What Book of the Bible Should I Read

One press picks a book of the Bible to read, with its length and first words.

  1. EstherOld Testament, History. 10 chapters, 167 verses. Opens: Now in the days of Ahasuerus (this is Ahasuerus who reigned…
All 66

How it works

Can't decide what book of the Bible to read next? This random Bible book generator picks one of the 66, Genesis to Revelation, and shows its section, its length and how it opens.

Read the full guide

Pick a random book of the Bible that fits your time

Choose Short books for the 24 books of five chapters or fewer, such as Ruth, Jonah and Philippians. Prophets holds the 17 books from Isaiah to Malachi, and Letters the 21 from Romans to Jude.

What book in the Bible should I read first?

The generator ranks nothing: all 66 books have the same chance. If you would rather start at a beginning, Genesis opens the Old Testament and Matthew opens the New, and every card names the book's section.

Questions and answers

Is this bible book randomizer fair to short books?

Yes. Every book has the same chance whatever its length, so Obadiah, one chapter of 21 verses, comes up as often as Psalms with 150 chapters. No book comes back until every book in the part you chose has come up.

How many books are in the Bible?

Protestant Bibles have 66: 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New, 1,189 chapters in all. Catholic and Orthodox Bibles hold more books, such as Tobit and 1 Maccabees, which are not on this list.

What is the shortest book of the Bible?

By verses, 2 John, with 13. Then come 3 John with 14 and Obadiah with 21 in the World English Bible; some Bibles give 3 John 15. The longest is Psalms, with 150 chapters.

All 66 books

Old Testament 39

  • 1 Chronicles Old Testament, History. 29 chapters, 942 verses. Opens: Adam, Seth, Enosh,
  • 1 Kings Old Testament, History. 22 chapters, 816 verses. Opens: Now King David was old and advanced in years; and they covered…
  • 1 Samuel Old Testament, History. 31 chapters, 810 verses. Opens: Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the hill…
  • 2 Chronicles Old Testament, History. 36 chapters, 822 verses. Opens: Solomon the son of David was firmly established in his kingdom…
  • 2 Kings Old Testament, History. 25 chapters, 719 verses. Opens: Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
  • 2 Samuel Old Testament, History. 24 chapters, 695 verses. Opens: After the death of Saul, when David had returned…
  • Amos Old Testament, Prophets. 9 chapters, 146 verses. Opens: The words of Amos, who was among the herdsmen of Tekoa…
  • Daniel Old Testament, Prophets. 12 chapters, 357 verses. Opens: In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah…
  • Deuteronomy Old Testament, Law. 34 chapters, 959 verses. Opens: These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel beyond…
  • Ecclesiastes Old Testament, Poetry and Wisdom. 12 chapters, 222 verses. Opens: The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
Show all 66 books (56 more)

Old Testament, continued

  • Esther Old Testament, History. 10 chapters, 167 verses. Opens: Now in the days of Ahasuerus (this is Ahasuerus who reigned…
  • Exodus Old Testament, Law. 40 chapters, 1,213 verses. Opens: Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came…
  • Ezekiel Old Testament, Prophets. 48 chapters, 1,273 verses. Opens: Now in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth…
  • Ezra Old Testament, History. 10 chapters, 280 verses. Opens: Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that Yahweh’s…
  • Genesis Old Testament, Law. 50 chapters, 1,533 verses. Opens: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
  • Habakkuk Old Testament, Prophets. 3 chapters, 56 verses. Opens: The revelation which Habakkuk the prophet saw.
  • Haggai Old Testament, Prophets. 2 chapters, 38 verses. Opens: In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month…
  • Hosea Old Testament, Prophets. 14 chapters, 197 verses. Opens: Yahweh’s word that came to Hosea the son of Beeri, in the days…
  • Isaiah Old Testament, Prophets. 66 chapters, 1,292 verses. Opens: The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning…
  • Jeremiah Old Testament, Prophets. 52 chapters, 1,364 verses. Opens: The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests…
  • Job Old Testament, Poetry and Wisdom. 42 chapters, 1,070 verses. Opens: There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. That man…
  • Joel Old Testament, Prophets. 3 chapters, 73 verses. Opens: Yahweh’s word that came to Joel, the son of Pethuel.
  • Jonah Old Testament, Prophets. 4 chapters, 48 verses. Opens: Now Yahweh’s word came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
  • Joshua Old Testament, History. 24 chapters, 658 verses. Opens: Now after the death of Moses the servant of Yahweh, Yahweh…
  • Judges Old Testament, History. 21 chapters, 618 verses. Opens: After the death of Joshua, the children of Israel asked…
  • Lamentations Old Testament, Prophets. 5 chapters, 154 verses. Opens: How the city sits solitary, that was full of people! She has…
  • Leviticus Old Testament, Law. 27 chapters, 859 verses. Opens: Yahweh called to Moses, and spoke to him from the Tent…
  • Malachi Old Testament, Prophets. 4 chapters, 55 verses. Opens: A revelation, Yahweh’s word to Israel by Malachi.
  • Micah Old Testament, Prophets. 7 chapters, 105 verses. Opens: Yahweh’s word that came to Micah of Morasheth in the days…
  • Nahum Old Testament, Prophets. 3 chapters, 47 verses. Opens: A revelation about Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum…
  • Nehemiah Old Testament, History. 13 chapters, 406 verses. Opens: The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now in the month…
  • Numbers Old Testament, Law. 36 chapters, 1,288 verses. Opens: Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent…
  • Obadiah Old Testament, Prophets. 1 chapter, 21 verses. Opens: The vision of Obadiah. This is what the Lord Yahweh says about…
  • Proverbs Old Testament, Poetry and Wisdom. 31 chapters, 915 verses. Opens: The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:
  • Psalms Old Testament, Poetry and Wisdom. 150 chapters, 2,461 verses. Opens: Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel…
  • Ruth Old Testament, History. 4 chapters, 85 verses. Opens: In the days when the judges judged, there was a famine…
  • Song of Solomon Old Testament, Poetry and Wisdom. 8 chapters, 117 verses. Opens: The Song of songs, which is Solomon’s.
  • Zechariah Old Testament, Prophets. 14 chapters, 211 verses. Opens: In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, Yahweh’s…
  • Zephaniah Old Testament, Prophets. 3 chapters, 53 verses. Opens: Yahweh’s word which came to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi…

