Bible Book Names & Meanings

The original Hebrew and Greek names of all 66 books of the Bible with their transliterations and meanings. Discover what each book was called in its original language and what that name reveals about its content.

Books

1,189

Chapters

31,102

Verses

39 / 27

OT / NT

Why Do Bible Books Have Different Names?

Old Testament — Hebrew Tradition

In the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), books are named after their opening word or phrase. Genesis is called Bereshit (“In the Beginning”) because that is the first word of the book. Exodus is Shemot (“Names”) from its opening line “These are the names of the sons of Israel.” The English names come from the Greek Septuagint translation, which used descriptive titles instead.

New Testament — Greek Tradition

The New Testament was written in Koine Greek, and its book names come directly from that language. The Gospels are named after their authors (Matthaios, Markos, Loukas, Ioannes). Paul's letters are named after their recipients (Korinthios, Galatēs, Ephesios). The English names are anglicized forms of these Greek originals.

Old Testament (39 Books)

Originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic. The Hebrew names often reflect the first word(s) of each book.

Books

929

Chapters

23,145

Verses

Pentateuch / Law(5 books)

Genesis

50 chapters · 1,533 verses · Moses

Pentateuch / Law

Hebrew

בּראשׁית

Bereshit

“In the Beginning”

Greek

Γένεσις

Genesis

“Beginning”

#	Book	Hebrew	Meaning	Greek	Ch	Verses
1	Genesis	Bereshit	In the Beginning	Genesis	50	1,533
2	Exodus	Shemot	Names	Exodus	40	1,213
3	Matthew	—		Maththaios	28	1,071
4	John	—		Iōannēs	21	879
5	Romans	—		Romaios	16	433
6	Psalms	Tehilim	Praises	Psalmoi	150	2,461
7	Proverbs	Mishlei	Parables	Paroimiai	31	915
8	Revelation	—	revelation, disclosure	Apokalupsis	22	404
9	Leviticus	Vayikra	And He Called	Leuitikon	27	859
10	Numbers	B'midbar	In the Desert	Arithmoi	36	1,288
11	Deuteronomy	Devarim	Words	Deuteronomion	34	959
12	Joshua	Yehoshua	Yah Saves	Iēsous Nauē	24	658
13	Judges	Shoftim	Judges	Kritai	21	618
14	Ruth	Rut	Companion	Routh	4	85
15	1 Samuel	Shmuel Aleph	Heard by God - One	1 Basileiōn	31	810
16	2 Samuel	Shmuel Bet	Heard by God - Two	2 Basileiōn	24	695
17	1 Kings	Malachim - Aleph	Kings - One	3 Basileiōn	22	816
18	2 Kings	Malachim - Bet	Kings - Two	4 Basileiōn	25	719
19	1 Chronicles	Divrei Hayamim Alef	Book of Days - One	1 Paraleipomenōn	29	942
20	2 Chronicles	Divrei Hayamim Bet	Book of Days - Two	2 Paraleipomenōn	36	822
21	Ezra	Etzra	Helper	1 Esdras	10	280
22	Nehemiah	Nechamyah	Yah Comforts	2 Esdras	13	406
23	Esther	Ester	Star	Esthēr	10	167
24	Job	Yov	Persecuted	Iōb	42	1,070
25	Ecclesiastes	Qohelet	[Words of the] Preacher	Ekklēsiastēs	12	222
26	Song of Solomon	Shir Hashirim	The Song of Songs	Asma Asmatōn	8	117
27	Isaiah	Yeshayah	Yah Has Saved	Ēsaias	66	1,292
28	Jeremiah	Yirmeyah	Yah Has Lifted Up	Hieremias	52	1,364
29	Lamentations	Eikhah	How?	Thrēnoi	5	154
30	Ezekiel	Y'chizki'el	God Strengthens	Iezekiēl	48	1,273
31	Daniel	Dani'el	God is My Judge	Daniēl	12	357
32	Hosea	Hoshea	Deliverer	I. Hōsēe	14	197
33	Joel	Yo'el	Yah is God	IV. Iōēl	3	73
34	Amos	Amos	Burden Bearer	II. Āmōs	9	146
35	Obadiah	Ovadyah	Servant of Yah	V. Obdiou	1	21
36	Jonah	Yonah	Dove	VI. Iōnas	4	48
37	Micah	Mikhah	Who is Like Yah	III. Michaias	7	105
38	Nahum	Naqum	Comforter	VII. Naoum	3	47
39	Habakkuk	Havaquq	Embracer	VIII. Ambakoum	3	56
40	Zephaniah	Tz'fanyah	Yah Treasures	IX. Sophonias	3	53
41	Haggai	Chagai	My Festival	X. Angaios	2	38
42	Zechariah	Z'kharyah	Yah Remembers	XI. Zacharias	14	211
43	Malachi	Malakhi	My Messenger	XII. Malachias	4	55
44	Mark	—		Markos	16	678
45	Luke	—		Loukas	24	1,151
46	Acts	—	actions, deeds	Praxeis	28	1,007
47	1 Corinthians	—		1 Korinthios	16	437
48	2 Corinthians	—		2 Korinthios	13	257
49	Galatians	—		Galatēs	6	149
50	Ephesians	—		Ephesios	6	155
51	Philippians	—		Philippēsios	4	104
52	Colossians	—		Kolossaios	4	95
53	1 Thessalonians	—		1 Thessalonikeus	5	89
54	2 Thessalonians	—		2 Thessalonikeus	3	47
55	1 Timothy	—		1 Timotheos	6	113
56	2 Timothy	—		2 Timotheos	4	83
57	Titus	—		Titos	3	46
58	Philemon	—		Philēmōn	1	25
59	Hebrews	—	Hebrews, Jews	Hebraios	13	303
60	James	—	Jacob	Iakōbos	5	108
61	1 Peter	—		1 Petros	5	105
62	2 Peter	—		2 Petros	3	61
63	1 John	—		1 Iōannēs	5	105
64	2 John	—		2 Iōannēs	1	13
65	3 John	—		3 Iōannēs	1	14
66	Jude	—	Judah	Ioudas	1	25
Total					1,189	31,102

Why Do Bible Books Have Different Names?

Old Testament — Hebrew Tradition

New Testament — Greek Tradition

Old Testament (39 Books)

Pentateuch / Law(5 books)

Poetry / Wisdom(5 books)

Historical(12 books)

Major Prophets(5 books)

Minor Prophets(12 books)

New Testament (27 Books)

Gospel(4 books)

Pauline Epistle(13 books)

Apocalyptic / Prophecy(1 books)

History(1 books)

General Epistle(8 books)

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