A Guide to Key Events, Characters, and Themes of the Bible
A Guide to Key Events, Characters and Themes of the Bible
The Bible is filled with countless stories that inspire and challenge. The passages listed below include some of the most familiar stories and passages from the Old and New Testaments. These stories are divided into three groups to make it easy for you to select a Bible text that will suit you needs—Key Events, Key Characters, and Key Themes.
Some stories are short and easy to read in a single sitting; these are marked with a single asterisk (*). Longer stories and stories that are slightly more complex are marked with two asterisks (**). Stories that may require multiple sittings to work through adequately or that might require the use of a Bible dictionary, commentary, or website are marked with three asterisks (***). For suggestions on how to get the most out of reading these texts see “Getting the Most Out of Your Bible Reading.”
Key Events(Listed in chronological order) |
|
| *Creation | Genesis 1.1—2.25 |
| *Human Rebellion | Genesis 3.1-24 |
| **Noah and the Flood | Genesis 6.1—9.17 |
| *Tower of Babel | Genesis 11.1-9 |
| ***The Exodus from Egypt | Exodus 3.1—15.21 |
| ***Wilderness Wanderings | Exodus 15.22—20.26; 31.18—34.35; Numbers 1.1—2.34; 10.11—14.45; 16.1—17.12; 20.1—27.23; 31.1—34.15 |
| ***The People Settle in the Promised Land | Joshua 1.1—24.33 |
| *Israel Gets a King | 1 Samuel 8.1—10.27 |
| *Israel Builds a Temple | 1 Kings 5.1—8.66 |
| **The Kingdom Splits in Two | 1 Kings 11.26—12.33 |
| *The Exile in Babylonia | 2 Kings 23.36—25.30 |
| *Returning from the Exile | Ezra 1.1-11 |
| *Rebuilding the Walls of Jerusalem | Nehemiah 1.1—7.4 |
| The Life and Ministry of Jesus | (See “Jesus of Nazareth” under Key Characters below.) |
| *The Holy Spirit Comes on Pentecost | Acts 2.1-47 |
| *Christian Leaders Meet in Jerusalem | Acts 21.17-26 |
Key Characters(Listed alphabetically after “Jesus”) |
|
| Jesus of Nazareth: His Life, Death, and Resurrection | |
| **Jesus Is Born | Matthew 1.18-2.15; Luke 2.1-20 |
| *Jesus Presented in the Temple | Luke 2.21-40 |
| *The Young Jesus | Luke 2.41-52 |
| *Jesus Is Baptized | Matthew 3 |
| *The Temptation of Jesus | Luke 4.1-13 |
| *Jesus Calls His First Disciples | Mark 1.16-20 |
| *Jesus Chooses Twelve Apostles | Mark 3.13-19 |
| *The Transfiguration of Jesus | Matthew 17.1-13 |
| *Jesus' Entry into Jerusalem | Luke 19.29-44 |
| *The Last Supper of Jesus | Mark 14.12-26 |
| *Jesus Prays in Gethsemane | Luke 22.39-46 |
| **Jesus' Trial and Crucifixion | Matthew 26.47—27.66; John 18.1—19.37 |
| **The Resurrection of Jesus | Luke 24.1-49; John 20.1-29 |
| *The Great Commission | Matthew 28.16-20 |
| *Jesus Ascends to Heaven | Luke 24.50-53; Acts 1.1-12 |
| Jesus’ Miracles and Healings | |
| *Jesus Turns Water into Wine | John 2.1-11 |
| *Jesus Feeds Many People | Matthew 14.13-21; 15.32-39; John 6.1-15; |
| *Jesus Calms a Storm | Mark 4.35-41 |
| *The Great Catch of Fish | Luke 5.1-11 |
| *Jesus Walks on Water | Matthew 14.22-33 |
| *Jesus Heals Skin Diseases | Luke 5.12-16; 17.11-19 |
| *Jesus Casts Out Demons | Mark 1.21-28; 3.20-30; 5. 1-20; 9.14-29 |
