A Chronological Journey Through Scripture
At Shoe Leather Gospel, we believe that understanding when the books of the Bible were written helps believers see the grand narrative of Scripture with greater clarity. Knowing the timeline deepens our confidence in God’s providential orchestration of redemptive history. Here’s a walk through the approximate dates of composition for each biblical book—rooted in conservative scholarship, harmonized with biblical events, and viewed through a faithful dispensational lens.
Old Testament: Chronological Overview
| Book(s) | Approx. Date(s) | Author(s) | Academic Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genesis–Deuteronomy | 1445–1405 BC | Moses | 🟡 Traditional View |
| Job | Unknown | Anonymous | ❌ Uncertain |
| Joshua | 1405–1385 BC | Joshua | 🟡 Traditional View |
| Psalms | 1410–450 BC | Multiple Authors | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Judges | ~1043 BC | Samuel | 🟡 Traditional View |
| Ruth | 1030–1010 BC | Samuel (?) | 🟡 Traditional View |
| 1 Samuel | c. 1000–970 BC | Samuel, Nathan, Gad | 🟡 Traditional View |
| 2 Samuel | c. 970–931 BC | Nathan, Gad | 🟡 Traditional View |
| Proverbs | 971–686 BC | Solomon primarily | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Song of Solomon | 971–965 BC | Solomon | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Ecclesiastes | 940–931 BC | Solomon | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Obadiah | 850–840 BC | Obadiah | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Joel | 835–796 BC | Joel | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Jonah | ~775 BC | Jonah | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Amos | ~750 BC | Amos | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Hosea | 750–710 BC | Hosea | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Micah | 735–710 BC | Micah | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Isaiah | 700–681 BC | Isaiah | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Nahum | ~650 BC | Nahum | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Zephaniah | 635–625 BC | Zephaniah | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Habakkuk | 615–605 BC | Habakkuk | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Ezekiel | 590–570 BC | Ezekiel | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Jeremiah | 586–570 BC | Jeremiah | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Lamentations | 586 BC | Jeremiah | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Daniel | 536–530 BC | Daniel | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| 1–2 Kings | 561–538 BC | Anonymous (compiled) | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Haggai | ~520 BC | Haggai | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Zechariah | 480–470 BC | Zechariah | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Ezra | 457–444 BC | Ezra | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| 1–2 Chronicles | 450–430 BC | Ezra (?) | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Esther | 450–331 BC | Anonymous | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Malachi | 433–424 BC | Malachi | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Nehemiah | 424–400 BC | Ezra | ✅ Widely Accepted |
New Testament: Chronological Overview
| Book | Approx. Date(s) | Author(s) | Academic Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| James | AD 44–49 | James | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Galatians | AD 49–50 | Paul | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Mark | AD 50–60 | Mark (written first, under Peter’s influence) | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Matthew | AD 50–60 | Matthew (written concurrently with Mark, for a Jewish audience) | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| 1 Thessalonians | AD 51 | Paul | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| 2 Thessalonians | AD 51–52 | Paul | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| 1 Corinthians | AD 54–55 | Paul | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| 2 Corinthians | AD 55–56 | Paul | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Romans | AD 57 | Paul | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Luke | AD 60–61 | Luke | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Acts | AD 62 | Luke | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Ephesians | AD 60–62 | Paul (Prison Epistle — First Imprisonment) | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Philippians | AD 60–62 | Paul (Prison Epistle — First Imprisonment) | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Colossians | AD 60–62 | Paul (Prison Epistle — First Imprisonment) | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Philemon | AD 60–62 | Paul (Prison Epistle — First Imprisonment) | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| 1 Timothy | AD 62–64 | Paul (after release, possibly from Corinth) | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Titus | AD 62–64 | Paul (possibly from Corinth or Nicopolis) | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| 2 Timothy | AD 64–67 | Paul (from second imprisonment before execution) | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Hebrews | AD 64–68 | Luke (scribed from Paul’s prison teachings — Second Imprisonment) | ❌ Uncertain |
| 1 Peter | AD 64–65 | Peter | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| 2 Peter | AD 65–68 | Peter | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Jude | AD 65–80 | Jude | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| John | AD 80–90 | John | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| 1 John | AD 90–95 | John | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| 2 John | AD 90–95 | John | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| 3 John | AD 90–95 | John | ✅ Widely Accepted |
| Revelation | AD 94–96 | John (from Patmos) | ✅ Widely Accepted |
📘 Legend for Academic Confidence
- ✅ Widely Accepted: Strong scholarly consensus on date and authorship.
- 🟡 Traditional View: Based on traditional attributions; some scholarly debate exists.
- ❌ Uncertain: Authorship or dating lacks consensus or is unknown.
Why This Matters
Seeing the Bible as a progressive, Spirit-led unfolding of God’s redemptive plan gives us confidence. These books were not scattered ideas compiled centuries later—they were penned in real time, in real places, by real people, under divine inspiration (2 Peter 1:20–21).
Understanding when helps us better understand why and how the story unfolds—and invites us to live as faithful participants in that same story.
