The Bible is one of the most popular books in the world, and is a compendium of religious writings that God inspired. In Christianity the Bible is believed to result from divine inspiration, which some individuals were privileged to be inspired to write because of their dedicated walk with God.
Generally, the Bible is divided into two parts: The Old Testament and The New Testament. The Old Testament is the first part of the Christian Bibles, and is a collection of religious texts written by the Israelites.
According to scholars, the Old Testament, which contains 39 books, was written over the span of hundreds of years by different authors. On the other hand, the New Testament comprises 27 books that were written by the disciples and apostles of Jesus Christ.
In this article, we will take an in-depth look into the question “who are the authors of the Bible?”
Was the Bible written by God?
One of the common questions that people ask is if the Bible was written by God. It is important to mention that God did not write the Bible directly. Usually, people who feel God wrote the Bible refer to the scriptures where Moses received the ten commandments.
Exodus 31:18 (ESV)
And he gave to Moses when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.
This is the only part that mentions where God wrote something in the entire Bible. So some schools of thought used this verse as their premise that God wrote the Bible.
However, in Paul’s letter to Timothy, we see something much different from what people would think if the Bible was truly written by God or not.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
In addition, Peter mentioned something similar to what Paul told Timothy about the scripture is a result of divine inspiration
2 Peter 1:20-21 (ESV)
Knowing this, first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
The known authors of the Bible
To find the answer to the question “who are the authors of the Bible?” it’s important to review some of the authors that we are familiar with, as well as the books they wrote. Many scholars claim that there were about 40 authors of the Bible, but we will be looking at 35 of them.
Moses
Whenever an author of the books of the Bible is mentioned, Moses is one of the individuals that come to mind. As recorded in the Bible, Moses was a Hebrew boy who grew up under the parenting influence of an Egyptian king.
Along the line, he discovers God’s call for his life as the person who will lead the Israelites from Egypt to the promised land. Moses is said to have written the first five books of the Bible, namely: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
Genesis is the first book of the Bible, which shows the story of creation and how the lineage of the Israelites came to be. The next four books of the Bible give a robust description of what the Israelites encountered from their stay in Egypt and their journey to the promised land.
Ezra
Ezra is a scribe who also led the Israelites back to the promised land from the nation where they were in exile. In Ezra 7, we see that Ezra is related to Aaron, which implies he belongs to the lineage of priests.
Ezra spent his childhood in Babylon, and when he became an adult he took it upon himself to teach people the way of God. According to many sources Ezra is the writer of the books of Ezra, 1st and 2nd Chronicles.
Nehemiah
Anyone who hears the name “Nehemiah” will most likely remember his unfriendly association with Sanballat and Tobiah, who acted as stumbling blocks at an eventful time in history. Nehemiah was a Butler (Cupbearer) to the Persian King.
During his service in the palace, he got the sad news that his city, Jerusalem, was not in a great state. Then he got permission from King Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem’s city walls. At a point, he partnered with Ezra to help the Israelites to find their way back to God.
Nehemiah is the book’s writer: Nehemiah, which was written in a first-person narrative style.
David
David is known to be the man after God’s heart, and he has one of the most interesting stories in the Bible. From killing the Bear, Lion and Goliath, to becoming the King of Israel, David becomes one of the most important figures in the scriptures, and is said to have written half of the books of Psalms.
Solomon
Solomon is the son of King David, who later succeeded him on the throne. During his reign, Solomon became controversial for having several wives and concubines. Solomon, who is regarded as the wisest man ever, wrote some books in Psalms. Also, he is the main author of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon.
The Sons of Korah
The Sons of Korah are not really talked about in the Bible, and not everyone knows that they actually authored some texts in the Bible. During Moses’ tenure as the leader of the Israelites, a man from the tribe of Levi named Korah contested Moses’ reign.
However, God reacted, and he and his followers cave into the Earth. Later on, we see in the Bible that his sons wrote some songs in the book of Psalms.
Asaph and his family
Not much is said about Asaph in the Bible. According to the scriptures, Asaph and his family were mandated by King David to lead worship in the temple. The Bible also tells us that Asaph and his family were singers from Levi. Asaph and his family authored twelve books out of the whole Psalms.
1st Chronicles 16:4-7 (ESV)
Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel.
