Hope and Prophecy

When Was the Bible Written?

The Bible was written over many generations rather than at one particular time. Scripture does not provide a complete chronological table giving the exact date of every book.

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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Biblical explanation

gives an important overview: “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets” (). God communicated through different prophets and at different times. The Old Testament contains writings associated with the history of Israel, beginning with Moses and continuing through the prophets. The New Testament was written during the apostolic era following the earthly ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. Paul's letters were already circulating among churches during the apostolic period (), while Peter referred to Paul's writings alongside “the other scriptures” (). The Bible does not give a complete modern-style publication history. Therefore, exact dates for individual books belong to the field of historical and textual study rather than something that can always be established directly from Scripture. What Scripture clearly shows is that God's revelation was given progressively through many prophets and eventually centered in the revelation of His Son: “Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son” ().

In brief

gives an important overview: “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets” ().

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.