| *Jesus Heals the Blind | Matthew 9.27-31; 20.29-34 |
| *Jesus Heals a Deaf Man | Mark 7.31-37 |
| *Jesus Heals the Paralyzed | Luke 5.17-26; 6.6-11; John 5.1-17 |
| *Jesus Heals Many Women | Luke 8.1-3; 8.40-56; 13.10-17 |
| *Jesus Heals a Centurion's Servant | Matthew 8.5-13 |
| *Jesus Heals Peter's Mother in law | Mark 1.29-31 |
| *Jesus Heals an Official's Son | John 4.46-54 |
| *Jesus Raises a Girl to Life | Luke 8.40-42,49-56 |
| *Jesus Raises the Dead | Luke 7.11-17; John 11.1-44 |
| ***Abraham | Genesis 12.1—19.29; 20.1—23.20 |
| *Adam | Genesis 3.1-24 |
| **Balaam | Numbers 22.2—24.25 |
| **Daniel | Daniel 1.1—6.28 |
| ***David | 1 Samuel 16.1—27.12; 29.1—30.31; 2 Samuel 1—24.27; 1 Kings 1.1—2.11 |
| *Deborah | Judges 4.1—5.31 |
| **Elijah | 1 Kings 17.1—19.21; 21.1-29; 2 Kings 1.1—2.15 |
| **Elisha | 2 Kings 2.1—2.25; 4.1—7.2; 8.1-6; 13.14-21 |
| **Esther | Esther 1.1—10.3 |
| *Eve | Genesis 3.1-24 |
| Ezekiel | Ezekiel 1.1—3.15; Ezekiel 37.1-14 |
| ***Gideon | Judges 6.11-8.35 |
| *Hagar | Genesis 16.1-16; Genesis 21.1-21 |
| *Hannah | 1 Samuel 1.1—2.11,18-21 |
| *Hezekiah | 2 Kings 18.1—20; 21 |
| **Isaac | Genesis 18.1-15; 21.1-21; 22.1-19; 24.1-67; 25.19-34; 26.1—28.9; 35.27-29 |
| **Isaiah | Isaiah 6.1-13; Isaiah 37.1—39.8; Isaiah 40.1-31; Isaiah 65.17-25 |
| ***Jacob (Israel) | Genesis 25.19-34; 27.1—35.29; 37.1-36; 42.1—50.14 |
| **Jeremiah | Jeremiah 1.1-19; Jeremiah 31.31-34; Jeremiah 34.1—38.28 |
| **John the Baptist | Luke 1.5-25,57-80; Matthew 3.3-17; 14.1-12 |
| **Jonah | Jonah 1.1—4.11 |
| **Joseph | Genesis 37.1—50.26 |
| ***Joshua | Deuteronomy 31.1-8; 34.9-9; Joshua 1.1—11.23; 18.1-10; 23.1—24.31 |
| **Josiah | 2 Kings 22.1—23.30 |
| *Lydia | Acts 16.11-15 |
| **Mary (mother of Jesus) | Luke 1.26—2.52; John 2.1-12; 19.16-27; Acts 1.12-14 |
| *Mary Magdalene | Luke 8.1-3; Mark 15.33-41; Mark 16.1-8; John 20.11-18 |
| *Miriam | Exodus 2.1-10; Exodus 15.19-21; Numbers 12.1-16; 20.1 |
| ***Moses | Exodus 1.1—20.26; 24.1—25.22; 32.1—34.35; Deuteronomy 31.1—34.12 |
| **Nehemiah | Nehemiah 1.1—2.20; 4.1—6.16 |
| ***Paul | Acts 8.1,2; 9.1-31; 13.1—28.31; Galatians 1.11—2.10 |
| ***Peter |
Matthew 4.18-22; 10.1-4; 14.22-33; 16.13—17.13,24-27; 26.31—26.75;
John 18.1-27; 20.1-10; 21.1-25; Acts 2.1—5.16; 9.32—11.18; 12.1-19 |
| *Rahab | Joshua 2.1-24 |
| *Rebekah | Genesis 24.1-67 |
| **Ruth | Ruth 1.1—4.22 |
| **Samson | Judges 13.1—16.31 |
| **Samuel | 1 Samuel 1.19—3.21; 7.3—12.25; 15.1—16.13; 19.18-24; 25.1 |
| **Sarah | Genesis 12.1-20; 16.1—18.15; 20.1—21.21; 22.1-19; 23.1-20 |
| ***Saul | 1 Samuel 8.1—11.15; 13.1—28.25; 31.1-13; 2 Samuel 1.1-27 |
| ***Solomon | 2 Samuel 12.24,25; 1 Kings 1.28—11.43 |
| *Stephen | Acts 6.1—7.60 |
Key Themes(Listed alphabetically) |
|
| ** Blessing | Genesis 1.1—2.4; Genesis 12.1-3; Numbers 6.24-26; Psalm 1; Psalm 128; Matthew 5.1-10; Romans 15.13; Philippians 4.7; Hebrews 13.20,21; Jude 1.24,25 |
| ***Care of the Earth | Genesis 1.1—2.25; Psalm 24.1,2; Psalm 145.10-21; Psalm 148.1-13; Acts 17.24-28; Colossians 1.15-20; Deuteronomy 11.8-17; 2 Corinthians 9.6-15; Isaiah 42.5,6; Ezekiel 47.6-12; Isaiah 11.6-9; 65.17-25 |
