General Bible Questions
1. The Bible
is written by 40 different
authors guided and inspired by the Holy Spirit.
2. The 66 books of the Bible (the canon of
the Bible) was issued at the Council
of Carthage in 397 AD.
3. Why did the leaders of the church issue
the 66 books of the Bible?
There were too many false teachers and
writings circulating at the time so the church needed to know what was true.
4. How many books in the Bible?
66
5. How many testaments in the Bible?
2
6. How many books in the Old
Testament? 39
7. How many books in the New
Testament? 27
8. About how many years did it take for
the Bible to be written? 1500-2000 years
9. What three main evidences do we have
that the Bible is true?
Fulfilled Prophecies, Archaeological Support
& Historical Evidence
10. Name the books of the law in the Old
Testament.
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,
Deuteronomy
11. Who authored the OT books of the Law?
Moses
12. Name at least 5 books of history.
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1
Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
13. Name all 5 books of poetry.
Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of
Solomon or Song of Songs
14. Name 5 books of major prophets.
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel,
Daniel
15. Name at least 5 books of minor
prophets.
Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah,
Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
16. What is the difference between Major
and Minor Prophets?
Length of books
17. Name all 4 Gospels in the New Testament
(NT)
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
18. Name all history books in the New
Testament.
Acts
19. Name at least 5 letters or epistles in
the New Testament.
Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians,
Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2
Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter,
2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude
20. Name the Apocalyptic/Prophetic book in
the New Testament.
Revelation
21. What is the last book of the Old
Testament?
Malachi
22. What is the last book of the New
Testament?
Revelation
23. What book mentions the Creation?
Genesis
24. What book includes the story of Joseph?
Genesis
25. What book contains poems and songs?
Psalms
26. Which book is about a man who is told
by God to marry a prostitute?
Hosea
27. What does “deutero” in Deuteronomy
mean?
2nd
28. True or False. The original Bible had chapters and
verses.
False
29. When were chapters and verses
introduced to the Bible?
Chapter divisions came in the 1200s and
verses came in the 1500s
30. What does the word “gospel” mean?
good news
31. Which 5 books are not divided into
chapters?
Obadiah, Philemon, 2 John, 3 John, Jude
32. What is
the longest chapter of the Bible and how many verses does it contain?
Psalm 119 with 176 verses
33. What is the shortest verse in the
Bible?
John 11:35 “Jesus wept.”
34. Name 2 non-Christian or secular
historians that provide external evidence that the claims of the Bible are true
(as in the events did happen)
Josephus, a Jewish historian and Tacitus, a
Roman historian
35. Noah’s Ark landed on Mount Ararat which
is located between 2 present-day countries.
Iran and Armenia
36. What does the Hebrew word “Shaddai”
mean?
Almighty
37. What does “El-Shaddai” mean?
God is Almighty
38. About how old was Isaac when his
father, Abraham, took him to be sacrificed?
About 16-25 years old
39. In which three languages was the Bible
originally written?
Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic
40. How many manuscripts exist for the New
Testament compared to the 5 manuscripts that exist today for Aristotle?
24,000+
Old
Testament Questions
The oldest living person in the bible died at the ripe age of 969 years,
who was he/she?
Methuselah
Israel was
actually a person, what was his name prior to Israel?
Jacob
Abrams
(later Abrahams) home town?
Ur
When given
the covenant of circumcision, God required all of the following from Abraham
except what?
Raven
What was the name of the city that Jonah was told to take God's message
to?
Nineveh
Who was one
of the fattest men in the Old Testament?
(Eglon, King of Moab). Judges 3:17-23
Who put on a
goatskin disguise?
(Jacob) Genesis 27:1-40
This was one
of the most talented men in the Bible. He was a super strong shepherd. He
killed a lion with his bare hands. He composed music and wrote poems. He killed
a giant. He was Israel’s most successful king.