Asaph was the chief, and second to him were Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, who were to play harps and lyres.
Asaph was to sound the cymbals, and Benaiah and Jahaziel, the priests, were to blow trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God. Then on that day, David first appointed that thanksgiving is sung to the Lord by Asaph and his brothers.
Heman
Heman was mentioned in the Bible as a man who was wiser than most of the men around him at the time. Also, he is responsible for being a co-author of one of the books of Psalm. This particular book was also written by the Sons of Korah.
1 Kings 4:31 (ESV)
For he was wiser than all other men, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol, and his fame was in all the surrounding nations.
Ethan
Ethan was another wise man who was given special recognition in the Bible. He was also responsible for writing Psalm 89.
1st Kings 4:31 (ESV)
For he was wiser than all other men, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol, and his fame was in all the surrounding nations.
Agur
Not much is said about Agur, except that he was the author of Proverbs 30. From Agur’s words in the Bible, it’s obvious that he was someone who did not think highly of himself.
Lemuel
Lemuel is one of the authors of the Bible who does not have much written about him. Some Bible translations refer to Lemuel as the King of Massa. Lemuel wrote Proverbs 31, and from what we see, the texts were credited to his mother, who instilled the right character in him.
Isaiah
Many scholars refer to Isaiah as the most prominent Major Prophet. Isaiah’s ministry as a prophet witnessed the rule of four kings. Also, Isaiah married a prophetess, and he had two children (sons).
Many sources claim that even though people think that Isaiah wrote the book of Isaiah himself, his followers/mentees were responsible for writing a huge chunk of the book. Isaiah is responsible for some well-known prophecies such as the emergence of the Kingdom of God, the birth, death and resurrection of the Messiah, etc.
Jeremiah
Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. Before he accepted his call, he told God that he was too young. However, God told him to go wherever he was sent to. One of the notable moments of Jeremiah’s ministry was warning Judah that Judgment would soon visit them.
He gave multiple pieces of advice to Kings and rulers, but they did not listen to him. Besides being the author of the book of Jeremiah, he is also the author of the book of Lamentations.
Ezekiel
Whenever Ezekiel is mentioned, one of the events we are quick to remember is how dry bones came to life. Ezekiel was captured and taken to Babylon as a young man. While in captivity, God appointed him as a watchman to look out for the Jews.
Ezekiel did not have it easy as a prophet, as he experienced some tough incidents. He is responsible for writing the book of “Ezekiel.”
Daniel
Daniel and the Lion’s den is one of many children’s stories in the Bible while growing up. He is another major prophet known for his wisdom and ability to interpret dreams accurately. As a young man, Daniel was captured by King Nebuchadnezzar.
Later on, Daniel and three other young Hebrew men distinguished themselves from the others, and they were invited into the King’s employ. Daniel’s major prophecies were about some of the World’s strongest kingdoms like Persia, Rome, Babylon, and Greece.
Hosea
God instructed Hosea to marry a prostitute, and he obeyed. Eventually, Hosea’s wife slept with other men, and God told Hosea to forgive her and accept her again. God used Hosea’s marriage to show him that he would still accept Israel if they turned from their lifestyle of idolatry.
Joel
Joel writes a succinct text containing prophecies about a plague of locusts and the anticipated day of the Lord. Another fact mentioned about this prophet was his father’s name- Pethuel.
Amos
Amos is one of the notable minor prophets in the Bible, who was a Shepherd from Tekoa. He was assigned to deliver some prophecies to the King of Israel. However, the false priests in the nation of Israel tried to shut him down. Amos was seen to tell the faux priest, Amaziah, that he was not a prophet but a Shepherd and a sycamore-fig farmer.
Obadiah
There is no information about the life or person of Obadiah in the scripture. However, from what we read in his book, God gave him the assignment to prophesy against the nation of Edom.
Jonah
The story of Jonah is one of the most popular stories in the Bible. God sent him on an assignment to Nineveh, but he went to Tarshish. Then God prepared a big fish to swallow Jonah, and he remained in the belly of the big creature for three days.
Jonah prayed to God for forgiveness, and his request was accepted. The fish vomited Jonah on dry land eventually. Immediately, Jonah goes to Nineveh to deliver God’s message. Many scholars believe that he is the traditional author of the book of Jonah.