New Testament 27

  • 1 Corinthians New Testament, Letter of Paul. 16 chapters, 437 verses. Opens: Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will…
  • 1 John New Testament, Letter. 5 chapters, 105 verses. Opens: That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard…
  • 1 Peter New Testament, Letter. 5 chapters, 105 verses. Opens: Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are…
  • 1 Thessalonians New Testament, Letter of Paul. 5 chapters, 89 verses. Opens: Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the assembly…
  • 1 Timothy New Testament, Letter of Paul. 6 chapters, 113 verses. Opens: Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the commandment…
  • 2 Corinthians New Testament, Letter of Paul. 13 chapters, 257 verses. Opens: Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God…
  • 2 John New Testament, Letter. 1 chapter, 13 verses. Opens: The elder, to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love…
  • 2 Peter New Testament, Letter. 3 chapters, 61 verses. Opens: Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those…
  • 2 Thessalonians New Testament, Letter of Paul. 3 chapters, 47 verses. Opens: Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the assembly…
  • 2 Timothy New Testament, Letter of Paul. 4 chapters, 83 verses. Opens: Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God…
  • 3 John New Testament, Letter. 1 chapter, 14 verses. Opens: The elder to Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth.
  • Acts New Testament, History. 28 chapters, 1,007 verses. Opens: The first book I wrote, Theophilus, concerned all that Jesus…
  • Colossians New Testament, Letter of Paul. 4 chapters, 95 verses. Opens: Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God…
  • Ephesians New Testament, Letter of Paul. 6 chapters, 155 verses. Opens: Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God…
  • Galatians New Testament, Letter of Paul. 6 chapters, 149 verses. Opens: Paul, an apostle…
  • Hebrews New Testament, Letter. 13 chapters, 303 verses. Opens: God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through…
  • James New Testament, Letter. 5 chapters, 108 verses. Opens: James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ…
  • John New Testament, Gospel. 21 chapters, 879 verses. Opens: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God…
  • Jude New Testament, Letter. 1 chapter, 25 verses. Opens: Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those…
  • Luke New Testament, Gospel. 24 chapters, 1,151 verses. Opens: Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative…
  • Mark New Testament, Gospel. 16 chapters, 678 verses. Opens: The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
  • Matthew New Testament, Gospel. 28 chapters, 1,071 verses. Opens: The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David…
  • Philemon New Testament, Letter of Paul. 1 chapter, 25 verses. Opens: Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother…
  • Philippians New Testament, Letter of Paul. 4 chapters, 104 verses. Opens: Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints…
  • Revelation New Testament, Prophecy. 22 chapters, 404 verses. Opens: This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him…
  • Romans New Testament, Letter of Paul. 16 chapters, 434 verses. Opens: Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set…
  • Titus New Testament, Letter of Paul. 3 chapters, 46 verses. Opens: Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ…

How this list was compiled: The 66 books of the Protestant Bible, Genesis to Revelation, one item each, in Bible order. Names and order follow the contents page of the World English Bible at https://ebible.org/eng-web/index.htm. Chapter and verse counts (1,189 chapters and 31,103 verses in all) were counted by script from eBible.org's verse-per-line download of the World English Bible, Classic edition, https://ebible.org/Scriptures/eng-web_vpl.zip, fetched on 2026-09-23. The opening words are the start of each book's first verse, copied from the same file and cut after about ten words with an ellipsis. The World English Bible is in the public domain (https://ebible.org/eng-web/copyright.htm); "World English Bible" is a trademark of eBible.org and this site is not affiliated with it. The sections follow the usual Christian division of the Old Testament into Law, History, Poetry and Wisdom, and Prophets (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Testament) and of the New into Gospels, Acts, letters and Revelation (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Testament); Acts is listed as History. A letter of Paul is one of the 13 letters whose first verse names Paul as the writer; Hebrews names no writer. Revelation is called a prophecy in its own third verse. Short books have five chapters or fewer (24 books). Catholic and Orthodox Bibles hold more books than these 66; they are not listed here. Licence: Book names and counts: facts, counted from the World English Bible (public domain). Opening words: World English Bible, public domain. Grouping: own work.