(King David) 1 Samuel 17
One of the
Old Testament judges wanted God to tell him that he would save Israel. To find
out, he put a fleece outside overnight. If there was dew on the fleece but not
on the ground, the answer was yes. He got his answer but he still was not sure.
He then asked for dew to be on the ground but not on the fleece. This happened
to whom?
(Gideon) Judges 6:36-40.
What father
almost sacrificed his own son: Abraham, David, Lot, Aaron?
Abraham
I was very
old when I became a Dad, But God had promised I’d have a son, I was the Father
of Many Nations, Beginning with the Jewish one, Who am I?
Abraham
Where was Abram born?
Ur
What does Abram mean?
Father
of a height
Who was Abram's father?
Terah
Who did Abram marry?
Sarai
Which land did the Lord promise to Abram?
Canaan
What happened when they arrived in the land?
Famine
What relation to Abram was Lot?
His nephew
What did Abram do when Lot was made a prisoner of war?
Fought to save him
What did Melchizedek give to Abram?
Bread and wine
What did Abram's faith count for?
Righteousness
What was the name of Hagar's son?
Ishmael
How old was Abram when he became a father?
86 years
What did God's new name for Abraham mean?
Father of a multitude
Abraham's wife bore a special son, what was his name?
Isaac
Where did God send Abraham to sacrifice his special son?
Moriah
What did his special son carry to the sacrifice?
The wood
How old was Abraham's wife when she died?
127 years
What was the name of Abraham's chief steward?
Eliezer
What was the name of the woman who married Abraham's special son?
Rachel
What relation was Jacob to Abraham?
Grandson
How many sons did Jacob (Israel) have?
Twelve
From which country did Moses help the Israelites escape from their lives
of slavery?
Egypt
Which tribe of Israel looked after the religious aspects of life?
Levi
On which day of the year could the High Priest enter the Holiest Place,
the inner most part of the temple where the covenant box was kept?
Day of Atonement
Which of the following was not a judge?
Laban
Israel split into two kingdoms after the reign of King Solomon, with
Israel in the north, but what was the name of the southern kingdom?
Judah
Who was king of the southern kingdom when the northern kingdom of Israel
fell to Assyria?
Hezekiah
The southern kingdom eventually fell also, but to which great power?
Babylon
After the exile, the Israelites returned and started to rebuild the
temple in Jerusalem, but which other prophet along with Zechariah was sent to
encourage the completion of the partly built temple?
Amos
One title of God is El Shaddai, which means what?
Almighty God
Which king had the longest reign over the Kingdom of Israel?
Jeroboam II
What does Israel mean?
Prevails with God
In which prophecy do we read about the valley of dry bones?
Daniel
Which one of these books is not classed as a book of history?
Psalms
Which of these Old Testament prophets lived during the reign of King
Josiah?
Jeremiah
How were sins forgiven in the Old Testament?
Animal sacrifice
I was one of thirty men chosen to command David’s army, but during a hard
battle on the frontline I became isolated from my fellow soldiers and was
struck down and died. I was the husband of Bathsheba.
URIAH
I was a prophet in the kingdom of Israel, starting my years of prophecy
towards the end of the reign of Jeroboam II. I was married to Gomer, an harlot,
and had three children.
Hosea
I was one of the eight people aboard Noah’s ark. After the flood I saw my
father naked and went to tell my brothers who covered him up. Upon hearing what
had happened, my father blessed my brothers but cursed me.
HAM
How old was Noah when the floods came?
600
What did the dove bring back to Noah?
Olive
Leaf
How many times did Noah send out the dove?
Three
What was the covenant between God and Noah?
Never to flood earth again
How long did Noah live for after the flood?
350 years
Which of these did God create first?
Light
What did God create on day five?
Animals
What did God give man to eat?
Animals
and Plants
On what day were dry land and seas created?
Fourth
What did God do on day seven
Rested
What was man made from?
Dust of the ground
Whereabouts was the garden of Eden?
East
Of what specifically was man not allowed to eat?
Tree of knowledge of good and evil
From what did God make Eve?
