The whole story on one page
Some people learn best when they can see the whole thing first, then the details. This is the Christian story from beginning to end in twelve steps, and then what the Bible is made of.
Key points
- In one sentence: God made the world, people turned away, and God kept a promise to bring them back, in Jesus.
- The center: Steps 7 to 10: Jesus’ life, death and rising. Everything before points to it; everything after comes from it.
- The Bible: 66 books, written over many centuries, in eight kinds.
In this article
The story in 12 steps
Steps 1 to 6 are in the Old Testament. Steps 7 to 12 are in the New Testament.
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God makes everything
God makes the world and everything in it, and calls it good. People are made to know God and to look after the world.
Genesis 1–2
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People turn away
The first people stop trusting God. Hiding, blame, hurt and death come into the world. Christians call this sin.
Genesis 3
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A promise to one family
God chooses Abraham and promises that through his family, every family on earth will be blessed.
Genesis 12 · Traditionally about 4,000 years ago
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Freedom and the commandments
Abraham’s descendants, the Israelites, are slaves in Egypt. God frees them through Moses and gives them the Ten Commandments.
Exodus
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Kings, and a promised king
Israel settles in its own land. Its greatest king is David. God promises that a king from David’s family will rule forever.
1 and 2 Samuel · About 3,000 years ago
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Warnings, and hope
The people keep turning away. Prophets warn them, and also promise a rescuer. The kingdom falls, and many are taken to Babylon. Later, some return.
Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah · About 2,600 years ago
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Jesus is born
Jesus is born in Bethlehem to Mary, from David’s family. Christians believe he is God’s Son, the promised king.
Matthew 1–2, Luke 1–2 · About 2,000 years ago
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Jesus shows what God is like
Jesus teaches, heals sick people, forgives, and eats with people others avoid. He chooses twelve close followers.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
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Jesus dies
Jesus is crucified in Jerusalem under the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. Christians believe he died for the sins of the whole world.
The end of each Gospel
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Jesus rises
On the third day, his tomb is empty. Jesus is alive again, and his friends see him, talk with him and eat with him.
Each Gospel, and 1 Corinthians 15
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The church begins
Jesus returns to God the Father and sends the Holy Spirit. His followers tell others, baptize, and share his meal. The church spreads around the world.
Acts
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Today, and what is coming
Christians still gather around the Bible, baptism and communion. They wait for Jesus to come again and make everything new.
Revelation 21
Lutherans are one branch of this church. Their name comes from Martin Luther, whose call to reform the church began in Germany in 1517. Start here explains what Lutherans believe, one step at a time.
What the Bible is made of
The Bible is not one book. It is a library of 66, sorted here by kind.
Old Testament: 39 books
- 5 Law
- Beginnings, and the laws God gave Israel. For example: Genesis, Exodus.
- 12 History
- Israel’s story: the land, the kings, the fall and the return. For example: Joshua, 1 Samuel, Ruth.
- 5 Poetry and wisdom
- Prayers, songs, and advice for living. For example: Psalms, Proverbs, Job.
- 17 Prophets
- Messages from God through prophets: warnings and promises. For example: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jonah.
New Testament: 27 books
- 4 Gospels
- Four accounts of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. For example: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.
- 1 History
- How the first church began and spread. For example: Acts.
- 21 Letters
- Letters to churches and people, about believing and living. For example: Romans, 1 Corinthians.
- 1 Revelation
- A vision of the end, when God makes everything new. For example: Revelation.
Some Lutheran Bibles also include a few extra books, called the Apocrypha, between the two testaments. Where to begin reading: the Gospel of Mark. It is the shortest of the four. You can read it on Free Scripture ↗.