:10-26
A. Terah: Abraham and Isaac 11:27-25:11
B. Genealogy of Ishmael 25:12-18
C. Jacob 25:19-35:29
D. Esau Summary 36:1-36:8
E. Esau Genealogy 36:9-37:1
F. Joseph 37:2-50:26
I. Salvation 1:1-18:27
A. Liberation 1:1-15:21
B. Journey to Sinai 15:22-18:27
A. The Giving of the Ten Commandments 19:1-20:21
B. Expansion of the Theme of the Ten Commandments 20:22-40:38
C. Leviticus
I. The Law of Sacrifice 1:1-7:38
II. The Consecration of the Priests 8:1-10:20
III. The Clean and the Unclean 11:1-15:33
IV. The Holiness Code 16:1-26:46
V. Dedications 27:1-3
D. Numbers
I. The Census 1:1-4:49
II. Regulations 5:1-10:10
III. The Journey to Canaan 10:11-14:45
IV. The Years of Wandering 15:1-19:22
V. The Journey Back to Canaan 20:1-36:13
E. Deuteronomy
I. Preamble 1:1-5
II. Historical Prologue 1:6-4:49
III. General Stipulations 5:1-11:32
IV. Specific Stipulations 12:1-26:19
V. Blessings and Cursings 27:1-30:18
VI. Witnesses 30:19-20
VII. Moses Concluding His Work 31:1-33:29
VIII. The Death of Moeses 34:1-12
The format of Deuteronomy follows the structure of Ancient Near Eastern treaties which were made between greater and lesser powers. Israel, the lesser power, had been freed from bondage as Egypt's vassal and was now voluntarily becoming the vassal of Yahweh. Therefore, the book of Deuteronomy is a treaty or contract between God and Israel.
Below is an outline of a typical vassal treaty of the fifteenth century BC:
I. Preamble -- "These are the words..."
II. Historical Prologue -- antecedant history: the events which lead to and now form the basis of the treaty
III. General Stipulations -- substantive statements regarding the future relationships which is related to the antecedant history and which summarizes the purpose of the specific stipulations which will follow.
IV. Specific Stipulations
V. Divine Witnesses -- the gods are called upon to bear witness.
VI. Blessings and Cursings -- what will happen if the covenant is kept or broken
A Survey of the Historical Books
A. Joshua
I. The Entry Into Canaan 1-6
II. The Incident at Ai and Renewal of the Covenant 7-8
III. The Conquest of the South 9-10
IV. The Conquest of the North 11-12
V. The Division of the Land 13-22
VI. Farewell and Death of Joshua 23-24
B. Judges
I. The Time of the Elders 1:1-2:10
II. The Time of the Judges 2:11-16:31
III. A Picture of Anarchy 17-21
C. Ruth
I. Ruth Joins Israel 1:1-22
II. Ruth Meets Boaz 2:1-23
III. Ruth Traps Boaz 3:1-18
IV. Ruth Marries Boaz 4:1-22
D. 1-2 Samuel
I. Samuel 1-7
II. Saul 8-15
III. David Gains the Kingship 16-31
IV. David Triumphant (2 Samuel) 1-10
V. David Recovering 11-24
E. 1-2 Kings
I. David's Successor 1:1-11:43
A. Adonijah 1:1-27
B. Solomon 1:28-11:43
II. A Kingdom Divided 12:1-2 Kings 16:20
A. Rehoboam 12:1-14:31