Adam's rib
What did God say about everything that he had made?
It
was good
What did the earth look like in the beginning?
Without form and empty
In whose image was man created?
God
How did Adam and Eve feel about their nakedness?
They
were not ashamed
What did God breathe into Adam's nostrils?
Breadth
of Life
How was the earth watered initially?
Mist
went up from the Earth
What did God call the firmament?
Heaven
What was the third thing God made on day four?
Stars
What important principle did God establish by the creation of man and
woman?
Marriage for life
What did God place with the cherubim to guard the Tree of Life?
flaming
sword
What was the name of the place where God confused the language of all the
people?
Babel
Who interceded for Sodom when he learned God intended to destroy the
city?
Abraham
Why did Jacob flee to live with Laban?
Esau wanted to kill him
What did Jacob see in a dream reaching up to heaven?
Ladder
What was the name of Jacob's firstborn child?
Reuben
Which two of Jacob's sons took revenge on Shechem?
Simeon and Levi
How old was Isaac when he died?
180
For how many shekels of silver was Joseph sold to the Ishmaelites?
20
Who bought Joseph as his slave from the Ishmaelites?
Potiphar
What did Joseph do for Pharaoh that got him promoted to second in command
over Egypt?
Interpreted dreams
Who offered to stay behind as Joseph's servant in Egypt in place of
Benjamin?
Judah
In what area of Egypt did Jacob and his family settle?
Goshen
Which famous Psalm of David contains the line, "he maketh me to lie
down in green pastures"?
Psalm 23
Which is the longest Psalm?
Psalm 119
What is the first line of Psalm 1?
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the
counsel of the ungodly
Which Psalm describes how well the Lord knows man, starting with the
line, "O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me"?
Psalm 139
"Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts",
is followed by which line?
Praise ye him, sun and moon, praise him, all
ye stars of light
What is one common interpretation of the content of Psalm 72?
A prophecy of the future kingdom after the
return of Christ
How does Psalm 100 say we should come before the Lord's presence?
With singing
How many sections is the book of Psalms split into?
3
Who wrote the majority of the Psalms?
David
What does Psalm 16 say there is in the Lord's right hand?
Pleasures for evermore
Which is the shortest Psalm?
Psalm 117
What is the "chorus" in Psalm 136 which is repeated in every
verse?
For his mercy endureth forever
Which Psalm is entitled "A Prayer of Moses"?
Other than in Exodus, in which other book of the Bible can we find the
Ten Commandments recorded?
Deuteronomy
Who did God give the Ten Commandments to?
Moses
New Testament Questions
Who told
Joseph not to fear taking Mary as his wife?
Angel of the Lord
Matt 1:20
Which ruler
wanted the baby Jesus killed?
Herod
Matt 2:16
Who baptized
Jesus?
John the Baptist
Matt 3:14
What does
Jesus say that the meek shall inherit?
The earth
Matt 5:5
What does
Jesus say to do if your right hand causes you to sin?
Cut it off
Matt 5:30
What was
Jesus talking about when he said you can't make one hair on your head black or
white?
Oaths
Matt 5:36
How should
we practice charitable works, prayers and fasting?
In secret
Matt 6:1-18
- Not like the Pharisees who made sure everyone knew what good works they were
doing
Where was
Matthew sitting when Jesus called him?
In a tax booth
Matt 9:9 -
Receipt of custom in the KJV
Which
prophet did Jesus refer to when some of the Scribes and Pharisees asked for a
sign?
Jonah
Matt
12:38-39 - Referring to the three days and nights that Jonah has spent in the
belly of the great fish
What was the
fate of the tares in the parable of the tares?
Burnt
Matt 13:30
How many
measures of flour were used to hide the leaven in the parable of the leaven?
Three
Matt 13:33
Which
disciple was told to catch a fish that would hold a coin in its mouth?
Peter
Matt
17:24-27
In the
parable of the workers in the vineyard, why were some of the laborers unhappy
with being paid only one penny?