Micah
Micah is the prophet notable for saving Jeremiah from being executed in Jerusalem. He was from Moreshetch, the Southern Kingdom of Judah. The elders in Judah referred to Micah as a prophet, and when Jeremiah was on death row, the people could corroborate his prophecy with Micah’s. Hence, he was rescued from death at the time.
Nahum
Nahum is a prophet from Elkosh who called himself an Elkoshite. Nahum’s only information was that he was sent to warn Nineveh to turn from their evil ways.
Habakkuk
Not much is known about Habakkuk, the prophet, except that he has a profound songwriting talent.
Zephaniah
Zephaniah, the traditional writer of the book named after himself, revealed that he was from a royal lineage. This prophet traced his roots back to King Hezekiah.
Haggai
Haggai, the prophet, does not have much information about himself in the Bible. He motivated the Jews to continue building God’s temple and see it complete. Haggai also has an honourable mention in the book of Ezra. Some sources refer to Haggai as the most time-conscious prophet because he was always specific with dates when God sent him on assignments.
Zechariah
Like Haggai, Zechariah was another prophet who was notable during the time of Ezra when the temple was yet to be completed. He also encouraged the Israelites to make the temple completion their primary goal.
It is interesting to mention that Zechariah was a young man when he started his ministry. He penned down all the visions and assignments, which led to the traditional Zechariah book in the Bible.
Malachi
Malachi is popularly known as the last book of the Old Testament and the last prophet to contribute. Also, he is famous for his content on tithes and giving generously. In addition, he also encouraged the Jews to find their way back to God.
Matthew
Matthew was one of Jesus’ 12 disciples and one of the four evangelists with an in-depth contribution to the life of Jesus. Before Matthew became Jesus’ disciple, he was a tax collector. People like Matthew were usually sneered at because they collected taxes from their fellow citizens and gave them to pagan kings.
John Mark
John Mark is the writer of the second gospel of Christ (Mark) in the New Testament. When Peter was miraculously released from the prison, he went to Mark’s mother’s apartment. Later in Paul’s ministry, he and Barnabas invited Mark to join them on their first journey. However, Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem.
During the preparation for their second journey, Barnabas suggested they invite Mark, but Paul refused. This leads to the split between Paul and Barnabas.
Many years later, Paul mentioned in his second letter to Timothy that Mark has proved useful. Also, Mark gets a worthy mention in the book of Peter, being referred to as a son. We are told that Mark wrote down Peter’s account of Jesus, which we know as the Gospel of Mark.
Luke
Luke is a Physician who wrote the Gospel of Luke and Acts. He was known to stay by Paul’s side through the good and bad times. Many scholars refer to Luke as a detailed author, because he recorded Jesus’ life and ministry in a comprehensive and inclusive order. He also recorded the history of how the church started, which is the book of Acts.
John
John was one of the famous disciples of Jesus Christ. From what was recorded in the scriptures, he was one of those in Jesus’ inner circle. Jesus called John and his brother James “Sons of Thunder” probably because of their seemingly tough personalities.
After Jesus Christ died and was resurrected, John became one of the crucial pillars of the early church. He gave an exhaustive account of Jesus’ life, ministry, death and resurrection. John wrote the books of John, 1st John, 2nd John, 3rd John and Revelation.
Paul
Many sources regard Paul as the greatest apostle ever. He is responsible for authoring most of the individual texts in the Bible. Paul is the writer of all the books from Romans to Philemon.
Interestingly, Paul started as a persecutor (His name was Saul). Then he encounters Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, which changes his life forever. Paul wrote several letters to Christians in different places of the world, all recorded in the Bible.
James
Many people think that the author of the book of James is the brother of John the Beloved. However, this James is the younger brother of Jesus Christ. Initially, James did not believe in the ministry of Jesus Christ, but later, he does. The book of James was a letter written to Christians worldwide. James advises them to continue working out their faith.
Peter
Peter is known as the leader of Jesus’ 12 disciples and one of the core pillars of the early church. Peter was sent to bring the gospel to the Jews like Paul was sent to the Gentiles. Peter had several bonding moments with Jesus Christ as recorded in the Bible. He walked on water; he cut off an individual’s ear to protect his master, etc. He wrote 1st and 2nd Peter.
