Who Wrote the Bible and When? Author and Date of All 66 Books

Updated 2026-10-25

The Bible was written by many different people over roughly a thousand years or more, in three languages, and a number of its books do not name their authors. The table below lists the traditionally attributed author and the traditional or commonly cited date of each of the 66 books. Where scholars differ, the wording says so. Nothing here asks you to settle the debates; it simply gives you the standard answers and tells you where the question is open.

How to read the table

Three phrases appear again and again, and they mean different things:

• "Traditionally attributed to" means that Jewish or Christian tradition has named this author, whether or not the book itself says so.
• "Traditional view" means the date follows that tradition. Many scholars propose different dates.
• "Many scholars date" means the date given is the one many modern scholars favor, which can differ from the traditional one.

Dates before about 1000 BC are approximate, and ranges are common, because the Bible rarely gives a calendar date for the writing of a book.

All 66 books: author and date

Where authorship is open or debated

A table can make everything look settled. A few of the most discussed cases:

The first five books (Genesis to Deuteronomy)

Tradition attributes them to Moses, which is why they are sometimes called the books of Moses. The books are largely anonymous. Many scholars think the text took its present shape over time, using older material. Others hold to Mosaic authorship with later editing, such as the account of Moses' death. The table uses the traditional date of about 1445–1405 BC.

Historical books

Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings are anonymous. Jewish tradition names Joshua, Samuel, Nathan, Gad and Jeremiah for various parts. Many scholars see Joshua through 2 Kings as a connected history compiled during or after the exile. Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah are often treated together and linked with Ezra.

Poetry and wisdom

Psalms is a collection by several writers; David is named in many of the psalm headings, along with Asaph, the sons of Korah, Solomon, Moses and others. Proverbs attributes sections to Solomon, with other contributors named. Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon are traditionally linked to Solomon, though some scholars suggest later dates. Job names no author.

Isaiah and Daniel

Tradition holds that Isaiah wrote the whole book in the eighth century BC. Some scholars see later sections written by followers during or after the exile. For Daniel, tradition places it about 530 BC, while some scholars date parts to around 165 BC.

The Gospels and Acts

The Gospels do not name their authors in the text. Early church tradition names Matthew (a tax collector turned disciple), Mark (associated with Peter), Luke (a physician and companion of Paul) and John (the apostle). Acts is traditionally attributed to Luke, who is also credited with the Gospel that bears his name.

Paul's letters

Thirteen letters carry Paul's name. Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians and Galatians are almost universally accepted as his. Others, such as the Pastoral Letters (1 and 2 Timothy, Titus), are traditionally attributed to Paul, while some scholars discuss whether they were written in his name by a later hand. The tradition and the questions are both part of the picture.

Hebrews and the general letters

Hebrews does not name its author. Traditions have proposed Paul, Barnabas, Apollos and others. James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2 and 3 John and Jude are traditionally attributed to their namesakes; 2 Peter in particular is one where scholars discuss authorship. Revelation names its author as John, and tradition identifies him with John the apostle.

Why dates are ranges

The Bible rarely says when a book was written. Scholars work from clues in the text, from historical records and from archaeology, so they reach different conclusions. When you see "c." before a date, it stands for "circa", or "around". A range such as "c. 950–700 BC" indicates the span of time over which the book may have been written or gathered.

The seven additional books

Roman Catholic and Orthodox Bibles also include books that most Protestant Bibles do not. The table below gives their authorship and dates in the same style. For the reasons behind the difference, see how many books are in the Bible.

Putting authors and dates to use

Knowing the author and date does more than satisfy curiosity. It changes how you read. A letter written from prison reads differently than a royal chronicle. A prophet speaking before an exile addresses a different audience than one speaking after it. To see the books in time order, use the Bible timeline.

The Bible Roadmap carries this information in each one-page guide, so you can see the attributed author, the date, the setting and the big idea of a book before you open it. The guides use careful wording ("traditionally attributed to", "many scholars date") and do not take sides on the debated questions.

For a one-line description of every book, see Bible book summaries.