B. Abijah 15:1-8
C. Asa 15:9-24
D. Nadab 15:25-32 (Israel)
E. Baasha 15:33-16:7 (Israel)
F. Elah 16:8-14 (Israel)
G. Zimri 16:15-20 (Israel)
H. Omri 16:21-28 (Israel)
I. Ahab 16:29-22:40 (Israel)
J. Jehoshaphat 22:41-50
K. Ahaziah 22:51-1:18 (Israel)
L. Joram 2:1-8:15 (Israel)
M. Jehoram 8:16-24
N. Ahaziah 8:25-29
O. Jehu 9:1-10:36 (Israel)
P. Athaliah and Joash 11:1-12:21
Q. Jehoahaz 13:1-9 (Israel)
R. Jehoash 13:10-13:25
S. Amaziah 14:1-22
T. Jeroboam II 14:23-29
U. Azariah 15:1-7
V. Zechariah 15:8-12
W. Shallum 15:13-16 (Israel)
X. Menahem 15:17-22 (Israel)
Y. Pehahiah 15:23-26 (Israel)
Z. Pekah 15:27-31 (Israel)
AA. Jotham 15:32-38
BB. Ahaz 16:1-20
III. The Kingdoms Fall 17:1-25:30
A. Hoshea 17:1-41 (Israel)
B. Hezekiah 18:1-20:2
C. Manasseh 21:1-18
D. Amon 21:19-26
E. Josiah 22:1-23:30
F. Jehoahaz 23:31-35
G. Jehoiakim 23:36-24:7
H. Jehoiachin 24:8-25:30
F. 1-2 Chronicles
I. The Genealogies 1:1-9:44
II. The Acts of David 10:1-29:30
III. The Acts of Solomon 1:1-9:31
IV. The Acts of the Kings of Judah 10:1-36:23
G. Ezra-Nehemiah
I. Cyrus Permits the Jews to Return 1:1-11
II. The List of Those Who Returned 2:1-70
III. Altar and Temple Foundations Established 3:1-13
IV. Opposition 4:1-24
V. Renewal of Construction Work on the Temple 5:1-6:22
VI. Ezra is Sent to Enforce the Law 7:1-8:36
VII. The Problem of Mixed Marriages 9:1-10:44
VIII. Nehemiah's Mission 1:1-7:73a
IX. Ezra Reads the Law 7:73b-8:18
X. Nehemiah's Reformation 9:1-13:31
H. Esther
I. Xerxes and Vashti 1:1-22
II. Xerxes and Esther 2:1-18
III. Mordecai and Haman 2:19-3:15
IV. Mordecai and Esther 4:1-17
V. Esther and Xerxes 5:1-8
VI. Haman and Mordecai 5:9-6:14
VII. Esther and Haman 7:1-10
VIII. Xerxes and Esther 8:1-6
IX. The Jews and Their Enemies 8:7-9:17
X. Purim and Mordecai 9:18-10:3
A Survey of the Books of Literature
A. Job
The book of Job may be arranged according to a tree diagram:
THE BOOK OF JOB
I. Introduction 1:1-5
II. Speeches 1:6-42:6
III. Conclusion 42:7-17
B. Psalms
I. Book 1 Genesis 1-41
II. Book 2 Exodus 42-72
III. Book 3 Leviticus 73-89
IV. Book 4 Numbers 90-106
V. Book 5 Deuteronomy 107-150
Authors
Moses 90
Heman the Ezrahite 88
Ethan the Ezrahite 89
Solomon 72, 127
David (73 times) 3-9; 11-32; 34-41; 51-65; 68-70; 86; 103; 108-110;
122; 124; 131; 133; 138-145
Asaph (12 times) 50; 73-83
Sons of Korah (9 times) 42; 44-45; 47-49; 84-85; 87
Author unknown (49 times) all the rest
The Septuagint (LXX) gives additional authorship identifications
as follows:
Jeremiah 137
Haggai and Zechariah 146-147
Ezra 119
Hezekiah (15 times) 120-134
Duplicate Psalms
14 and 53 (note: 14 uses Yahweh, translated "Lord"
and 53 uses Elohim, translated "God")
40:13-17 and 70; 108 and 57:7-11, plus 60:5-12
I. Solomon's Book of Proverbs
A. Prologue 1:1-7