Jude
Like James, Jude is the younger brother of Jesus Christ, who did not also believe in the ministry of Jesus until he died and was resurrected. Jude is the traditional author of the book of Jude, where he encouraged believers to always contend for the faith.
Important reasons to read the Bible
One of the puzzling questions people ask is why the Bible was painstakingly combined from texts written by different authors. It is important to mention that the Bible is not just any book. After treating the question of who are the authors of the Bible, let’s look at the reasons to read this Holy Book.
There are several benefits of reading the Bible, and we will be looking at some of them shortly.
It teaches us about God
The Bible gives us a broad picture of God. It starts with the book of Genesis, where we learn how God created the world in six days, and rested on the seventh day. It also shows us how God sent his Son, Jesus, to die for our sins and save us from condemnation, which our first parents, Adam and Eve, brought on us.
To know the right step to take
The Bible is our ultimate guide. It contains precepts and instructions that teach us how to live and make the right decisions.
Psalm 119:105 (ESV)
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
To help us defeat sin
In God’s wisdom he inspired about 40 authors to write the Bible as a guide for us. If we did not have the Bible to guide us then no one would know how to avoid sin. However, reading the Bible and sticking to its precept is quintessential for avoiding sin.
Psalm 119:11 (ESV)
I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
To know more about the Gospel
The Gospel is the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many people have not heard of the Bible, which is why they continue to live in sin. The Bible teaches us more about the Gospel to help us live above sin. Hence, when we want to reach out to the unsaved, the Bible is what we use.
John 5:39-40 (ESV)
You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life, and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
To know more of God’s will
One of the profound ways to know God’s will is to renew your mind. This is why Paul urged Christians to be transformed by renewing their mind. This enables you to know what God will be and how to work in line with his precepts.
Romans 12:2 (ESV)
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
To receive your heart desires
If you trust God for something, the Bible is one of the best means to get it to happen. In the scriptures, Jesus revealed how his words help us get things done, provided we remain in him.
John 15:7 (ESV)
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
To be courageous
It is normal to be afraid, but many people do not know how to conquer it. Thankfully, the Bible has the cure for everything, including fear. If you have cold feet about something, the Bible motivates you to keep going.
Joshua 1:8-9 (ESV)
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.
For then, you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Frequently asked questions
Why was the Bible written?
The Bible is one of the most underrated gifts given to man. For thousands of years the Bible has faced different forms of persecution, but it has remained the most relevant book in history. The Bible is not just a book; it is a compilation of the mind of God and his will for humanity.
Therefore, the Bible was written for us to have a sneak peek into the will of God. As we read the Bible, our minds are transformed, and we become more open to God’s plan for us.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Who wrote the most books in the Bible?
The answer to who wrote the most books in the Bible is Apostle Paul. He wrote all the books from Romans to Philemon. Also, there are indications that he is the writer of the book of Hebrews. Based on the number of words, Moses is said to have written about 125000 words.
How many people wrote the Bible?
According to research, about 40 people wrote the Bible. 35 people can specifically be accounted for, as written in this article. These authors of the Bible wrote according to divine inspiration, and not of their volition.
2 Peter 1:21 (ESV)
Knowing this, first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Did God write the Bible?
This is another close question to who are the authors of the Bible. The answer to this question is “No.” Many people think God wrote the Bible because he wrote the first ten commandments with his hands.
However, God did not write the Bible, but men did as the Holy Spirit inspired them. The authors of the Bible recorded the happenings of the time of old, not leaving out the will of God for humanity, which has not lost form over the years.
What is the purpose of writing the Bible?
There are many reasons why the Bible was written. One of them was to reveal the mind of God for all ages. More so, the Bible was written to provide us with much information about the son of God, Jesus Christ, who was given for our redemption. It would have been an extreme sport to conquer sin if the Bible were not written, because there would be no clear-cut instructions.
Conclusion
If you have asked who are the authors of the Bible, this article has provided you with a list of the writers of both the Old and New Testaments. It is vital to reiterate that even though humans wrote the Bible, they were inspired by the Holy Spirit to do so. Also, some of the texts in the Bibles came in the form of letters, texts or personal experiences.
