The Writers of the Bible
The ultimate author of the Bible is God. Although the sixty-six books of the Bible were written over a period of about 1,600 years by around forty different writers, the entire Bible maintains remarkable consistency and unity in its message. This is because the writers did not record their own ideas but conveyed the will and thoughts of God. The fulfillment of the prophecies written in the Bible also bears witness that God is its true author.
Writers of the Bible
The sixty-six books of the Bible were written over approximately 1,600 years—from around 1500 BC to AD 96—by people from diverse times, places, and backgrounds. Among them were kings such as David and Solomon, a shepherd like Amos, a tax collector like Matthew, and fishermen like John and Peter.
Writers and Dates of the Old Testament
| Bible | Writer (Approx.) | Date (Approx.) |
| Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy | Moses | c. 1500 BC |
| Joshua | Joshua | c. 1450–1400 BC |
| Judges | Samuel | c. 1000 BC |
| Ruth | Unknown | c. 1000 BC |
| 1 & 2 Samuel | Unknown | c. 900 BC |
| 1 & 2 Kings | Unknown | c. 600 BC |
| 1 & 2 Chronicles | Ezra | c. 450 BC |
| Ezra | Ezra | c. 440 BC |
| Nehemiah | Nehemiah or Ezra | c. 420 BC |
| Esther | Mordecai | c. 464–436 BC |
| Job | Job (Uncertain) | c. 2000–1500 BC |
| Book of Psalms | David and many others | c. 1500–400 BC |
| Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs | Solomon and others | c. 1000–700 BC |
| Isaiah | Isaiah | c. 730–680 BC |
| Jeremiah, Lamentations | Jeremiah | c. 620–580 BC |
| Ezekiel | Ezekiel | c. 593–570 BC |
| Daniel | Daniel | c. 530 BC |
| Hosea | Hosea | c. 750 BC |
| Joel | Joel | 8th century BC |
| Amos | Amos | c. 760 BC |
| Obadiah | Obadiah | c. 580 BC |
| Jonah | Jonah | c. 760 BC |
| Micah | Micah | c. 700 BC |
| Nahum | Nahum | 7th century BC |
| Habakkuk | Habakkuk | 7th century BC |
| Zephaniah | Zephaniah | c. 630 BC |
| Haggai | Haggai | c. 520 BC |
| Zechariah | Zechariah | c. 520–518 BC |
| Malachi | Malachi | c. 430 BC |
Writers and Dates of the Old Testament
| Bible | Writer (Approx.) | Date (Approx.) |
| Matthew | Matthew | 60–70 |
| Mark | Mark | 55–65 |
| Luke | Luke | 60–68 |
| John | John (Apostle) | 80–90 |
| Acts | Luke | 61–63 |
| Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon | Paul | 51–67 |
| Hebrews | Paul (Uncertain) | 65–69 |
| James | James | 60–62 |
| 1 & 2 Peter | Peter | 64–67 |
| 1 & 2 & 3 John | John | 85–95 |
| Jude | Judah | 65–80 |
| Revelation | John | 95–96 |
God, the True Author of the Bible
Although the writers of the Bible lived in different times, under different circumstances, and had different occupations, the messages they recorded are clearly unified in purpose and theme. This is because they did not write of their own will, but wrote the words they received from God.
Apostle Peter explained that the prophecies in Scripture did not originate from human will, but from people who spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
The phrase “spoken from God” implies that although human hands penned the text, its content conveys the will and message of God. For example, if a wealthy man instructs a lawyer to draft a will and dictates its content, the lawyer may write it down, but the true author of the will is the wealthy man, not the lawyer. This is because the content of the will reflects the words and intentions of the man who gave the instruction, not those of the one who wrote it.
In the same way, God is the true author of the Bible. Apostle Paul also affirmed this in his letter to Timothy, stating that all Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that people may be led to salvation.[1]
Evidence That God Is the Author of the Bible
One way to confirm that the Bible is truly the word of God is by examining whether its prophecies have been fulfilled.
You may say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.
If there is no evidence of fulfillment, the message is not from God. Conversely, if what was foretold comes to pass, then the message is from God. The fulfillment of biblical prophecy is clear evidence that God is the true author of the Bible.
- Example 1: The Prophecies of Daniel
The book of Daniel foretold the succession of world empires—Babylon (Neo-Babylonia), followed by Media-Persia, and then Greece. It also predicted that after the death of Alexander the Great, the Greek Empire would be divided into four kingdoms among his generals.[2] God revealed this prophecy to Daniel long before the fall of Babylon, and history records its exact fulfillment.[3]
- Example 2: The Prophecies about Jesus Christ
The Old Testament contains numerous detailed prophecies concerning the life of Jesus—from His birth to His suffering on the cross. These include: being born of the virgin Mary,[4][5] preaching the gospel in Galilee,[6][7] entering Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt,[8][9] being crucified between two criminals, and being laid in the tomb of a rich man after His death.[10][11] All these prophecies were fulfilled exactly as written, confirming that the Bible is truly the word of God.