B. Exhortations to Wisdom 1:8-9:18
1. Warnings Against Following Sinners 1:8-19
2. Wisdom Personified 1:20-33
3. What Happens When Wisdom is Followed 2:1-4:27
4. What Happens When Folly is Followed 4:1-7:27
5. Wisdom Calls 8:1-9:12
6. Folly Calls 9:13-18
C. The Proverbs of Solomon 10:1-22:16
D. Epilogue 22:17-24:22
A. More Sayings of the Wise (Appendix 1) 22:23-34
B. Proverbs of Solomon Copied by Hezekiah's Men (Appendix 2)
25:1-29:27
C. The Sayings of Agur (Appendix 3) 30:1-33
D. The Sayings of King Lemuel (Appendix 4) 31:1-31
I. Introduction 1:1-11
A. Prologue 1:1-2
B. Nothing New 1:3-11
A. Wisdom 1:12-18
B. Expansion of the Search for Meaning 2:1-16
C. Conclusion of the Experiments 2:17-26
A. Times and Seasons 3:1-6:6
B. Summary 6:7-12
C. Times and Seasons, Part 2 7:1-12:8
F. Song of Songs (Song of Solomon)
I. Title 1:1
II. First Poem 1:2-2:7
III. Second Poem 2:8-3:5
IV. Third Poem 3:6-5:1
V. Fourth Poem 5:2-6:3
VI. Fifth Poem 6:4-8:7
VII. Sixth Poem 8:8-14
A Survey of the Books of the Prophets
A. Amos
I. The General Judgments on the Nations 1:1-2:16
II. The Specific Judgments on Israel 3:1-6:14
III. The symbolic judgment on Israel 7:1-9:10
IV. The Millennial Glory for Israel 9:11-15
B. Jonah
I. Jonah Runs Away 1:1-17
II. Jonah Prays 2:1-10
III. Jonah Obeys 3:1-10
IV. Jonah Complains 4:1-11
C. Hosea
I. The Prologue -- Hosea and the Prostitute 1-3
II. Israel's Sin Described 4-7
III. Israel's Sin Punished 8-10
IV. Israel Restored 11-14
D. Micah
I. Judgment Against Samaria and Jerusalem 1:1-2:13
II. Rebuke and Promise 3:1-5:15
III. The Case Against Israel 6:1-7:20
E. Isaiah
I. Prophecies of Condemnation 1-35
A. Concerning Judah and Israel 1-12
B. Concerning the Nations 13-23
C. The Little Apocalypse 24-27
D. Concerning Sinners in Israel 28-35
A. The Threat of Assyria 36-37
B. The Threat of Babylon 38-39
A. God's Greatness 40-48
B. God's Grace 49-59
C. God's Glory for Israel 60-66
I. Judgment on the "Earth" 1:1-3
II. Judgment on Judah 1:4-2:3
III. The Day of Yahweh 2:4-3:20
G. Nahum
I. Yahweh Will Avenge His People 1:1-15
II. The Battle for Nineveh 2:1-13
III. The Fate of Nineveh 3:1-19
H. Jeremiah
I. Early Prophecies -- Under Josiah and Jehoiakim 1-20
A. The Commission of Jeremiah 1
B. Judah, Yahweh's Unfaithful Wife 2-6
C. Judah, the Hypocrite 7-10
D. Judah, Breaker of the Covenant 11-12
E. Five Parables of Judgment 13-20
A. Captivity in Babylon Predicted 21-29
B. Restoration Predicted 30-33
C. Captivity Anticipated 34-39
A. Gedaliah as Governor 40-41
B. Johanan's Rebellion 41-43
C. Jeremiah's Prophesies in Egypt 43-44
D. Jeremiah's Prophesy for Baruch 45
A. Southwest 46-47
B. Southeast 48-49:22
C. North 49:23-33
D. East 49:34-51:64
I. Lamentations
I. Bitter Affliction 1:1-22
II. Yahweh's Anger 2:1-22
III. Witness 3:1-66