Some had worked less hours for the same pay
Matt 20:1-16
- Such is the kingdom of heaven. Some may labor in the Lord's vineyard for
longer, but the reward is the same.
What objects
did the ten virgins take with them in the parable?
Lamps
Matt 25:1
At the judgement,
Jesus will separate the people like a shepherd separates the sheep and which
other animals?
Goats
Matt 25:32
What did
Judas do with the 30 pieces of silver that he was given to betray Jesus?
Gave them back
Matt 27:3-4
- He threw them down in front of the chief priests and elders, and being
tainted money they decided they couldn't put it in the treasury and so bought a
field instead in which to bury strangers
Other than
putting a stone in front of Jesus' tomb, what measure was taken to guard the
tomb?
Set a guard to watch
Matt
27:65-66
What story
were the soldiers told to tell to explain how Jesus disappeared from the tomb?
The disciples stole him
Matt 28:11-5
How many
woes did Jesus pronounce on the Scribes and Pharisees in Matthew's gospel?
Seven
Matt 23 - In
Luke there are only six, but they do not occur at the same point in the
narrative.
What does
the word gospel mean?
Good news
Who was the
king of Judea at the time of Jesus' birth?
Herod the Great
Matthew 2:1
- reigning from 37 - 4 BC. We know from history records he was also known as
Herod the Great.
Which gospel
records the fewest of the miracles performed by Jesus?
John
John only
records 8 miracles, the others recording at least 20 each. You may have heard
the phrase "the eight signs of John", this is why.
In what
water was Jesus baptized?
River Jordan
Mark 1:9
What miracle
did Jesus perform at the marriage in Cana?
Turned water into wine
John 2:1-11
- The first of John's "signs".
Who was the
tax collector that climbed up a tree so he could see Jesus?
Zacchaeus
Luke 19:1-10
- a sycamore tree, likely to be 30-40ft high.
Which two
Old Testament characters appeared with Jesus at the transfiguration?
Elijah and Moses
Matthew 17:3
How did
Jesus reveal the one who would betray him?
Dipped a piece of bread and passed it to him
Matthew 26:23
- a custom to take a piece of bread or meat wrapped in bread and dip it in a
bowl of sauce.
Where was
Jesus crucified?
Golgotha
Matthew
27:33 - interpreted as the 'place of the skull'.
For how many
days did Jesus appear to his disciples after his resurrection?
40
Acts 1:3 -
there are no less than 13 different appearances of Jesus to his disciples
during these 40 days.
Who went
with Paul on his first missionary journey?
Barnabas
Acts 12:25
Paul and
Silas were imprisoned during the second missionary journey, but in what city
did this happen?
Philippi
Acts 16:12 -
Philippi, a city in Eastern Macedonia named after Philip II, father of
Alexander the Great.
During
Paul's third missionary journey, roughly for how long did he minister in the
school of Tyrannus at Ephesus?
2 years
Acts 19:8,10
- Paul spent two years in the school at Tyrannus. He also spent 3 months in the
synagogue at Ephesus. Acts 20:31 says three years in Ephesus, so he may have
spent longer there, or rounded up a part year to a whole year. It was at least
2 years 3 months he spent in Ephesus.
On what
island was Paul shipwrecked as he made his way to Rome?
Malta
Acts 28:1 -
or Melita, now known as Malta.
How many churches
of Asia Minor were there?
7
Rev 1:20
Which of
these is not one of the churches of Asia Minor?
Miletus
Rev 2-3 -
The seven churches being Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis,
Philadelphia, and Laodicea
On what
island was John when he was given the vision of Revelation?
Patmos
Rev 1:9 - A
small, rocky island in the Aegean Sea.
In the New
Jerusalem described in Revelation, what are the twelve gates made from?
Pearl
Rev 21:21
Why was John
the Baptist sent from God?
To bear witness of the light
John 1:6-7
What did
John the Baptist say when he saw Jesus?
