Touchpoint Bible Study

Introduction to the Bible

Bible literature timeline [2]

The Old Testament era contains the story of creation—how God made everything including humanity, with whom He would enter into an eternal covenant relationship.

Creation - B.C. 2000 - Originally, the earliest Scriptures are handed down from generation to generation orally.

Circa B.C. 2000-1500 - The book of Job, perhaps the oldest book of the Bible, is written.

Circa B.C. 1500-1400 - The stone tablets of the Ten commandments are given to Moses at Mount Sinai and later stored in the Ark of the Covenant.

Circa B.C. 1400–400 - The manuscripts comprising the original Hebrew Bible (39 books) of the Old Testament are completed. The Book of the Law is kept in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple beside the Ark of the Covenant.

Circa B.C. 300 - All of the original Old Testament Hebrew books have been written, collected, and recognized as official, canonical books.

Circa B.C. 250–200 - The Septuagint, a popular Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible (39 Old Testament books), is produced. The 14 books of the Apocrypha are also included. The New Testament Era and Christian Age

Greek-English Septuagint: Brenton Edition [7]

The New Testament era begins with the birth of Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Savior of the world. Through Him, God opens His plan of salvation to the Gentiles. The Christian church is established and the Gospel—God's Good News of salvation in Jesus—begins to spread throughout the Roman Empire and eventually into all the world.

Circa A.D. 45–100 - Original 27 books of the Greek New Testament are written.

Circa A.D. 140-150 - Marcion of Sinope's heretical "New Testament" prompted Orthodox Christians to establish a New Testament canon.

Circa A.D. 200 - The Jewish Mishnah, the Oral Torah, is first recorded.

Circa A.D. 240 - Origen compiles the Hexapla, a six-columned parallel of Greek and Hebrew texts.

Circa A.D. 305-310 - Lucian of Antioch's Greek New Testament text becomes the basis for the Textus Receptus.

Circa A.D. 312 - Codex Vaticanus is possibly among the original 50 copies of the Bible ordered by Emperor Constantine. It is eventually kept in the Vatican Library in Rome.