IV. Paradise Lost 4:1-22
V. A Prayer of Remembrance 5:1-22
J. Habakkuk
I. Habakkuk's First Complaint 1:1-4
II. Yahweh's Response 1:5-11
III. Habakkuk's Second Complaint 1:12-17
IV. Yahweh's Response 2:1-5
V. Five Woes 2:6-20
VI. A Prayer 3:1-19
K. Daniel
I. The Selection and Preparation of God's Servants 1:1-21
II. Nebuchadnezzar's First Dream 2:1-49
III. The Golden Image 3:1-30
IV. Nebuchadnezzar's Second Dream 4:1-37
V. Belshazzar's Feast 5:1-31
VI. Daniel in the Lion's Den 6:1-28
VII. Visions 7:1-12:13
L. Obadiah
I. Edom Will Be Destroyed 1-9
II. Edom Will Be Punished Because of Its Sin Against Israel 10-21
M. Haggai
I. Yahweh's Call to Rebuild the Temple 1:1-15
II. Yahweh's Promise to Restore the Glory 2:1-9
III. Yahweh's Blessings on a Defiled People 2:10-19
IV. Yahweh Makes Zerubbabel His Signet Ring 2:20-23
N. Zechariah
I. The Eight Visions of Zechariah 1:1-6:15
II. Justice and Mercy Instead of Fasting 7:1-14
III. Blessing Will Return to Jerusalem 8:1-23
IV. An Oracle by Jeremiah 9:1-11:17
V. An Oracle by an Unknown Prophet 12:1-21
O. Malachi
I. Yahweh's Complaints 1:1-2:17
II. Yahweh's Arrival 3:1-4:6
P. Joel
I. The Locust Invasion 1:1-2:17
II. Yahweh's Response 2:18-3:21
A Survey of the Books of the New Testament
A. Matthew
I. The Preparation of the King 1:1-4:16
II. The Presentation of the Kingdom 4:17-16:12
III. Sermons 16:13-25:46
IV. The Sacrifice 26:1-27:66
V. The Resurrection 28:1-20
B. Mark
I. Introduction 1:1-13
II. Early Galilean Ministry 1:14-7:23
III. Tyre and Sidon 7:24-30
IV. Northern Galilee 7:31-9:50
V. Perea and the Journey to Jerusalem 10:1-52
VI. Execution and Resurrection 11:1-16:8
C. Luke
I. Prologue
II. Infancy and Childhood 1:5-2:52
III. Beginning of Jesus' Ministry 3:1-4:13
IV. Galilean Ministry 4:14-9:6
V. Leaving Galilee 9:7-50
VI. Judean and Perean Ministry 9:51-19:28
VII. End of Public Ministry 19:29-21:37
VIII. End 22:1-23:56
IX. Resurrection 24:1-53
D. John
I. Prologue 1:1-18
II. The Public Ministry 1:19-12:50
III. The Private Ministry 13:1-20:31
IV. The Epilogue 21:1-25
E. Acts
I. Introduction 1:1-2:47
II. Jerusalem 3:1-8:3
III. Judea and Samaria 8:4-12:24
IV. Uttermost Part of the Earth 12:25-28:31
F. Romans
I. Introduction 1:1-17
II. The World 1:18-3:20
III. Justification 3:21-5:21
IV. Sanctification 6:1-8:39
V. Israel 9:1-11:36
VI. The Practice of Righteousness 12:1-15:13
VII. Conclusion 15:14-16:27
G. 1 Corinthians
I. Greetings 1:1-3
II. Thanksgiving 1:4-9
III. Divisions 1:10-17
IV. The Wisdom of God 1:18-2:26
V. Servants of Christ 3:1-4:21
VI. Problems in the Church 5:1-6:20
VII. Questions From the Church 7:1-14:40
VIII. The Resurrection of Christ and the Christian 15:1-58
IX. Final Concluding Matters 16:1-24
H. 2 Corinthians
I. Paul's Explanation 1:1-7:16