Behold the Lamb of God
John 1:36
Where did
Jesus see Nathanael?
Under the fig tree
John 1:48
What
happened at the marriage of Cana?
Jesus turned water into wine
John 2:1-10
To whom did
Jesus say, "Ye must be born again"?
Nicodemus
John 3:1
What did
Jesus say he could give the woman of Samaria?
Living water
John 4:9-10
How long had
the infirm man lain at the pool of Bethesda?
38 years
John 5:5
What
teaching of Jesus did the Jews not understand?
I am the bread which came down from heaven
John 6:41
What did
Jesus say to those who accused the adulteress?
He that is without sin, let him first cast a
stone
John 8:7
How did
Jesus heal the blind man?
He anointed his eyes with clay and told him
to wash
John 9:6-7
Which
profession does Jesus compare himself to spiritually?
Shepherd
John 10:11
What are the
names of Lazarus' sisters?
Mary and Martha
John 11:19
What did
Jesus do to the disciples before the Last Supper?
Washed their feet
John 13:5
What did
Jesus say he would leave with the disciples?
Peace
John 14:27
Where was
Peter standing when he denied Jesus for the second time?
Warming himself at the fire
John
18:18,25
What color
robe did Pilate's soldiers put on Jesus?
Purple
John 19:2
How many
fish were caught in the miracle of the draught of fishes?
153
John 21:11
What happens
if you break one commandment of the law?
You are guilty of breaking the whole law
Which small
body part is responsible for great things?
Tongue
To what does
James compare the tongue to?
A rudder on a ship
According to
the book of James, what happens if we draw nigh to God?
He will draw nigh to us
According to
James, what should we say when we make future plans?
If the Lord will, I will do this or that
How should
we wait for the coming of the Lord?
Patiently
Who wrote
the book of Acts?
Luke
Acts 1:1 /
Luke 1:3 - showing Acts to be a subsequent work of Luke.
Who was
appointed to replace Judas Iscariot as a disciple?
Matthias
Acts 1:26 -
casting lots to decide between Matthias and Barsabbas.
Which
Pharisee said that if the gospel truly comes from God, no-one will be able to
stop it spreading?
Gamaliel
Acts 5:38-39
- Gamaliel, a respected teacher who educated Paul (Acts 22:3)
On what day
did the apostles receive the Holy Spirit?
Day of Pentecost
Acts 2:1-4 -
called the "Feast of Weeks" in the Old Testament.
Who looked
after the coats of the men who stoned Stephen?
Saul
Acts 7:58 -
Saul, first a persecutor, became Paul the apostle.
In which
city did Silas and Timothy meet up with Paul?
Corinth
Acts 18:1,5
- Paul arrives in Corinth, joined by Timothy & Silas who have come from
Macedonia.
What was the
name of the first Gentile convert to Christianity?
Cornelius
Acts 10 -
God reveals to Peter in a vision that the Gentiles are no longer 'unclean', and
Cornelius is considered as the first-fruits of the Gentiles.
What was the
name of the young man who fell out of the window during one of Paul's speeches?
Eutychus
Acts 20:9 -
Eutychus, a young man of Troas.
What
nationality was Timothy's father?
Greek
Acts 16:1,3
- so Paul circumcised Timothy so the Jews would accept what he had to preach.
The field
that Judas Iscariot purchased with his betrayal money was called Aceldama, but
as what was it also known?
Field of Blood
Acts 1:19 -
from the Aramaic spoken in Palestine.
Towards
which city was Saul travelling when he encountered a light from heaven?
Damascus
Acts 9:3 -
beginning the well known account of Saul's conversion.
By what name
was the disciple Tabitha also known?
Dorcas
Acts 9:36 -
a name meaning gazelle.
What was
Paul's profession?
Tentmaker
Acts 18:3 -
it was custom for the Jews to bring all children up in a trade. Tentmaking was
Paul's trade.
Why were the
masters of the soothsayer in Acts 16 unhappy with Paul and Silas?
