Understanding Scripture

What Are the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings in the Old Testament?

The Old Testament is traditionally organized into three sections—the Law (Torah), the Prophets, and the Writings—which together Jesus referenced as encompassing all of Old Testament Scripture.

Published 2026-09-13 · Updated 2026-09-27

Written and reviewed by the Word Oasis Editorial Team. Read our editorial policy.

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Bible

Biblical explanation

The Law consists of the first five books, Genesis through Deuteronomy, containing foundational history and instruction. The Prophets include both the historical books, often called the Former Prophets, and the prophetic books proper, such as Isaiah and Jeremiah, called the Latter Prophets. The Writings gather poetic and wisdom literature such as Psalms, Proverbs, and Job, along with additional historical works. Jesus referred to this threefold division when He said that everything written about Him “in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms” must be fulfilled (), affirming that the entire Hebrew Scripture testified to His identity and mission and forms a unified, authoritative body of revelation.

In brief

The Law consists of the first five books, Genesis through Deuteronomy, containing foundational history and instruction.

Bible references

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Editorial note

This answer is written and reviewed by the Word Oasis Editorial Team, and is presented with supporting references so you can examine each passage in context. If you notice an error or unclear statement, please suggest a correction.