II. The Collection for Jerusalem 8:1-9:15
III. Paul's Authority 10:1-13:14
I. Galatians
I. Introduction 1:1-10
II. Paul's Defence of Himself 1:11-2:21
III. The Nature of the Gospel 3:1-4:31
IV. Life in the Spirit 5:1-6:10
V. Conclusion 6:11-18
J. Ephesians
I. Introduction 1:1-2
II. Relationship with God 1:3-2:22
III. Paul 3:1-21
IV. Relationship With People 4:1-6:20
V. Conclusion 6:21-24
K. Philippians
I. Introduction 1:1-11
II. Paul's Circumstances 1:12-30
III. The Mind of Christ 2:1-18
IV. Timothy and Epaphroditus 2:19-30
V. Living the Life 3:1-4:20
VI. Conclusion 4:21-23
L. Colossians
I. Introduction 1:1-14
II. The Supremacy of Christ 1:15-23
III. Paul's Ministry 1:24-2:7
IV. Warning Against Error 2:8-23
V. Appeal for Christian Living 3:1-4:6
VI. Conclusion 4:7-18
M. 1 Thessalonians
I. Introduction 1:1
II. Thanksgiving 1:2-10
III. Their Defense 2:1-3:13
IV. Living for God 4:1-12
V. The Dead in Christ 4:13-5:11
VI. The Church 5:12-22
VII. Conclusion 5:23-28
N. 2 Thessalonians
I. Salutation 1:1-2
II. Thanksgiving 1:3-12
III. The Second Coming 2:1-17
IV. Prayer Request 3:1-5
V. Warning Against Idleness 3:6-15
VI. Conclusion 3:16-18
O. 1 Timothy
I. Salutation 1:1-2
II.Timothy's Task in Ephesus 1:3-11
III. Thanksgiving 1:12-20
IV. Worship and Conduct 2:1-6:21
P. 2 Timothy
I. Salutation 1:1-2
II. Thanksgiving 1:3-7
III. Patient Endurance 1:8-4:18
IV. Conclusion 4:19-22
Q. Titus
I. Salutation 1:1-4
II. Elders 1:5-9
III. False Teachers 1:10-16
IV. What to Teach 2:1-3:11
V. Conclusion 3:12-15
R. Philemon
I. Salutation 1:1-3
II. Thanksgiving and Prayer 1:4-7
III. Plea for Onesimus 1:8-22
IV. Greetings and Benediction 1:23-25
S. Hebrews
I. The Superiority of Christ 1:1-10:18
II. Practical Applications 10:19-13:25
T. James
I. Introduction 1:1-27
II. Piety and Poverty 2:1-26
III. Speech and Spirit 3:1-4:12
IV. Test and Result 4:13-5:6
V. Conclusion 5:7-20
U. 1 Peter
I. Salutation 1:1-2
II. Privileges and Responsibilities 1:3-2:12
III. Submission and God's Honor 2:13-3:7
IV. Suffering and Persecution 3:8-5:11
V. Conclusion 5:12-14
V. 2 Peter
I. Salutation 1:1-2
II. Growth 1:3-11
III. Prophets 1:12-21
IV. False Prophets 2:1-22
V. The Second Coming 3:1-18
W. 1 John
I. Introduction 1:1-4
II. God is Light 1:5-2:27
III. God is Righteous 2:28-4:6
IV. God is Love 4:7-5:12
V. Conclusion 5:13-21
X. 2 John
I. Introduction 1:1-3
II. Love 1:4-6
III. Deceivers 1:7-11
IV. Conclusion 1:12-13
Y. 3 John
I. Salutation 1:1
II. About Gaius 1:2-8
III. About Diotrephes 1:9-10
IV. About Demetrius 1:11-12
V. Conclusion 1:13-15
Z. Jude
I. Introduction 1:1-4
II. False Teachers 1:5-16
III. Perseverance 1:17-23
IV. Conclusion 1:24-25
AA. Revelation
I. Introduction 1:1-8
II. Seven Letters 1:9-3:22
III. Sevens 4:1-19:10
IV. The End 19:11-22:5
V. Conclusion 22:6-21