| **Covenant (Agreement) | Genesis 8.20—9.17; 12.1-7; 15.4-21; 17.1-6; Exodus 20.1-17; 24.1-11; 2 Samuel 7.12-16; Psalm 89.1-36; Jeremiah 31.31-37 |
|
***Forgiveness and Salvation Through Jesus Christ |
|
| Sin separates us from God: | Isaiah 59.1-15; Romans 3.9-20; 5.12-21; 7.14-25 |
| God seeks us and desires what’s best for us: | Exodus 19.3b-8; Jeremiah 31.31-34; Isaiah 54.1-10; 1 Peter 1.1-10; 1 John 3.1-10 |
| God sent his son Jesus Christ so that our relationship with God can be restored: | Colossians 1.15-23; Romans 5.1-11; 1 Peter 2.10-25; 2 Timothy 1.9,10; Ephesians 2.1-10; Romans 8.31-39 |
| God gives us new life and call us to live in a Christ-like way: | Romans 6.1-14; Ephesians 4.17-32; Galatians 5.16-26; 1 John 4.7-21; Romans 12.1-21 |
| **Giving | Exodus 35.20-29; Leviticus 27.26-33; Deuteronomy 14.22-29; Ezra 8.24-30; Proverbs 11.24,25; Mark 12.41-43; Matthew 19.16-30; 2 Corinthians 8.1—9.15 |
| **God as King | Psalms 5; 47; 74; 93; 96-99; 145; Jeremiah 10.6-16 |
| **Healing | Numbers 21.4-9; 2 Kings 5.1-19; Psalm 41; Jeremiah 17.14; Mark 5.21-43; Luke 18.35-43; John 9.1-41; Acts 3.1-10; James 5.13-15 |
| **Hospitality | Genesis 18.1-15; Exodus 22.21; 1 Kings 17.8-16; Matthew 5.43-48; Luke 7.36-50; Luke 19.1-9; Matthew 25.21-46; Acts 2.43-47; Romans 12.9-18; Philippians 4.10-20; Hebrews 13.2 |
| ***Kingdom of Heaven (Kingdom of God) | Isaiah 11.1-9; Matthew 13.24-33,44-50; John 3.1-21; Matthew 10.1-15; Luke 10.1-12; Luke 13.22-30; Luke 22.24-30; John 14.1-14; 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18; 1 Corinthians 15.42-54; Philippians 3.20,21 |
| **Prayer | 1 John 5.13-21; Luke 11.5-13; Matthew 6.5-15; Ephesians 3.14-21; James 5.13-18; Psalm 25; 51; 67; 142; 150 |
| **Servanthood | Isaiah 42.1-4; Isaiah 49.1-6; Isaiah 50.4-9; Isaiah 52.13—53.12; Mark 10.42-45; John 13.1-20; Philippians 2.6-11; Romans 6.15-23 |
| **What God Requires | Deuteronomy 5.1-22; Amos 5.21-24; Micah 6.8; Mark 12.28-34; Luke 6.31 |
| **Wisdom | Proverbs 1.20—2.9; Proverbs 8; Deuteronomy 6.4-9; Psalm 19; Jeremiah 9.23,24; 1 Kings 3.1-15; 1 Kings 10.1-10; Matthew 12.42; Matthew 5.1—7.29; 1 Corinthians 1.18—2.16 |
| **Worship | Psalms 84; 122; 134; 149; Exodus 20.8-11; Hebrews 10.20-25; Acts 2.43-45; 1 Corinthians 11.23-34; Colossians 3.12-17; Revelation 4.1-11 |
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Related Resources
The books beginning with Isaiah and ending with Malachi belong to a section of the Christian Bible called the Prophetic Books. These books record God’s messages to the people of Israel and Judah in the form of speeches or sermons, visions, and life experiences of prophets who preached between about 750 and 450 B.C.
The “Pentateuch” is a term used to describe the first five books of the Old Testament (Genesis—Deuteronomy). In the Jewish Scriptures these books are referred to as the Law, or Torah, a Hebrew word that means “guide” or “instruction”.
The Letters of Paul include some of the oldest writings in the New Testament. The dates of his earliest letters most likely fall in the period A.D. 50–60 and were written before the Gospels, Acts, and other New Testament writings.
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