Paul commanded the spirit of divination to
leave her
Acts
16:16-19 - and removed the source of income for the masters.
15. What was
the name of the prophet who prophesied that Paul would be bound at Jerusalem?
Agabus
Acts 21:11 -
Agabus is mentioned twice in Acts, the other time in 11:27
What came
out of the fire Paul made on Melita?
Viper
Acts 28:3 -
undoubtedly a posionous snake as the onlookers expected him to suffer ill
effects from the bite.
What was the
name of the centurion who looked after Paul on the journey to Rome?
Julius
Acts 27:1 -
a centurion of the Augustan cohort.
What
misfortune did Paul encounter on the way to Rome?
Shipwrecked
Acts
27:29-44 - the centurion prevented the soldiers killing all the prisoners
aboard the ship.
Which gods
did the people of Lystra think Paul and Barnabas were?
Jupiter and Mercury
Acts 14:12 -
also Zeus and Hermes in the Greek.
Where was
Jesus born?
Bethlehem
Matthew 2:1
- Just as was prophesied in the Old Testament.
How many
disciples did Jesus have?
12
Matthew
10:12 - also know as apostles.
What is the
name of the disciple who betrayed Jesus?
Judas Iscariot
Matthew 10:4
- Jesus would have known that Judas was going to betray him long in advance of
Judas himself knowing.
How did
Jesus die?
He was crucified
Matthew
27:35 - Everybody knows about the crucifixion!
Who gave
Jesus gifts when he was born?
The wise men
Matthew
2:7-11 - Contrary to popular belief there is no mention how many wise men there
were, only that it was more than one.
With what
did Jesus feed 5000 people?
Loaves and fishes
Matthew
14:19-21 - One of the best known miracles of Jesus.
Who are the
religious leaders who continually tried to trap Jesus with their questions?
Pharisees
Matthew 19:3
- Cunning in their attempts, but no match for the wisdom of Jesus. The
Pharisees loved to be seen to be doing good works but were branded as hyprocites
by Christ.
What is the
name of Jesus' mother?
Mary
Matthew 2:11
- None other than the virgin Mary.
What did
Jesus do for Lazarus?
Raised him from the dead
John 12:1 -
Jesus showed that he could even reverse death.
What job did
Jesus' earthly father, Joseph, do?
Carpenter
Matthew
13:55 - Jesus himself followed the same career as his earthly father.
Who wrote a
lot of the letters to churches in the New Testament?
Paul
See
Corinthians, Romans and other books - he signed some of them with his name
(e.g. Rom 1:1).
What is the
collective name of the stories Jesus told?
Parables
Jesus told
many parables, told throughout the gospels - The Good Samaritan, The Prodigal
Son, The Ten Virgins, to name but a few.
What did
Simon Peter do for a living?
Fisherman
Matthew 4:18
- Fisherman was a very popular job as they were so close to the Sea of Galilee.
What
happened to Jesus after the resurrection?
He ascended into heaven
Act 1:11 -
Jesus has gone to heaven, but one day he will descend again.
What did the
Holy Spirit look like when the disciples received it?
Tongues of fire
Acts 2:3 -
The Holy Spirit sounded like rushing wind, but looked like tongues of fire. It
appeared as a dove at the baptism of Jesus.
Who went on
missionary journeys to preach to the Gentiles?
Paul
See most of
Acts - Paul went on several missionary journeys to preach the gospel to the
Gentiles (non-Jews).
How did Paul
escape from Damascus?
In a basket down the city wall
Acts 9:25 -
After his conversion the Jews plotted to kill Paul.
What is the
last book of the New Testament?
Revelation
What was the
name of the angel who visited Zacharias?
Gabriel
Luke 1:18-19
Who had been
told by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the
Lord's Christ?
Simeon
Luke 2:25-26
With which
parable did Jesus respond when asked by the lawyer "who is my
neighbor"?
Good Samaritan
Luke 10:29-37
